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This article provides some background on the case of Mandy Lin, a woman who is in the middle of a 7 year legal battle.
If you would like to assist Mandy Lin (you can also hear her story on our 3/23/08 podcast episode), you can sign this petition.
The New York City Asian American Student Conference is an annual gathering dedicated to promoting awareness of APA issues and history among college students.
This year, we have chosen the theme “Redefine” for our conference. Our theme explores the evolution of the APA community, highlighting its past, present and future.
Through our conference, we hope to bring all our voices - new and old, heard and unheard - into dialogue with each other, while acknowledging the differences and conflicts that are rooted in divergent experiences and shape vast and rich histories. Over the course of the day, we plan to showcase the stories of APA artists, activists, professionals, scholars, and more. We invite you to join us in our celebration and struggle, so that we may not forget our responsibilities to each other, but empower each other to redefine our identities.
NYCAASC’s committee is comprised of students from Columbia University, New York University, Hunter College, Baruch College, and Fordham University. As a committee, we strive to reflect the spirit of celebrating and unifying the Asian American voice in all its forms and representations, perpetuating the presence of a vibrant community.
Producers William S. Beasley, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca, Ryan Kavanaugh, Brett Ratner, Kevin Spacey are all racists for casting white people (Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth) in lead roles to portray people who were Asians in real life.
If you pay money to see this movie, you will be sending the message that you support producers’ decisions to deny employment to Asian-American actors based on their race.
What if Coach Carter was portrayed by Tom Hanks, American Gangster Frank Lucas portrayed by Tom Cruise, or if Brad Pitt portrayed Chris Gardner in Pursuit of Happyness?
Join the Boycott 21 group!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=24381965401
The main characters of “Bringing Down the House” are Jeff Ma and Mike Aponte, former real-life MIT students who are both Asian-American men. According to the author, most of the actual blackjack team was composed of Asian males. Not only were Asian-American actors unsuitable for the leading roles in this flick: British actor Jim Sturgess had to be imported all the way from the UK to portray the role of Jeff Ma!
Please help boycott this film and tell Hollywood that it’s okay to portray Asian-American men in lead roles as three-dimensional human beings with personalities, feelings, and a sense of humor. You know. Regular people. Is that too much to ask for? Vote no on 21.
The producers of this movie claim that they are not racists, and that casting white people as leads is a decision motivated only by profit, even though the real-life characters were Asian.
Antebellum plantation owners were motivated by profit also, and they used slaves to achieve their goals. Pretty evil isn’t it?
Read about Mark Rice’s photo exhibit in Vietnam’s largest city, Can Tho.
The Third Space: Cultural Identity Today is part of a year-long interdisciplinary initiative at Amherst College on the theme of “Art and Identity in the Global Community.” Two of the artists in the show, Indonesian Entang Wiharso and Ghanaian-German Daniel Kojo, are resident Amherst College Copeland Fellows for the 2007-2008 academic year. French-Algerian Zoulikha Bouabdellah is resident Amherst College visiting artist for the spring semester. The other artists in the exhibition are Moroccan Lalla Essaydi, Palestinian Mona Hatoum, Vietnamese-American Dinh Q. Lê, Iranian-American Shirin Neshat, Nigerian-Cuban-American Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, and Native American Jaune Quick-To-See Smith.The exhibition is generously supported by the Hall and Kate Peterson Fund, the Templeton Photography Fund, and the Amherst Arts Series Fund.
The Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953, resulted in 54,000 U.S. dead and 103,000 wounded
A group called Healing Peace organized a dinner treat to honor those Korean veterans who fought in that war to serve their country.
This event will be held Sunday at Virginia Tech’s Squires Student Center, and the sponsors are spreading the word that there are plenty of seats available at the event,
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Students take a stand for Asian American studies
NEW YORK CITY, New York (February 25, 2008) – Students of the Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter (CRAASH) are gearing up to host a conference, entitled “Strengthening Education: Empowering Asian American Studies” in April. It will take place at Hunter College and will address the need for support for Asian American Studies at Hunter College and in higher education. The conference will feature notable speakers, panel discussions, and proactive workshop. Students will propose actions that college administrators must implement in order to strengthen Asian American Studies programs. It will inform college students about this important issue at Hunter where 26 percent of the students are Asian American
The conference stems from the concerns of CRAASH, a student-led group formed in April 2007 in response to the inadequate conditions and support of the Asian American Studies Program (AASP). Students have led a campaign on and off campus to fight for the education that they were promised when they entered Hunter College. Initiatives include a petition of over 1,000 signatures, a feature article on the popular AngryAsianMan blog, a front-page story in the Hunter Envoy, a successful AASP event with director Justin Lin, and a Facebook group that has rallied support from over 300 members from Hunter and other colleges. CRAASH also had a full-page article in the East Coast Asian American Student Union newsletter, which was distributed to over 1,200 students from over 100 colleges at their recent conference. The core members will facilitate an activism workshop at the 2nd Annual New York City Asian American Student Conference at New York University. Eyewitness News Education Unit and AsianWeek magazine may potentially feature their efforts.
