meitachi | racism makes me sick.

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racism makes me sick.

It makes me sick.

It makes me sick when people are confronted with blatant racism and try to "go back under their rock" or stick their head in the sand. It makes me sick when people close their eyes and plug their ears and try to pretend it doesn't exist. It must be nice to have that luxury, to not think about racism or how it affects you or the people around you. I envy you. I resent you. I judge you.

It makes me sick when people are willfully ignorant.

It makes me sick when people of color are willfully ignorant, or hateful, or turn their backs on issues that will always affect them, whether they want to deal with those issues or not. It makes me sick when a person of color, a minority, will speak out and say, "I am this minority, but X Y and Z discriminatory behaviors don't bother me." How dare you self-aggrandize to the point of erasing the experiences of millions of other people? How dare you say you don't care? How dare you buy into the racism that is perpetuated against you?

How dare you silence others?

How dare you silence yourself?

It makes me sick when people try to ignore the problems obvious in the Hollywood live-action movie Avatar: The Last Airbender. It makes me sick when people acknowledge the problems, but dismiss them. It makes me sick when people acknowledge the problems, find them racist, and still choose to support that racism by paying to see the movie. In no world does two hours of cinematic entertainment justify support of racism. And racism is everyone's problem.

It makes me sick. I was going to post about the World Cup matches today and link to pictures of hot men and cute babies but - I saw this on my flist and it reminded me that some things are more important. This is more important.

Please do not pay money to see the Airbender movie.

If you really want to see it, pirate it. Don't support it.

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I am sad that there are no comments yet, so I am commenting!

Obviously, I completely agree.

♥!

They... recast Zuko. Okay. So having cast Dev Patel in the role had only been a half-step forward. A step in the right direction, but... wow. Three steps back. That's. Wow.

Pirating is my default for movies I don't feel passionately about... but this time guess there'll be a healthy dose of vindication to go with.

oh wait never mind. Misread that. Thought they did a re-recast of Zuko's role (i.e. from white to Indian, and then back to white.)

Old news on the racebending front, but right. Signal boosts are always good.

Yes, definitely old news, but much more pressing now that the movie is going to come out soon. Also I was particularly inspired to post this by reading a comment on a different post about a different racefail (the Haiti-fic fail) where people said, verbatim:

stays firmly under my rock, where I like it.

and

I'm, uh... going to go back under my rock.

And...I can understand that to an extent, if it's coming from someone who is honestly exhausted from dealing with these issues, who just cannot deal with more. But it really struck me how privileged that mindset can be. Perhaps not in those exact circumstances of the people who made those comments above, but generally, when I have seen people claim they don't want to deal with these problems, it's because they don't have to or it's because they are trying to pretend that the problem doesn't exist. And that...makes me very angry.

You're all the better person for reacting. ♥

I'm probably more schismic in my views on the matter nowadays. I no longer think making the effort to persuade, to inform, helps in most situations. "Falling on deaf ears," 对牛弹琴, and the such. Most of the people you find yourself arguing with on such matters are stubborn and highly resistant to change. God, reading some of the YT comments on racebending.com's videos almost gave me a headache. Those on the other side kept on missing the point, and will continue on missing the point. It's painful for them to admit their view points lacking--almost as painful as trying to present a rational argument for their unwilling perusal. /verbal spew

That being said, I concur. Willful ignorance is irresponsible and a shitty thing to indulge in. But then again, it can go both ways, can't it? They ignore the issues, and some people attempt to ignore their incurable fail (else suffer hormonal imbalance and feel like misanthropic shits).

..... never mind me. Too much exposure to the anglo fucktards with massive trees up their asses. /is a misanthropic shit

I know that I have friends who will see it, which makes me hesitant to say this, but I honestly believe that anyone who will go see that film is not a true fan (~~~) of the original series.

I can't really comment on that because I haven't seen the original series (though I've heard it's really good! which is exciting) but "true fan" or not, all I can think is that people who are paying to go see that movie are supporting racism, intentionally or otherwise. Awesome.

This adaptation is just so far removed from the original series and is such a perversion of it, I feel sick just relating the two. Like I look at the trailer for The Last Airbender and just think, "that is not Avatar". It's not recognizable at all, not even because of the casting but because of the entire replacement of scenery/props/language.

:( That is just even more horrible. What a mess this entire movie production is.

I've read a blogpost by a black lady (can't remember WHERE or WHAT her URL is) where she basically was like "oh we should all ignore racism then it won't exist" and "I grew up in a mixed neighbourhood but never felt discriminated against!" and then my brain exploded.

