The Blaaag

elite elite elite

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:48:08 -0500

Hey, BlAAAg,

My name is Kristen and I am the current co-social chair of AAA, contributing to BlAAAg for the first time. What prompted this foray into the writing field? First, my realization that I actually quite enjoy writing about issues that I care immensely about (which probably does not include Martin Luther’s opinion on individualism in The Freedom of a Christian) and, second, this article.

In the middle of my finals week haze, I was, of course, finding new methods of procrastination on Twitter. A certain blog I follow tweeted the article, with a hook about “surprising statistics” in reference to Asian Americans. Eager for something to distract me from linear momentum equations, I immediately clicked on the link.

Unfortunately, it was exactly what I unconsciously thought it would be: an article about how Asian Americans are a minority but a totally model one! And now, here are some great statistics about how they are living up to a racialized and completely imposed stereotype! And oh, general inconsistencies? Pfft, we’ll just mention them and gloss over them like they don’t exist.

This is precisely the problem with the model minority stereotype. It’s not that I don’t appreciate that Asian Americans are seen as successful, hard-working, value-oriented people. The problem is that the stereotype persists in ways that are actually harmful to Asian Americans as a racialized ethnic minority in the US. Instead of being seen as individuals with distinct personalities and skills, we are homogenized, essentialized as a group of people who are good at math, play the piano or violin, and are accepted into the most elite institutions in the US, among other incorrect assumptions. We are not human beings to the people who perpetuate this stereotype; we are stripped of our uniqueness, of our dignity as individuals.

For example, in this article, #4: “Asian kids just spend more time studying” and #5: “Asian-American kids aren’t more stressed than their peers”, there are choice lines like “they spend more time studying than other kids, and not necessarily because their parents force them to” or “studies have found that they typically don’t experience more stress than other groups.” Before I question the validity of these “studies” based on a research standpoint (Who was surveyed as ‘Asian-American’? How does surveying a group of students in a particular age range, as in just one grade level, accurately reflect any statistic for a large population? etc.), it is enough to question the fact that these studies are glossing over the social anxieties that arise from the very obvious pressures these Asian American students have on themselves to live up to certain behaviors imposed by society. It also does not reconcile the reasons that Asian American parents might push their children to excel or succeed.

Then there are some points that just blatantly disregard counterarguments. #6: “Asian-American families simply earn more” even addresses the fact that this statistic is not true across the board and that there are many Asian American families that are of low socioeconomic status or living at the poverty level, but then moves on to the next point as if it isn’t important. Well, it is important to address these inconsistencies: perhaps there are ethnic groups of Asian Americans who are economically secure overall, but yet again, this is not true across the board for every individual Asian American within that ethnic group. Furthermore, this ignores the fact that in certain Asian American families, the median income per household may be higher than the national average, but these are limiting factors: Asian American families statistically have more wage earners within the family and a higher number of people in each household as well.

I am all for lauding Asian American accomplishments where praise is due, but let’s be honest here: this article isn’t lauding Asian American accomplishments so much as lauding the successful integration of the model minority myth into even the psyches of Asian Americans. And on a personal level, it is hurtful and frustrating to look back on my past experiences and realized that I’ve told myself I wasn’t “a good Asian” because I didn’t like math or get straight A’s when I honestly was doing the best I could with the unique skill set I was born with. I have reconciled what I once deemed an inconsistency with the image of the Asian American I always assumed to be correct, because I know, as an individual, I am more than a stereotype. I am proud of my accomplishments not because I “did well for an Asian” or because I am a successful member of a “good minority” who doesn’t question the status quo, but rather because I applaud my personal efforts.

The model minority stereotype might seem harmless, and even now, I can say I have not encountered a terrible amount of malice when I live up to the stereotypes. But I can say that, having contemplated giving up (in every sense of these words) throughout high school and even during my three semesters so far here at Columbia because I did not believe I was doing “well enough” thanks to absurd expectations other people forced upon me, there are dangerous consequences to the model minority myth overall. And it is important to remember that Asian Americans are not all the same. We are unique, distinct human beings, and we do not have to live to any fucking stereotypes.

Hi, I was wondering if any of you guys have advice for standing out (in a good way) during the admissions process. I have been told may times that the applicant pool is especially competitive for Asian Americans, so I need all the help I can get.

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:57:00 -0500

We apologize, but as an organization, we cannot provide college admissions advice. Besides, there is no one formula that any of us particularly adhere to, but we encourage you to do your best and wish you success in your endeavors.

As an addendum, our co-social chair suggested, “You must extract the tears of a unicorn on Mount Olympus, bring it inside a crystal vial made out of Swarovski crystals, go to Dean Marinaccio’s office, do two backflips, sing the entire chorus of ‘Roar, Lion, Roar’ in Croatian while making a steak, and finally anoint the steak with your unicorn tears and present it to the dean.”

