Micah Sittig's Public Library

“I’ll admit that my own initial reaction wasn’t far from that of the authors of the blog Disgrasian, whose gleeful post included the line “karma is a b*tch.” But upon further reflection, it’s not clear how the depiction of white stereotypes in Japan is appropriate payback for media abuses against Asians in the U.S.

Besides, asks James S., founder and editor-in-chief of the popular Japan-based blog Japan Probe, “Are we in some kind of race to win last place in the stereotyping Olympics? Foreign residents in Japan shouldn’t be held accountable for bad things other people in their country of origin are doing. Arguing about which countries have worse stereotyping accomplishes nothing.”“

This is my problem with most screaming of racism from the Asian American community and while, no matter how racist something actually is, I will automatically blanch when the Asian American community gets involved - because these organizers, through their statements and subsequent actions, have never shown to me that they are any less racist than the racist depictions they decry.

No doubt some of them do have enlightened views on race and what not, but a good percentage will yell about how we’re being treated like second class citizens (which, while these depictions are insulting and make it hard for certain things to happen - like Asian American actors getting awesome roles, is not really true) and then start singing songs about how the Chinese race is the best race, everyone wants to be Chinese, you know what’s great? Having black hair, dark eyes and yello