Like wow, okay, so she was bloody rich and lives in San Francisco, which I assume is progressive capital of the USA or something, and she was incredibly privileged (leaving aside the possibility that she was also very oblivious) but that doesn't mean she should, idk, erase the experiences of other black people not so fortunate as she? And also see ostrich impersonation. Or turkey. Which one sticks their head into the sand?

ANYWAY THAT IS MY CONTRIBUTION TO THE POST. Also you should know I ate my cognac chocolate and am now marginally more alive.

I seriously cannot believe the people who try to make blanket statements about a whole group of people based on their personal individual experiences. It is so bizarre to me. Like, do you really think you represent all Chinese people everywhere? Do you represent and speak for all gay people everywhere? Wtf.

I can only speak for me. :| I find racism sickening.

...I also find myself REALLY JEALOUS OF YOUR COGNAC CHOCOLATE. ;______________;!

though I feel like the Big Name Feminists who blog are kind of doing that. I don't know, it's so hard to tell. Also my brain is fried from bad football right now.

tell me more about germany, mei. I think imma follow them and their young, blond, actually-can-play-good-football talentedness now.

I don't know enough Big Name Feminists to really know if they do that. @_@ Still trying to work my way through some interesting blogs/essays about the topic.

...er...what do you want to know about Germany? All I know of them I have learned from the numerous Germany picspams on ontd_fb lol.

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This has been a pretty big issue for a while (see www.racebending.com for so much more info) but I definitely think it deserves a signal boost because the movie is coming out so soon. I'd link your friend to the Racebending site, too.

I haven't seen the original series either but I'm pretty sure you don't have to (except to know that the original show's main characters were all PoC) in order to understand the whitewashing. But I think most posts on this topic will explain that pretty clearly.

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I was saying to

uminohikari: on the one hand, I really am sorry that the movie causes so much rage, but on the other hand, I think the anger is well-deserved, so in a way, I'm glad we do get angry about things like this.

You took the words right out of my mouth ♥ People who support Avatar and ARE ASIAN IN PARTICULAR but allow the excuse "well...the creators are white right??" and "i still like the show though..." ARE FUCKING RIDICULOUS. UGH. I pretty much shun them all after they make that remark.

♥

The show itself is supposed to be very good! But to use liking the original as an excuse to pay money to support the racist movie? That is bullshit, in my opinion. Especially because the movie is honestly just insulting and making a mockery of the awesome of the original show by whitewashing.

I'm so sad when minorities rationalize ways to justify supporting racism against themselves. :|

Edited 2010-06-21 02:25 (UTC)

Sigh. I won't be going to see it. And I was so excited when they announced the movie, even if the directer left me a little befuddled (there is no twist~ in Avatar). But then casting was announced it was a huge wtf. I'm so glad that the site racebending was launched and that fans have been vocal about the whitewashing. Though disappointed because nothing really did change (the Dev Patel casting is mixed). Bah.

It must be incredibly disappointing to love the original series and realize you get a movie(!!!) but then being forced to confront how much fail is going into that movie. I'm glad you won't be going to see it though. ♥

I love Avatar TLA but I harbor so much hate for this movie. I'm dying to see it anyway which is why my roomie and I already have plans to pirate it. This is just to say ilu Mei. ♥

I love you too! I have also been told I need to go watch the original because it's awesome, so I will put it on my list.

aside from a handful of friends that i'm boycotting this movie with, the reactions i get whenever i tal about race!fail are varying forms of 'you're overreacting! it's just a cartoon-based movie' or 'ooh really? *obviously doesn't take it seriously*'

one even said he'd feel 'lucky' cos 'wouldn't a white guy playing me be cool'? why am i even friends with these people, god. makes me want to smack something. :|

It makes me so angry when people try to rationalize these problems away. I can't even-- Sometimes I really think I am just talking (or shouting) on deaf ears. It helps to know that on LJ at least I know some incredible people who also see the problems. ♥

Sometimes I really think I am just talking (or shouting) on deaf ears.

this so much. :( and there's the whole judging for being a part of fandom and all i can think is omg stfu fandom has taught me more about social issues and why we should care more than my college sociology classes.

ALSO. WTF IS WRONG WITH SHYAMALALALALALA-WHATSHISFACE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HIS LOGIC ON DIVERSITY. IT IS FLAWED.

I think it makes me saddest/angriest when it's minorities being blatantly racist against...themselves. And other minorities. I know better now than to expect oppressed or discriminated against groups to actually bind together to support each other, because usually there is nothing that makes a minority group happier than discriminating against another minority group and saying "hey we may have it bad, but at least we're not ___".

Still, it is depressing as fuck.

I'm hating M. Night Shyamalan on this right now too, but I think it's kind of offensive when people make his last name ridiculous, like LOL SHYMAMADINGDONG LOL INDIANS. Which is probably not what you meant but that just reminded me of it.