AAA has more A’s than the U.S. Government. Win. -Susan Li, Co-Social Chair 2011-2012

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:49:00 -0500

AAA has more A’s than the U.S. Government. Win.

-Susan Li, Co-Social Chair 2011-2012

This video was recently sent to the AAA list-serv by a current...

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:53:19 -0400

This video was recently sent to the AAA list-serv by a current member and also posted on popular blog, Angry Asian Man. It features a speech by Frank H. Wu, Chancellor and Dean of University of California Hastings College of Law and author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White, on the future of civil rights and civic engagement in multiracial America at the Museum of Chinese in America.

We promise to start writing full-length posts again after finals week and as the new school year approaches, cheers!

In keeping up with the latest and hippest technology, theblaaag has now moved onto Tumblr! Connect...

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:43:41 -0400

In keeping up with the latest and hippest technology, theblaaag has now moved onto Tumblr! Connect to the link below to keep up to date with theBlaaag!!

http://theblaaag.tumblr.com/

Cheers!

Pledge Day, Monday, April 25th and Sunday, May 15th!

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:10:54 -0400

sweatshopfreeny:

Join us at Trinity Lutheran Church, 168 W 100th st, on Monday, April 25th @ 6pm and on Sunday, May 15th @ 3pm to help reach out to local businesses and encourage them to sign the Sweat Shop Free Pledge!

As more and more businesses in our community sign on and promise to abide by labor laws, we create an environment of ethical consumerism and empower more and more workers to speak out and organize.

*Food will be provided and we’d love to see you there!

Follow us: The Blog that informs Yalie's about Hip-Hop.

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:56:07 -0400

Sorry! We will only follow blogs that align with our club’s interests. We’ll plug you guys though!

Asian-Americans in Asia

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 22:49:00 -0400

This entry was not prompted by this 8asian.com article.

——

Hello BlAAAg,

I’m Belle, former (current?) co-Event Adviser of AAA, throwing random entries onto BlAAAG, currently at University of Hong Kong (following in the footsteps of our former Event Adviser, Annie). I may be making snarky remarks as an Asian American expat in Hong Kong, but first, this entire time has been really confusing, and I’m having the identity crisis that never really hit me during puberty.

On face value (prima facie!), Hong Kong seems to have two groups of people: expats and locals. Expats may be seen as ranging from non-Chinese people who were born in Hong Kong to migrant domestic workers and i-bankers to international students at university for the semester. Locals are generally seen (not defined) as Chinese people in Hong Kong; I make this “not defined” caveat because now knowing more about Hong Kong, it is very clear that HK identity is as muddled as the American identity. How do those non-Chinese who grew up in Hong Kong see their own identities? Are Mainlanders who migrate/immigrate to HK Hongkongers? If not, can they claim the identity? How long must they live in HK before becoming Hongkongers? Are Mainlanders whose parents’ permanent residency in HK grants them HK permanent residency make them Hongkongers? What I am having the hardest time grasping is where do I fit into all of this: What about HK-Chinese-Americans/British/Canadians/etc.?

I’m technically an expat. I’ve been an American all my life. I’ve never been to China or Hong Kong before studying here (it is my first time out of the U.S. and it slightly disappoints me that I can’t use my “never been there, can’t go back” line anymore). My English is far superior to my Cantonese, and my written Chinese and Pǔtōnghuà skills are basically non-existent. Honestly, with the minimal language training I’ve had, the only reason why I’m surviving in Hong Kong is the English language the Brits left behind. But no matter how American I may be (whatever “American” means), hardly anyone will believe I’m not an HKer at first glance. Sure, the second I open my mouth and my terribly accented (I’ve been told) Cantonese comes out, the cashier may know I’m a foreigner, but without that badge, they don’t believe my expat-ness. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud of my terrible Cantonese - I wish I spoke the language flawlessly, but my Cantonese has turned into a symbol of my foreigner identity here.

I feel that I am walking in the gray space between the expat world and local world. Let me explain. I believe that on an individual level, someone like me, Asian on the outside and (Asian-)American on the inside, would have no problem traveling in the expat world and local world: I can enjoy Soho (expat capital) as much as Shatin or Wan Chai. But what gray space I am speaking of is how society views me, how other people view me and accept me into their world. It seems like I will never be able to fully assimilate into the expat world, as I have an Asian face, but I would never be accepted into the local culture either because I have a foreign concept of the world with a language deficiency to boot. The constant microaggressions come from both sides: the looks that ask: why is this Chinese girl pretending she fits in with us or pretending she’s an expat, how come she can’t speak Chinese even though she is Chinese, how come she can speak Cantonese even though she’s American, why does she choose to speak English? With these preconceived notions, it seems that I can’t exactly fit into one or the other groups. If I am not welcome in either group, I am not sure where I am supposed to fit in.

