WARNING – lengthy incoherent jumbly rant to follow…
I have just taken a shower… now in normal circumstances, that would make me mellow and lazy but yet something has been tumbling around in my mind that I can’t seem to get rid of…
(Have just gone back up after finalising this post and realised that my title is yet again probably misleading because I kinda got all “argh, I give up, I dun wanna go through that again” phase towards the end… and have added the number 001 because zeros are important to me and I’m sure I’ll be ranting a lot in the future.)
Prior to this shower, I’d just commented back on a blog that I follow on my blogspot list…
The title of that blog post, Black, White & Racist! @ Helen’s Doll Saga (my comment was comment #666 it was just meant to be! lol – I do have a post floating in my mind along the lines of “you don’t have to be pale to be spooky” for Halloween funsies and stuff).
Anyway, I kinda had my snarky cap on as I usually do when I see the keyword racist.
My original response was…
Dolls of Color said
October 6, 2009 at 5:21 am
I don’t mind black dolls being cheaper – good for me! Except they cost a fortune in over here and on ebay… it is funny, the CC dolls go on sale here first either that or the AA dolls sell out first.
You know what no one really complains about? How Asian dolls don’t even exist.
The blog owner then replied…
dollsaga said
October 6, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Mattel spends millions of $$$ to do markeing-research. if Mattel didnt make so-called Asian Debut, simply b/c this kind of doll has no market or very samll market—Dont worry about it, Asian people wont protest against Matter for being Racist.
Only 6, 800 AA & 18,000 CC debut were made, nearly a year has gone by, both are still availabe online/offline. therefore, its silly to write petitions asking Mattel to make Asian dolls, unless you promise Mattel you can help to sell out 99% of them.
My response just then was…
Dolls of Color said
October 7, 2009 at 4:28 am
If no one complains then nothing gets done. Asian people don’t do enough speaking up. Mattel is rich, a small loss in profit is nothing. I can’t promise Mattel anything except show the world how narrow minded and selfish they are. Where are Asian dolls of no market or small market value, please direct me so I can buy them all up because I can’t find any around here… either that or they cost a bloody fortune.
NEW comment! (talk about DELUDED! um… honey, you ain’t white, you’ll never be white so stop being such a suck up! you know what’s even funnier? not once have I mentioned the words “race” or “racist” over there…)
dollsaga said
October 7, 2009 at 10:38 pm
from now on, All the “Race” & “Racist” go to Spam bin. I am not interested in your race or how you have been descrimated. remeber, your president is black, so, what have you got to complain about?! there is no reason for you to be proud of him as well, why? as her black father andandon him.
my blogs has 1299 hits today, the most popular thread was Fred doll–568 hits, and this “race” thread only had 4 hits –so you know how many people in this world care about your race & your urge to accuse others to be racists.
This blogger is… Asian, at least her physical facial characteristics are. You know what, I was actually thrilled when I first stumbled onto her blog… yay! another Asian who collects dolls but after following her blog for a while I have come to the conclusion that we have extremely different and conflicting political views. I even know exactly what she would say if she saw this post – it is not my fault that you take my opinion personally, I am only one person and I don’t even know you and it is not my responsibility to make you happy or something like that, exactly like what my MOTHER would say. Heh, guess she must be a “true” Asian after all… (WARNING! this is snark, there is no such thing as a stereotypical true asian)
You know, it’s really sad that some PoC don’t even know the basic 101s of racism. Here are just *some* pointers on what racism is – Racism 101 by Resist Racism. (I also still have A LOT to learn myself!)
And I dunno why but the Asian anti-racist blogosphere is minuscule compared to the anti-racist Black blogosphere, you can’t really fault people who think Asians have it good if they never complain. A few Asian anti-racist blogs I’ve found are Restructure!, Angry Asian Man, Asian Nation and Rebellious Jezebel Blogging… hmm that’s four off the top of my head… I can count at least ten Black anti-racist blogs that I follow. Does this mean that racism affects Black people more? Maybe. Or does this mean that Asian people are more likely to brush it off? Maybe. Doesn’t that mean they’re push overs? Maybe. I really don’t know.
People who refuse to learn or acknowledge that racism really does exist will be blind to displays of racism that would be blindingly obvious to another who isn’t so ignorant.