Oddly enough, I can never remember how to spell his name (and sometimes, how to pronounce it)--which is, of course, my bad. Before this Airbender travesty, I simply didn't care enough for his movies to really bother; now it's just--nope, still too lazy and uncaring to rectify the gap. Not to mention the momentary rage last night dictated that I finish that all-caps thought instead of googling the actual spelling. /snort

i don't think i was going to see this anyway, but damn :/ it's bad enough when they cast korean as chinese and etc, but this type of casting is just... idek. it's just so archaic, for hollywood.

7am and I can't muster up a coherent response. Sorry, Mai! But if you want to look more into this, there is a lot of awesome info (and pictures) collected at Racebending.com (http://www.racebending.com). I don't thin kanyone needs to know or have seen the original to catch up on what is wrong with the Hollywood version.

I don't thin kanyone needs to know or have seen the original to catch up on what is wrong with the Hollywood version.

ia :(

The guy at 0:51
"Let me throw that back on you guys then, why are you in the United States?"

-sigh-

I really want to see that documentary but i missed the screening at my college :(

"I know why you guys are protesting and I think it's kind of stupid." It is probably that that gets me most. It's a personal thing - all racism bothers me but, really, nothing gets me sicker than people who are also minorities, also PoC, also Chinese or black or Latino, who shrug off institutional racism like it's a fact of life and you should just deal with it. Or who don't even see the racism at all, like they can afford to be blind to something so huge that affects their life every day. It is so frustrating and disheartening and I don't know. Sometimes all I can do is sigh and bang my head against a desk and...I don't know, make an LJ post. Try to ask people to pay attention to something that still very much exists.

I'm sorry you missed the screening to that documentary! (And thanks for linking the clip.) It seemed like it would be very interesting. There are probably similar topics addressed on Racebending.com though; it is a very informative resource.

Edited 2010-06-21 12:29 (UTC)

Something about this post made me remember the time a girl said to me, "Andrea, I know you're Chinese, but I don't think of you as a person of color. Sorry, but you come as close to having white privilege as it's possible to get without actually being white." Which... well, I could see where she was coming from, and I don't think I was even horribly offended at the time, but in hindsight? The statement makes me uncomfortable, to say the least. :|

To tell the truth, I actually laughed hysterically when I first found out about the casting, if only because at the time Jesse McCartney was slated to play Zuko. I suppose it's kind of that laughing-to-keep-from-crying thing, like the totally inappropriate giggle that suddenly bubbles up during a funeral.

I think that comment in particular makes me angrier than it might normally because I've been having conversations about that recently and actually thinking about it. I agree that living in the US as Chinese-Americans, we do have a lot of privilege. We should acknowledge that and try to always keep that in mind (http://synecdochic.dreamwidth.org/313918.html). But we will never have white privilege and we are still a minority. And it matters.

I mean, I don't know about you but I'm sure some of this also applies, but how many times have you heard the stereotyping about of course Asians are good at math and science, you're smart because you're Chinese, why can't you speak Chinese (or Korean or Japanese, depending on what other people stereotype you as). People who ask "where are you from? North Carolina? No, I mean, where are you really from?" The shock if you can't use chopsticks. The fact that what you do or say as a person will inform the observer as what your entire ethnicity does. "I have a friend and she likes Korean music. All Chinese people like Korean music!" or "I have a friend who's Asian and she doesn't have a problem with the racism in The Last Airbender!" Like one person can represent an entire group of people?

The reason that people still make that kind of assumption means that racism and privilege (http://www.amptoons.com/blog/files/mcintosh.html) are still very much active against us, even if we aren't a group as politically active about protesting it as maybe other minorities. (And this segues into a whole other rant/speculation about why, typically, Asians do not have as loud a voice as some other minority groups that I won't go into right now.)

It is 7am and I am rambling so forgive the incoherency, but yeah. Suffice to say that I am also very uncomfortable with the suggestion that Asians aren't considered PoC and the implication that we don't suffer from the effects of racism or discrimination.

Edited 2010-06-21 12:29 (UTC)

Oh, I don't think she was saying "Asians don't count as PoC" (though I've heard that load of bullshit too). Rather, she was referring to my situation in particular - my having a very Americanized father who came to the US as a child and grew up with his own set of privileges (which weren't commonly available to most immigrants), my growing up in an upper middle class neighborhood in Princeton, my attending expensive private schools without financial aid, etc.

Do all of those things put me in a position of privilege? Hell yes, and I damn well better be aware of that. But class privilege =/= white privilege, even though the two are sometimes intertwined. I find that people forget that. A lot.

