Tawny’s Take: There are many things in the world that are embrace-able: teddy bears, pillows…But on the less tangible side, activism and personal realization can also be embraced.
Today in the Daily Cal, sandwiched next to articles covering yesterday’s walkout was a column titled “Embrace Your Inner Azn (sic)” Basically the writer, Eden Pang, writes about how “embarrassing” it is to be identified as “Azn”, as if there are a number of negative connotations behind liking Hello Kitty or posing for pictures with peace signs. In the column, she mentions how she wanted to be noticed by her caucasian peers as an equal (i.e. by having parents play in country clubs and eat deviled egg sandwiches) but at the end, has a realization that deep down inside, she is “Azn”, that she too likes Sanrio products and big bubbly writing.
Honesty, she shouldn’t be embarrassed by girls who enjoy Asian paraphernalia; we should be embarrassed by people like her who draw on superficial features as salient measures of identity. I see no real difference in her article and the numerous video postings on Youtube on “how to be a fob”.
Monte’s take: Wow, an azn hater. I didn’t even realize the concept of being “azn” had escaped middle school but wow, here it is. Are you kidding me? This girl isn’t embarassed of her own race? Nobody who respects her own culture would spend 2/3 of an article spewing hate on it, and then spend the last 1/3 reconciling with it. First off, being “azn” shouldn’t be classified as emoticon loving, peace sign waving, hello-kitty loving people. If that’s being “azn,” a subgroup of “asian,” then I know too many confused white people. Emotions, hello-kitty, and peace signs are all pretty popular cultural norms that deserve respect in their own right, not hate. I personally don’t care for hello-kitty, but I certainly do not judge others for doing so. I don’t understand where this concept came that the aforementioned traits are “embarrassing.” I think what’s embarrassing is being on a newspaper staff belonging to the most prestigious public university in the world and having the audacity to publish an article that reinforces stereotypes. This article tries to redeem itself at the end saying it embraces “azn,” but it really doesn’t. It just reconciles it. There is no celebration of culture, and what’s especially sad is that there’s so much more to Asian American culture that is never mentioned );
Cecilia’s Take: what.the.hell. I think a part of my soul just shriveled up and died after reading this. First off, Daily Cal, when did self-deprecation, cultural ignorance, and general ludicrousness become news? Pang begins by saying it’s ridiculous for her to hide her oh-so-embarrassing Asian-ness because of her “squinting eyes” and ethnic last name, as if she’s tainted and marked as inferior. Internalized racism much? More than being angry at her, I’m incredibly disturbed by the fact that she just doesn’t get it. Even when she embraces her “azn” side, she still speaks about Asian identification as a disorder or illness that cannot be suppressed in spite of desires to absorb mainstream American norms to remedy her internal handicap. What really gets me though is a certain retort that follows someone’s comment that the writer should take an Asian Am class: “Don’t you know the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans?” Being azn is cute.. IN ASIA. Being an American-born azn IS NOT. How is flashing the peace sign in photos a part of Asian culture? Um, what? And what in the WORLD does Asian American studies have to do with anything? How would Asian AMERICAN studies help??” Um I don’t know, generate some sort of intellectual thought on racism and identity? Thank God for alternative media is all I can say.
Denise’s Take: Playing on Cecilia’s aformentioned “disease” metaphor, I really feel that this author’s discomfort with her identity is the result of a misdiagnosis. “Asianness/Aznness” is not a virulent disease-like state that can only be “lived with”; however, idiocy and ignorance are. But I’ll refrain from being as mean as I’d like to be; while Pang’s uninformed, judgmental generalizations of “Azns” and her self-deprecating fear of being judged are indubitably HILARIOUS, they are also tremendously tragic. The quality of this piece’s writing as well as the mention of a “dorm room” at the end of the article already suggest the author’s youth, and it may be possible that she comes from somewhere where poorly-crafted, racist vitriol is tolerated or even considered funny. No biggie. Humans make mistakes to learn, and it may just be incredibly unfortunate that this one was racist, horrid, and made many people feel very, very sad for society (especially that rather distasteful remark about the Wah Ching Gang. Classy!).
The real culprit is whatever idiot at The Daily Cal who thought this was appropriate to publish. This was essentially the only piece in this issue that did not have to deal with the walkout–really? Of everything in the world to have an opinion about aside from the walkout, the only one worth publishing was this sophomorically written regurgitation of antiquated stereotypes. This is absolutely pathetic that The Daily Cal thought this passes off for news, or even intellectual thought worth representing at this university. Maybe this was an attempt to join the illustrious ranks of such schools as Yale and Dartmouth in terms of unfunny, anti-Asian “satire” (disclaimer: I realize that the vast majority of students at Yale and Dartmouth are probably far more intelligent than the perpetrators of those two articles). In any case, it’s a particular slap in the face,considering the complete lack of discussion on how the budget cuts will affect API students outside of API spaces. Nah, don’t worry, our progressive spaces, representation from underserved API demographics, and classes that speak to our communities’ interests aren’t in danger at all. The biggest problems we have today are making sure we don’t look like “wannabe geishas” or choosing between the “ordinary square eraser, or handy and efficient but Azn clicking eraser.”
On a lighter note, I found this online comment on the article pretty fucking funny:
“One last thing.. Democrats make fun of Republicans all the time, stereotyping them as gun-toting, Bible-thumping conservatives.
Do white Democrats then have “classic internalized racism” for their own race as well??”
….LOL.