Currently, the AASP lacks sufficient financial, structural, and institutional support from both Hunter College and the greater CUNY administration, rendering it unable to flourish as a true academic program. Although there have been vague promises from Hunter administrators, CRAASH has yet to see actual results. This spring, CRAASH will be contacting media, Asian American organizations, and student associations at other universities to spread awareness of the inadequate state of the AASP and organize support for proactive initiatives. Most importantly, CRAASH aims to ensure increased funding for a greater variety of classes, a permanent office, full-time faculty members, a stable director to lead the program, and space to conduct events that will engage and benefit the Hunter community.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the San Francisco State College Strike, the longest student strike in American history that led the way for the development of ethnic studies. In keeping with the unwavering spirit of the strike, CRAASH hopes to illustrate that the fight for fairer representation of Asian Americans in institutionalized learning is not only significant, but also in demand. In order for future students to learn about a mostly forgotten legacy, and to inspire activism and pride amongst other students and their communities, CRAASH hopes for a secure AASP that will last far into the future.
About CRAASH:
CRAASH is dedicated to rejuvenating the Asian American Studies Program of Hunter College, as well as expanding the program to include a greater variety of courses. CRAASH aims to organize the Hunter community and spread awareness about the inadequate conditions of the AASP. Through petitioning, meeting with faculty, and promoting AASP events, we hope to educate the Hunter community about Asian American issues. To find out more, please contact us at HunterCRAASH@yahoo.com
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Contact:
Olivia Lin, Co-Founder
(646) 255-0476
Olin1087@yahoo.com, HunterCRAASH@yahoo.com
Fullerton students are seeking a surge of Asian American and Pacific Islander activism. They are dedicating a forum to address the lack of representation within the U.S. government. Topics such as immigration, welfare, paranoia and racism were at the top of the agenda. Once a month, a forum is created within the Multicultural Leadership Center and is designed to breed ideas geared toward ridding the strife of a community. Asian Americans are considered to be a model minority and it’s a myth - a stereotype on their community Click here to read on.
The Asian Pacific American Awareness Conference is the 23rd annual conference put on by the Asian Pacific Student Association. This year, the theme is “Building Bridges — A Unified Community Begins With You!”. The conference is composed of a keynote speaker, several workshops, and ends with performance by an Asian American artist. APAAC began in 1985 in response to two UCI Asian American students’ suicides. The tragedy of their deaths inspired the Asian Pacific Student Association to organize a conference designed to raise consciousness within the Asian Pacific Islander American community.This year the timings would be 9.00 am to 6.00pm this year the speaker would be Hamid khan ,he is a leading advocate for the peace movement, speaking up against ethnic tensions and racism in America.there would be workshops on Community Organizations,Immigration and Immigrant Rights,API Consciousness through Film & Media,Queer Identity & Gender Expression and many
(Hat-tip: Angry Asian Man)
Wow. Max Karson, a columnist at Colorado University, wrote a “satirical” piece in the campus newspaper declaring a war on Asian students. Pronouncing that Asians “hate us” (because, of course, Asians can’t actually be “us”), Karson advocates a ridiculous three-phased attack on Asian students, chock full of ludicrous anti-Asian stereotypes.
Or at least it would be ridiculous if the fantastical plan didn’t seem so reminiscent of extraordinary rendition and a mass lynching.
Here’s the column:
If it’s war the Asians want…
It’s war they’ll getMax Karson
Issue date: 2/18/08 Section: Opinion
Since I transferred to CU last year, I’ve noticed some tension between the white students and the Asian students. There’s never any outright conflict, but I notice little things. Like, Asians always seem surprised whenever I talk to them. They stare at me for a few seconds as though I must have made some mistake, and once they realize I’m intentionally speaking to them, they aren’t always thrilled.
On the other hand, white people are quick to ridicule Asians. They have no problem with making demeaning remarks about their looks, mannerisms, and accents-things they would never say about black people.
So when an Asian refuses to make eye contact with me or dismisses me with a one-word sentence, I just say to myself, “Max, Asians are not evil cyborgs. They’re human, just like you. And if you were a minority student in a sea of walnut-brained business majors and skiers, you’d be crabby, too.”
But last week, I had an epiphany.
After my friend and I finished working our abs at the Rec Center, we decided to head upstairs to tighten our buns on the StairMaster. As we walked down the hallway, a rubber ball bounced out of one of the racquetball courts and landed at the feet of an Asian in front of us. He picked up the ball and leaned over the railing of the court nearest to him.
