Before I do though, I want to thank Jaehwan for the eloquent response and the attempt to prevent this from becoming a Hannity & Colmes like shouting match. I’m kind of saddened that this debate has now devolved into a case where both sides aren’t even addressing the others concerns but instead trying to be the most insulting or catty.

As a result of this, I’m now going to be more strict regarding our Comment Policy on our About page. If you disagree with what someone has to say, that’s fine; I will not tolerate personal attacks of ANY KIND, and people doing so will not only have their comments removed but their IP addresses banned, and in extreme cases, their ISPs notified.

I agree with Efren that people need to stay out of other people’s business. We’d get further as a community by presenting ideas that inspire than we will from putting unreasonable limits and conditions on people we don’t know.

I did wanted to point out although miscegenation law is no more and we should definitely celebrate the life of Mildred Loving, but there are many things that have not changed. Racism merely took a different route and it is very much here today in many interracial relationships. Things have improved, but people of color are hardly being treated equal. As long as Asian men are judged as Asians first and as men second, not much progress has been made at all. It is pathetic these so-called Asian American female “activists” rarely ever speak out against all the racism in these IRs between AFs and WMs. It is like it is automatically for these so-called “activists” to bash Asian men openly and stating how liberating it is to be with white men. Of course, he has to be white and nothing else in most cases. Racism is still racism. Racism merely changed from black and white to gray.

BTW, that NYC article is pathetic. I can’t believe some Asian women actually feel that way. Gee, I guess it is not too surprising Bo here lives in NYC.

Bo, you could post a piece on, I dunno, vitamin water, and people will jump at you about interracial dating. It’s kind of funny if it weren’t for the fact nobody seems to be tongue-in-cheek.

Maybe Bo can answer this since she’s the one who brought white girls into this. I don’t think anyone else mentioned white girls…

Bo,

“Yeah, the conclusions I’ve outlined may be extreme but they are embedded in what what was left in the comments.”

Your conclusions are extreme to the point of mischaracterizing another person’s position. It’s almost like he said, “I like pizza,” and then you came to the conclusion that he wants to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of his life, and that he is racist against hamburgers. I hope you can see the problem with this line of thinking.

“BTW, how do you come to the conlusion that Asian-White relations are the norm? The statistics don’t show that. It would only be the norm if over 50% of asian women were dating white men. The numbers are WAY WAY below that. ”

Check out Warrior Lessons by Phoebe Eng. It’s 55% for Asian women born in the U.S. Yes, including women from overseas it’s not predominantly AF/WM, but if you count the native born population, it’s definitely greater. Eng had to devote a whole section to the phenomenon because it’s so big. Not to mention the fact that people in those relationships tend to be overrepresented in Asian American cultural groups. Where’s the non-interracial version of Amy Tan?

“Plus, I love how the blogosphere likes to treat asian men as the victim when it comes to interracial dating. Victim my ass…show me statistics that prove that asian-american men are ending up old, unmarried, and lonely at a disproprionate rate to other men. Don’t asian men find this type of stereotyping insulting?”

I’m not insulted if it’s the truth. Acknowledging truth is the first step to fixing the situation. Obviously it’s a problem.

So for stats: Check out the articles/stats that I posted here:
http://www.thefighting44s.com/archives/2008/03/18/44s-vs-reappropriate-on-fallout-central/
John Tierney, who is a famous NY Times science writer, talks about the same preference which certain “Asian American leaders” keep telling us is fiction. Props to Tierney for calling it as it is. Also check out the second article I posted by Penner. These are the facts.

“And finally, this post was to honor a civil rights heroine. I think we can all agree that striking down miscegenation laws was a good thing.”

I don’t think anyone was disagreeing there. I personally was just criticizing your characterization of the current situation. Asian Americans married to white people currently dominate both the institutions that run Asian American culture AND the conversation. I think he was just trying to say that we should depict the situation as it really is.

Sharon, Bo, Grace, and Moye:

I think people just have to be sensitive to how information is presented. It’s clear to anyone who has taken an Asian American Studies class that the AF/WM relationship is far more accepted than AF/AM. It’s easier and more acceptable to have a romantic Last Samurai who is white rather than Asian. That’s all. Yes, please mourn Loving, because she was a historical figure. But you also have to be sensitive to the way things really are today. We’re no longer living in the 1960’s, and the power dynamic was never the same for Asian Americans and African Americans anyway. It’s much more complex than just you vs. me or vice-versa.

I’m just saying that if you guys are discussing Asian American issues, it’s best to take an open-minded approach to what is really going on.

Jacky wrote: “I have yet to read any comments on these so-call Asian American blogs about the damage this media has done to all the Asian American youth.”

Not specifically media related, but check out this post by Dialectic:
http://www.thefighting44s.com/archives/2007/07/20/emily-sue-has-brown-eyes-race-fetish-and-love/

“Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, Malay and red, and He placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with His arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that He separated the races shows that He did not intend for the races to mix.”

Yes, that was in the trial court’s opinion. An actual legal opinion, not the words of some loudmouthed yokel preacher. You have no idea what Mildred and Richard Loving were up against. The trial judge actually BANISHED them from the state of Virginia. Like physically kicked them out and told them not to come back.

In any event, Loving v. Virginia stands for the proposition that THE STATE has no right to tell you whom to love and marry (at least based on race). And hopefully this concept will be extended to same sex relationships as well.

Talk about missing the point and turning a post that was meant to memorialize the passing of a civil rights icon into petty squabbling. Way to go.

Why is it anytime someone points out the flaw of a blog that the auto Asian feminism defense kicks in? Where did I say Asian men should tell Asian women what to do? Where did I say Asian men should make decisions for Asian women? You sure jumped to the conclusion quickly. Did you happen to read all the work by Amy Tan and think her writing is gospel for Asian American women liberation? BTW, I don’t know you and I really don’t care to tell you what to do in anything other than responding to your blog.

I have yet to read any comments on these so-call Asian American blogs about the damage this media has done to all the Asian American youth. The media is messing with our heads daily. How come we don’t look deeper into this WM/AF thing and realize how racist some of these couplings are? Why do you act like this is so normal when it is not? Why is it ALWAYS about white people? Shouldn’t Asian American activists care about what REALLY is going on in the community vs. sugarcoating it all the time? How come no one ever think AM/AF couples are normal? At end of the day, it is all about dating the white men for these Asian American women. If you want to call that progress, then go ahead and call it whatever you want but to me it is still rooted in racism.

You act like you would have been a victim if those miscegenation laws were still around. Please… White men have a “thing” for Asian women. This is why you only see WM/AF in movies and AFs are new casters are all over while there is none for AMs. It almost seem fashionable these days for Asian American women to stereotype and bash Asian men openly to gain favors with the white men. Why? Asian men are oppressed and it is easy to join with the majority to jump on the minority. At least admit this is what many Asian American women are doing. White men threw them a bone and they ate it up like good little China dolls.

Elaine Chao? You really think she would be there if she is not a royal dog for the republicans? Sure whatever you say. Get a minority women so it will kill two birds (woman + minority) with one stone so minorities can all shut up about fairness in representation.