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The idea of anti-Asian bias in college admissions is gaining further traction in mainstream media. This article in the Boston Globe perpetuates the rather simplistic idea that equates higher mean SAT scores for Asian applicants with an “Asian Ceiling” that discriminates against Asian American students.

The article draws on Espenshade’s study, which I reviewed last year, and which can lead to an oversimplification (dare I say “white-washing) of the situation. At least my friend Oiyan Poon gets it right:

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When I was in college, there sure as heck weren’t zombies, ghosts, and incredibly beautiful people having a bunch of sex with each other. Okay, at least there weren’t a lot of zombies and ghosts.

Filmmaker Quentin Lee has teamed up with artist John Hahn to write and illustrate an online graphic novel entitled Campus Ghost Story. Both Asian American, Lee and Hahn have set out to create a “fun and sexy horror story” that “[at] the heart of it is about how young adults construct their identity and fear against issues of race, gender and sexuality”.

Since I’m y’know me, I pretty much jumped at the idea of a couple of Asian American creators making a comic book about race and gender. And who doesn’t love a good comic with sexuality, right?

So, since I’m sitting here at my desk waiting for tissue to digest (I won’t bore you with the science-y details), I decided to check out the 13-page preview of Campus Ghost Story (which, it seems, represents the first of eight chapters in the book).

The first 13 pages of CGS set the environment for the tale. The opening panel shows the college quad at night, dominated by a large clocktower which, as I assume, is really the focus of the piece. And I was immediately drawn into the world of CGS; I could swear to you that artist John Hahn was given pictures of my alma mater (Cornell University) at night from which to draw his inspiration. Although, to be fair, Cornell’s clocktower isn’t (at least to my knowledge) haunted by the ghost of a dead student wearing a hoodie.

The rest of the chapter introduces us to one of the three primary protagonists: red-haired Julian who is feeling overwhelmed by college. His best friend / roommate, pudgy and Asian American Mark, wants to ditch his nerdy past and hopes to pledge a frat so he can be cool, but Julian is totally not interested. Further complicating matters is the implication that Julian is gay, although it’s not clear if he’s out to himself (let alone to anyone else).

After (literally) running away from a hot topless guy in the men’s locker room (which, I gotta say, was a little – uhm – on the nose) Julian meets a handsome guy in a hoodie named Darren. Flirty, tense, Dawson’s Creek moment later, and cue the climactic scene we kind of all knew was coming from the get-go. I’ll leave it to you to read that part for yourself.

CGS is definitely noteworthy for the art, alone. I’ve never really seen Hahn’s work before, but the stark line art that he uses in CGS nicely complements the story’s stated sociopolitical themes; the style reminds me, in part, of mid-twentieth century political and propaganda posters. This effect is augmented by the colour palette, which is particularly well-implemented during the story’s “spooky” scenes. Despite a few awkward panels (particularly in the third page of the preview chapter), Hahn’s art is generally subdued, while simultaneously gorgeous.

And, I certainly do like that the story focuses on a gay male protagonist, where his “gayness” (so to speak) isn’t entirely central to the story. Yes, Julian is attracted to Darren, and appears to be ramping up for some serious “coming out” angst, but the story doesn’t spotlight Julian’s homosexuality in a hokey and over-done way. It’s also noteworthy that Lee chose to write a story that, at least from the preview pages, includes Asian Americans in its cast of characters but that doesn’t beat us about the head and shoulders — sledgehammer-style — with classic APIA tropes and archetypes (as too many minority comic book and filmmakers feel the need to do).

That being said, it’s also clear that CGS is Lee’s first foray into comic book writing. While the overall story appears to be interesting, there are issues of pacing and dialogue that appear clunky for the comic book page. Either the art (or the page design) are simply inadequate to communicate some of the subtle interactions between characters (a problem that betrays Lee’s background in film) while some of the initial pages of this preview chapter drag on in slow (and seemingly meaningless) interactions between Julian and supporting characters. Some panels are crowded with dialogue (particularly the early scene at the frat party); furthermore, very little of the speech is written in a comfortable, colloquial fashion that would be believable emerging out of the mouths of blonde, beer-guzzling frat Neanderthals. In fact, few of the characters (Julian’s friend Mark being a notable exception) speak with a unique voice at all.