I’m not sure what conclusions I wanted to draw from this reflection. After all, my exploration or aimlessly wandering in this gray space is nothing compared to the everyday and institutional discrimination non-Chinese people face, especially the discrimination endured by Filipina, Thai, Indonesian domestic workers. I do not know if other East Asian Americans are facing the same microaggressions or have the same thoughts. I guess what I’m wondering is where am I supposed to fit in? Must I prove to everyone in that group (if it’s not the gray area) every time of why I identify with them? But why should I have to? How do I avoid the hostility (from both sides)? Or maybe, do I have the best of both worlds: the mobility to move around, the privilege of acting as an in between, etc.?

P.S. Fun Facts

Fun Fact 1: In the 1800s, free-state California used Hong Kong as an example of why Chinese immigration should be limited. During that time, Hong Kong Chinese still employed muitsais (young girls bought by wealthy families to first, serve the family, and then usually, becoming a concubine to a son of the family). California implored that if the British could not stop Chinese people from owning slaves, how will California limit slavery when the Chinese immigrate with their muitsais?

Fun Fact 2: Some American universities (but not Columbia) warn their students not to participate in or observe Hong Kong protests, due to possible future ramifications. Never mind the fact Hong Kong Basic Law (mini-constitution) grants the right to protest Hong Kong affairs, and most protests in Hong Kong are state-sanctioned (all protests must have a permit from the government in order to proceed).

Fun Fact 3: Hong Kong, along with Mainland, participated in an Anti-American boycott in the 1905 to protest the unfair treatment of a Chinese immigrant in Massachusetts. After immigration officials raided a home of many immigrants, they arrested a man who was living in the U.S. legally without allowing him to show them his proper paperwork. He was later deported due to this incident. The man’s suicide in front of the American consulate in Shanghai sparked the protest.

Tags: firstworldproblems, firstworldguilt

Who the &%#$ knows about Asian American issues?

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:39:00 -0500

I’ve been reflecting on my time here at Columbia, thinking about the existence of Asian American ideas and activism on this campus, and the effectiveness of the Columbia University Asian American Alliance as a whole. Do we base effectiveness on awareness, education, community service, activism, how many people show up to our events, getting a large membership? It’s always easy to say an organization doesn’t do enough, but it’s also so easy to say that an organization can only do so much with the resources it has. Many AAA members are doing wonderful things, including picketing at Saigon Grill against sweatshop labor and exploitation, creating Asian American sexuality workshops, and creating teach-ins on Asian American Studies.

But the fact is that people just don’t know about Asian American issues.

Part of it is that people are unclear about the term. As we broached in our last general meeting, “What the !%$@ is an Asian American?”, the mere identity “Asian American” can span from descendants of peoples as far ‘east’ as the Middle East and as far ‘west’ as Hawaii. This is part of why Asian Americans in general have not really mobilized in recent years: there are so many groups defined under the umbrella term. Asian Americans are much more diverse, making the political term less effective than terms like “Black,” which has a stronger historical context and shared experience in America.

One could say that Asian Americans have done plenty well here in the United States, that there aren’t many negative stereotypes about Asians (good at math? yay!), that Asians have become a very much accepted race in the United States. There are plenty of health disparities, especially in Hepatitis B cases (who knew those were even a problem with this in the United States?) and cervical cancer rates. Asian American women 15-24 lead in the highest suicide rate among all ethnic groups, and APAs are more likely to commit suicide than the “average American.” But who the hell knows about these issues? Yes, there are many students out there who know about the transcontinental railroad, Japanese (and Chinese, and anyone who looked Japanese) internment, but less know about the colonization of Asian lands through U.S. imperialism and the fetishization that has resulted, the enslavement of Asian peoples as coolies all over the world, etc. etc.

These issues seem so far removed from our contemporary reality as Asian Americans. Fact is, when many of us are seen as a ‘model minority’ it may seem like we don’t have issues. That, to say the least, has been extremely frustrating to face, both at Columbia and in general.

I know I, for one, was only brought into Asian American issues because of a hate crime my family was connected to. I want to share with y’all a piece of an email I sent to a (great!) Asian American and Ethnic Studies professor, Gary Okihiro, who’s helped a lot as I conceptualize Asian American issues (I was fortunate enough to take his class before I sent him this: take an Asian American Studies class, y’all!):

So when I was six, my mother told me that a relative of mine was really famous somewhere and that he had died. I had no idea who this man was, and casting off my mother as sensationalist, I proceeded to eat my dinner. Later, when I was twelve or thirteen, I was watching a PBS documentary about the Chinese in America, and a moment came on when the doc. started mentioning a pan-Asian movement that begun in the eighties, and I felt empowered. The screen kept plastering a picture of a man who had been killed and where this movement started. My mother came into the room, proceeded to point at the screen, and told me, “Yeah, you’re related to him.” I found out that man was Vincent Chin. Lily Chin was my maternal grandmother’s sister, making Vincent Chin my mother’s adopted cousin. […] I’ve been struck by how little my family speaks about him; I think the whole family has just tried to put that past behind us and move on, and I think there’s some sadness that the case never really went anywhere.

