Excited
Every once in a while, we get e-mail asking us to discuss particular subjects. In this case, an article last month from The Seattle Weekly:
Thought I’d share this slap in the face to my local Asian Community, here in Seattle: Seattle’s Ragin’ Asians.
The author is a complete hypocrite, when it comes to binge drinking and being generally irresponsible, even while on assignment for her publication. I’m sending this to you both because I’m outraged and because I’m a reader and fan of your publication. If we Asians who are connected in the media world can work together to rebuke ignorant authors like this, that would be a service to our fellow Asians.
To which, the following exchange occurs.
Ernie: Personally, I’m not that outraged, but whatevs.
Joz: I just don’t understand why this is hypocritical. The author is a little condescending, but other than that she’s really not casting judgement on the “ragin’ Asians.” So what if the author got drunk while on assignment? She’s the stupid one for including it in her story.
John: Of course we should be outraged – this is showing that Asians can be those who aren’t the model minority, didn’t go to a four-year Ivy League level university and shows them drinking like there’s no tomorrow.
Christine: Sound the alarms, Asians partying and drinking till they throw up — the outrage! Next thing we’ll find out is they have sex! With each other! Someone tell me what he’s outraged about. Or is he feeling responsible for them? I don’t get it.
Ben: Being from Seattle, I can say that…. UHHH… hello? Seattle Weekly? That’s the alternative paper anyways. It’s not like it’s coming from the Seattle Times. And what… Asians don’t party? I dunno about that whole sex thing, Christine. It’s SO TABOO.
Yan: I’ve been to Venom once. Ironically, I know the promotional team for a club that has dubbed itself the “anti-Venom” in Seattle. I’m only offended that these partying Asians are treated as such a peculiar topic.
Jeff: I was going to clubs like this in San Francisco 20 years ago. I do like to irritate my daughter with stories like this. “Let me tell you about when I used to go to clubs…” “You at a club? Eww! Dad, stop!”
Moye: I’m personally outraged that someone got paid to write 4 pages about Asian people who like to go clubbing and drink.
As to why I think the person who sent that e-mail was offended, I’m not really sure. Does it paint Asian Americans as an all-inclusive melting pot of diversity? Hell no. But we’re talking about going clubbing, not going to some Asian American awareness workshop or HR seminar, and it’s not like some Better Luck Tomorrow shit is going on and they’re off to endanger lives. Just because I’m too old to roll with a crew and watch my friends throw up on their Banana Republic pants on expensive soju drinks, what gives me the right to judge someone writing about it? Or am I just being an insensitive asshole?
(Flickr photo credit: joeltelling)
How does this post make you feel?
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
NOTE: 8Asians.com is a community, and we thank you for being a part of it. While we welcome and appreciate differences in opinion, if you're rude or you're promoting spam, we have a right to edit or delete your comment. Read our comment policy for more information.
If you see a comment that violates the 8Asians.com comment policy, you may flag the comment by mousing over the comment and clicking "FLAG."
Uh, the most offensive aspect of all this is that dude's facial hair. Gross.
such fashion terrorists should be shot ... or at least stripped naked.
I would've loved to be in on this conversation... I agree with y'all -- I was sent that article when it first came out, and though I cringed a bit at the juvenalia of it all, I kinda thought it was a cool piece of writing, specifically BECAUSE it painted young Asian Ams like any other young Americans: dumb, alcohol-guzzling party fools. I don't appreciate media portrayals that focus only on the very positive, "model minority" stereotype, or the darker, gang-crime stories about the AAPI community.This one's right in the middle where Asian Americans are: acting like typical young people.
As for the questions of ethics for the writer getting wasted along with her pals, that's what makes it more of an authentic look at the culture, not some old fart (like me, for instance), assigned to follow the group and taking notes from an arm's length. This is the stuff that the alt.press does well, and I know: I was a reporter and music editor at an alt.weekly for 11 years before I sold out to the "legitimate" major metro daily world, and now, the corporate media Internet thang.
Like I said, wished I coulda been there for the discussion....
yeah, one word: why? it doesn't look that good at all...
The next thing that people will be shocked about is that we're human, we're actually American and that there are some of us who don't (gasp) get the perfect test scores...and who aren't thugged out either.
HA! I was noticing that too! I spent five minutes trying to figure out whether it was a fraternity/sorority hand sign, gang symbol or if they were trying to spell out "ASIAN" with their fingers. Then I gave up and decided they were doing hand puppets of their pets.
"Asians are like neon tetra fishu00e2u0080u0094they travel in schools"
I lol'd at that. Otherwise...uh? I don't really get why they have to publish that article (yes, Asians party. OMG.) but I don't really get the offense. I guess the snooty tone and the generalizations could be problematic, but otherwise, the subject matter ain't all that bad.
How do I join Crocodile gang?
Let's talk about something more important. Let's talk about the girl in the photo and her crushed velvet top.
Uh, the most offensive aspect of all this is that dude's facial hair. Gross.
such fashion terrorists should be shot ... or at least stripped naked.
