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Linguistic Change, Cantoni and Tardini (2006: 7), Chapter 1 of Internet Culture (Marc Tasman), YouTube. 

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Tumblr Blog Entry #3

For my last Journal entry would like to discuss a relevant issue over the past year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in Asian hate around the world. This is further fueled by China’s more aggressive stance on the world stage. I decided to investigate the “r/StopAsianHate” subreddit to look up relevant issues from others’ posts.  One post that caught my attention was “Stop the Warmongering Against China” which was posted by u/Fayeliu. The content of the post leads to a YouTube video in which was Australian politician Jenny Leong giving a speech about Asian hate. She is a part of the green party in Australia which is against Warmongering rhetoric. She mentioned a little bit of the history of discrimination against Asians in Australia such as the 1901 White Australia Policy in response to white gold miners' fear of Asian immigrants taking their success.  Another policy that was mentioned was the “One Australia” during the late 1980s which called for the reduction of Asian Immigrants to Australia. Jenny Leong then mentions the current problem with Asian hate such as racist attacks, workplace discrimination, questioning loyalties of Asian citizens, and just racist jokes in general. There is a statement that Jenny Leong made that resonates with me as an Asian American. She says, “We will no longer be silent. We’ll no longer be your model migrants. You will not stereotype us as geeks. You will not objectify us as the subject of your exotic fantasies. And we will not shy away from speaking proudly about our cultural heritage for fear that you will apologistss apologist for the CCP”.     

I think a reading that is relevant to this Reddit post and me personally would be “The Real Problem When It Comes to Diversity and Asian-American" by Jack Linshi. The main topic of this TIME article takes about the problem with the “model minority” label. Jack Linshi states the problem with this label is, “The problem with this belief, historians and advocates assert, is that it not only obscures the sheer range of experience within Asian and Asian-American populations but also excludes them from conversations about diversity and inclusion in leadership and non-tech sectors”. As an Asian American, I could relate to this statement. I’m currently majoring in Supply Chain Management which is business/leadership related. This was a shock to many within my small town of Mukwonago which most of the population was white conservatives. I was expected to go within computer science by others.    

Another reading I believe that is relevant to the Reddit post would be “TOYO MITATAKE AND OUR WORLD” by Karin Higa. Higa talks about the experience of those who were sent to Manzanar during the Second World War. She writes, “Japan Americans, especially the Nisei, internalized the surveillance of the outside world so that the performance of “American-ness” takes place at all times. Young Nisei were clearly aware of their ancestry marked them as different, a difference that was cast pejoratively”. From both personal experience and hearing from others, this is still very much an issue today. Talking about one cultural heritage instead of the mainstream perception of it will make others question your loyalty. From my own experience, I begged my parents to pack a different school lunch or buy things that my friends have. But these changes to my life didn’t stop others from making a racist joke. Although this is not a concern for me currently, it is most definitely a concern for many others.    

Citations:    

U/Fayeliu. “Stop the Warmongering Against China.” Reddit, 29 Oct. 2021, Stop the Warmongering Against China : FayeLiu (reddit.com). Accessed 14 Dec. 2021.  

Linshi, Jack. “The Real Problem When It Comes to Diversity and Asian-American.” TIME, OCT. 2014, Tech Diversity Report Response Ignores Asians — Here's Why | Time  

Higa Karin. “TOYA MIYATAKE AND “OUR WORLD”.” ONLY SKIN DEEP, pp 340. ISBN 0-8103-4635-1

Jenny leong. “Stop the Warmongering Against China.” YouTube, 7 May 2021, Stop the Warmongering Against China - YouTube

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Multimedia Journal Entry 2

Crazy Rich Asians are based around the young family. The young family is a wealthy Chinese descendant living in Singapore. The main two characters are Rachel Chu and Nick Young. Both Rachel and Nick are in a relationship. The Challenge from these two characters is mainly class. Because of Nick’s family’s wealth, Rachel is treated as an outsider. Rachel didn’t inherit wealth from her parents but rather worked her way up to become an economics professor. Furthermore, there is also a divide between cultures within the show. This becomes apparent when Rachel meets Nick’s Family. I think this is somewhat like the article Black? White? Asian? More young Americans Choose All of the Above. According to the article “some sociologists say that grouping all multiracial people together glosses over differences in circumstance between someone who is, black and Latino, and someone who is Asian and White (among interracial couples, white-Asian pairing tends to be better educated and have higher income”. In this show that is very apparent. There is a lot of themes within the movie that show mixed races of Asians.     