I’ve always been sad but proud to say I’m related to a man who, as a martyr, started a pan-Asian American movement that hasn’t been matched since the 1980s. But at the same time, I wish I didn’t have to be related to a martyr in order to be interested in these issues. Indeed, the documentary Vincent Who? shows just how little our young generation knows about Vincent Chin-or, really, many general Asian American issues. These things still exist: just look at cases of Asian deliverymen being killed, the 2008 assaults on Columbia students, of whom five were Asian, and all the people who are discriminated against after 9/11 for looking un-American or terrorists. Don’t get me started on the perpetual foreigner myth.

As I leave Columbia this year, I can’t help but think that many people are stuck in complacency. I feel like so little know what Asian American issues are out there. People can hold up other causes, of course, but so little is mentioned about Asian American issues.

All of this information and experience I’ve gathered stirs anger in me. I know I’m not the only one who’s had kids pull their eyes back at me or random streetwalkers say “ching chong cheeeee” to me on the streets. It is with this anger that I teach first-grade students how to navigate this biased and racist world. It fuels me. Does it fuel others? I hope so. There’s too much in this world to be angry about, and we have to turn that into something. For now, we have to show people that these issues actually matter. I don’t want to be preaching to the choir all my life, now.

Our Men and Women in Uniform

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:49:00 -0500

Last weekend (February 18th to 20th), I attended the 2011 ECAASU at UMass-Amherst, and while I met some wonderful new friends, the underlying messages that I took away from those two days were conflicting. As many of you might have heard, ECAASU has been taking large sponsorships from the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, CIA, and TSA. While, understandably, a conference as large as this needs this level of funding to function, the way in which the conference was ultimately carried out bothered me.

Grassroots organizations that were born out of oppression have been historically known to disregard military sponsorship in the name of ideology (citation needed but I do not have). And the history of ECAASU, as relayed by the poignant speech made by Professor Vijay Prashad, is embedded in minority empowerment and suck it to the big man attitude (citation also needed that I do not have). An organization such as this should not be accepting money from an oppressive institution such as that of the American military that ignite wars around the world. But, perhaps, as argued by many, it is time we allow military involvement, for inclusion of the brave men and women who fought so that we can have this discussion in the first place. Inclusion, as stated by the ECAASU national board, is what ECAASU strives to achieve.

Inclusion is a valid point, and I am far from wanting to exclude the participation of the Asian American brothers and sisters who serve in the military to protect the freedom and democracy that we take for granted. However, the argument here is not about the individual military personnels, but the ideological conflicts between the oppressive military and a grassroots campaign born because we were just so fed up with oppression.

I agree that the military establishes our place in our current global society. Without the military, we as Americans would not be enjoying the privileges that we so take for granted. I do not want to antagonize the brave men and women who risk their lives daily so that I can be blogging right now. I understand why such a large chunk (perhaps way too large of a chunk) of our national budget should go to the military. (Though, if I might add, the military really needs to stop throwing money away at dictators and political conflicts we have no right to partake in.) The military is as far from perfect as our society is from equality, but as things are today, I appreciate our leverage, I appreciate that we can have these conversations and discussions and accusations against our military.

However, there is a right time and right place for everything. A weekend that was suppose to be about Asian American empowerment, fight against oppression, and the progression of the AA movement, became a recruitement camp for the Navy and Coast Guard. A ceremony that was suppose to teach young Asian Americans about how they can become leaders in their own right, how they can help to mobilize the movement, became about how as a Coast Guard, you will have amazing stories to tell your grandchildren. Perhaps that was not the intended result the ECAASU planning board had wanted, but that does not change how that weekend played out.

I want to conclude by thanking our men and women in uniform for their dedication and sacrifice. They are our heroes, no matter how we look at it. As the older sister of a teenager brother who wanted to join the Marines because he believed it was a great way of paying for college, I want to save the discussion of the relationship between the military and American minorities for a later time. For now, I am glad we are now having serious discussions about corporate/military sponsorships.

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 19:58:00 -0500

Thank you all for stopping by! Wishing you all a great new RABBIT year!

MY Chinese Parents

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:24:00 -0500

Recently, a WSJ article titled “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior,” by Amy Chua, has stirred discussions across forums and social websites. (On my facebook page alone, I saw several arguments brewing.) It was skewed, insane, and yet authoritative. Here there was this highly successful woman, an Ivy League graduate, and a professional, who is giving her account of how she, this authentic Chinese mother, understands how to produce successful children using her “superior ways”. She had data: “In one study of 50 Western American mothers and 48 Chinese immigrant mothers, almost 70% of the Western mothers said either that ‘stressing academic success is not good for children’ or that ‘parents need to foster the idea that learning is fun.’ By contrast, roughly 0% of the Chinese mothers felt the same way,” she has results (read: her talented daughters), and she was willing to share. But she made me feel uncomfortable with her generalizing statements and manipulative techniques (predominantly because WSJ is making it sound like it’s coming from this authoritative Law professor, hey she must totally know what she’s talking about). While trying to read through her article, I wanted to jump in and help her daughter Lulu, and I thought of how insane she makes all Chinese mothers sound. However, Amy Chua did make me reflect upon my own upbringing, (as if I haven’t done that enough already after going through medical school applications), and how I was raised.

