Violence against Asians is on the rise, hate crimes are up 1900%. And I also don't care how so-called 'pc' reporting Asian hate crimes is. It's very obviously anti-black. Every time Asian-Americans are on the news it's always oriented towards how good they conform to white society. You don't hear about the pain and suffering Asian people have to go through and this leaves ingredients for reactionary behavior. A news reporter referred to Black people as 'the Blacks' the other day. If you look at twitter, reddit, and tiktok comments, there are tons of trolls, the ignorant, and reactionaries stirring up trouble.

A lot of comments from both communities are, "where were asians/blacks when tragedy xyz happened?" A better question is, how come there's a lack of coverage of when both communities come together since the 60s? The media is pitting both communities against each other to cover up the fact that America has failed Black people in all facets of life, and to cover up for its lack of covid-19 prevention.

  • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Thank you for your very thoughtful reply. I'm really happy that we could share our thoughts and experiences with each other in the spirit of solidarity.

    I also absolutely hate how the media and some members of the Asian community have claimed certain recent incidents as ammunition for their racist anti-black crusade. I do my best to push back whenever I can, but sometimes that's just not enough. My hope is that more and more Asians will start to realize over time that this anti-Asian sentiment, even in its recent more extreme form, is only a small taste of the hardships black folks have had to endure for centuries.

    Regarding BLM, I now understand why coat tail riding is in bad taste and how it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. To be honest, I'd love for my community to come up with its own slogans and movements. After all, theres no need to play into the stereotype that we Asians lack creativity.

    Speaking of stereotypes, I can definitely understand how the stereotypes white society attaches to us can seem attractive. But like you've also already pointed out, those sterotypes are all illusory prisons that come with massive dark sides. Sure, people might think we're smart, but they also think we're calculators who can't lead or create. Sure, they might think Asian women are attractive (but not men, or any darker skinned women), but that comes with yellow fever and China-doll fetishization (and the horrific domestic abuse that often leads to). Sure, people might think we're rich, but often that just paints a target on our backs and makes people unsympathetic to true suffering.

    On the other hand, theres also many things I admire about the black community. You have leaders and movements that we have steadily failed to cultivate for decades. You were the driving force behind civil rights and standing up to white supremacy. You managed to defy the odds and win acceptance as part of the American cultural mileau and refused to languish in obscurity. As for sterotypes, I'm an Asian guy, so I've also imagined what it would be like for people to assume I'm cool, good at sports, and have a big dick. The point I'm trying to (crassly) make is that at this point we can probably both tell that this is a case of the grass being greener on the other side.

    I suppose in the end, both of our groups have our struggles under white supremacist capitalism. I have no doubt that the black struggle is more arduous than mine, but I still want the wider world to acknowledge the struggles of vulnerable sections of the Asian community (especially the elderly who are being targeted in recent attacks). Still, I remain firm in my belief that there is no other way forward except solidarity between all working peoples, so I'm glad we could have this conversation.