I think this move generates conversation regarding race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity would be the emulation of whiteness within Asian Culture. There was one scene in the movie when Rachel was meeting her friend’s family home in Singapore. Her friend’s parents bragged about how the living room was “inspired by the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles” in a brass manager. Of course, the living room was lavish but in poor taste.  This relates to what Dr. Jay talked about in his article “What is Multiculturalism”. He states, “Specifically, Proponents argue that the content of classes in history, literature, social studies, and other areas reflect what came to be called a “Eurocentric” and male bias. Another conversation This movie generates would be differences in culture. In one scene, both Rachel and her mom are preparing to meet Nick’s family by shopping for clothes. Rachel was talking about the possibility of marrying Nick and her mother thought it was a silly idea. There was a quote from Rachels's mom which was, “Your face is Chinese, you speak Chinese, But here and here... You’re different”. Her mother says that her mindset is rather American than Chinese.      

I think besides the plot of the movie this shows acceptance of Asian culture within Mainstream media. Most of the case is Asian or Mixed race Asians. It is one of the few movies in Mainstream American Media that accurately shows how Asian society is diverse. This is like Reading analysis #8. As stated in the “Godzilla” article, “it takes a heterogeneous approach to artistic practice that defies the notions that there is such a thing as “Asian American art”. I think the same logic applies to depictions in media and culture in general.  

Citations:  

Professor Gregory, Jay. What is Multiculturalism? University of Wisconsin –Milwaukee. 2011.    

“Crazy Rich Asians.” Prime video, uploaded 2018, Watch Crazy Rich Asians | Prime Video (amazon.com)

Susan Saulny. Black? White? Asian? More young Americans Choose All of the Above. The New York Times. (2011).  

Karin Higa. ORIGIN MYTHS: A SHORT AND INCOMPLETE HISTORY OF GODZILLA. One way or another Asian American Art Now. (2008).  

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Multimedia Journal Entry 1

For my first multimedia Journal Entry, I've decided to watch Fresh off the Boat. The premise of the show is that it follows the character Eddie whose family moved from Chinatown Washington D.C. to the white suburban area in Orlando. It shows the challenges of adjusting to a new environment. It would remind me of the first Project where we had to discuss concepts of whiteness and privilege. One of the challenges that Eddie faced at his new school was finding others to socialize with. He initially was invited to a table of white boys that enjoyed the same music taste. But when Eddy open his lunch, the other kids kicked him out saying that it “smells awful”. There was another scene when he was pushed back to the lunch line because he was a “Chink”. Eddy got into a fight in which he was the only one to get in trouble. This shows the bias of white privilege in a school environment. He was called down to the office instead of the kid that called him a slur. It also shows what McIntosh meant by how privilege sets the cultural norms and makes no room for others.    

I feel like this also relates to Charlene Teeters's video on YouTube back in reading analysis #5. The one parrel that I could draw would be struggles that minorities living outside of their community. In Charlene Teeter's case, she was a Native American who moved to a white community. She struggled with voicing her opinion on the use of Native American mascots in the small town. While Eddie from Fresh off the Boat struggled with finding friends because of his race. In both these situations, they represent white privilege in which the majority gets to decide who is in and who is out. I think both the YouTube video and the show I choose could generate conversations regarding race. It appeals to a certain audience. Specifically, people have in smaller communities in which most of the population is white and have little exposure to other races. I could personally relate. I come from a small town where the high school mascot is an Indian. I’m Chinese myself so I would understand the struggles that Eddie faces. I think this could provide a valuable perspective for others that don’t understand these struggles.     

I think that the intersections of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, class, genders are needed to reach a wide audience. Like for example, In Fresh off the boat, follows a family. The audience could self-insert with any of the family members. The audience could also self-insert with identifying with the same ethnicity or class. I think this allows a level of understanding that could bring about more change in terms of acceptance. According to Professor Gregory Jay, UWM “Specifically, proponents argued that the content of classes in history, literature, social studies, and other areas reflected what came to be called a "Eurocentric" and male bias. Few if any women or people of color, or people from outside the Western European tradition, appeared prominently in the curriculums of schools and colleges in the United States”. I feel like media is a fun and interactive way of supplementing the lack of multicultural education. 

Citations:  

“Fresh of the Boat Season 1, Ep. 1 Pilot.” Prime video, uploaded 2015, Watch Fresh Off the Boat Season 1 | Prime Video (amazon.com).  

“COLORES | False Traditions, False Idols | New Mexico PBS.” YouTube, uploaded by knmedotorg, Dec 7, 2009, COLORES | False Traditions, False Idols | New Mexico PBS - YouTube  

McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 1989.  

Professor Gregory, Jay. What is Multiculturalism? University of Wisconsin –Milwaukee. 2011.