Also, the feminist in me winces at the fact that of the four women in the first chapter of the book, two are (apparently) APIA, and yet both of them are depicted in sexualized contexts. I’m hoping that’s not an indication of how APIA women fare, in general, on Lee’s campus. 

Nonetheless, I will admit that some of my criticisms aren’t entirely fair: in all likelihood, the issues of pacing and characterization might be resolved if I were to read further into the book, and many of my other issues are nit-picky quibbles that would diminish as Lee’s experience in the comic medium increases.

Over all, I’m delighted to see the growing democratization of the comic book medium as more and more independent artists choose to use the comic book format to tell their stories, and (in the grassroots spirits of the Interwebs) publish their work online. And, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of CGS to see how Lee tackles the issues of race, gender and sexuality; conceptually, the book has me hooked.

Certainly, to me, the most exciting preview of CGS came from the trailer video (which I’ve embedded above), which shows some truly stunning panels from Hahn, and which suggests that CGS has a lot more blood, gore, and sex to offer than the rather minimalist first chapter suggests.

Campus Ghost Story’s website contains links for reading the free preview chapter, and you can download digital copies of the full book for an (extremely) reasonable fee over at NetComics.com (the whole thing would cost you less than $2.00). You can also buy the book in print at Amazon for your comic book collection.

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Take a minute to read this letter from Keith Kamisugi of Asian Americans for Obama:

Dear Friends, 

I’m writing to ask for your help in sending a letter in support of Magistrate Judge Edward Chen of California, whose nomination by President Obama to the federal court, Northern District of California, has been attacked despite having an excellent record as a judge.

 It just takes 15 seconds to send Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada a letter in support of Judge Chen through an online form at …

http://FairJudges.net

President Obama has to re-nominate Judge Chen this month because the Senate did not take a full vote on the nomination, despite it being approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The President originally nominated Judge Chen to the federal court in August 2009 on recommendation from U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California.

Judge Chen’s character has been attacked despite his mainstream values and a demonstrated record serving as a balanced, fair and unbiased jurist. He has received extremely positive support from a diverse group of individuals and organizations, including a “Unanimously Well Qualified” rating by the American Bar Association.

Judge Chen’s nomination deserves a straight up-or-down vote in the Senate and you can help make that happen by sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Complete the very short online form at http://FairJudges.net and your letter with be sent at no expense to you.

The site also has links to more information and ways that you can keep in touch with this effort.

Aloha,

Keith

http://FairJudges.net

According to the Asian American Bar Association (via Asian Pacific Americans for Progress):

Chen would be the first Asian American district judge on the bench in the 150-year history of that district. He was also the first Asian American magistrate judge when he was appointed to that position on April 23, 2001.

Under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, federal judges require confirmation by the U.S. Senate and serve with lifetime tenure. Magistrate Judges have limited terms and serve as judicial officers of the district courts and exercise the jurisdiction delegated to them by law and assigned by federal district judges.

“I’ve known and worked with Judge Chen for more than 37 years and seen him become a great attorney and an outstanding jurist,” said attorney Dale Minami of Minami Tamaki LLP, who worked with Chen on the successful case to overturn the wartime conviction of Fred Korematsu for defying President Roosevelt’s internment order.

Garner Weng, President of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area (AABA) noted that while there were a number of excellent Asian American candidates, “Judge Chen earned this nomination for his record of public service and his experience as a federal magistrate. We are extremely proud of his nomination and of his participation in AABA over the years.”

“Judge Chen will be a tremendous addition to the bench and has a wide range of support from diverse groups, including the public interest, law enforcement, legal, and minority communities,” said Edwin Prather, President of the Asian Pacific Bar of California and a former clerk for Chen. Prather also said that Chen received the 2007 Barristers Choice Award, an honor voted on by the membership of BASF’s Barristers Club and awarded to a jurist who has made extraordinary efforts to educate and encourage lawyers new to the courtroom

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Hyphen Magazine posted its Notable Asian American Books of 2009.