I come from a low-income immigrant family. My mother worked in a sweat-shop for most of her early years in the U.S, and my father was in construction. They worked long hours everyday, 364 days a year (one day rest for the Lunar New Year, I guess), and every single penny of their hard earned wage disappears at the end of the month. So typical was my story of being that eldest daughter, filial and hard working, who took care of her younger brother, took care of family finances, immigration issues, and eventually went on to attend a prestigious school to discover the cure for AIDS, all because of my Chinese mother who pushed me…WAIT, what?! No. That didn’t happen, and while I do take credit for writing checks for our monthly bills and translating our immigration papers, I didn’t make it to Harvard, I didn’t discover a cure for AIDS, I am not hardworking (well okay, I am hardworking when I’m not indulging in kdramas, sleeping, or staring at some blank space), and my mother hardly had the time to sit down with me to work through thousand page SAT drills. But I didn’t turn out a complete failure, did I? According to the model minority standards, I might have. (Darn it Mother, why didn’t you beat more math into me?)

Too often, was I rejected from scholarships because I didn’t work with a Nobel Prize winner in some stem cell research (but I should’ve because I am that brilliant Chinese immigrant). Too often, was I not featured on the front page of the Tsing Dao Times (the popular Chinese newspaper) for not winning a full ride to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, or MIT because I fought against all odds and succeeded with my innate brilliance. And quite frequently as a teenager, I hated my mother for not being THAT Chinese mother. She was un-educated, and her feet always hurt. She didn’t understand how to read my report cards, and she never attended any PTA meetings. She was too unChinese, and I once blamed her for my inability to compete against kids who had parents driving them to violin practices, to expensive tutoring, and to whatever else they didn’t drive me to. They held me back. I had a strict 5pm curfew in High School, and oftentimes couldn’t attend late night band practice, golf tournaments, and school plays. Sleepovers were out of the question, and video games too, but that was because my dad couldn’t trust anyone and we couldn’t afford video games. And I really did believe this while growing up. No matter where I was in life, I felt I wasn’t good enough, and not because of pressure from my family, but pressure from American society. I couldn’t ever feel happy with where I was, because I felt I could have done better, because I’m supposed to.

While I was going through the medical school application process, I felt so insecure about the brevity of my resume. I felt so self-conscious about the leadership positions that were expected of me. I wasn’t president of all 300+ clubs at Columbia University, and goddamn it, I don’t play an instrument to the level of some Julliard graduate. (Because if Chua’s 7 year old daughter can play the violin, so should I right? Especially since my mother was straight from the mainland.) My GPA was okay, but why couldn’t I achieve that 4.3 (because Columbia/Barnard offered A+’s). My MCAT score was okay, but definitely far from the perfect 45. I have failed at being “Chinese.” I couldn’t compete, and while I do make fun of it here, I feel these have become real expectations of us.

Amy Chua’s article perpetuates this Model Minority that I so hate. Her “authority” instills in the minds of those unfamiliar with “Chinese Mothering” ideas that we (those we were raised by Chinese mother—first generation immigrants) should all be beyond amazing. (AND why is the entire process of nurturing a child called “mothering,” where’s the damn “father” word, ugh, I must go talk to Beck Young about this.)

But I ask: when is it my time to shine? This amateur flutist, this bad singer-song writer, and this perhaps a bit above mediocre think-tank? Like I was telling my friend Hadley when we were dinner-ing the other night, I feel content with where I am, and I think that’s okay. I love my parents for who they are and how they have given me space to create my own self (“own self”… sounds redundant, is that grammatical edible?). We are not all amazing, and I think that’s just OKAY. And lady (Amy Chua), if you want to be a psycho mom, do so, but don’t instill in society ideas of where we come from and what we must do.

[23:11] Ai-Lin: damn; why didn’t i have a mother like amy chua
[23:12] Michael Dea: omg….seriously
[23:12] Michael Dea: you would have been in harvard
[23:12] Michael Dea: or yale
[23:13] Ai-Lin : but seriously, her article perpetuates a societal stereotype
[23:14] Ai-Lin : dude; all them white ppl gonna think we’re all smart
[23:14] Ai-Lin : and it makes it harder for me to get into med school
[23:14] Ai-Lin : cause they expect me to play violin like that woman’s daughter
[23:14] Michael Dea: that is true lol

Microaggressions, a new project by two former Blaaagers

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:13:00 -0500

Hey all! This is former co-editor David back from the dead.

This week, I started the Microaggressions tumblr with former Blaaager Vivian. We originally wanted to collect the little incidents and anecdotes in our lives that make our Asian American and intersected experiences marginalized. Then we had the idea to put it up on tumblr and collect submissions.

