Microagression–subtle (some say) racist comments not “obvious” on the surface.


I am so sick of “well meaning”people making comments about my Asian American daughter. I am not talking about the obvious racial slurs (like “chink”, “slant eyes” or “Commie”–she was adopted from the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and her first language was Russian. Never mind that ethnic Kazakhs share a mixed Turkish-Mongolian ancestry, and my daughter comes from a primarily Turkish Ru (“tribe” to you non-PC worldly types).

When my daughter was 4 or 5, an unnamed “idiot” at my company picnic, who thankfully was fired as a poor performer soon after my chance meeting with him, began to tell me and a very uncomfortable group of coworkers held captive with by the “idiot” were spared no detail in hearing the “idiot” describe in graphic detail how he and his wife were unable to have their own “real” child (reaffirming my faith that genetics would see that the “idiot”‘s DNA would not be carried forward). With my adopted Asian American daughter sitting on my lap, I told him I didn’t understand his reference other than that it was a phrase used in Pinocchio and that I was very grateful MY DAUGHTER WAS REAL. Incapable of understanding my less-than-subtle-way to ask him to shut up, he asked scarcely before I finished, nodding down at my daughter, “How much did she cost?” After hearing about his financial woes for the first ten minutes of our pontoon ride, I told him based on his dire financial condition, he should contact me in 10-20 years if he was asking what I thought he was asking. Since my daughter and I conversed frequently in Russian, her first language, during the boat ride, I was, but should not have been when he asked me if she could speak Chinese when she was adopted at 18 months of age. At this point, I suggested that he save his questions for later, during a more appropriate tone (or, on reflection, I may have told him I was going to kick hiss ass if he opened his mouth again before we docked).

In any event, my daughter receives all the microaggression questions which are obviously racist, but cleverly concealed (or perceived as such by the questioner) on a daily basis and I certainly receive my share also–even from “friends” whom I am keenly aware no better.

Below is a link to a vey good Psychology Today article on microagression racism, its frequency and harm to the victims.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/microaggressions-in-everyday-life/201010/racial-microaggressions-in-everyday-life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feminist Kathy Groob’s Racist tweets about Kentucky essentially having NO ASIANS is a lose-lose situation


Kathy Groob got into a Twitter war arguing that Elaine Chao, the former labor secretary and wife of Republican US Senator Mitch McConnell, can’t possibly be from Kentucky, “because she’s Asian.”

That drew a firestorm on Twitter from folks who didn’t see the relationship between being from Kentucky and being Asian. One of Ms Groob’s many Anti-Kentucky and Anti-Asian American racist tweets (all of which she later deleted from her account), appears below.

In order to present an accurate portayal, I am including links to articles posted on a Kentucky television station (WHAS), an extremely conservative blog (fireandreamitchell.com) and an Asian American blog (AsAm News) to let you determine the appropriateness of Ms. Groob’s comments regarding Asian Americans and Kentucky (1) Kentucky has no Asians, and (2) Ms. Goob continues to openly express the widely held belief, despite her very liberal views, that Asian Americans, regardless of how many generations their ancestors have been American citizens “are really never fully American.”

I realize, of course, that politics often descend into the absurd and that Ms. Goob made her racist attacks because she disapproves of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnel (R, KY) (who is married to Asian American Elaine Chao–a citizen of both Kentucky and the United States) and I realize she did make an “apology” (though her “apology” was perhaps the weakest and least effective apology in modern political history). Ms. Goob’s comments, however, fall outside any sense of human decency, and continue to depict Asian Americans, depite their legal citizenship, as forever foreign and unwanted in their country of citizenship. Make no mistake, there is no doubt, whatsover, that Ms. Goob was well aware of Ms. Chao’s citizenship (in both Kentucky and the U.S.). If she is as involved in politics and feminism on the national scene as she claims, she would certainly know that Elaine Chao was the first Asian American women to be appointed to a U.S. President’s cabinet in American history, serving as the United States Secretary of Labor from 2001 to 2009. If Ms. Chao did not possess Asian features, I can only assume she would have been thumping her chest that a female served as Secretary of Labor (a Cabinet level position) for two full terms under a Republican President–but how could she celebrate a woman in such a high level position because thw woman “did not look like an American citizen, but looked instead like a massage parlor worker whom the poor, ignorant hillbillies populating Kentucky (including me, though I have an LL.M. degree from George Washington University and even have an “Asian” daughter) would surely not allow to live in their state. I guess I should receive my notice any day to report to an interment camp with my daughter).

