Comments on: Quote of the Day http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/ Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:06:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Anne http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-86230 Anne Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:56:24 +0000 http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/#comment-86230 I agree it was bad editing, but as for the guy the article profiled--he's 71 years old and lived for most of his life in Communist Romania. If I was a friend of his, or his granddaughter or something, I would call him on that quote, but if he was just someone I was talking to on the street, I'd probably let it slide with the understanding that he was born and raised in a different time and a different culture. Mike Royko, who was one of my favorite journalists, said once that we should be careful not to use an axe to peel a grape. I agree it was bad editing, but as for the guy the article profiled–he’s 71 years old and lived for most of his life in Communist Romania. If I was a friend of his, or his granddaughter or something, I would call him on that quote, but if he was just someone I was talking to on the street, I’d probably let it slide with the understanding that he was born and raised in a different time and a different culture.

Mike Royko, who was one of my favorite journalists, said once that we should be careful not to use an axe to peel a grape.

]]> By: chris http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-86212 chris Mon, 23 Jun 2008 10:30:55 +0000 http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/#comment-86212 It's the whole "positive racism" thing. A lot of white people think it's okay to positively stereotype Asians because they're saying "nice' things, like the husband is good at math, they keep their yard really clean, they're quiet, etc. A very worldly, educated friend of mine was once surprised that Kevin said he didn't always identify with white people and in some ways, felt more closely aligned (at least here in the south) to the black experience of being different from the general population. She was shocked! How could it be possible that an Asian person in an area where they are an extreme minority every felt "different" when walking into a room of white people or felt out of place in a rural southern town where no one expected, for example, him to be a native english speaker?! I think it does get to the heart of the whole "model minority" thing. It’s the whole “positive racism” thing. A lot of white people think it’s okay to positively stereotype Asians because they’re saying “nice’ things, like the husband is good at math, they keep their yard really clean, they’re quiet, etc.

A very worldly, educated friend of mine was once surprised that Kevin said he didn’t always identify with white people and in some ways, felt more closely aligned (at least here in the south) to the black experience of being different from the general population. She was shocked! How could it be possible that an Asian person in an area where they are an extreme minority every felt “different” when walking into a room of white people or felt out of place in a rural southern town where no one expected, for example, him to be a native english speaker?! I think it does get to the heart of the whole “model minority” thing.

]]> By: LM http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-86086 LM Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:48:39 +0000 http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/#comment-86086 Wow, total racism alert. My ex-aunt says stuff like that all the time, only worse. There's always an implied "because" in there: they're quiet BECAUSE they're Asian, she's unsanitary BECAUSE she's Vietnamese, he's aloof BECAUSE he's Korean, etc etc. My aunt means it meanly. My grandmother does similar but non-hostily: the nice BLACK family down the street, her WOMAN doctor, her JEWISH friend. I call her on it, but she defends that she's just identifying, and I do think she's rather fascinated by America's diversity now, compared to the fear she held back in her 70s. Wow, total racism alert. My ex-aunt says stuff like that all the time, only worse. There’s always an implied “because” in there: they’re quiet BECAUSE they’re Asian, she’s unsanitary BECAUSE she’s Vietnamese, he’s aloof BECAUSE he’s Korean, etc etc.

My aunt means it meanly. My grandmother does similar but non-hostily: the nice BLACK family down the street, her WOMAN doctor, her JEWISH friend. I call her on it, but she defends that she’s just identifying, and I do think she’s rather fascinated by America’s diversity now, compared to the fear she held back in her 70s.

]]> By: Annie Malie http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-85875 Annie Malie Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:34:05 +0000 http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/#comment-85875 If he didn't say that, how would you know what neighborhoods to move to? If he didn’t say that, how would you know what neighborhoods to move to?

]]> By: Elise http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-85857 Elise Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:33:10 +0000 http://american-family.org/2008/06/19/quote-of-the-day/#comment-85857 An attempt at emphasizing the diversity of the neighborhood perhaps? And the Korean architects who stopped by might actually have been from Korea (i.e. national identity vs ethnicity). An attempt at emphasizing the diversity of the neighborhood perhaps?

And the Korean architects who stopped by might actually have been from Korea (i.e. national identity vs ethnicity).

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