An email and a Twitter account later, this was born. We’ve had shoutouts on Jezebel and Racialicious. And now, our very own Asian American Alliance blog.

Please send it to your friends and loved ones! Submit posts you have encountered yourself!

Statement of Solidarity with Steve Li

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 21:55:00 -0500

Who is Steve Li?

Steve Li is currently being detained in Arizona for immediate deportation. On September 15, 2010, ICE (Immigration Customs and Enforcement) raided Steve’s home and arrested his family. Steve is ethnically Chinese but was born in Peru and was brought to the United States when he was just 11 years old. Steve was not even aware of his immigration situation until the raid. Now he has been detained for over a month and is set for deportation to Peru any day now. He has no family or friends in Peru and would be homeless upon arrival. He is a warm and loving person and all he wants to do is finish school at the City College of San Francisco and pursue nursing. He qualifies as a DREAM Act student.

For more information, read this article.

What can you do to help Steve?

Sign the petition!

Call: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director, John Morton
ICE Office: (202) 282-8495, if voicemail box full, call live line (202) 732-3000Script: “Hi, I’m calling to leave a message of support for Shing Ma “Steve” Li A#076-143-010 who is scheduled to be deported on Monday. Steve is pursuing a degree in nursing and he is an asset to our community. I ask that John Morton please step in and defer his deportation, thank you.”

Statement of Solidarity with Steve Li

We, the concerned members of UC Berkeley’s Asian American student community, condemn the isolation, detention and potential deportation of City College of San Francisco student Steve Li and urge elected officials to amend this injustice.On September 15, 2010, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials apprehended Steve Li, a 20 year-old nursing student at City College. Li, who was born in Peru, is currently being held alone in Arizona and awaiting deportation to his birth country. His parents were since released and are awaiting potential deportation to China; however, ICE officials have neglected to explicate why Li was separated from his family. Li’s story is simply one of the expected 400,000 deportations that will be occurring this fiscal year, almost 10 percent over the Bush administration’s 2008 total.

While it is legally correct that the Li family broke the law in illicitly staying in San Francisco, their story illustrates that the law itself is inherently broken. Until his arrest, Li was unaware of his illegal status and simply attempting to live the tale of hard work and perseverance indoctrinated into every American. Li’s family did in fact previously attempt to gain documentation, but their petition for political asylum was denied in 2003 and in 2004. This case is a testament to the fractured immigration system that, on a quotidian basis, deals out inhumane treatment to a racialized underclass–including the prized “model minority” of stratified American society.
As Asian Americans and students at Berkeley, however, we do not aim to advocate for Li because he is a disempowered individual. Our outrage is predicated by the fact that Li is a student just like us and could have been anyone in our communities. According to a report by the University of California Office of the President, Asian/Pacific Islander students constitute 40-44% of undocumented students in the UC system. For obvious reasons, undocumented students of any race typically do not put their illegal statuses up for exhibition. Though we may not know who among our friends and classmates are next, we do know that unjust institutional factors constantly threaten members of our community whose struggles are most invisible.
It is imperative to recognize that Li’s case is not a historical juggernaut for our community. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act barred the immigration of Chinese nationals to the U.S., emerging as the first conspicuously racist exclusive immigration law in this nation’s history. The California Alien Land Act of 1913 prohibited Asians already in the country (referred to as “aliens ineligible for citizenship”) from owning property. Given that the first anti-immigrant laws targeted Asian Americans over a century ago and that we are about to deport an Asian American for a crime he didn’t even realize he committed, it is blatantly incorrect to say that we have learned from our past and that our history of facing discrimination is over. It is for this reason that we denounce the detention of Steve Li and urge elected officials to stand up against it, for our communities, and for our future.
Signed,
[APAC] Asian Pacific American Coalition
ucbapac@gmail.com
[hb] hardboiled asian/pacific american newsmagazine
hardboiled.berkeley.edu
[PASS] Pilipino Academic Student Services
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~pass/
[REACH!] Asian/Pacific Islander Recruitment/Retention Center
http://reach.berkeley.edu/
[SASC] Southeast Asian Student Coalition
sasc.berkeley.edu

and in solidarity,
Columbia University Asian American Alliance
www.aaacolumbia.org

Why Columbia’s AAA is standing in solidarity with UC Berkeley Asian American student groups?

This is simply because UC Berkeley responded a bit urgently than Columbia AAA did and it is necessary that this statement is released as soon as possible. Columbia AAA is also currently in the process of writing a statement in hopes to have other student groups on campus and on the East Coast to sign on it.

(Compiled and edited by Belle Yan)

Reaction Post

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:02:00 -0400

Not that you should ever read Bwog comments, since they are as informative and placating as SFGate comments, but here is one on the Town Hall on Barnard’s recognition of sororities:

Anonymous

Two arguments:

1)
Clearly, IGC shouldn’t get money or be allowed to distribute money for members of sororities who are Barnard students and do not pay the appropriate fees.