Remember George Bush JUNIOR? Of course you do… anyway, I feel sorry for all those chimpanzees who had to be compared to him… I mean chimps = cute, GWB jnr = not exactly cute…
image removed due to change of mind, it’s a horrible mean pic anyway
Now, anyone remember that cartoon published by the New York Post showing a chimpanzee being shot with the police quotes implying that it’s the POTUS? Sociological Images did a post on that – New York Post Monkey/Stimulus Bill Cartoon (090218)
image removed to be fair in the removal of the above image as well as being nasty itself
People were jumping up and down crying “racism!” meanwhile on the other side of the road, more people were jumping up and down crying “not racist!”. Yeah… some people want to have their cake and eat it too… with the finest and best ingredients of course… and for free as well. There’s this stuff called HISTORY and CONTEXT, look it up! GW Bush being compared to a chimp makes him look stupid. BH Obama being compared to a chimp is hurtful to the Black community because of that long long long history where they were treated horribly and still are being treated like crap.
So it’s like the same… but NOT! What else is the same but NOT?
image hot off the camera by me
Meet Jack and Jill for I am the super duper giver of names (NOT) – they are both ragdolls? yes… they are both owned by me? yes – so why is one racist and one not? You see, Jack is a Golliwog… The Golliwog Caricature by Dr. David Pilgrim @ The Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia… so why do *I* have a Golliwog? erm… because I think they’re cute and I’d developed an attachment to them while I was living in that vacumn devoid of social responsibility called childhood… but now as an adult, I am going to constantly point out why they are racist, I just don’t have the brain of a 4 year old anymore so I don’t have to act like I’m 4 years old unlike some people.
Hmmm… remember that warning, the one about this being an incoherent rant? Well, I’m getting to that point where I’m a bit unsure what I’m supposed to be going on about… what can I say, I suck at writing. Ok, Asians… racism against Asians… DEFINITELY EXISTS (wait a mo’ and I’ll get back at this again) and something about Japan being a total asshead to everyone else in East/SE Asia circa WWII time and everyone there (East/SE Asia) thinks they’re absolute bastards but they always seem to be the epitome of Asian style in the West…
Ok Asians… the two big stereotypes we (generally the “we” who live in countries run by mostly white governments) have to put up with… that annoying “perpetual foreigner” crap and that stupid “model minority” myth. Oh, and that yellow fetish/peril thing depending on the mood of the consumer… actually, going on and on about that stuff really tires me, it seems like what I’ve been doing in the blogosphere lately is to debunk the perpetual foreigner myth (again), explain the absurdity of the model minority myth (again) and get angry at more yellow fetish /peril things (again). In a way, we are like invisible or something…
Sorry, bunny just did a wonky flop and I had to awww and get totally scatterbrained and forgetful (again)…
If you ask specific questions, I might be able to explain myself a bit more clearly 
ETA – editing wordpress in internet explorer is ARGH!!! much prefer mozilla…
Tags: asian, blackface, erasure & exclusion, internet stuff, stereotypes
I’m trying to make unrelated points so I’ll just enumerate.
1. There’s a reason why I don’t follow her blog. The reason? I’ll keep that to myself. You may want to ask yourself if it is worth your time.
2. You know I like you, right? But in case you don’t know, I want to say I like you as a blogger and doll collector because you have your own convictions. You take dolls higher than the fluff level. Not a lot of doll collectors do that.
3. I understand her point on capitalism and on how diversity is gonna cost. Unless one is willing to pay, there will be no diversity. But calling the petition for more Asian dolls silly is… I can’t think of a worse word than silly.
4. My fourth point is on generalization of Asians. I had to re-read this part.
“I even know exactly what she would say if she saw this post – it is not my fault that you take my opinion personally, I am only one person and I don’t even know you and it is not my responsibility to make you happy or something like that, exactly like what my MOTHER would say. Heh, guess she must be a “true” Asian after all.”
Although I am Asian, I try (but it’s difficult) not to speak for other Asians. I try NOT to make generalization that we are like this or that. Although I always have been taught that most Asians are concerned about the impressions they give to the society.
