Excited
I’m not going to even comment on Sarah Palin. It is too easy. I try not to pick on people who are intellectually inferior. What I do want to discuss is her (and other people’s) conceptions of Hawaii.
First, let’s do a mind exercise. Imagine you are in Hawaii. Honeymoon. Vacation. Whatever. Look around you. What do you see? Palm trees? Beaches? Clear skies? Paradise, right? Now focus on the people. What do they look like? More specifically, what race are they?
According to the article, Sarah left Hawaii because “the presence of so many Asians and Pacific Islanders made her uncomfortable.” Now think back to my mind exercise. Clearly, before Sarah moved to Hawaii she must have imagined paradise full of Caucasian people. This made me think.
When most people close their eyes and imagine Hawaii, do they see it full of Caucasian people too? Or is this just a Sarah thing?
I’m afraid of the answer. I’m afraid that Sarah isn’t the only one. I’m afraid that most Americans are like her. The reality is of course that Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders/Hapas Americans make up more than half of the Hawaiian population. What a shock it must be when people who think like Sarah visit there. Do they feel like they are still in America? Or do they feel like they’ve left the country and are traveling in some far away (and dare I say, exotic) land?
Why does this happen? Simple. Look at movies, books, and/or television shows that take place in Hawaii. The Hawaii being portrayed is Sarah’s Hawaii and not the reality. I’m dreaming of a day when people will see Hawaii for what it is… a paradise full of people that look more like me than the Bradys.
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FrancoVutera
Palin still believes Christ was Caucasian.
Thanks for your useful info, I think it's a good topic
Okay, from bloody freezing London. Hawaii has now been ruined for me.
I did hear that they have lousy Indian restaurants, but great Japanese and Filipino cuisine.
Correction: Most right wing americans are like this. We are a very divided country. This past election has shown us just how many racists we have here. It's sad and I'm sorry.
Don't worry Hawaii is not a racial utopia for this Asian American. I grew up in a community that 75 percent of people are Asian/Asian American.
"Imagine you are in Hawaii. Honeymoon. Vacation. Whatever."
I guess your 'whatever' includes indigenous people who call Hawaii home.
"Palm trees? Beaches? Clear skies? Paradise, right?"
Are you serious? Are you really going to paint Hawaii like that? It rains in Manoa valley 10 times a day. You won't find palm trees inland. Paradise? Come on. You're going to exoticize Hawaii like that?
"Now focus on the people. What do they look like? More specifically, what race are they?"
Depends where you are. Hawaii is a chain of island with different demographic and all sorts of ethnic communities. Hawaii-kai vs Waipahu, for example. Hell. Waikiki could be Japan's 48th prefecture by day.
"a paradise full of people that look more like me than the Bradys"
Read something by Haunani-Kay Trask. Hawaii is not the paradise you dream of. It's somehow become this idealized racial utopia. Especially for Asian Americans who think it's the shit cause everyone looks Asian. News flash Asian America doesn't exist in Hawaii.
Respectfully.
You seem kind of angry. Don't worry Hawaii is not a racial utopia for this Asian American. I grew up in a community that 75 percent of people are Asian/Asian American.
"Imagine you are in Hawaii. Honeymoon. Vacation. Whatever."
I guess your 'whatever' includes indigenous people who call Hawaii home.
"Palm trees? Beaches? Clear skies? Paradise, right?"
Are you serious? Are you really going to paint Hawaii like that? It rains in Manoa valley 10 times a day. You won't find palm trees inland. Paradise? Come on. You're going to exoticize Hawaii like that?
"Now focus on the people. What do they look like? More specifically, what race are they?"
Depends where you are. Hawaii is a chain of island with different demographic and all sorts of ethnic communities. Hawaii-kai vs Waipahu, for example. Hell. Waikiki could be Japan's 48th prefecture by day.
"a paradise full of people that look more like me than the Bradys"
Read something by Haunani-Kay Trask. Hawaii is not the paradise you dream of. It's somehow become this idealized racial utopia. Especially for Asian Americans who think it's the shit cause everyone looks Asian. News flash Asian America doesn't exist in Hawaii.
Respectfully.
I think of people of polynesian descent. Though like many of my students (Japanese), I find myself accidentally thinking of Hawaii as its own country and not an American state. Therefore when I ask students which countries they've visited; they answer (for example) "America, Guam and Hawaii".
My mental map of Hawaii imagines that it is full of Hawaiians (ie Pacific Islanders), and then I get to Hawaii* and find that it is full of all of the rest of us.
Wait! Wasn't I supposed to be on holiday from SoCal?
*((coughcoughcoughIveOnlyBeenToOahuSorrycoughcoughcough))
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