If this means that sororities stop allowing Barnard students, so be it.
If this means Barnard starts charging students more for the fund, so be it.

2)
As a male CC student, I would only be okay with my money funding Barnard girls if I had received my quota of drunk Barnard-sorority sister sex. But I haven’t. So see above.

Anonymous
Sad, Sad, Sad Asian

Without passing judgment on the first comment, sarcasm or not, why must every guy who cannot get a girl be Asian? It was unprovoked, there was no conversation about race on the whole page, it’s simply a comment that came out of nowhere.

Uh. WTF?

Failed Dream? And a Rally for Sanity

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:24:00 -0400

September has failed to pass the Dream Act in Congress. The Dream Act is legislation that would have enabled children who were brought to the United States by their illegal parents to gain a path to citizenship if they entered college or the military after high school. Many of these children have grown up accustomed to calling the U.S their home. It just doesn’t make any sense to deport ‘Americans’ out to a country foreign to them, losing valuable contributing citizens of our society. As an immigrant myself, I am disappointed at the turn out of this long awaited legislation.

Why is there such a bitter anti-immigrant sentiment amongst our legislative sectors? Have we forgotten that even the Forefathers that carved the backbones of the American Constitution were descendants of immigrants? Have we forgotten that outside of the rightful Native Americans that are wrongfully quarantined in reservations we are all descendants of immigrants? Immigrants work backbreaking hours day in and day out, tending to crop fields, cleaning your toilets, working in unruly conditions for meager wages, at jobs Americans find dirty and degrading. How are they taking YOUR jobs.

Has America gone insane?

Where have we been?

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:54:00 -0400

Dear reader(s),

I hope your summers have been well. Amidst the sunshines, Moscow heat waves, and flood in

Pakistan

, I want to thank you again for tuning in with us here at theblaaag. So the question still remains, ‘Where are our editors?’ As the previous update mentioned, David and Marilla were seniors the last time this editor’s corner was updated. And one-plus year later, the two founders have graduated from the Columbia undergraduate community and are probably doing something to better the world. A few months ago, both submitted Blaaag Senior Wisdom pieces, which I hope you will be interested in reading. (Marilla’s, David’s). As your new moderators, Annie and I hope to keep the site updated while still maintaining the original styles and formatting our previous editors created. Please check out our new staff page and see who’s posting today!

Stay tuned.

Ai-Lin

Link Roundup

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:33:00 -0400

Judge Blocks Parts of Arizona’s Immigration Law (NY Times)
The big news of the day. Any celebrating is of course, a bit premature - what is horrible about SB 1070 is not just its content but that it merely formalizes a lot of practices and anti-immigrant, anti-Latino/a sentiment that has been ongoing and will continue for quite some time.

Afghan War Diary, 2004 - 2010 (WikiLeaks)
An overwhelming amount of classified information relating to the current war in Afghanistan. The New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel all have their own features analyzing the leak. If you are generally terribly pessimistic about US military operations there won’t be a whole lot to surprise you but it’s still a fascinating read. Just as fascinating is WikiLeaks as an organization itself - the New Yorker has an excellent profile on its founder Julian Assange. This is also a good companion to the domestically focused Top Secret America feature over at the Washington Post from last week.

Essence Hires White Fashion Director, Leaves Loyal Readers Asking Why (Clutch Magazine)
I don’t have much to add, other than that it’s depressing that I should even have to say that the idea of a “post-racial” America is ridiculous, but here we are again.

Court’s Leniency Ruling Is Too Late for Deportees (NY Times)
Given AAA’s involvement with the Qing Wu case (big what up to Annie and Belle!) this article sounds pretty familiar. This quote struck me in particular though - “the Obama administration…is on track to deport a record 400,000 people this fiscal year.”

Beating that Dead Horse: On Media Representation

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 17:23:00 -0400

There’s been a lot of things to get angry, upset, and disturbed by recently (actually, always), but I figured I’d ease into blogging with a slightly more accessible topic.

APA media representation increasingly seems to be the defining cause for mainstream, neoliberal APA youth activism; a development that I’m not exactly thrilled by. Yes, yes, the whitewashing of The Last Airbender is frustrating, but when the battle lines are drawn this narrowly it becomes easy to slip into highly problematic positive/negative, good/bad image binaries that tend to exclude just as much as they include. It causes victories to be as narrowly defined as the kid in Up and the latest role John Cho is cast in. There’s a lot more to be said about this, but I’ll save that for a more lengthy, theoretical post later on.

Despite all of my serious misgivings with media representation politics, I still can’t help but smile at this quote from a recent post by Atlantic blogger and Vassar professor Hua Hsu on basketball player Jeremy Lin and the upcoming reality show K-Town:

As someone who grew up seeing very few Asian Americans on television, I still find myself mystified, even thrilled, whenever I come across one, even if my views on media representation have softened. There’s something irrationally and inexplicably bemusing about these moments.

