Kung-Fu / Karate Provocation against Asians?

Discussion Greater Forumosa
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In some European countries kids are taught not to stare at strangers and not to bother them with questions because it’s considered bad manners. In other places, interacting with strangers (under parent’s supervision) is considered a healthy habit for kids because it allows them to socialize with different kinds of people.

If you have a dark(ish) skin tone but you’re from Eastern Asia many people may try to start a conversation with you because you look different from the stereitypical Asian guy. When I went to Lanyu and shared pics on Facebook I had some friends commenting:"Wait, there are (kinda) black Asian people in Taiwan?_? ". When someone doesn’t fit a stereotype he can often raise curiosity in others.

Then of course there are racist morons, but they can be found in any society in the world.

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When I lived in the Netherlands I lived in a small town that had a big Turkish minority. I am Irish but was mistaken for Turkish all the time. It sucked donkey balls. There is no doubt in your mind when someone throws a glass at you and tells to “go back” or something like that. Which is why I think the Kung Fu guy is pretty mild.

Reminds me of this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zkL91LzCMc

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People in that town were not only racist, but also slightly retarded xD

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Sounds like he was a bit of a prick.
He could not compute it could be deemed offensive.
If an African walked in would he have danced a Zulu dance every time they passed him?

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Just an arsehole, they exist everywhere.
When I first I came to Taiwan I was ‘helloed’ about five times a day.
Now it’s down to once a month I would say.

Many countries and cities in Eurooe are full of foreign born residents let alone millions of tourists, most people would pay little attention to ‘foreigners’ of any description these days.

Remember there are also a lot more homeless people and junkies around some European cities, so they are always looking for cigarettes, money, alcohol or just to cause some trouble. The homeless and junkies and gypsies congregate in the inner cities because nobody wants their service centers and hostels in the suburbs.

I was back in my home city recently having a chat with a mate outside a pub, some junkie decides to interject in the middle of the conversation. They heard me saying something about coffee and probably got envious or angry about something. These ppl just spend their whole lives being sorry for themselves and blaming others on their problems. I honestly wanted to smack the guy but that’s what they want , they just want to ruin your day because you are having a good day. Nothing specifically to do with Asians…

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I would not call what the docuhebag a provocation. Just ignorance at seeing someone who is different and calling it out. I still get quite often people (adults) calling out “Haaallo” if they see me walking past. Or kids calling out as they point at me “Weiguoren” and who are not subsequently admonished by a parent that it is rude. Just chalk it up to cultural ignorance, that unfortunately you meet everywhere on this planet, especially when you leave home and are no longer in the majority racially.

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I get stared at by people all of the time here. Often by people that have seen me dozens of times in my neighborhood. In Korea 20 years ago it was even worse. When you leave your homeland and look different racially. People will stare. Just like unfortunately, people stare when they see someone with Down Syndrome, or someone in a wheelchair. If you stand out, there are always goign to be people that gawk. Simple as that.

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Ignorance, racism, and prejudice is everywhere and towards all sort of people for really no reasons. But that being said I find racism towards asians is much more accepted and not taken as seriously. Even people who say things like “but people are not really racist against asians, they are usually treated as model citizens and do well in school and work” is a huge issue in the underlining problem of racism towards asians. Statistically, yes, Asian Americans do well compared relatively to other minority groups in the US. But we all know most asians don’t consider themselves as asians as their identity. They are Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese, etc in their minds. And when you break it down to countries, you notice a sharp drop off in academic and social economic well being of south east asians compared to east asians and it really has a negative impact on south east asians.

One of the biggest issues is still that racism towards asians is not always malicious, but used in humor as “good fun”

Here are some examples.

During the rise of Jeremy Lin ESPN wrote on the title of one of their articles as “Chink in armor” after a loss. As a pun. As much as they tried to play it off as a mistake and that it’s a common phrase, anyone who write professionally or even wrote a essay knows the title is pretty important, they obviously thought this was a amusing and even in their minds “creative”. And it’s a bit crazy that ESPN, the biggest sports news outlet put that out there. They had to have multiple people give the go ahead to put that as the title.

