i prefer 'hard' racism versus 'soft'. being overlooked sucks. this debate will continue till we get some lame pbs or 60 minutes special about asian male identity in america.
I LOVED the MSG photo of Lin and the fortune cookie.
Even though I am Asian, I don't see anything wrong with associating Lin with a fortune cookie. I'll say that it's a tribute to Lin's surprise impact as an Asian American on the NBA.
I also love the term "Amasian". How witty! Like the cute fortune cookie thing, "Amasian" can mean many good things. That makes Lin "All Lin, all Amasian" (sort of like Vince Carter's accurately dubbed "Half Man, Half Amazing").
Jason Whitlock, on the other hand, enrages me. Not only does he insult Lin, he refuses to acknowledge that Tiger Woods is a self proclaimed Asian American. That Whitlock could only see the black American side of Woods is an affront to Tiger's Asian roots.
Another harmless sounding thing that I found totally disrespectful was when a movie mogul was asked about making a movie about Lin. The mogul said something like "Can Tom Cruise star in it?" I promise that if a Jeremy Lin movie is made without an Asian male lead actor, I will sound like Rev. Al Sharpton. We have way too much rejection and emasculation of Asian males in today's media to allow Jeremy Lin to be played in a movie by a white actor.
I see nothing wrong with having some politically incorrect fun provided it's not designed to make any ethnic group look bad.
Referencing fortune cookies is not directly/explicitly racist like Whitlock's comments. But it's along the same lines as associating fried chicken and watermelon with African Americans.
i don't think i've ever seen an MSG photo with stat or melo next to a bucket of fried chicken or a pitcher of kool-aid... these jokers in the promo dept at MSG need to get their act together and respect the persecution and struggle that asians had in america. It's not at the level of the civil rights movement, but let's not forget the internment of the japanese, and the exploitation of chinese laborers who built the transcontinental railroad.
I don't think that associating Lin with a fortune cookie is anything like associating blacks and fried chicken and watermelon.
The fried chicken and watermelon thing is a historically negative stereotype that seeks to make all blacks 2nd class citizens who are poor low class people from the South. I agree that putting photos of Carmelo with watermelon would be racially offensive. Now if we put Magic Johnson with KFC, I would not find that offensive because I think he is a KFC endorser.
Fortune cookies are a quintessentially American creation. They are a hallmark of America's proud Chinese restaurant tradition. People who eat Chinese food associate Chinese restaurants with the culmination of the American dream that anybody can make it if they work hard enough. It is the ultimate tribute to Jeremy Lin to associate him with the hardworking Chinese restaurant professionals who are superstars in their own right.
When one cracks open a fortune cookie, it has a message that promotes positivity. That's Lin right there. He's having fun, so much so thay even his opponents are caught up in Linsanity. The Lakers reportedly went Linsane after watching Lin drill that Toronto 3 pointer.
If there's a racial note, I see it this way: Jeremy Lin was supposed to be a basketball nobody because of his race. He was supposed to be as harmless as a fortune cookie. Instead, the Knicks opened up a can of NBA Whoopass. The seemingly harmless Lin is now terrorizing the NBA and nobody can stop or resist him.
If Jeremy Lin has become as celebrated as.a.fortune cookie, that is GREAT for Asians everywhere.
i prefer 'hard' racism versus 'soft'. being overlooked sucks. this debate will continue till we get some lame pbs or 60 minutes special about asian male identity in america.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED the MSG photo of Lin and the fortune cookie.
ReplyDeleteEven though I am Asian, I don't see anything wrong with associating Lin with a fortune cookie. I'll say that it's a tribute to Lin's surprise impact as an Asian American on the NBA.
I also love the term "Amasian". How witty! Like the cute fortune cookie thing, "Amasian" can mean many good things. That makes Lin "All Lin, all Amasian" (sort of like Vince Carter's accurately dubbed "Half Man, Half Amazing").
Jason Whitlock, on the other hand, enrages me. Not only does he insult Lin, he refuses to acknowledge that Tiger Woods is a self proclaimed Asian American. That Whitlock could only see the black American side of Woods is an affront to Tiger's Asian roots.
Another harmless sounding thing that I found totally disrespectful was when a movie mogul was asked about making a movie about Lin. The mogul said something like "Can Tom Cruise star in it?" I promise that if a Jeremy Lin movie is made without an Asian male lead actor, I will sound like Rev. Al Sharpton. We have way too much rejection and emasculation of Asian males in today's media to allow Jeremy Lin to be played in a movie by a white actor.
I see nothing wrong with having some politically incorrect fun provided it's not designed to make any ethnic group look bad.
Referencing fortune cookies is not directly/explicitly racist like Whitlock's comments. But it's along the same lines as associating fried chicken and watermelon with African Americans.
ReplyDeleteConsidering Jeremy was taunted by association with Chinese food (Wonton soup, etc.), I don't think it's appropriate.
ReplyDeletei don't think i've ever seen an MSG photo with stat or melo next to a bucket of fried chicken or a pitcher of kool-aid... these jokers in the promo dept at MSG need to get their act together and respect the persecution and struggle that asians had in america. It's not at the level of the civil rights movement, but let's not forget the internment of the japanese, and the exploitation of chinese laborers who built the transcontinental railroad.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that associating Lin with a fortune cookie is anything like associating blacks and fried chicken and watermelon.
ReplyDeleteThe fried chicken and watermelon thing is a historically negative stereotype that seeks to make all blacks 2nd class citizens who are poor low class people from the South. I agree that putting photos of Carmelo with watermelon would be racially offensive. Now if we put Magic Johnson with KFC, I would not find that offensive because I think he is a KFC endorser.
Fortune cookies are a quintessentially American creation. They are a hallmark of America's proud Chinese restaurant tradition. People who eat Chinese food associate Chinese restaurants with the culmination of the American dream that anybody can make it if they work hard enough. It is the ultimate tribute to Jeremy Lin to associate him with the hardworking Chinese restaurant professionals who are superstars in their own right.
When one cracks open a fortune cookie, it has a message that promotes positivity. That's Lin right there. He's having fun, so much so thay even his opponents are caught up in Linsanity. The Lakers reportedly went Linsane after watching Lin drill that Toronto 3 pointer.
If there's a racial note, I see it this way: Jeremy Lin was supposed to be a basketball nobody because of his race. He was supposed to be as harmless as a fortune cookie. Instead, the Knicks opened up a can of NBA Whoopass. The seemingly harmless Lin is now terrorizing the NBA and nobody can stop or resist him.
If Jeremy Lin has become as celebrated as.a.fortune cookie, that is GREAT for Asians everywhere.