Since Ms. Goob has announced to the world through social media that Ms. Chao can’t possibly live in Kentucky because of her Asian features, I guess, based on her logic, my 15 year-old Asian American daughter isn’t from Kentucky either since she was adopted from the Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan and has lived with and been a part of our Kentucky family since she was 18 months old. The good liberal, Ms. Groob, has helped perpetuate the myth that Americans with Asian features are somehow strange and different and will never be accepted as true Americans in the United States. Perhaps her point of view (which many claim is wholely within the domain of Conservative politics, though Ms. Groob has proven otherwise) is the reason that Asian teens are the most bullied racial group in the U.S. and also have the highest suicide rate.

I care very deeply about this subject of Asians being viewed and treated differently because the issue directly affects my ethnic Kaazakh daughter (both an Asian and Kentucky citizen, though in Ms. Groob’s world the two categories cannot co-exist). I also care because my Asian Kentucky citizen daughter was bullied (racially harassed and retaliated against) at her previous school based on her ethnicity, national origin, race and religion) while the school system at every level displayed an incredible deliberate indifference with regard to my many comlaints of her mistreatment. When people like Ms. Kroob spew their hatred on a national stage, there is a trickle down effect reminding all of white America that American citizens with Asian features are “not really” Americans and there is no need to allow them the same courtesy and conditions to which white people feel priviliged.

http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/2014/08/02/feminist-kathy-groob-tweets-deletes-racist-crack-against-asians/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FireAndreaMitchell+%28Fire+Andrea+Mitchell%21+Exposing+Liberal+bias+cause+the+MSM+doesn%27t+have+to.%29

http://www.whas11.com/community/blogs/political-blog/After-she-is-Asian-tweets-about-McConnells-wife-Dems-rebuke-operative-269676631.html

http://www.asamnews.com/2014/08/04/whas-democratic-operatives-tweet-about-elaine-chao-draws-rebuke/

 

 

 

 

 

Personality Tests: Fortune Cookie Analysis or Scientific Methodology?


 

I am typically typically not a big fan of personality tests (though unfortunately I have both taken and given them through teaching graduate classes and taking supervisory courses in connection with my profession. I have always felt they unfairly or too generously applied yet another stereotypical label–which we should be shattering rather than adding to the list of stereotypes. To me the tests were a combination of pseudoscience and fortune cookie analysis based on how the test-taker was feeling at the time he/she was tested.

However, the test described in the article, linked below, seemed slightly different, somehow better than the starched shirt Meyers-Briggs Personality Inventory, whose promoters took themselves, in my humble opinion, a bit too seriously. I will let you be the judge as to whether the personality test described below belongs in the Astrology/Horoscope category or the Science/Psychology category.

http://time.com/3074037/personality-quiz/

Do Personality Tests Tell Us Anything of Value?

Do Personality Tests Tell Us Anything of Value?

 

 

Slowly, but surely, the law recognizes bullying for what it is.


The article from the Education Law firm referenced below provides a very concise, but accurate picture of the general state of the law regarding bullying, as it now exists. Here's to hoping school administrators (not all of them, of course, because I've m

et some very good ones) spend more time in changing their school system's climate that tolerates (or, at times, instigates) the harassment of students from diverse cultures, and spend less time trying to protect those in their good old boy network and less time focusing on preserving the cronyism status quo. Adopting a curriculum that extolled the virtues of tolerance and the importance of diversity should be a top priority for all school administrators.