I really couldn’t put it more perfectly. Sometimes it’s easy for me to forget that when I was a Chinese kid growing up in an overwhelmingly white, Midwestern suburb, I was the yellow Power Ranger for Halloween (seriously) and Shelby Woo, not Nancy Drew, was my hero. And it’s easy for me to gloss over my brief but strange obsession with the children’s show Ni Hao Kai-Lan, where I’d camp out on the couch, utterly fascinated that there was someone on Nick Jr. speaking Mandarin and eating noodles. Of course, this isn’t to say that my viewing practices are in spite of politics or separate from them (the show isn’t so much targeted at APA children as it is a response to the increasing “utility” of Mandarin proficiency, Kai-Lan lives with her stoic yeye because…obviously), but that the combination makes for a surreal, complicated, and yet highly enthralling experience.

All of this is to say - I am so fucking excited for K-Town.

Asians against Asians in America

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:11:00 -0400

I was at the bank today when a woman barged through the doors wailing. Be it that I live in a Chinese bubble, everyone in the bank, the tellers, managers, customers, were all Chinese [American]. The woman had apparently withdrawn 2300 dollars in cash from Chase bank and wanted to transfer it to another bank. She left the vicinity and returned thereafter because the teller at the other bank claimed that the bills in her hands were counterfeit. The woman was frantic and threatening the teller at Chase that she’d call the police. The teller, oblivious to the woman in front of her, continued with her work and pointed her towards the manager. The customers on the line, including myself, were shaken. How can a big brand name bank give out fake bills? The woman approached the bank manager, and was ignored. The manager continued with her phone call and did not move from her seat even after she had hung up, completely ignoring the woman waiting in front of her desk. The woman began to scream, yelling injustices in two Chinese dialects. Go ahead, call the cops, the manager said, not once raising her voice.

I was appalled and stared at the scenario before leaving the bank. I forget sometimes how different things function in Brooklyn, compared to the comfortable Upper West Side (Manhattan) services that I’ve grown to spoil myself with while away at school. I obviously do not know the whole story, and my portrayal of the events may or may not have been accurate, but it reminds me of how differently we treat one another because of our shared heritage, or lack thereof. In this case, it seems in my neighborhood at least, Asians treat “Americans” much more respectfully than their fellow Asians. In restaurants, banks, bookstores, and all kinds of shops, I’ve witness the odd tendencies and injustices that Asians commit against one another. The bank manager knew the customer could not speak English, and regardless of her incessant threats that she’ll dial 911, we all know the woman would not have been able to communicate her woes to the operator. The manager was right that nothing can be done about the bills. The woman had left the bank and no one knew if she could have swapped the fifties before returning. However, the complete lack of professionalism the manager displayed makes my head drop in agony. Had this woman been an “American,” would the manager have acted differently? Had this woman known English, would the manager at least have the decency to glance at the complaint. Why is it that when Asian Americans provide service to fellow Asian(s) [Americans], we observe such a discrepancy? Why do we kiss-ass whites while downplaying others?

I’ve always hated it when people tell me that Asian Americans lack the unity that is necessary for a movement. I resented it because a part of me knew it was true. Behind the model minority myths, and the stereotypes, we’re so torn between those [Asian Americans] who believe that we can rise in American society as we are now, and others who realize that we need the political empowerment to justify our existence as just Americans. While we do boast high percentages of our population in professional careers, (e.g, doctors, lawyers, etc), I feel we are a long way from social progress in that sense. While many professionals acknowledge, embrace, and attributes parts of their success their backgrounds, many do not.

Recently, I’ve also become quite angry about the ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ casting issue. Many have called us racists for opposing an all white cast when the producers and the director have stated repeatedly that they only picked the best persons for the job. However, they fail to see the real issue. There are so many talented Asian American actors out there, and rarely do we see an opportunity open up for them on the big screen. Most of the scripts written in Hollywood do not call for an Asian lead, but I feel Avatar had that potential. The discussion then becomes an argument over whether the main protagonist of the series was indeed Asian. Many feel because of the ambiguity of anime, the characters can be anything. Well then, my argument still holds. Never can an ethnic minority play a white man’s role, so when an ambiguous role comes along, why won’t you give the Asian man a chance?

Well in the end, the movie was a flop and I’m quite tired from bickering with people on these forums. Why are we targeting a single movie? Why do we not put more Asian Americans in power in the movie industry to increase our own representation?… But as it turns out, Asian Americans hold a good number of seats in the industry.

Quoting from Hollywood and Asians: Do we really need more Asian Americans In Positions of Power?:
“We’re our own worst enemies….We’re taught to assimilate, to not make waves, to be followers. Maybe once we’re allowed into that exclusive club, we wait to fit in so badly that we don’t want to give the impression that we’re favoring “our own,” sometimes to the point of going in the opposite direction and making an effort to reject our community.”

Maybe I’m going too far with this, but it does set up for quite a bit of discussion.