I’m ashamed to say I’ve only read the illustrated one. Perhaps my New Year’s Resolution needs to be to read books for fun again.

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Frank Wu, author of “Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White“, will assume the position of dean at the UC Hastings College of Law. Here’s an excerpt from the San Francisco Chronicle article on the story:

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Over the past few weeks, media in the West has been quietly a-buzz over a story in China that has sparked a heated racial debate, particularly on Chinese websites and forum boards. A young Shanghainese woman, by the name of Lou Jing was recently a contestant on an “American Idol”-style show called (and I can’t believe this is the official translation, but it underscores how different race relations are in different parts of the world) “Go! Oriental Angel”. Shocking for some of the show’s viewers, Lou Jing’s mother is Shanghainese while her father (whom she has never met) was African-American.

Apparently, Lou Jing performed on the show “Go! Oriental Angel”, and was only eliminated before the Top 12. Yet, throughout her appearances on the show, the show’s hosts referred to Lou Jing as “Chocolate Girl” and “Black Pearl”, sensationalizing her race. This sparked online curiousity and debate over Lou Jing’s background, forcing Lou Jing’s mother to appear on-stage in a segment to address Lou Jing’s childhood and her absentee father. Meanwhile, online comments ranged from supportive of Lou Jing to intensely derogatory, with some of the worst forum comments condemning Lou Jing’s mother for miscegenation and likening Lou Jing to a bastard child born of bestiality. One comment read:

Sure enough, the blacks started to “Dyeing” China Black.

Another read:

Cannot believe of right now part of the Chinese people adore the blacks also! No wonder the Chinese in foreign countries sucks!

And a third:

Bastard + wild species how is that Chinese?

 The online hullaboo was fueled by an online post written by someone claiming to be Lou Jing, claiming that Lou Jing was born of an extramarital affair between her mother and her father.

In an interview Lou Jing did with NetEase, and later translated into English by the folks at China Hush, Lou Jing denied writing the original post, and addresses some of the race debate sparked by her appearance on the show. What is truly surprising about Lou Jing’s relationship with her identity as a bi-racial woman is how she seems to have so little of a relationship with her identity as bi-racial. When asked about potential racial discrimination Lou Jing faced growing up in a place where more than 90% of people are Han Chinese, Lou Jing responded:

There is no inconvenience as a child. Now it is quite inconvenient, particularly after participated in this competition. I do not recall any childhood memory of inconvenience. As the old saying says “When god closes the door on you, at the same time he opens another window for you.” Normally, when I go out occasionally other people would say something, most of them with good intentions. But there are people with not so good intentions, they would insult me. But just a few words, I listen to them and let it pass. I think, it’s just annoying, as long as people around me all are very good to me and that is enough.

Yet, Lou Jing is clearly aware of her appearance differing from her peers, but she seems to find nothing wrong about being racialized throughout her childhood and during her stint on “Go! Oriental Angel”, when hosts and judges routinely used racialized nicknames. In fact, in her interview, Lou Jing remarks that one childhood nickname, “Little Black”, was used only by her closest friends. She perceived nothing racial about it:

Netease: Another nickname is “Little Black”?

Lou Jing: Yes, this is coming from skin color, only my close friends call me this, normally no one else calls me that.

Netease: Isn’t calling you this “racial”?

Lou Jing: Not racial, because we are close, normally middle school and high school classmates that are close to me and sit around me in class call me that. But they are weird, when they heard other people calling me that, they would say “Who told you to call her that? This is our exclusive name for her.” It’s like that.

Netease: Were you angry?

Lou Jing: First time I was then I got use to it. Because when we were little, classmates were very close, also when we were little, we had good intentions. Other people gave me nickname I also gave them nicknames.

