Comments on: Racist Remarks to the Allegedly Racist Xiaochen Su: The Pot Calling the Kettle Black? http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/ A blog for Asian Americans Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:44:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: 8Asians.com » What It Means to Be a Family: On Asian Unity: An Asian American/Asian Canadian Blog http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-52948 8Asians.com » What It Means to Be a Family: On Asian Unity: An Asian American/Asian Canadian Blog Sat, 26 Jan 2008 23:55:59 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-52948 [...] recall the op-ed piece “U.S. cannibalizes self by enabling immigrants, poor” by Xiaochen Su that incited Asian Americans nation-wide (alongside the white Americans) to rally against him, [...] [...] recall the op-ed piece “U.S. cannibalizes self by enabling immigrants, poor” by Xiaochen Su that incited Asian Americans nation-wide (alongside the white Americans) to rally against him, [...]

]]> By: akrypti http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-34937 akrypti Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:57:06 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-34937 People realize I'm Taiwanese, right? And very much a member of the Green? People realize I’m Taiwanese, right? And very much a member of the Green?

]]> By: akrypti http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-136337 akrypti Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:57:00 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-136337 People realize I'm Taiwanese, right? And very much a member of the Green? People realize I’m Taiwanese, right? And very much a member of the Green?

]]> By: taimei http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-34928 taimei Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:23:43 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-34928 Full disclosure: I am Taiwanese, and am biased against mainland Chinese. Xiaochen Su's name is spelled in pinyin, used on the mainland but not in Taiwan, so I am immediately inclined to think of him as mainland Chinese. ********** What Su's argument strikes me as is an oversimplification coming from someone who does not entirely understand the nuances of the situation--or chooses to ignore them, for the sake of argument. As many people have already mentioned, "native Caucasian" is a flawed term, as is the lump designation of "minorities." Let's just say for a moment that Su is an extraterrestrial, and human politics is merely an objective game to him. This is actually kind of how he wrote the article: as someone outside the situation. Given that modest proposal tone (despite a conspicuous lack of satirical humor), it makes sense that people are offended. After all, he IS human. He IS someone who, by his name, probably came to the US as an immigrant--or descended from immigrants. How can he remove himself from the dichotomy of "native Caucasians" vs. "minorities" and speak with such dispassion? Is he not ignoring his own immigrant past? I think those are legitimate questions. Yes, he made a logical, if flawed, argument. What he actually did wrong, though, was ignore the fact that a columnist does not live in a vacuum. A columnist has the right, has the platform to speak his opinion to us because he IS one of us. And by acting as if his readers -- and he, himself -- are theoretical objects, he opens himself to censure. Full disclosure: I am Taiwanese, and am biased against mainland Chinese. Xiaochen Su’s name is spelled in pinyin, used on the mainland but not in Taiwan, so I am immediately inclined to think of him as mainland Chinese.
**********
What Su’s argument strikes me as is an oversimplification coming from someone who does not entirely understand the nuances of the situation–or chooses to ignore them, for the sake of argument. As many people have already mentioned, “native Caucasian” is a flawed term, as is the lump designation of “minorities.”
Let’s just say for a moment that Su is an extraterrestrial, and human politics is merely an objective game to him. This is actually kind of how he wrote the article: as someone outside the situation.
Given that modest proposal tone (despite a conspicuous lack of satirical humor), it makes sense that people are offended. After all, he IS human. He IS someone who, by his name, probably came to the US as an immigrant–or descended from immigrants. How can he remove himself from the dichotomy of “native Caucasians” vs. “minorities” and speak with such dispassion? Is he not ignoring his own immigrant past?
I think those are legitimate questions. Yes, he made a logical, if flawed, argument. What he actually did wrong, though, was ignore the fact that a columnist does not live in a vacuum. A columnist has the right, has the platform to speak his opinion to us because he IS one of us. And by acting as if his readers — and he, himself — are theoretical objects, he opens himself to censure.

]]> By: taimei http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-136336 taimei Fri, 19 Oct 2007 05:23:00 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-136336 Full disclosure: I am Taiwanese, and am biased against mainland Chinese. Xiaochen Su's name is spelled in pinyin, used on the mainland but not in Taiwan, so I am immediately inclined to think of him as mainland Chinese. ********** What Su's argument strikes me as is an oversimplification coming from someone who does not entirely understand the nuances of the situation--or chooses to ignore them, for the sake of argument. As many people have already mentioned, "native Caucasian" is a flawed term, as is the lump designation of "minorities." Let's just say for a moment that Su is an extraterrestrial, and human politics is merely an objective game to him. This is actually kind of how he wrote the article: as someone outside the situation. Given that modest proposal tone (despite a conspicuous lack of satirical humor), it makes sense that people are offended. After all, he IS human. He IS someone who, by his name, probably came to the US as an immigrant--or descended from immigrants. How can he remove himself from the dichotomy of "native Caucasians" vs. "minorities" and speak with such dispassion? Is he not ignoring his own immigrant past? I think those are legitimate questions. Yes, he made a logical, if flawed, argument. What he actually did wrong, though, was ignore the fact that a columnist does not live in a vacuum. A columnist has the right, has the platform to speak his opinion to us because he IS one of us. And by acting as if his readers -- and he, himself -- are theoretical objects, he opens himself to censure. Full disclosure: I am Taiwanese, and am biased against mainland Chinese. Xiaochen Su’s name is spelled in pinyin, used on the mainland but not in Taiwan, so I am immediately inclined to think of him as mainland Chinese.
**********
What Su’s argument strikes me as is an oversimplification coming from someone who does not entirely understand the nuances of the situation–or chooses to ignore them, for the sake of argument. As many people have already mentioned, “native Caucasian” is a flawed term, as is the lump designation of “minorities.”
Let’s just say for a moment that Su is an extraterrestrial, and human politics is merely an objective game to him. This is actually kind of how he wrote the article: as someone outside the situation.
Given that modest proposal tone (despite a conspicuous lack of satirical humor), it makes sense that people are offended. After all, he IS human. He IS someone who, by his name, probably came to the US as an immigrant–or descended from immigrants. How can he remove himself from the dichotomy of “native Caucasians” vs. “minorities” and speak with such dispassion? Is he not ignoring his own immigrant past?
I think those are legitimate questions. Yes, he made a logical, if flawed, argument. What he actually did wrong, though, was ignore the fact that a columnist does not live in a vacuum. A columnist has the right, has the platform to speak his opinion to us because he IS one of us. And by acting as if his readers — and he, himself — are theoretical objects, he opens himself to censure.

