Links worth checking out
CVK
Sorry folks, I’ve fallen a bit behind with the news stories lately, so some of these are a few weeks old.
Love Actually: Talking with Ken Tanabe, founder of Loving Day
The Village Voice
“For Ken Tanabe, a 28 year old designer of Belgian-Japanese descent, June 12 is sacred. That’s the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against laws that would have made his own parents’ marriage illegal…”
Getting on the wrong side of white privilege
Daily Kos (thanks to Brad for this one!)
“…One running feature of the diaries on race is this contingent of commenters who insist that we discuss inter-minority prejudice before any consideration of the larger society. The thinking seems to be that if we establish that minorities can be racist, the whole concept of “white privilege” suffers a fatal blow, and we can go back to talking about important things like who Hillary Clinton will pick as her Undersecretary of Agriculture. These posters don’t seem to realize that, while racism between minorities is real and harmful, it’s racism by white people that really counts. This is the racism that’s actually enforced by the larger society– the sentiment that can actually carry seriously negative consequences for you…”
Harris Family Wants Change In Missing Persons Cases
KETV.com - Omaha, NE
“Michael and Melissa Harris said they have been mistreated by Omaha police and that they’ll work for change. The couple’s 12-year-old daughter, Amber Harris, had been missing since Nov. 29. On Friday afternoon, Omaha police confirmed that human remains found in Hummel Park were those of the missing girl… The Harrises said they were mistreated, left out and treated as suspects since the beginning of the investigation. Melissa Harris said she and her husband asked for the use of police dogs and made other investigation requests that were generally denied by police… Michael and Melissa said they believe racism and their address affect the way they were treated by police. The couple is biracial and lives in east Omaha…”
A Rosenblum By Any Other Name…
The Jewish Week
“…Conversion, interracial adoption and growing numbers of intermarried households mean being Jewish is different than it once was and that we can no longer make the same superficial and predominantly ethnic assumptions we once could. There are Protestant Goldsteins nowadays and perhaps even some Jewish O’Sullivans… The irony is that the children of intermarriage with the Jewish last names — and thus with Jewish fathers — are actually the ones who are not recognized as Jewish by the more traditional members of the community. Jewish law traditionally has determined identity based on matrilineal descent. While my daughter’s name doesn’t “sound Jewish,” even the fervently Orthodox don’t doubt the Jewishness of her soul…”
Hines Ward’s tale of American transcendence
The Seattle Times
“…But if Ward’s story highlighted the dark side of South Korea’s society, it seems to have done little to shed light on ethnic relations in the United States…The black-white fixation fits the leftist stereotype that whites are the oppressors, blacks the victims, and that this is the primary problem of racism today. Ward’s case is interesting for those who see beyond this simple construct, because he is a product of two nonwhite ethnic groups considered hostile to each other. Korean immigrants in the U.S. often bring the prejudices of their own society, and the view that blacks are less developed human beings is pervasive… In turn, many American blacks, far from being helpless victims of racism, harbor hostility toward Koreans… And yet, there he is — Hines Ward, a product of these two seemingly incompatible communities, a kid who was at once shunned by Koreans, and ashamed of his Korean mother. He is neither one nor the other, but that quintessential American character, a hybrid success story…”
How rude! Answers to thoughtless questions
Kansas City Star
“What are you? At universities in California, an organization that calls itself Hapa provides support for the rapidly growing population of students of mixed ethnicity. Hapa says its members are routinely peppered with inquiring yet insensitive questions such as, “Are you mixed with something?” The straight answer — “I’m Filipino-French” or “I’m Afro-Irish” — is usually best, because it indicates there is nothing embarrassing or shameful about one’s race or ethnicity.
Bohwe wrote:
It’s amazing how minorities will develop racist attitudes towards each other, hoping that they will become the new, “Golden Child” of the dominanting race. It’s kind of sad, when historical facts have proven that the majority controls by keeping minorities separated. The whole racism thing between Koreans and Blacks is sad, considering that both are people of color, and at the end of the day, no matter what achievements and success one group has, they are still people of color, and will be known as 2nd best. As in the case of black vs brown. This is beyond silly, black americans and Latino americans not getting along in CA. As long as the majority in CA keep these two groups fighting over sorry scrappy resources, they won’t concentrate on the fact that they are paying taxes and being productive citizens and not getting a lick in return. When people realized why this whole notion of race started, and how racism is used as mind control, all minorities and the majority will be better off.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 2:42 pm ¶
lyonside wrote:
Bohwe:
As you kind of pointed out, it’s immediate economic stresses that cause the conflict, as well as a much larger system that may not provide the same benefits to both groups as it does to the majority, but it’s race/ethnicity that provides the excuse for bad behavior and sometimes culture that promotes misunderstandings.
Maybe when racism is less accepted as a rationale for bad actions and violence, then people can look at the real problems.
Posted 16 Jun 2006 at 3:35 pm ¶
Jay wrote:
The irony is that the children of intermarriage with the Jewish last names — and thus with Jewish fathers — are actually the ones who are not recognized as Jewish by the more traditional members of the community. Jewish law traditionally has determined identity based on matrilineal descent.
Wait. I thought Jen Chau wouldn’t be considered Jewish by the Jewish community either, despite having a Jewish mother.
“What are you?” reminds me of the “Where are you really from?” comments that are usually directed at Asian Americans (no matter which generation they hail)
Posted 17 Jun 2006 at 12:12 am ¶
lyonside wrote:
Jay: Jewish tradition passes ethnicity via the MATERNAL line, despite a traditional patriarchal focus. What Jen C. often talks about is other people’s intolerance and stupidity towards someone who doesn’t “look Jewish.” Any rabbi worth his/her salt would know that and act accordingly.
In my experience, the attitude is not unlike the bad old days of Catholicism where a child born out of wedlock would be seen as not quite as inherently good as one born the traditional way - no theological reason for it, but people’s social traditions influence the religious/spiritual.
Re: maternal inheritance: Actually the concept is extremely common to many ancient cultures - I’m not saying this is the reason for the Jewish tradition, but the “mama’s baby, papa’s maybe” scenario was likely an impetus for many of those cultures. For example - some ancient Egyptian pharaohs married siblings, half-siblings, or other female relatives. You could argue that some of these pairings were ceremonial, but either way, you have assurance that the next generation is of royal birth, regardless of paternity.
Posted 17 Jun 2006 at 6:55 am ¶
chuka wrote:
i’ve heard of a Kenyan guy who got a greencard to live and work in the states. he wanted to take his sister along but the greencard couldn’t take them both. so he married her (in the documents anyway) and they both went. they were caught later and sent back, but that was really daring.
Posted 19 Jun 2006 at 5:12 am ¶
Lyonside wrote:
Chuka,
Interesting, but not the same thing I was talking about - I was talking about basically the concept of nobility and the (false) concept that bloodlines of those blessed by God or the gods determined who should rule over others. Keeping the royal (or otherwise important) line direct meant that both parents had to be of the same bloodline.
Posted 19 Jun 2006 at 6:56 am ¶