Asian America

I’m not positive if this is the case with every Asian immigrant parent, but I won’t be surprised if it is.  My parents have the habit of trying to “guess” what type of Asian a person is whenever they see one in public, on TV, or in a restaurant.  They would ask me or each other (usually in Chinese)– “She’s a Korean, you think?”  Or “I think he’s Chinese.”

It almost has become a reflex for my parents and I always found it…intriguing. 

Because I don’t know that many Caucasian adults who do that whenever they see other Caucasians.  Unless the person has an accent, it’s not like they turn around and say, “You think, she’s Italian or American Cuban?” Or “he’s so Spanish looking!  Look at him!” 

Personally, I usually have some difficulty distinguishing between other Asian races, most likely because I’m white-washed as heck.  But I always wondered what brought about this impulse for Asians to seek to classify other Asians on sight.  Perhaps it’s a need to find kinship?  Or maybe it’s just good old human nature kicking in?  What say you?      

A few weeks ago, during a trip to Maine, I was browsing through some small shops at Bar Harbor.  Before going into one of these shops, I held a door open for an old man to step through.  He was a tall man with white hair and a cowboy hat.  As he stepped through the held door, he made a comment of gratitude towards me.  But what he said, kind of caught me off guard.  He said, “Thank you, Charlie.”

I didn’t know what to say or how to react.  But I knew enough to know that “Charlie” was a slang term during the Vietnam War for Victor Charlie or more specifically “Viet Cong”.  And given that my family and I were practically the only Asians visiting the town dominated by whites, it made it even more apparent to me.

But the thing is, I didn’t feel as deeply offended as many people would think I should.  Because, for one thing, he didn’t say it in any sarcastic or degrading way—he did have the expression of genuine gratitude.  And perhaps it was also the fact that I understood that he was an old timer, born and bred in a different generation that just thought differently but, personally, didn’t have any ill intent towards me or other Asians.  For all I know, he could have even been a veteran, who just had trouble shaking old habits.

Either way, I wasn’t fuming.  But I did feel that I was treated to an off-handed compliment.

Some of you, out there, might get angry that I didn’t get angry enough about the situation.  But some of you might even think that this situation was so slight that it doesn’t deserve mentioning. 

Whatever the case, it does bring up an important matter—when does a person’s racial sensitivity cross the line to over sensitivity or under sensitivity?  How does a person draw the line?   

According to the Youtube description:

“Christopher “C-Dub” Wang is a suburban guy who waxes political on all things Asian American and clings to pro basketball pipe dreams. But when misfortune strikes his family, C-dub must overcome living at home, working a dead-end job and his worldly older brother, to run his Mom’s ping pong classes and defend the family’s athletic dynasty.”

Okay, now I’ll be honest here. 

After watching this trailer, at best, I thought it was “cute”.  But the more and more I think about it, the more I realize that this is basically a Will Farrell movie with lots of Asian people in it. 

I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, just as you shouldn’t judge a whole movie by its trailer.  But who are we kidding here?  This movie does NOT look funny at all.  In fact, it even seems a little painful to watch.

Everyone out there can criticize me all they want.  But if it’s true that trailers are suppose to contain the best parts of a movie then we are possibly looking at the worst Asian American movie ever made. 

This film, directed by Wayne Wang, is set for limited release on September 2008.  According to the imdb description:

“A Chinese man travels to America to visit his estranged daughter after her recent divorce. Though his trip starts off as a mission to see his daughter remarry, he sparks to an Iranian woman who, despite their language barrier, captures his heart.”

Overall, this looks like a very impressive movie.  But for some reason, this movie also seems to have that quasi-Forrest Gump feel to it.   Then again, most fish-out-of-water dramas tend to eventually water down to that–especially when the character’s extremely old, young, or just plain innocent.  Not to say that such a tone is necessarily bad, but let’s just say it can be over-burdened at times (though it can work well if all the right elements come into play). 

But, ultimately, I won’t be quick judge until I actually see the film myself.

As I was watching the Olympics the other day, I noticed that many of the Olympic teams were coached by coaches who originated from countries other than their own (e.g. American Women’s volleyball has a coach from China, etc.).  It was seeing this that I realized that the international unity of the Olympics is something that existed simply beyond friendly competition between other nations. 

Because here we have coaches, many of whom were actual Olympic competitors for their own native country back in the days of their youth, moving into another foreign country and spending years of their own life training competitors for that separate country.  It’s almost amazing and it really brings into mind the unity people have regardless of race, culture, or upbringing.

Sometimes it’s easy to get so wrapped up into competition that we begin to miss the point of why the Olympics are there.  That’s why people should come to appreciate these examples.  Because it’s from the willingness of these coaches to cross international lines that doors of racial unity are opened and cultural diversity is further encouraged to strive.    

In the recent news, buzz has been coming up regarding a Spanish Olympics ad for a courier company.  All in all, the picture that came with it speaks for itself.