“Hey, that’s not ours,” I heard a guy call up from the court. The Asian stared down at him for a moment, and then held the ball out to him. “That’s not ours,” the guy said again.
Then another voice called out from a different court, “Hey, does anyone see a ball up there?”
The Asian looked over, confused.
“I think it goes to that court,” I said, pointing to the one nearest to me.
The Asian stared at me blankly for another second, and then he looked back down into the court next to him and offered them the ball again.
“That’s not our ball,” the guy called up.
“Excuse me,” I said. The Asian whipped his head around and scowled at me. “I think it goes to that court.”
He paused a few seconds, and then he said, in a perfect American accent, “Okay,” and tossed the ball into the court next to me.
That’s when it hit me.
The Asian was so jaded by his experiences with the whitebread, brainless tree sloths of CU that even though three people had explained to him that he was trying to return the ball to the wrong court, it was inconceivable to him that we might be right.
And when he looked into my eyes, it wasn’t just irritation and disgust that I saw-it was hate. Pure hate.
I’m such a fool for not realizing it sooner. I can’t tell you how many times the Asians have treated me like a retarded weasel and I’ve forgiven them. But now I know that Asians are not just “a product of their environment,” and their rudeness is not a “cultural misunderstanding.”
They hate us all.
And I say it’s time we started hating them back. That’s right-no more “tolerance.” No more “cultural sensitivity.” No more “Mr. Pretend-I’m-Not-Racist.”
It’s time for war.
But we won’t attack their bodies or minds. We will attack their souls.
The first step, or “Phase 1,” is to find them all. Anyone who is interested in signing up to volunteer can do so by e-mailing me. Next Sunday at noon, we will all meet at Farrand Field. Each volunteer will be issued an extra-large butterfly net.
The hunt will then begin.
When I blow my whistle, we will scatter in every direction and catch as many Asians as possible. Make sure to pay special attention to the Rec Center, the UMC, the math and engineering buildings and Lollicup. If you’re not sure if someone is an Asian, give them a calculus problem to do in their head. If they get it right, net ‘em.
Captured Asians will be dragged to my apartment on the Hill and hog-tied. Once they’re all secured in my living room, “Phase 2″ will come into effect.
The Asians’ reformation will begin with a 100-round beer pong tournament. They will listen to “It’s a Small World” on repeat while they play.
When the tournament is finished, the Asians will then be forced to eat bad sushi from Hapa-with forks. When all the sushi is gone, they will be permitted to sleep for four hours, but the entire time I will shout through a megaphone, over and over, “Why didn’t you make enough Wiis?!”
In the morning, the Asians will arrange themselves in rows, if they haven’t naturally done so already. I will stand in front of them and hold up a card with the name of an emotion on it such as, “sad,” or “surprised.” The Asians must then make a facial expression to match the word on the card. Any Asian who remains deadpan or makes the wrong face will be tickled until they pee. When all Asians make the correct face at the same time, the game will end, but then they will be yelled at for being conformists.
The Asians will then be allowed to play “Dance Dance Revolution.” However, the game will be rigged so that the Asians will receive no points, regardless of how robotically they dance.
Any Asian who tries to escape will be butterfly-netted and sent back to my apartment for another “Phase 2.” Anyone caught speaking any language other than English will be kissed on the lips.
Once the Asian spirit has been broken, “Phase 3″ will begin. Before we let the Asians go, we will go to their homes and redecorate them in a traditional American style. We will replace their rice cookers with George Foreman Grills, their green tea mochi with fried Snickers bars, and their rice rockets with Hummers. And booster seats.
When “Phase 3″ is complete, the Asians will be released.
Now, I understand that this plan may upset some of you Asian readers, but the only other way to make peace would be to expel you. If you’re smart, you’ll turn yourselves in now, and it will all be over in a few days.
Besides, look on the bright side-we’re not going to put you through anything we haven’t put ourselves through, and we all turned out fine.
Contact Campus Press staff editor Max Karson at max.karson@colorado.edu
Angry Asian Man questions what this piece is supposed to satirize, exactly. “Satire” is one of the most over-used words in the English language, used to laugh off critics of any racist piece of art or media, without thought or care as to the fact that any good satire results in a clear indication of the original idea or piece that is being satirized.
If this piece is supposed to be satire, than Karson is a terrible writer, unworthy of the energy it took to put ink to paper. But this column is not satire: it is a racism-fueled hate fantasy that should make the Asian American students of CU fearful and angry at just how intolerant their campus really is.
