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发表于 16-2-2009 04:53:27
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Racist pop star? Maybe, maybe not
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There's usually three people on my list of people that I hate. Today, make that four.
Four is an unlucky number in Asian culture. It is often associated with death - so you know it's a screwy number.
Let me start this blog off by saying screw Miley Cyrus. I don't care if she's an inspiration to teen girls - she is just another dumb, spoiled teenager with parents trying to sell her sexuality for another 15 minutes of fame.
Whydo I loathe her? It's not because she's famous and a millionaire - thatwould be just bad taste on my part. It's because of a recently releasedpicture of her making "Asian eyes" at the camera with her friends.
So what, you might ask. She's a kid, just let her be - it's just a photo.
Wrong. You wouldn't paint your face black and say you're making a goofy face. You wouldn't chant "Hey, how are ya" to a Native American, thinking they'll join in. It's just... how do you say... bad taste.
Borrowing from Chris Rock,if you do certain things, you deserve to get your ass beat. Somebodyneeds to slap some sense into Miley. And not in the way that Chris Brown beat Rihanna... that just wasn't cool, Chris.
A lot of people on message boards are saying that Lucie J. Kim, who is filing a lawsuit at L.A. County Superior Court, is overreacting, stating that "people can sue over anything now."Kim is representing more than one million Asian Pacific Islandersliving in L.A. seeking $4,000 in damages, which totals to about $4billion.
Different people have their own reasons for being upset. Here's mine:
IfMiley is a role model for young audiences, then she should act likeone. Pulling pranks like this only exacerbates an issue that is stillprevalent in society. It allows people to think that it's okay becauseshe's doing it. Therefore it's funny... therefore it's harmless.
Thefact of the matter is, Miley is a famous white person and has a lot ofpower. By simply saying she is acting like a kid and she didn't meananything by it, lets her off the hook. It lets her get away without anyconsequences except for a little bad PR.
People can say thatthere wasn't any malicious intent in the photo, but clearly thoseinvolved are making fun of Asian stereotypes. Having your ancestors aswell as yourself be made fun of is scarring, and having a famous persondo it without any remorse or repercussions... what does that say aboutour worth as human beings?
One argument used in Miley's defenseis that supposedly millions of other teenagers pose like this all thetime and aren't being sued for it. Shockingly, the people who make thisargument also add that because an Asian guy is in the photo, it somehowmagically makes it okay. People are going even as far as to say "The Asian guy is making Caucasian eyes, so he's racist, too."
I'dlike to add that while I don't agree that non people of color can't bediscriminated against, it is a much different type of prejudice theyface than what major minorities have endured. It's not the OppressionOlympics... It's just common sense.
I'd also like to point outthat while Kim represents most of the Asian community in L.A. - shedoesn't represent all of it. Some people probably are fine with thisincident or couldn't care less. To each their own. I, obviously, am notone of these people.
While I don't necessarily agree with suingMiley for $4 billion, I do understand the reason behind it. One can saythey're sorry, but when they're threatened by a higher power, it hitscloser to home. Maybe she'll realize how big her actions are andunderstand that "Hey, maybe I shouldn't take racist photos because I might be held responsible for my actions." If we continue to let things slide, then when will it stop?
Whilepeople make assumptions that this is an attack on people's free rights,how would you like being screamed profanities at? Does that make youfeel good? Does that make you feel safe? Being talked down by someone?It's a similar instance of what the message in this photo represents.Sure, you could say it's childsplay, but is it, really? Is itignorance? And even if we leave it at that - ignorance - a person ofsuch stature who is in the public eye should be made accountable forsaid ignorance, not just let off the hook.
Whatever happens withthis lawsuit is fine by me. If it goes through, it's both good and bad.It's good because the court recognized the damaging effects caused bythis seemingly unharmful act. It's unfortunate that such a drasticmeasure had to be unleashed upon America's supposed sweetheart. If itdoesn't go through, I'm fine because it's still one step forward forAAPI's in showing that we're not going to be walked over.
What did Miley have to say about the whole ordeal?
"Well,I'm sorry if people looked at those pics and took them wrong and out ofcontext! In NO way was I making fun of any ethnicity! I was simplymaking a goofy face..."
Well, the last time I checked, Asian people and their appearances are not 'goofy faces.' Just ask Spain's basketball team... |
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发表于 13-2-2009 16:51:32
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