8 Asians

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)

Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about Hep B.

John: [via the New York Times: This article on the specific health concerns of Asians and Asian-Americans, and how the cultural issues of both doctor and patient can effect that.]

Yan: Oh my god. My maternal grandfather died from liver cancer. My family is from Fujian. ::runs to doctor::

Efren: My former doctor (a gay white man) had insisted that I get vaccinated for hepatitis A and B when I first started seeing him, since men who have sex with men are also one of the groups highly affected by hepatitis A and  and I’m really glad I did, especially after I had read about the rates of infection of hepatitis among Asian Americans AND gay men.  Hepatitis is a bigger issue among queer Asian men because of these compounding factors than HIV actually.

I know that there are programs being done here in the Bay Area to get East Asian Americans to become more aware of hepatitis vaccination though I’m not sure how affective they’ve been.

Jeff: My doctor (a Vietnamese guy) had me, The Wife, and the Daughter vaccinated for these when he found out we were going to Asia on a trip.  This is a good reminder to check if my sons have been vaccinated since they were born after we took our last trip to Asia … it appears that kids are now vaccinated against hep A and hep B as standard procedure.

Bo: The Korean church I attended growing up periodically ran Hep A and B vaccination drives.  I’m luckily vaccinated because of this – as is my entire family. I’m aware of a few other illnesses that Asian-Americans are particularly prone to – osteopososis and a form of anemia.  All the women in my family are anemic.  Asians also have higher rates of stomach cancer but that tends to dissipate when you look at 3rd and 4th generation Asian-Americans.  Researchers think the higher rates of stomach cancer are linked to our diet which includes massive quantities of highly preserved foods.

Jeff: Is the Osteoporosis from related to lactose intolerance – hard to get calcium?  Also got any specifics on the type of anemia?

Bo: I don’t think anyones made the link between lactose intolerance and osteoporosis.  That would also mean that blacks were more prone to osteoporosis, which isn’t the case.  White and asian women are at the greatest risk. I believe the anemia is called beta-Thalassaemia but don’t quote me on this one.  I believe people of middle eastern, southeast asian, and east asian origin are most prone to this form.  You may also be aware that people of African heritage are more prone to sickle-cell anemia and people believe this is related to the malaria resistance it provides its carriers.  I don’t know that anyone has shown any tangential benefits for asians to be anemic.  One could theorize that iron-deficant anemia is a result of diet (traditional asian diets being largely plant based) but then you’d see far lower rates of anemia in asian-americans, which isn’t the case.

Jee: I’ll add myself to the statistics: I have chronic anemia (and I refuse to take iron pills because side affects – constipation- is not worth it). I recently had Hepatitis vaccinations because my antibodies were too low. And yeah, osteoporosis in my family is due to the lactose intolerance (I am taking calcium pills for that).

Yan: So, I told this all to my mom, who just kind of rolled her eyes and said that she already knew. Apparently Hep vaccines are commonplace in the hospitals in our region.

Moye: Don’t you love it when moms do that?

Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about about psycho Asians gunning people down.

Jeff: Shooting at a Korean religious retreat in southern california. Yet another Asian-american shooter – what’s happening?

John: What do you mean? Of course, there is the Virginia Tech guy, but who else?

Jeff: There was the guy in Santa Clara who shot his family, relatives, and himself just this week. The guy who last year killed a company president, HR VP, and another VP after he got fired just went on trial. A few years ago there was another guy who killed 6 hunters and shot 2 others.

Tim: There’s a good article in the Mercury news about why people snap. I considered taking the Merc article and writing something about Asians going psycho, but I just haven’t had the time.

Moye: To answer Jeff’s question, I don’t think anything is really happening in terms of Asian males going psycho and gunning people down. Is it bad to think that these things are pretty common and we just notice them more if they happen to affect the Asian American community?

Ernie: I want to say that [is the case]. But I do think “public face” has a lot to do with it; the pressure to conform and match status quo with all the other Asians out there, as well as the stigma of mental illness and therapy and “talking it out.” I would be a prime candidate for “talking it out” with all the stuff I’ve gone through and even I can’t bear to go, while people half my problems go to bi-weekly sessions; that’s definitely a cultural thing for me.