I urge each of you to write a Letter to the Editor of Campus Press, and CC a copy to Max Karson (max.karson@colorado.edu). Include a copy of your letter in the comments of this thread for Instant Activism Karma(tm).
Here’s a template. Edit (or just copy-and-paste it on to Campus Press) as you so desire:
Dear Campus Press,
I am outraged at the racist, inflammatory rhetoric of Max Karson (re: If It’s War the Asians Want…, Feb. 18, 2008). His words perpetuate harmful, untrue stereotypes of Asian Americans, and seem intended to fan the flames of an all-out race war against Asian American students on the CU campus. This divisive rhetoric serves no purpose at an academic institution where all students, regardless of color or creed, have a right to pursue education free from anti-intellectual race-baiting.
Asian American students at Colorado University are as much a part of the student body as Mr. Karson is. I strongly urge you to retract Mr. Karson’s column, issue an apology to the Asian American student population at Colorado University from both Mr. Karson and your editorial board, and to immediately remove Mr. Karson from your writing staff.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Update: Because I’m behind on my blogging, I missed the latest developments on this story. The Campus Press editorial staff stopped far short of an apology in addressing Karson’s column yesterday. They reiterated that the column was meant to be satire or commentary — apparently on racism on campus. Because fantasizing about kidnapping and torturing the Asian American student population is a “commentary” on racism. Ri-i-ight. Here’s the full letter from the editors:
Letter from the editors
Regarding the ‘Asians’ satire
Issue date: 2/20/08 Section: NewsThe Campus Press can be the most frustrating labor of love a majority of the time, but none of us would trade our time and effort with this publication for anything.
We hope that, as managing editors, our readers understand we would never, under any circumstances, make a decision to consciously harm the reputation of this newspaper, which has taken decades to establish.
Max Karson’s Monday opinion, “If it’s war the Asians want…,” has clearly upset a large segment of our readership, and for that, we owe it to those who were offended by the article to maintain the highest level of journalistic integrity and sincerely apologize to anyone who was hurt by this article.
Karson’s opinion is satire and is a commentary on racism at CU published in our opinion section, not presented as fact or incitement, and not published to intentionally incite controversy. We apologize for any ambiguity of the satire that may have been misconstrued.
The Campus Press, as the only true vehicle for student voice to the CU community, offers a unique chance for aspiring journalists to learn this craft, and we are exploring a new and continuously evolving medium on a springboard to the professional world.
Like all aspiring journalists, we will learn from this experience and better our publication. The Campus Press has always been, and will continue to be, a source for credible university news and a voice for this student body.
Cassie Hewlings - Editor in chief
Vanna Livaditis - Managing editor
Ashleigh Oldand - Assistant managing editor Jason Bartz - Online director
And the school chancellor, G.P. “Bud” Peterson, weighed in, also apologizing to the Asian American student body.
A Statement by University of Colorado Chancellor G.P. “Bud” Peterson Regarding a Student Column in the University of Colorado Campus Press
February 20, 2008
On behalf of the University of Colorado at Boulder, I want to apologize to the members of Colorado’s Asian and Asian-American communities for a satirical column written by a student columnist at the CU Campus Press – the Web-based student news outlet managed by the University of Colorado School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The column was a poor attempt at social satire laden with offensive references, stereotypes and hateful language. It was not properly labeled as either satire or commentary, and readers were left with the impression that the author spoke for the collective staff and leadership of the Campus Press, and perhaps even the University of Colorado.
He spoke for none of the aforementioned, and while his column is unquestionably protected under the First Amendment, the sentiments he has expressed are wounding and damaging to a community we hold dear and come at a time when we are trying to celebrate diversity at CU-Boulder with our annual Diversity Summit. I want to personally apologize to the individuals who may have been wounded or offended by the column and the perspectives that it purports to represent. I have asked the dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication to review this matter, to meet with the management of the Campus Press and to consider what steps are appropriate to account for what was published. In the meantime, I invite the commentary of all communities to the Campus Press Web site at www.thecampuspress.com.
While that discussion takes place, let me reiterate the support of the CU-Boulder campus, our collective campus community, and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, for our Asian and Asian-American students, and for all students of color from all walks of life. Let me also reaffirm my commitment to building a campus that embraces diversity in all its forms, and that also promotes free speech, open debate and discussion of issues and ideas, and that will not trade one to achieve the other.
Well, Bud, thanks for supporting Karson’s First Amendment rights over definitive action to address discriminatory hatespeech against Asian Americans, in direct contrast to the school’s stated diversity goals:
…maintaining a positive learning, working, and living environment. UCB does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities.
I don’t suggest writing to Bud Peterson or his staff at this time. But CU staff and administration should be involved should Campus Press refuse to issue further apologies or retractions following pressure from the Asian American community.
Cross-posted: Reappropriate