Overall, I’ve been loathe to talk about this story, mainly because I feel the attention being drawn to Lou Jing’s tale in the West is fueled, in large part, by fascination of racism elsewhere in the world. It’s as if America is shocked to discover that race problems occur throughout the world (or more specifically, that China contains people who aren’t Han Chinese and that these people have trouble ‘fitting in’), yet delight in the discovery of racism abroad as if to soften the fact that racism occurs domestically. After all, when’s the last time that the only Black kid in a school of Whites got front-page coverage on CNN? Yet, with all of the coverage that has been aired on Lou Jing, I feel an undercurrent of glee in labelling China as racist — as if the statement were being made “hey, Yellow people hate Black people, too!”

Secondly, I’m somewhat disgusted to see that even here, in this story of a bi-racial half-Black half-Chinese woman in Asia, who has triggered a necessary (if uneasy) debate on race relations in China, we still have the tired stereotype of the absentee Black father. I mean, whatever happened to good examples of Black fatherhood?

That being said, it is kind of weird to see how different race is in China; although there are echoes of the same issues that are raised here in America. People are quick to categorize Lou Jing as either Black or Chinese, but have difficulty seeing her as biracial. Meanwhile, all Lou Jing wants to do is to emphasize her “Shanghai”-ness while pooh-pooh-ing some of the racism she has faced because she has confused “racism” with “malignment”.

But, I do want to say this: biracial, Black or Asian, Lou Jing certainly doesn’t deserve to be touted up as some kind of a martyr to racial equality and understanding in China. No one could withstand that pressure, least of all a girl who still seems to be just beginning to discover her unique racial identity and heritage. Instead, how about we just have a global race relations discussion, not limited to one country? How about we, as a global community, recognize that we are colourstruck and go from there?

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I just received an email from a student named Doris Zhang, a senior at Pitzer College. Doris is looking for some help with her Gender/Feminist Studies senior project. Doris has identified a disturbing lack of representation of APIA women in media for the tattoo community, and hopes to rectify the situation by developing her own tattoo magazine specifically focused on Asian American women with tattoos.

Here is the text of the email:

I’m a senior at Pitzer College and was wondering if you could help me out a bit with a favor. For my Gender/Feminist Studies senior project, I’d like to interview and photograph self-identified tattooed Asian American women. My intention is to create my own ‘tattoo magazine’ – think “Tattoos For Women”, but with an Asian American focus. I don’t see a lot of Asian American women being represented in the media, let alone in tattoo magazines and in the tattoo community. In addition, I think it would be so interesting to see how gender and race (amongst other factors) intersect to shape the artistic and expressive choices of Asian American women.

If you are a tattooed Asian American woman and are interested in being interviewed for this project, please email doris.zhang.2010@gmail.com.

I think this is a great project and wish Doris the best of luck in it! I hope to post about the magazine when it is released.

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Yesterday, I posted about how Toby Keith, country crooner, made a racial faux pas in Norway immediately following the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Today, the New York Daily News  picked up on the blogosphere buzz about Keith, and wrote an article describing the controversy.

In it, they obtain quotes from representatives of the Asian American Justice Center, who said:

“Toby Keith embarrassed himself and his country, denigrated the Nobel Peace Prize and offended Asians and Asian Americans by using a crude, racist hand gesture,” a spokesman for the Asian American Justice Center tells TMZ.

A spokesperson from the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), mis-cited as the Media Action Network for Asians in the article, also said:

“By doing this, he is telling Asian fans, ‘You don’t matter, you’re not on my radar,’” chimes in a representative from the Media Action Network for Asians.

Well, to be fair, I’m not really pissed at Keith because I’ve been let-down by one of my country singin’ idols. In fact, I really don’t care if I’m on Keith’s radar. I would just prefer if folks didn’t think they could get away with derogatory, schoolyard racism aimed at folks like myself, without at the very least being called out on it.

The NY Daily News also contacted Keith’s spokespeople for a quote.  Keith has yet to issue an apology for his behaviour, but his publicist did have this to say:

“No one at the concert thought Toby was out of line,” his camp said. “Everyone was impressed with his rapping skills and that’s it . . . all of the artists liked each other, hung out, and it was a very friendly, genuine, and supportive atmosphere.”