Efren: Well, there are a lot of things that are going on, especially concerning Asian Ams and mental illness; and how we’re extremely unlikely to seek mental health care b/c it’s either inappropriate culturally and there is such a huge stigma against saying one has mental health issues in Asian communities. Many Asians actually end up having physical symptoms that start from mental health issues, and that’s often the only signal for them to go in and seek care for both the mental and physical health issues.

I think for men it’s compounded even more since they’re supposed to be stoic and emotional in order to prove their masculinity, while it may be slightly easier for women (though Iris Chang unfortunately proved that isn’t the case at all). …

Moye: I definitely agree when you put it that way: I always wonder why my non-Asian friends love going to therapy so much and I can’t even imagine bringing the option up to my parents (for me…but honestly, I don’t think I need it). There are definitely socio-economic factors that are putting a lot of stress on people right now, and this is sadly the only option that some Asian males are finding. Though I don’t believe this is going to be a turning point in the perception of Asian males and that they are all dangerous with violent/suicidal tendencies.

Efren: … I found it telling that people talked about how he was made fun of by other Vietnamese by not being “Vietnamese enough” since he wasn’t able to understand everything that other Vietnamese said. I also know that Chinese Vietnamese tend to either play down the fact that they’re Vietnamese or play up that they’re Chinese, at least in the Bay Area, since they seem to get shit if they claim to be both. I also found it curious that they brought up things in his particular story that weren’t brought up in the other Asian male shooters, like his attempted bank robbery, addiction to crack cocaine, etc.

Bo: … Many of the people who have come forward have mentioned the obvious “warning signs” present. One has to wonder, if there was a broader social safety net and less of a perception that Asian-Americans don’t want, need, or require intervention, could someone have gotten him the help he needed. If the letter that has been attributed to him is authentic, the guy was seriously mentally ill. Possibly border line schizophrenic. We know that the VT-Tech shooter had been battling depression and had been in therapy in the past but hadn’t gotten any help for some time prior to his rampage.

Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about Taiwanese presidential gay sex scandals involving a guy named DJ Chocolate who has syphilis. I swear to God we’re not making this up.

Ernie: Inside Taiwan’s Brewing Presidential Gay Sex Scandal. From Brian: “Seems more of a gossip item or for a gay site like queerty, but I just wanted to give a heads up in case anyone was interested.”
Joz: Oh, Taiwan. Not just legislative fistfights!
Efren: Well, considering they came very close to being the first Asian country to allow domestic partnerships, it’s very curious…
Moye: now it’s all about gay fistfights!!!
Ernie: Wow. I don’t care how much of a fallacy this is; I’m going to blog this for the reference to “Taiwanese presidential gay sex scandals involving a guy named DJ Chocolate who has syphilis” alone. Fuck, I might may t-shirts out of it because we’ll never get an opportunity to ever say those words in combination with each other again.

“With just my three simple Asian Pride Theorems, I can reveal the truth about Asian culture — whether it’s Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, etc. — and all the reasons why Asians do the things that they do. First, Asians are obsessed with money and will do anything to get it. Second, money is conducive to the status that Asians seek, hence “doctor or lawyer.” Third and uppermost, Asians want power: the power.”

And THAT would be the abstract of Anson Chi’s online self-described novel, Yellow on the Outside, Shame on the Inside. A quick look at his resume (Paid Slavery! Miseducation!) and the stock photo of the angry shirtless guy yelling in a wheat field obviously shows that he’s got some stuff to get off his chest. Is “money, status and power” really our personal motto?

But more importantly, what would the other 8Asians.com writers think about Anson Chi’s manifesto? Find out, after the jump.
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Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about Project Aiko. Creepy, creepy Project Aiko.

John: From CNN: Inventor Builds his own Girlfriend.
Jen: Will you get one, John?
John: Maybe I *should* get a robotic girlfriend and review it on 8Asians $25k spent on the robot…crazy.
Ernie: John, Just so long as you don’t describe how you got to third base with her. Because that’d be awkward.

