White people. Ignore them.

They’re just seeking attention.

Dear Prudence,

My six-year-old son is the only black child at his school.  From all reports, he is sweet, well-mannered and has a great sense of humor.  However, over the past two years he has been the target of a number of racist comments by a girl in his class, who often says things like “I don’t want to sit by him because he has dark skin” and worse.  She says these things in the hearing of their classmates, teachers and other school employees.

Her parents insist they are attempting to teach her to “treat everyone equally and be accepting of all different people.”  The adults at school do not address his comments but instead ignore them, insisting that a West Hartford, CT marriage and family therapist by the name of Molly McDonald counseled them to think of her comments as the “equivalent of a tantrum and thus best ignored.”

–At a loss

Dear “At a loss,”

While your child may be undergoing a painful and hellish school experience, not that I might have considered this, won’t you think of the white child? 

They took my spot. (But my SAT was only 1180.)

 

In 2008, two young women with similar academic records applied to the University of Texas at Austin for spots in the freshman class. One of the women, Abigail Fisher (pictured above), was rejected. The other, Tedra Jacobs, was accepted. Fisher is white. Jacobs is black.¹

Blatantly unfair, right? Abigail Fisher thinks so. Like many others, she seems convinced the race is the only reason she was not accepted to UT Austin. Because it’s a matter of “merit”:

“I’m hoping that they’ll completely take race out of the issue in terms of admissions and that everyone will be able to get into any school that they want no matter what race they are but solely based on their merit and if they work hard for it.”²

¹ Source.        ² Source.

Fisher didn’t make the cut under the UT “Top Ten” program, in which the top students at each public school are guaranteed admission (the percentage varies from year to year and has been eight percent in the past). 

Evolution plus

A meander around the term “roundeye.”  Bear with me, if you will.   

So two white hipsters started a noodle bar. Which they named “Roundeye.”  Which made me say WTF, seriously?  Apparently Asian Americans United was already on it.  Here’s the response:

Darragh said he heard from an AAU representative Saturday. “We’re not really sure what to do with this,” he told me. “She was very nice,. We intended it as a play on words, making fun of ourselves – not trying to be offensive to anyone.  We’re not racist, but this is making us out to be racist. The weird thing is that the majority of our customers are Asian. Some of the them think it’s a funny name. Some people get offended and some don’t.”

Got that?  Translation: We’re hip and aware and ironic.  How unfair of you to call us racist, because we aren’t!  We’re not!  We’re not!  And Asian people love it.  Not like those of you who are easily offended.

But they thought about it awhile, I guess, and reconsidered:

Twinsies!

Subtitled: Mama don’t let your babies grow up to use youtube.

So in two separate cases this week, a pair of high school girls recorded and uploaded racist videos to youtube. It’s so confusing that some news articles are reporting on one school but linking the video from the other.

Santaluces High School would not report on any potential disciplinary action for the students.  Gainesville High School reportedly expelled the students.

It’s just a repeat of the same old crap we’ve seen time and time again. Same formula.  Somebody does something racist.  They are then shocked by the response.  Because they thought they were being clever and funny and all.  Because for many people, “humor” depends on the disparagement and dehumanization of other groups.

Dear white adoptive parents

Once upon a time, dear adoptive parents, I expected better of you.

And I kept hoping beyond hope.  Even as you walked past me.   Because I am invisible in your eyes.  As your grown children are invisible as well.  Those angry adoptees will never be your children, because your kids will not be oversensitive or have a chip on their shoulder.  They’ll be able to laugh it off.  They’ll have a thicker skin.  They’ll be able to roll with the punches.

Because you’ve already told them how to feel. 

Repping for the U.S.

Double fail.

Maureen Chao is a vice consul with the U.S. Consulate in Chennai. According to the consulate website, she has a bachelor’s in international studies and graduate degrees in education and higher education administration.  She additionally studied in India and Vietnam as a Fulbright scholar.  Undoubtedly culturally competent.  Why else would she have such a position?