I've never intended to watch this anyway because I was just never interested enough in the anime or whatever, but um. Having a token Indian chap to play the villain in a movie that's supposed to be all Asian? Good going, Hollywood. They can add race!fail to misogyny and ageism.

I have never seen the original and hadn't intended to see this movie anyway, but I have heard so much about the racefail in the casting that it's impossible to pretend I don't care even though I have no ties to the original. Hollywood has always been full of problems but this - this is blatant whitewashing against Asians that Hollywood seems imo more capable of getting away with because, to be honest, Asians just don't protest as much as the black community. I have way more tl;dr thoughts on it (which is just me thinking out loud mostly, because I have no background in these studies) but to stick to the topic at hand: this is just sickening. And I really believe more people need to be aware of the problems - even with this post, I had no idea so much of my flist wasn't already aware of the fail associated with this movie, because I've heard about it for more than a year. :| I got complacent about that and that's my fault.

(Movie aside, I am also pissed at minorities who buy into the same institutional racism against them and somehow justify that away as something they want or don't care about. Argh.)

I know absolutely nothing about this movie so I'm still a bit @___@ about the whole issue (and the links were a bit tl;dr) ;;

BUT. It reminds me of Dragonball all over again. It was the worst thing I've ever seen. WHITE!Goku omg ;~~; And the fact they used Japanese words but mispronouncing them in English is just so wrong. Everything was wrong with Dragonball. Ew ew ew.

And I can't help to think, with how big Naruto/Bleach is getting, it's only a matter of time those hit the big screen too. Which will, no doubt, be absolutely painful to see ;~~~~;

I really am surprised by how much of my flist hasn't heard about this controversy, which is my own fault because I've been aware of it for ages and I got complacent. :/ I thought it was such a big deal that everyone knew. (And I really really really do hope you go read at least the post I linked if nothing else. Because I never think tl;dr is an excuse to not care about racism. The implications of what that is saying is, sorry, extremely offensive to me.)

Oh no, don't get me wrong, tl;dr doesn't mean I didn't read a snippet or two of the link! And your post is glaring with racism hate, so of course I know that movie is related to race-hate, which is very upsetting to think about, especially since it's related to my own heritage--Chinese ancestry. :(

Just.. I don't know much about the movie in question apart from that fact--nor do I really think I want to get to know it after this sort of discriminatory implication.

I've actually read a lot about this issue, and even signed one of the earlier petitions despite not really being a fan of the series. I still don't see how the producers can keep telling themselves that any of this is okay- I don't think they can call it ignorance anymore, given the plenty of evidence people have thrown at them repeatedly. Plainly, they are being racist.

I don't watch ATLA, but my younger brother adores it to bits and I am SURE he will throw a fit if I don't let him see it.

Doesn't matter though, I bet I can get a pirated copy of it a day after it comes out. For once, I'm not gonna feel guilty about giving my money to pirates.

Oh I absolutely agree that the producers are being intentionally, hurtfully racist now. I think this post is primarily addressing the people who anger me most personally (and people I know personally): those who are minorities but dismiss claims of racism like it doesn't affect them or those who simply just...subconsciously buy into the idea that white is better and it's not a problem.

I've heard the original ATLA is really good! But like someone said above, if you loved the original, wouldn't you think the movie is a betrayal to it, by the whitewashing they've done to something that was deliberately created to embrace PoC and minorities? For example, the fact that they're refusing to use the Chinese calligraphy from the original show and substituting in random scribbles. Ugh.

...but yay for not paying to see it. :)

Oh wow. o___o I don't have high standards for Hollywood because they can never do the Asian race card correctly (I had a friend who saw that Prince of Persia film---terrible) but this is quite aggravating. It reminds me of the failure that was the Dragonball movie and a bit of the casting decision in Memoirs of a Geisha.

I originally did want to see the film because I half watched the trailer and thought the effects looked pretty and because I loved Dev Patel in Slumdog. But did notice that some of the other kids looked off...but I only chalked it up to not ever watching the show and not knowing.

Glad to know that I can just that future ticket on the DiCaprio movie. I'll pass this news on to my other friends and facebook list :)

Spreading the news is awesome! I know both I and the author of the post i linked to are wary of being linked of FB, so if you post on FB please just link to Racebending.com. But this post you can link on LJ or Twitter if you want. :)

np, I wasn't planning on passing you or the other author's LJ's onto Facebook. I like to keep LJ and FB separated just for my own sanity :) I've already spammed the link Racebending.com to my friends so all they need to do is click :)

Lol I don't have a twitter, I'm being a bit of a Kyuhyun here, but I'll reblog/repost or whatever it's called on tumblr XD

Just wanted to be sure! But yay for boosting the signal about Racebending.

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racism makes me sick.

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have you seen this?

Re: have you seen this?

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