]]> By: zutano http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-34849 zutano Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:57:47 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-34849 for the record, stereotypes were not what led people to believe that xiaochen su is chinese. his name is spelled using pinyin, and he clearly states on his facebook profile that he is chinese. su's article made some broad and offensive statements. i have been privy to an email conversation between su and a yale graduate who took issue with the piece, and su has acknowledged some of the article's flaws. while he may hold controversial (and, in the opinion of many, mistaken) views, he's clearly not an idiot. as a matter of fact, the vast majority of yalies are smart people. this post insinuates that the response to su's article has consisted only of ad hominem attacks and racial insults, but i assure you that discussion here on campus is at a much higher level than what you may see on ivygate. saying that the YDN should not have published su's piece is not the same as advocating censorship; it is encouraging the newspaper to print material that can challenge readers' views without antagonizing them. disrespect does not stimulate thoughtful discussion - it provokes personal attacks. for the record, stereotypes were not what led people to believe that xiaochen su is chinese. his name is spelled using pinyin, and he clearly states on his facebook profile that he is chinese.

su’s article made some broad and offensive statements. i have been privy to an email conversation between su and a yale graduate who took issue with the piece, and su has acknowledged some of the article’s flaws. while he may hold controversial (and, in the opinion of many, mistaken) views, he’s clearly not an idiot.

as a matter of fact, the vast majority of yalies are smart people. this post insinuates that the response to su’s article has consisted only of ad hominem attacks and racial insults, but i assure you that discussion here on campus is at a much higher level than what you may see on ivygate. saying that the YDN should not have published su’s piece is not the same as advocating censorship; it is encouraging the newspaper to print material that can challenge readers’ views without antagonizing them. disrespect does not stimulate thoughtful discussion – it provokes personal attacks.

]]> By: zutano http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-136335 zutano Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:57:00 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-136335 for the record, stereotypes were not what led people to believe that xiaochen su is chinese. his name is spelled using pinyin, and he clearly states on his facebook profile that he is chinese. su's article made some broad and offensive statements. i have been privy to an email conversation between su and a yale graduate who took issue with the piece, and su has acknowledged some of the article's flaws. while he may hold controversial (and, in the opinion of many, mistaken) views, he's clearly not an idiot. as a matter of fact, the vast majority of yalies are smart people. this post insinuates that the response to su's article has consisted only of ad hominem attacks and racial insults, but i assure you that discussion here on campus is at a much higher level than what you may see on ivygate. saying that the YDN should not have published su's piece is not the same as advocating censorship; it is encouraging the newspaper to print material that can challenge readers' views without antagonizing them. disrespect does not stimulate thoughtful discussion - it provokes personal attacks. for the record, stereotypes were not what led people to believe that xiaochen su is chinese. his name is spelled using pinyin, and he clearly states on his facebook profile that he is chinese.

su’s article made some broad and offensive statements. i have been privy to an email conversation between su and a yale graduate who took issue with the piece, and su has acknowledged some of the article’s flaws. while he may hold controversial (and, in the opinion of many, mistaken) views, he’s clearly not an idiot.

as a matter of fact, the vast majority of yalies are smart people. this post insinuates that the response to su’s article has consisted only of ad hominem attacks and racial insults, but i assure you that discussion here on campus is at a much higher level than what you may see on ivygate. saying that the YDN should not have published su’s piece is not the same as advocating censorship; it is encouraging the newspaper to print material that can challenge readers’ views without antagonizing them. disrespect does not stimulate thoughtful discussion – it provokes personal attacks.

]]> By: courageous kiwi http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/comment-page-1/#comment-34841 courageous kiwi Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:18:31 +0000 http://www.8asians.com/2007/10/17/racist-epithets-in-response-to-xiaochen-su-the-pot-calling-the-kettle-black/#comment-34841 I agree that the accusations of racism are baseless. That being said, if he's Asian, he's still probably a racist. Just sayin'. I know my peoples. I agree that the accusations of racism are baseless.

That being said, if he’s Asian, he’s still probably a racist. Just sayin’. I know my peoples.

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