Hyphen’s recent blog post about Princeton University’s “Reverse Racism” was amusing to me, especially since the terminology was used incorrectly — it’s not reverse racism, it’s just racism. (Especially ironic since I learned this after I moved to the South.) And here I had always thought before that “reverse racism” meant that the minority was going against the majority in a racist manner. But if you actually read the definition of racism itself:
rac⋅ism [rey-siz-uhm]
–noun
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Definition number three goes both ways, doesn’t it? And take a look at Urban Dictionary whom I like to use as a reference for all things slang this side of Wednesday — interestingly enough, everything points to the fact that there really isn’t “reverse” racism; It’s just racism.
Now let’s revisit the phrase used inside Princeton: 白人看不懂, bai ren kan bu dong, or “white people can’t read this.” When it comes to gags and jokes, there’s always a target and sometimes it’s drawn on the line of color. If some people feel that it’s racism because they’re sensitive, there’s no stopping that one. But the phrase isn’t exactly racist but more of a funny saying, the type that you’d see in Spencer’s. And believe me, there are a lot of things in that store that could make people edgy if read in the wrong fashion.
While I can’t speak for the intent behind the chalkboard incidence at Princeton, this jesting term not only has a Facebook following, it has shirts that support WongFu Productions. And neither the group and WongFu has ever shown any sort of position on trying to cause racial tension.
What next?
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12 Comments to “Racism: There’s No “Reverse” About It”
尼克 wrote:
Exactly!
Posted on 24-Mar-09 at 7:56 am | Permalink
Ben wrote:
While I’m at it, I better also disclaimer the fact the recent post also did not bother me as a “racial” thing. I mean, this goes both ways and as far as amusing sayings go, I actually found it kinda of funny. The above and those particular ones go hand in hand. Just me, but I believe that people need to start laying down the pitchforks and start drinking a cold one together.
Posted on 24-Mar-09 at 8:13 am | Permalink
Kevin wrote:
Catherine on Hyphen hit it right on the spot imo… I mean, if I saw a “Asians can’t understand this” shirt, I wouldn’t be offended/construe it as racist… but I can kind of see where the student is coming from.. Everyone’s definition of “racism” is different, and sometimes they use racism as a term when they mean something else.
Posted on 24-Mar-09 at 10:51 pm | Permalink
'mouse wrote:
This is funny on several levels:
1) I chuckled when I read the message… since I’m white and could read it.
2) I think the message is not even slightly racist. The actual message, to me, is strongly dialog-provoking anti-racist. To me it says, “if you, person who can’t understand this Chinese (or it could just as easily be Arabic or Russion or Greek, etc.) feel threatened by seeing something unfamiliar, then you need to examine yourself and/or educate yourself.
3) I’d wear that on a t-shirt (esp. since I’m white). It’d be even more amusing with a caption on the back that said “Reverse (v.) Racism!”
Of course, then I’d spend all day explaining one side or the other to one group or another.
Posted on 25-Mar-09 at 2:00 pm | Permalink
Ella wrote:
Ben, I found YOUR post amusing, as you seem to not know the term reverse racism. (looking it up on Urban Dictionary doesn’t count.) I think Catherine’s post was spot on.
Posted on 28-Mar-09 at 1:00 pm | Permalink
J He wrote:
白人看不懂 bai ren kan bu dong can also translate into “white people don’t get it” not
necessarily “white people can’t read this” which opens up negative interpretations.
Posted on 29-Mar-09 at 2:02 pm | Permalink
Xxxtine wrote:
This is trivial – but knowing the very little Chinese literature that I do the phrase itself is clunky at best. When I first saw it, I was like man, how come it isn’t in a 4 character structure? get rid of the kan (看) and just make it ‘白人不懂’. – now … interpret THAT phrase.
Posted on 29-Mar-09 at 3:07 pm | Permalink
Hyphen: The Perils of Internet Research, and More on “Reverse Racism” « Femmalia wrote:
[...] Hwang over at 8Asians recently took issue with my post “Reverse Racism at Princeton…” because, [...]
Posted on 30-Mar-09 at 7:53 pm | Permalink
Dick Richards wrote:
The thing I love about Asian culture – there is no such thing as the Right – the right, not to be offended. I find this particularly common in America. Of course, I mean no offence to Americans. It just seems, confusing real racism and victimhood diminishes real tangible racism.
I refuse to buy into the reverse racism crowd. I was at a punk jam recently and this foul mouth white racist was going off about reverse racism. What a fool. It was right then I decided racism is racism. And, that clown was a racist. It ruined my night.
cheers
cheers,
Posted on 01-Apr-09 at 3:29 am | Permalink
52 Faces wrote:
I wanted to like this website, especially since my new idol jozjozjoz writes for you guys, but this post smacks of self-hatred in its idealized and very false, “we’re all okay and equal” sentiment. There’s quite a bit of the “keep your head down” immigrant mentality of my parents’ generation, where they pretended that if they just worked hard enough, America would grant them all their dreams and make them equal to white people.
I’m always on the look out for Asian American voices with some semblance of pride. I’m saddened that Ben is so eager to pander to the whitewashed mainstream. He sounded quite like those annoying white people who say, “I’m color-blind.” As if we could ever be – or would ever want to be.
Do you even get why that’s messed up, Ben? Given this post, we’re not so sure.
Posted on 14-May-09 at 11:30 pm | Permalink
Ben wrote:
@52 Faces: Ahh yes. Another person that didn’t bother to read the post. Good job.
If you actually read it and looked up the definition of racism? Terming “reverse racism” is just ridiculous since it would literally mean that you’re not racist. That’s like going around saying … hey! I’m reverse-conservative! Using terms like that just shows that there’s an issue with actually understanding English and negations such as some people using the word “ain’t”. Let me put it into another perspective. If the Rodney King incident was racist, and the color of skin was reversed? Would it be reverse-racism? No it wouldn’t. It’d still be a race related issue, which would make it: racism. Period. By definition.
Obviously it sounds like a pity party when someone didn’t bother to read instead of just spouting their own agenda. Maybe it’s just me, but perhaps I’m writing at a level a bit over people’s heads. That must be it. Awesome blossom. Either that or I’m “reverse-asian.”
Posted on 15-May-09 at 7:24 am | Permalink
LaylasunZahell wrote:
Start by drawing sketches and rough drafts and choosing which part of the window you would like to work out. This is essential because blind date uncensored as you paint, new ideas can be incorporated and doing sketches will help a lot.
Posted on 05-Oct-09 at 12:17 am | Permalink
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