Also, Jeremy even said in a recent interview that he and John Wall (another point guard) were the fastest and most athletic guys coming into the NBA that year. But Wall is always commented as fast but Jeremy is also commented as “deceptively fast” Whatever that means.
Here’s a quote from a guy thats a expert in scouting players. “He lit up our model,” said Morey. “Our model said take him with, like, the 15th pick in the draft.” The objective measurement of Jeremy Lin didn’t square with what the experts saw when they watched him play; a not terribly athletic Asian kid. Morey hadn’t completely trusted his model - and so had chickened out and not drafted Lin. A year after the Houston Rockets failed to draft Jeremy Lin, they began to measure the speed of a player’s first two steps: Jeremy Lin had the quickest first move of any player measured. He was explosive and was able to change direction far more quickly than most NBA players. “He’s incredibly athletic,” said Morey. “But the reality is that every **** person, including me, thought he was unathletic. _And I can’t think of any reason for it other than he was Asian.”_

Jeremy Lin - Breaking Stereotypes and Asian Masculinity - YouTube

Here’s what Fox news put out…it’s pretty hard to watch but you see how bluntly racist it is but it’s covered up as humor…

Here’s another example of how Asian racism is put up as humor on TV…it’s pretty bad.

Even Spain’s National basketball team going into the olympics took a photo like this…they saw nothing wrong with it. Not one person thought it was racist or in poor taste. It took tremendous backlash before they even acknowledge it, and they really still understand why its racist after that. Can you imagine if they took the photo with black face…it would have blown up all over the news yet this was not really in the headlines and was credited to the team having fun and not meaning it’s offensive.

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Yea if you look at the US teen tv programs the Asian is usually the geek. Its like the prejudices just propagate into infinity. Having that said Irish are still the lucky charm Leprechuan so some of that just goes around anyway. Always good if you at least have a variety of pidgeon holes to be shoved into though, not just one.

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Here are some more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Few8kJ0zfnY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkc797WQfs0

How are non-Asians portrayed/construed by Asian pop culture?

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Racism towards foreigners is brushed off pretty much here. No? And you did not read my full thread. The majority of Taiwanese Uni students I teach also pretty much agreed with the MRT racist. They just would have never dome it public.

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I think this is appropriate:

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It honestly just sounds like what @Super_Fire is saying, trying to say that what you had to go through is worst and I shouldn’t bitch about it. Quit trying to put words in my mouth, half of the things you are trying to come at me about I didn’t even say. Maybe you need to read more clearly.

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We are all entitled to our experiences that is for sure. Oh a happier note I can say that in six years in Taiwan I have had zero unpleasant xenophobic experiences. Had a few of the opposite, people going out of their way for me just cause I’m a foreigner. Although there was that time I got the “no foreigners” line when I applied for my kid at a school. Its the exception rather than the rule here, in my experience.

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that dutch tv guy is a brain dead fool. how did he get on tv?? he didn’t get a reaction for his first joke and then proceeded to make 3 more.

i’m sure the europe thing varies country to country. i think they are quite fond of asian people in france? might just be a generalisation though. i can remember being with my italian father being racist the only time i met him, we drove past an area where chinese people lived. he started doin the whole ching chong ching spiel. the irony of him having a black wife was totally lost on him i guess…

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Was that in North Italy?

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Six years without some sort of anti-foreigner shade thrown your way? That must be a record, unless you’re a hermit or something. XD

To be fair it could be worse; you could be in Japan or South Korea. Then you’d feel like a subhuman cretin within the first week.

1 Like
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That’s video was hard to watch, even the other judges were like ok that’s wayyyy to far even though they cracked some jokes in the beginning.

I heard many Italians don’t really like black people, I wonder if your dad had some people say and look at him weird.

On the side note, I’m visiting Italy this summer with my girlfriend and going on a tour all around. She sat me down to tell me I need to chill as Italian men like to cat call and they will most likely stare or say something about us being together as I tend to be a little hot headed. She also said it might be better to say I’m Korean instead of from Taiwan as people there either won’t know taiwan or think it’s china. And Chinese tourists don’t have the best reputations.

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south

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When did Kung fu/ karate become like a joke though? Why did it become like some taunt or insult at Asians? They are legitimate martial arts that if you come across someone who truely practices and had bad intentions they could knock you out cold. Bruce Lee is someone I always looked up too. He transcended martial arts and contributed to what MMA is today. His mentality is not only respected in combat sports but from all athletes. Is it because of guys like Jackie Chen? Bruce was the master and an absolute beast. He even had to fight to be able to teach kung fu to westerners if I remember. He was the kind of guy that could say something to you looking in your eyes and you just surrender.