So here’s what she said to a group of students:

“I was on a 24-hour trip on a train from Delhi to Orissa. But, after 72 hours, the train still didn’t reach the destination due to some strike and, earlier, due to a rail block by some cows or camels. At the end… my skin became dirty and dark, like the Tamilians,” she reportedly told the gathering.

I have to admit, the first thing I thought was, “Not a sister! Can’t possibly be!” (I bet regular readers can guess what I thought her race is.) And then I felt deeply ashamed and hung my head. Then I googled to punish myself with the smiling visage of a Chinese woman.

Alas. It appears I was right.

Haven’t heard from Maureen “Not My Sister!” Chao, but the U.S. Consulate posted its “apology” on the website:

Safety

Edited to add:  Just to make it perfectly clear, the reports of death threats against Alexandra Wallace appear to originate from the Daily Bruin, which later amended its article to say that the police can neither “confirm nor deny” said threats.  Yet articles continue to appear about the death threats.

So UCLA student Alexandra Wallace posted a racist rant to youtube.   Basically it’s about how she is trying to have an epiphany while studying but Asians keep interrupting her train of thought by talking ching-chong language into their cell phones.   Although she tries to be understanding because she knows about the tsunami.

Now the media is reporting that she has received death threats.  According to a UCLA spokesperson, the police are “are currently working to ensure her safety.”

Wait, death threats?

Get out the list

And mark ’em all off.

The scene:  A white Murray State University professor to two black students, whom he believed were tardy to his class.  What he claims he said:

‘Do you know why you were late? There’s a theory that a way to protest their master’s treatment was for slaves to be late.’

What one of the students reported:

It is part of your heritage. The slaves never showed up on time to their owners and were lashed for it. I just don’t have the right to do that.

What did Professor Mark Wattier have to say in his own defense?

The hive tells me no.

(Also, ten bucks says Eli Steele is related to Shelby Steele.  You know, the “Content of Our Character” guy.)

This piece of byte-waste from the LA Times is about how the new interracial generation will save us all.  It’s yet another version of once we all f*ck each other and the races mix we will have harmony. No, seriously. Because identity politics are the cause of all our racial problems:

The day will arrive when this interracial generation reaches political consciousness and finds itself at odds with America’s divisive identity politics. Of all Americans, they represent the best opportunity to end these politics and point America back to its tradition of individualism.

People who identify as mixed race have already reached “political consciousness.” There are groups such as Mavin and Swirl and numerous hapa organizations. Do they find themselves “at odds” with identity politics? I can’t really say.  But what I do know is that many multiracial people self- identify as people of color.  Is that buying into “divisive identity politics”?

Dear WAP

We exchanged a few emails at the beginning of the year when I helped you get information on citizenship for your child. We even met at that cultural event. And then you wrote to me frustrated that you couldn’t find any cultural activity for your very small child. My response that cultural communities had no real need and little inclination for such activities, and that the adoption community could hardly care less obviously didn’t please you.

I applaud your efforts to set something up, and I told you that in no uncertain terms. So why does it piss you off so much that I protested your use of a racial stereotype in your logo?

Please allow me to deconstruct your message:

Wow, I never even thought about it!!!! (I am so privileged I don’t HAVE to think about it.) I agree that it isn’t very original but when you have ZERO budget, originality cannot be bought! (I don’t actually know what the word “stereotype” means and I am not motivated enough to find out because, frankly, it doesn’t concern me.) Anyway, I wonder how it’s possible to not use a “racial stereotype” when trying to represent a Chinese child!!!! (But I’m still not motivated enough to find out.) Should I have given him a pseudo americanised look so he appeared less Chinese? (‘Cos he IS Chinese, right, and you know you are being ridiculous, right?)

You know, sometimes I wonder if that’s what really shocks you the most? (I think you have a chip on your shoulder.) Whatever, I don’t hold it against you. (‘Cos it’s all your fault anyway. You should be less sensitive.)

Please refer to my free apology.