Let it also be known that on Project Aiko’s To-Do list: #5. If I lie my head down on Aiko lap, have her clean my ears with a Q-tip. If by ears he means penis, and by Q-tip he means the silicone mouth of a robot.

Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about jerky products.

“My name is Douglas Patrick Iske and I am the President of Jerky.com. Jerky.com features the widest selection of U.S. made jerky products and meat snacks anywhere in the World! A significant percentage of our customer base is Asian-American, so we are always looking for new ways to reach Asian American Jerky enthusiasts. This is what has brought me to you.”

Ernie: Do Asians really LOVE jerky? Seriously? I’ve never been a fan; does that make me a sell-out?)
Efren: I’m not a big fan of jerky (except maybe Filipino tapa), but I am curious to try soy jerky.
Ernie: For everyone that is interested in getting jerky, please e-mail me (off the mailing list) with your personal e-mail address. I’ll make sure jerky samples get sent. (”Getting jerky.” Ha ha.)
Jeff: Jerky is okay. For some reason, Number One son really likes it.
Joz: I’ll bite… I love jerky! And yes, Asians DO love jerky. You know, like squid jerky.
Joz: I wonder if jerky.com has any “Asian” jerkies. Like that yummy/shiny sweet pork kind or the 5-spice kind. Or even that dried squid stuff (does that count as jerky?) Actually, in a brief look at jerky.com, it’s very “American” jerky. Doesn’t really appeal to me at first glance. I’d rather order from a site like this, (excluding the chinky Chinese font, yes, the Chinese actually looks chinky, if that makes any sense.)
Efren: Hmm… I’ve never considered Asian dried meat to be “jerky” though I guess technically they are. The Chinese and Vietnamese dried meat seems to be a lot moister so I’ve never considered it to be “jerky” since I always considered American style jerky to be chewier and drier (and totally unappetizing).
Efren: And the “chinky” font is REALLY annoying. Thank God I live right near Clement Street so I can get that stuff directly (and lop cheung, etc.) without having to go through annoying sites like that.
Moye: Now that I think about it, my family really loves beef jerky, including me. It’s like the dried squid snacks we’d eat with beer and edamame. But I can’t think any of my non-Asian friends who appreciate it as much as we do. Can someone make a Venn Diagram where the Asian population and hicks overlap with beef jerky?
Xxxtine: I so don’t want to be at work right now:

Moye: OMG YOU RULE.

Asians and jerky products: do we find them just as delicious as NASCAR fans? “Dried meat” just reminds me pork sung, which makes me gag, personally. Your opinion may differ. Discuss.

(Flickr photo credit: specialkrb)

Our internal e-mail lists have us discussing all kinds of stuff: Asian American identity, representation in the media, the experiences of activism in an academia setting and its progression as we transition to the working, adult world. And sometimes, we talk about books.

Lily: I’m in need of some good reading. Any ideas? Ideally I’d like to review books that are good (and thus worth sharing) and not just those that are new.
Moye: Are you looking for something Asian-centric? Or anything? I have plenty of ideas
Jeff: I’ve always wanted to read Carlos Bulosan’s “America is in the Heart” but never got around to it. I’ve also wanted to read “Have a Nice day: A Tale of blood and Sweat Socks” by Mick Foley but it isn’t particularly “Asiany”.
Lily: yeah, something asian-related.
Connie: The first “Asiany” book I read was “The Dim Sum of All Things” by Kim Wong Keltner. I read it freshman year in high school and loved it and recommended it to every Asian person I knew.
Efren: I haven’t read any “Asiany” books in a long time either, especially since I used to teach Asian American literature and found most of those books monotonous (whiny and focused on inter-generational conflict and identity, over and over and over again). Most of the Asian Am themed stuff I read that I’ve actually liked lately has been erotica since the good stuff really turns identity on its head, so to speak.
Jen: The NY Times has released their “Ten Best Books of 2008″ and it looks like Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri is Asiany — about Bengali Americans. The NY Times article also includes an excerpt — it might be a good read for those looking for a book to read.

So, are there any books that you folks recommend?

(Flickr photo credit: Hashmil)