Ri-i-ight. Because it’s only racist if the impromptu concert went something like this:

Wyclef Jean: Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The first black president got a Nobel!

Toby Keith: I’m cool because I’m on stage with musicians people actually respect! Never mind that people can’t name a single song I’ve ever sung — I’m hard to the core!

Will Smith: Turn the mic up, everybody! Let’s get jiggy! I would freestyle, but I’m too old (and too famous) for that mess anymore, so let’s just throw on some Rapper’s Delight. And anyways, these Norwegians are just excited that I’m even here instead of home with Jada! (rapping) … Well, I am Will Smith and I’d like to say hello. To the black –

Toby Keith: Haha! He said Black! He must mean him! (points at Will Smith)

Will Smith: — to the white –

Toby Keith: Hey, I’m White! (points a self) Shoot! This is easier than identifying numbers on Sesame Street! What’s next Will?

Will Smith: — the red and the brown –

Toby Keith: Shucks, that’s harder. Well, if I wave my hand around, I’m bound to point to someone who’s red or brown somewhere on the planet, right? (waves hand in a circle)

Will Smith: — the purple –

Toby Keith: Derrr…?

Will Smith: — and yellow!

Toby Keith: Hahaha! Yellow means Asian and Asian people have funny eyes. (does the “chinky eye”)

Will Smith: But first I gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie…

Toby Keith: Whew, now I’m back in familiar territory. What was with the purple thing? Bang! Bang! Bang! (does the finger gun)

Will Smith: Say up jump the…. wait, wait, hold up.

DJ grinds the music to a halt.

Toby Keith: What, Will? I was just getting my jiggy on!

Will Smith: Did you just do the “chinky eye”? You know that is profoundly racist and derogatory to people of Asian descent? In fact, I am so offended by what you just did that I can’t even perform anymore. You have taken the joy out of President Obama’s receipt of the Nobel Peace Prize, and for that, I cannot forgive you. You, sir, are a racist, Mr. Keith, and I cannot bear to share the stage with you any further.

Will Smith drops the mic and stalks off.

Toby Keith: Wha’ happened?!?

Wyclef Jean: For shame, Toby. For shame.

Yeah, of course that’s not going to happen. But just because nobody called Keith on his racism then and there, doesn’t make Toby Keith’s behaviour inoffensive. In other words, just because people who didn’t have the privilege to be in Norway only now got to see the video footage doesn’t render their (or my) argument that Keith’s behaviour was racist inadmissible.

And more importantly — how many drugs do you have to be doing to think that the reason Keith wasn’t called out on his racism in the heat of the moment was because people were too impressed by Keith’s rapping skills. I mean, do I really even need to make a joke about that, or can I just let that statement stand on it’s own?

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In the aftermath of Obama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Will Smith, Wyclef Jean and Toby Keith were performing at a concert in Oslo, Norway when Toby Keith apparently pulled his eyes back in the “chinky eye” to mimic Asian features. The context: Will Smith was performing verses of Sugar Hill’s ”Rapper’s Delight” when he reached the following lyric:

See I am the [garbled] Will and I like to say hello
To the black, to the white, the red and the brown,
The purple and yellow
But first I gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie
Say up jump the boogie to the bang bang boogie
Let’s rock, you don’t stop
Rock the rhythym that will make your body rock

While performing this part of the lyric, both Will Smith and Toby Keith pointed at Smith for “black” and Keith for “white”. Then, Keith proceeds to do some gesticulating with his hand for “the red and the brown”, and than points to the corner of his eyes for “yellow”. Afterwards, he points his index finger (in the shape of a gun) for “bang bang” — indicating that he’s miming out these well-known lyrics for Smith.

The relevant part of the video can be found below, starting at about 1:20 on the video counter.

As Gawker points out, it’s possible Keith just had an ill-timed itch in his eye. Or it’s possible he was making the “chinky eye” and got caught on video. If so, shame on you, Toby Keith; and not just for wearing a jean jacket and a cowboy hat to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

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