I was always taught to think of what others will say; consider others with every decision, action or statements I make. I’m not really sure about other Asians but most Filipinos I know are really concerned about what others would say. This post might help you understand what I mean to say, although I don’t agree that Filipino culture could be simplified just like that as the author of that blog said.
5. I can feel your anger all the way from here but I don’t understand why you have to share that image of GWBjr. I thought it was hateful and you, being anti-racist, are actually fighting hate. I find it ironic. That’s all.
6. Incoherence is a style. I have no problem with that. Lately I’ve been introduced to a style of writing using just fragmented images. The reader, who is assumed to be intelligent, will have to figure it out for him/herself.
7. I can see where the hateful images of Japanese came from. Our country was a victim of Japanese war brutality. That will never be forgotten. I think the Japanese themselves haven’t forgotten this for that event has many lessons to teach. I think this sad past has help foster a deeper friendship between the Philippines and Japan. I personally have high respects for the Japanese. They have a lot of charity works here and they even offer scholarships for Japanese universities.
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Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Thank you for such a detailed and thoughtful response Niel!
1. I like to see positive everywhere but then I get disappointed, it’s sort of my fault! Sometimes my choices are more quantity than quality…
2. Of course I know! I like you too!!!
3. It is sorta silly, but it’s not hurting anyone either and if anything does come out of it… it will be good things
4. Oh Niel! I was being snarky! If my mother is a “true” asian but I am nothing like her, then what does that make me? There are stereotypes and then there is the truth. My mother fits the some of the stereotypes but she is not more or less Asian than me or you.
5. I was showing examples of things that maybe seem similar but have very different backstories. How a white man can be compared to an ape and still come out pretty much unscathed but if a man of colour were to be compared to an ape, well the damage goes much deeper. Maybe I did not get my point across clearly since I was pretty scattered… that said, I will remove that image because it is pretty mean.
6. It is? Well, this is amongst many things, also a personal blog so if I wanna write brwoaufdf erewr lbououdif wlkerere it should be totally ok!
7. I think a lot of Westernised countries have very little idea about the conflicts between Asian countries – to them we are one big monolith but in reality we are all different with our own unique and special cultures, traditions, histories and unfortunately quarrels and stereotypes against each other but then I think you already know that
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I’m gonna comment here because editing in internet explorer is giving me nightmares!
New response for *that blogger*
“from now on, All the “Race” & “Racist” go to Spam bin. I am not interested in your race or how you have been descrimated. remeber, your president is black, so, what have you got to complain about?! there is no reason for you to be proud of him as well, why? as her black father andandon him.
my blogs has 1299 hits today, the most popular thread was Fred doll–568 hits, and this “race” thread only had 4 hits –so you know how many people in this world care about your race & your urge to accuse others to be racists.”
1. I didn’t even use the words “race” or “racist”
2. My president ain’t black… I ain’t even got no president! We gots the Queen of England ruling this country!
3. Horrible usage of the English language…
4. I have OCD – I *know* I’d visited that page more than 4 times…
5. She can’t be “racist” she’s not white although she can be prejudiced and pretty stoopid! Stoopid knows no human constructed boundaries.
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Niel Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
This just shows her priorities which is not like yours. Lucky you.
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Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
She reminds me… have you heard of Michelle Malkin? She is a US born Filipina… totally-crazy-out-past-pluto type of right wing. Seriously, I feel so sorry for those who must have such deep (probably subconscious) self hatred…
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Niel Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
I haven’t heard about her. Should I consider myself lucky? I tried to google and when I read “conservative”, I stopped reading. LOL.
Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I’d only heard of her when someone else (who thinks all Asians are the same) compared ME to her simply because I’m Asian too! I’m not kidding.
Niel Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I really can’t blame them if they can’t distinguish different Asian nationalities. I hate to admit but I don’t know enough about them to distinguish different European nationalities, too.
I guess its the same when an Australians or English are assumed to be American when they’re in Asia. I was told by one how he hates it, too.
If this is about Helen then, I’m not going to even bother! I don’t read her blog that much but, I still keep her site on my bloglist because somebody else may like it. Her political views and mine are very different as well! I like history so I some things about problems in the Asian community! I do get were you coming from!
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Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I just think it’s so tragic… do you think she’s ever seen her own reflection in the mirror?
