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madoka
Joined: 27 Mar 2008
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 Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 9:22 am Post subject: Racist chant at Emory College |
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On Monday, April 24, the men�s intramural volleyball championship took place at the Woodruff P.E. Center between Beta Theta Pi and a team made up of predominantly Asian-American students. Each team had a number of fans cheering them on. In the middle of the second game, we heard the Beta fans cheering something. The meaning was not imminently clear for the first few seconds, but the racially-charged cheer soon struck us like a bolt of unwelcome, unrelenting lightning that rooted us to where we stood in shock.
�USA! USA! USA!� cheered the Beta fans with their fists pumping in the air as they chanted again and again. Suddenly, our yellow skin, black hair and Asian heritage became the target of this subtle, yet jarring taunt. With each declaration, we felt more alienated. Suddenly, we weren�t Americans, born and raised, but �Others� who didn�t belong.
It is difficult to explain the emotions that wash over you when you are subjected to such cruel and inconsiderate actions. What should you do? Do you yell back? Do you tell the intramural coordinator who is watching the game, listening to the same chant you are? Do you just take it and brush it off as a joke?
In the few seconds we had to react, we joined them in their chant.
�USA! USA!� we yelled back. We yelled not because we needed to retaliate, but because we wanted to let the Beta fans know how truly ignorant their cheer was. Most of us were born here in the United States, and our loyalties lie with the country that has given us so much. Gloria Kang pulled out an American flag from her bag and draped it across her shoulders. True American pride. Because that is who we are: we are Asian-Americans.
http://emorywheel.com/detail.php?n=31100 |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 10:35 am Post subject: |
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| A lot of the comments were more disturbing than the chant itself. What's even more depressing is most of the commentators are (most likely) Emory students. |
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bigverne
Joined: 12 May 2004
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| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Because that is who we are: we are Asian-Americans. |
Not simply, Americans? |
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Captain Corea
Joined: 28 Feb 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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So they chant USA!
As they did, simply joining in with the chant and embracing it, would seem to take any gusto out of the negativity. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 1:53 am Post subject: |
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| bigverne wrote: |
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| Because that is who we are: we are Asian-Americans. |
Not simply, Americans? |
Excellent question. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:14 am Post subject: |
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| atwood wrote: |
| bigverne wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Because that is who we are: we are Asian-Americans. |
Not simply, Americans? |
Excellent question. |
Yes it is.
Please explain why the chants of USA! USA! occurred? What possible reason was there for those chants? |
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jaj
Joined: 01 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:27 am Post subject: |
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Asian students only cry 'racism' when it's aimed at them. They're descendants if not former citizens of countries like Korea where discrimination and racism are so structural that non-white ESL teachers are hesitant to seek work in them or don't bother.
I'll take these paper tigers from Emory's outrage seriously when they show interest in social justice for all and not just themselves but I know they're not up to the task when all I see in the comments section of the article is remarks like 'blacks are not the only ones who experience racism' that just sound desperate and catty.
Somebody should write a Civil Rights for Dummies... |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:40 am Post subject: |
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| jaj wrote: |
Asian students only cry 'racism' when it's aimed at them. They're descendants if not former citizens of countries like Korea where discrimination and racism are so structural that ESL teachers with dark skin are hesitant to seek work in them or don't bother.
I'll take these Asian-American Emory student's outrage seriously when they model social justice in the communities they create in the US as well as their lands of origin. I doubt that they're up to the task though when all I see in the comments section of the article is remarks like 'blacks are not the only ones who experience racism' that just sound desperate and catty. |
You do realize that most of those students have never set foot in "their lands of origin", right? How in the world are they responsible for what goes on in Korea? Are they the lawmakers there? Are they citizens of that country?
What an asinine comment.
So if a team of Filipino-Koreans and Waygooks (all of non-Korean descent) who became naturalized citizens played a volleyball game and the Korean crowd kept chanting "Dae Han Min Gook", would you have the same view? Obviously we'd take the Korean crowd to task for not accepting them as citizens of Korea.
Why should it be any different for the Emory students?
Unless you agree that a non-Korean blooded citizen of Korea should be regarded as "foreign", regardless of citizenship. |
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jaj
Joined: 01 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:52 am Post subject: |
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Boo-hoo hoo, bring back the apartheid days when we were honorary whites...
If ever there were a group of people who need to read Civil Rights For Dummies... |
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radcon
Joined: 23 May 2011
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Why do universities in the States have Korean student unions, African American student unions, Latino student unions if they don't want these type of events to happen. In my experience these were the most racist people on campus.
The comments on that article were interesting. Many stated that the asians self segregated and are very cliquey. I also saw a lot of that in my college days.
This wasnt the first time white spectators chanted USA while playing another team made up of ethnic minorities. |
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Steelrails
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
Location: Earth, Solar System
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| radcon wrote: |
Why do universities in the States have Korean student unions, African American student unions, Latino student unions if they don't want these type of events to happen. In my experience these were the most racist people on campus.
The comments on that article were interesting. Many stated that the asians self segregated and are very cliquey. I also saw a lot of that in my college days.
This wasnt the first time white spectators chanted USA while playing another team made up of ethnic minorities. |
One could ask the same thing of NETs here. After all if a bunch of Koreans started chanting stuff at some foreigners here, they have only themselves to blame because the self-segregate and hang out at foreigner bars and parties. |
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bigverne
Joined: 12 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Why do universities in the States have Korean student unions, African American student unions, Latino student unions if they don't want these type of events to happen |
Because true believers in diversity and multiculturalism cannot face up to the reality that it all too often results in conflict and discord. |
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bigverne
Joined: 12 May 2004
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| One could ask the same thing of NETs here. After all if a bunch of Koreans started chanting stuff at some foreigners here, they have only themselves to blame because the self-segregate and hang out at foreigner bars and parties |
What has this got to do with race relations in the US? |
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Patrick Bateman
Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:36 pm Post subject: Re: Racist chant at Emory College |
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| madoka wrote: |
| Gloria Kang pulled out an American flag from her bag and draped it across her shoulders. True American pride. Because that is who we are: we are Asian-Americans. |
I don't know why, but this part made me laugh. It just seems like such an absurd image. Why does she carry around an American flag large enough to wear?
| bigverne wrote: |
Not simply, Americans? |
I have to agree, the _____-American drives me a little crazy. It becomes even more ridiculous when ending the story with that bit. |
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Patrick Bateman
Joined: 21 Apr 2009
Location: Lost in Translation
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| Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Steelrails wrote: |
| radcon wrote: |
Why do universities in the States have Korean student unions, African American student unions, Latino student unions if they don't want these type of events to happen. In my experience these were the most racist people on campus.
The comments on that article were interesting. Many stated that the asians self segregated and are very cliquey. I also saw a lot of that in my college days.
This wasnt the first time white spectators chanted USA while playing another team made up of ethnic minorities. |
One could ask the same thing of NETs here. After all if a bunch of Koreans started chanting stuff at some foreigners here, they have only themselves to blame because the self-segregate and hang out at foreigner bars and parties. |
You don't see any difference that makes your comment completely inane? |
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