I would've loved to be in on this conversation... I agree with y'all -- I was sent that article when it first came out, and though I cringed a bit at the juvenalia of it all, I kinda thought it was a cool piece of writing, specifically BECAUSE it painted young Asian Ams like any other young Americans: dumb, alcohol-guzzling party fools. I don't appreciate media portrayals that focus only on the very positive, "model minority" stereotype, or the darker, gang-crime stories about the AAPI community.This one's right in the middle where Asian Americans are: acting like typical young people.
As for the questions of ethics for the writer getting wasted along with her pals, that's what makes it more of an authentic look at the culture, not some old fart (like me, for instance), assigned to follow the group and taking notes from an arm's length. This is the stuff that the alt.press does well, and I know: I was a reporter and music editor at an alt.weekly for 11 years before I sold out to the "legitimate" major metro daily world, and now, the corporate media Internet thang.
Like I said, wished I coulda been there for the discussion....
yeah, one word: why? it doesn't look that good at all...
The next thing that people will be shocked about is that we're human, we're actually American and that there are some of us who don't (gasp) get the perfect test scores...and who aren't thugged out either.
HA! I was noticing that too! I spent five minutes trying to figure out whether it was a fraternity/sorority hand sign, gang symbol or if they were trying to spell out "ASIAN" with their fingers. Then I gave up and decided they were doing hand puppets of their pets.
"Asians are like neon tetra fishu00e2u0080u0094they travel in schools"
I lol'd at that. Otherwise...uh? I don't really get why they have to publish that article (yes, Asians party. OMG.) but I don't really get the offense. I guess the snooty tone and the generalizations could be problematic, but otherwise, the subject matter ain't all that bad.
How do I join Crocodile gang?
Let's talk about something more important. Let's talk about the girl in the photo and her crushed velvet top.
I read the article a while back, and I was flabbergasted at the self-righteous comments to that article...all the 'I'm offended because you're portraying Asians in a bad light' blah blah blah.' Of course, if they start portraying Asians as sexless, emasculated nerds the outrage police come out again in full force. So which should it be? The super genius 1600-SAT scoring sexless nerd at MIT or the urban, ghetto, club-going, hip-hop listening drunkard that goes partying and clubbing every weekend and scores the chicks (or the guys) that's more offensive to you?
"John: Of course we should be outraged u00e2u0080u0093 this is showing that Asians can be those who arenu00e2u0080u0099t the model minority, didnu00e2u0080u0099t go to a four-year Ivy League level university and shows them drinking like thereu00e2u0080u0099s no tomorrow." --I know you're being sarcastic John...thanks for the laugh. I went to school in Boston and have a decent number of friends and acquaintances at Harvard and MIT. Irony of ironies...a lot of the Asians drink like crazy there. So I guess you can go to a good school and drink?!? Surprise surprise! Heck, I'm hardly an academic failure and I frequented a few clubs during college and even occasionally these days. :P Some people need to get out of their bubbles and their self-righteous shells and get a grip.
Again, thanks for the level-headed and much needed sanity 8Asians (Ernie, Joz etc.) Big fan.
Custom Search
Recent Posts
- Chinese New Year Lanterns
- Is Kim Jong Un Dead? Assassination Rumors Hit the Internet
- Help Fight Stereoptypes With Asian Crew Clothing
- Deftones’ Chi Cheng Wakes Up From His 3-Year Coma
- SXSW 2012 Has a Nice Handful of Asian Movies
- Woman In China Gives Birth To 15 Lb Baby
- Naruto & Dragonball Now Available On Barnes & Noble Nook
Recent Comments
- : Where is the Love? What if you were to accept what Biffer has to say as a minority talking to the Establisment of Black and... – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : My reply is actually to "Where is the love?" – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : Biffer, Here is one thing to notice though. Whites tell us they dont see color. Blacks tell us we as minority are in some ways... – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : @whereisthelove @Biffer It's not that I'm turning it into a tirade against Blacks but folks seem to be on a lovely Kumbaya trip thinking that... – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : @PhucDat You've obviously never heard of the "no asians, no fats, no fems" that's commonly referenced in the gay community. It's very frustrating and makes... – Asian Men Have The Highest Salary
APA Events
Feb 16: Adam WarRock and Kirby Krackle: West Cost Tour Dates!!!
Feb 16: (New York, NY) Amar Chitra Katha: Monica Ferrell, Chitra Ganesh, Keshni Kashyap, and Himanshu “Heems” Suri of Das Racist
Feb 17: (Los Angeles, CA) All My Sons
Feb 18: (Stanford, CA) Stanford’s 16th Listen to the Silence Conference- Feb 18: (San Francisco, CA) NAAAP-SF Lunar New Year Gala 2012
Feb 25: (Los Angeles, CA) Past Present I Future Imperatives: Queer Space Time
Mar 3: (New York, NY) Vong Pak’s ‘Electric Shaman’ Concert
Apr 30: (Sacramento, CA) California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit 2012: iAdvocate
Staff and Contributors
- Editors
- Ernie Hsiung - Founder, Editor-in-Chief
- Moye Ishimoto - Co-Editor, Editorial
- Joz Wang - Co-Editor, PR & APA Outreach