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I think what she said was uncall for! What does President Obama father andandon him have to do with anything! I follow her on twitter and sometimes I think her comments go way to far. Don’t worry about what she says because at the end of the day, people don’t bother to read her comment either!
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Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
President Obama himself is a model figure of fatherhood… so what does that say? That all black men are awesome fathers? Nah… there are both good and bad black men, just as there are both good and bad of all kinds of people.
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Ebony, Nicole Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Yes, I’m a person who did not always have her father in her life! Obama’s daughters and other little black girls or any little girls are very blessed to have their fathers raised them! Michelle Malkin I knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww who you talking about! Uh Good Lord that lady makes my mind hurt!
Just don’t worry about what that blogger said because really her comments are uncall for! You and her have two different ideas on how the world should be and trust me, people with two different understanding are never going to see eye to eye!
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Therese Reply:
October 8th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Yeah… *sigh* I know… thanks Nicole
Therese Do you have my email?
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Therese Reply:
October 9th, 2009 at 9:06 am
I guess I do
I’ll just have to check your comment details because you have to input your email addy when you comment… or do you mean you’ve sent me something? Nothing from you in my gmail inbox…
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So much to respond to here, Therese! ;D
For this reply, I want to address the “Asian in a Black and White World” title. Just my opinion, but I think the U.S. and other Western countries are strongly dualistic. Good-evil, right-wrong, Democrat-Republican, etc. Shades of gray in morality exist, but they aren’t usually addressed – or not as frequently as the extremes. A Green Party and an Independent Party exist politically, but they don’t get the same coverage as the big two, Democrat and Republican.
In race matters in the U.S., the basic duality has been White-Black for so many years, the existence of “Others” gets sidelined. Acknowledging Asian or Native American or Hispanic distracts the opposing forces scenario. You can also have White-Asian duality OR Asian-Black duality, but to have three or more groups interacting at the same time … chaos.
What’s interesting now is that the Black-White dynamic is – not dissolving, but interrupted? by the growing Brown (Hispanic) population. Either Hispanics outnumber or they are soon to outnumber Blacks as the largest minority group in the U.S. Repercussions of this shift can be seen in the increasing White-Hispanic alliances. For doll examples … Mattel produced the High School Musical couple, White Troy and Hispanic Gabriella, in doll form; Mattel pairs Barbie with Teresa now in doll sets; and tellingly MGA pairs White Avery with Hispanic Sophina in their “friend set.” MGA’s Black Sasha is not included in any corresponding “friend set.”
Just some thoughts on American racial interactions. My attempt to shed some light? response?
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Therese Reply:
October 10th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
To be honest… I’m a bit tired of people assuming I’m either white or black… when I am neither. Not that I would mind if I really was either black or white but I’m just not that’s all. It’s like when *that blogger* jumped to the topic of Obama’s dad when I was talking about Asian dolls! Where did Obama’s dad come from LOL this is because she assumed that I am black (just so happens I’m not)… she is the one pulling out the race card not me, even though she pulled out the wrong one!
This blogger has used the Asians “prefer to look lighter and use lightening creams” argument. Oh hey, so have African people! What does that say if people desire to use lightening creams? Isn’t there something seriously wrong there? I used to joke that older Asian women are like goths – white made up faces with brown necks and black lined eyes. I too prefer the goth look but I’m not going to hide my skin just because it turns a shade of obvious brown in summer! It’s how I was born and at least I still use sunscreen!
America’s social racial relations are a bit different to the rest of the world but then it’s actually not that different as well. Other parts of the world the division might be perceived nationality/foreign-ness or class (a really big example is the caste system in India, which is illegal but definitely still in existence) but at the end of the day it is the same, it is the desire to make certain groups “other” to feel better about oneself without actually doing any work to deserve this self entitlement. People may argue that racism and classism are different but for me they are intertwined and many other times they run so closely parallel that they are almost the same.
To me, I find it most depressing when other people of colour are in denial of the existence of racism and the uneven structure of power in established institutions of authority. It’s like “ass kissing the enemy”.
OMG… and health care over in the US! It is funny because most Americans I’ve met always compliment the healthcare system of Australia (which is far from perfect still…) but then they go protest against it in the US? I find that… very odd.
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You’re right about the “Us” and “Them” scene playing out throughout the world. Sigh.
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