Spain may and probably has made the excuse that they were just kidding and that they didn’t mean to offend people.  But for an Olympic ad geared for the Olympics that was going to be hosted by and in China, you have to just wonder how logic flies in their mind. 

For the longest time, Europe always had the habit of bragging about being more open-minded and tolerant than the U.S.  Well, in this case, the case is closed. 

With the 2008 Beijing Games in full swing and political issues a fly, it’s just way too easy to feel that inevitable sensation of paradox—the feeling that things may be right on some level, but not right on all levels.  At one end, there’s inspiration and aspiration for the athletes who participate in the games, along with the virtues that come with their competition–sportsmanship and unity among nations.  But at the other end, there’s tension—issues of politics and rivalry that won’t completely die down even in the jubilation of competition.

So for the sake of compromise and for finding some reconciliation between the political truth and the spirit of the games, I’ll be honest.  Yes, China shouldn’t be surprised to be put on the spot politically and socially during the games.  It’s inevitable and it is also a necessity, as they can’t keep sweeping the truth under the rug forever.  And, in this sense, China should learn to stop being hostile to whenever the truth comes up and learn to face it head-on for the sake of making itself a better nation. 

But, on the same token, every nation should give place for the Olympic spirit (including America and China) and not allow the tensions of the past and the present to dampen the joy of friendly competition and good sportsmanship.

Just from seeing some of China’s opening ceremony and the performance of their athletes, it is suffice to say that China is a nation of wonderful potential.  It has the drive to accomplish great things (and it has accomplished great things), but at the same time, it needs to set this drive more on championing good causes and selfless goals.  The Chinese must learn to set their tremendous reservoir of zeal on the willingness to acknowledge the faults of their own nation and then set that passion on doing whatever they can to correct those faults.   That’s my wish for China and though I’m far from being in love with its communist government and a few of its “traditions”, I do care for its people, since I’m also Chinese (Chinese American, but nonetheless still Chinese).

So, China, have the passion to aim higher.  And for the rest of us, let’s just enjoy the games and have some clean sportsmanship with each other. 

I recently find out, through some research, that Bruce Lee’s actually a quarter German through his mother.  Many people might have known this already, but for me, this is news and this inevitably brings up some issues that Asian Americans need to address.

Overall, Bruce Lee’s iconic, not just in the west, but also in the east as he’s the one who brought martial arts, namely kung fu, into the mainstream.  In many ways, he’s also become the one individual that many non-Asians have associated all other Asians with (whether offensively or non-offensively).  But the thing is, Bruce Lee’s not even a pure Asian—he’s a mix (i.e. Eurasian).  What does that leave pure Asians with?  A role model and popular icon that they can’t even completely call their own?

Or maybe, for many Asians, it doesn’t matter to them.  He’s as Chinese as a Chinese person gets, despite the quarter mix.  But many Asians in the homeland may not even see it that way—especially purist.

Is this good or bad for the Asian American culture—to have their greatest icon and one of the greatest epitomes of Asian achievement to not even be a pure Asian?    It’s a question that will no doubt divide people.  But it’s an issue that no Asian can ignore or avoid.  I could see this going both ways. But, ultimately, what will it be if all Asians were approached with this matter?  What will it be?     

Thanks to the input of a viewer (ximena), I just discovered this interesting little Asian American movie entitled, “Year of the Fish.”  According to the imdb description, “Year of the Fish” is “A rotoscope-animated modern-day Cinderella story set in the underbelly of New York’s Chinatown.”  It’s directed and written by David Kaplan and it stars Ken Leung, who’s perhaps one of the most talented Asian American actors.  Below is the Youtube trailer.

For additional information regarding the film, visit its main site at http://yearofthefish.com/

I’ve been keeping up with some of these 2008 Olympic commercial ads and I ran into this commercial where they advertise the upcoming movie, Mummy 3, with the Beijing Olympics.

In addition to this commercial, there was another Olympics commercial (I believe for abc) featuring a majestic shot of the Great Wall of China with some spoken commentary of how the wall had always kept the outside world away from China.  But then this shot is suddenly disturbed by an American athlete who then successfully pole vaults right over the Great Wall.

All in all, it’s okay to be patriotic for one’s country during the Olympic Games.  But these commercials seem to be deriving patriotism at the cost of another country (i.e. China).  In the Mummy 3 commercial, the main enemy is a Chinese emperor brought back to life, while the hero is an American gun-slinging adventurer.  Although the hero in the movie maybe assisted by another Chinese, the emphasis of the movie seems mostly to be on the West vs. the East, with the East being the overwhelmingly sinister villain.  In the second commercial, a unique landmark representing Chinese pride and strength is first shown and described in its fully glory only to then be easily pole-vaulted over by an American athlete.

Perhaps, I’m looking into this too much, but all this gives a bad vibe to me.  Believe me, I don’t support the Chinese government and I’m going to be rooting for America all the way during the games.  But these commercials seem to be of poor taste and maybe they should have made better choices in promoting patriotism.   That’s my two cents.