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/bullying-slowly-but-surely-the-law-rec-74663/

 

 

Jeremy Lin Gets Cheered Up by Friends in Sketch Comedy Bit


Jeremy Lin--genuine, "real" human being

Jeremy Lin–genuine, “real” human being

Jeremy Lin is an amazing guy, who, obviously doesn’t take himself too seriously–though he does so much good work that he refuses to publicize (including providing my Asian American daughter a surprise, unsolicited pep talk via a 30 minute video chat). He is a man who truly lives his faith and does so with great joy.

Jeremy Lin--genuine, "real" human being

Jeremy Lin–genuine, “real” human being

anthoang's avatarAsian Athletes Blog

Jeremy Lin is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, and he is wasting no time in going Hollywood.

via Jeremy Lin Gets Cheered Up by Friends in Sketch Comedy Bit | Bleacher Report.

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I knew when I was in Almaty, I saw many tall, beautiful, athletic Kazakh ladies, I just didn’t expect my daughter to ever grow up (and become one)


The article in the link below (and the images that follow) speaks for itself. The article appeared in the Huffington Post. Obviously, the picture of the basketball player (in and out of uniform) is my daughter, and the ugly guy in the one picture is her father (me).

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/27/sabina-altynbekova-beautiful-volleyball_n_5625530.html

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I knew when I was in Almaty, I saw many tall, beautiful, athletic Kazakh ladies, I just didn’t expect my daughter to ever grow up (and become one)


The article in the link below (and the images that follow) speaks for itself. The article appeared in the Huffington Post. Obviously, the picture of the basketball player (in and out of uniform) is my daughter, and the ugly guy in the one picture is her father (me).

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/27/sabina-altynbekova-beautiful-volleyball_n_5625530.html

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Bully describes why she “bullied” and her epiphany


Bully describes why she “bullied” and expresses remorse for her middle school actions In the link below from Upworthy–a fantastic collection of interesting videos on YouTube.

http://www.upworthy.com/she-confronted-her-bully-and-asked-one-question-now-the-bully-has-an-awesome-story-to-tell?c=upw1 

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5-foot-7 Japanese PG Yuki Togashi to enter NBA D-League draft


Mavs double-down: Sign a forward and fall for 5-foot-7 Japanese PG Togashi « NBA.com | Hang Time Blog with Sekou SmithI hope Jeremy Lin has paved the way for this up and coming Asian basketball star my be spared many of the ethnic slurs hurled at Jeremy Lin. BUT MOST OF ALL (for the sake of my Asian American, basketball-playing daughter), I HOPE THE OUTRAGEOUS STEREOTYPE/MYTH THAT “ASIANS CANNOT PLAY BASKETBALL” can finally be purged for good from the American consciensciousness along with the ridiculous stereotypes of drunken Irishmen and watermelon-loving African Americans.

anthoang's avatarAsian Athletes Blog

Mavs double-down: Sign a forward and fall for 5-foot-7 Japanese PG Togashi « NBA.com | Hang Time Blog with Sekou Smith

The other half of this dreams-can-come-true Mavs summer is 5-foot-7 Japanese point guard Yuki Togashi. The 20-year-old’s combo of stature, speed, instincts and fearlessness instantly made him a fan favorite over the past week, although not quite to the level of another Mavs Summer League point guard sensation a few years ago, a guy named Jeremy Lin.

Of course Togashi’s size, quick-twitch style and terrific ability to run the pick-and-roll is more similar to yet another great Dallas Summer League find, the diminutive J.J. Barea. Now with Minnesota, the 5-foot-9 Barea developed into a steady, change-of-pace backup point guard for the Mavs and even started in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Togashi’s dream is to play in the NBA and said Friday that he will follow that dream and enter the D-League draft in the fall. His other option is to return to Japan’s pro league and take home…

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Bullying will never end at some schools because it is an effective, but terribly cruel way to protect the administrators and their cronies


The link below shows another superintendent rambling about his school days as both victim and bully and both the shame and guilt he continues to experience. Other than currying favor with those families with family members who have been victimized AND with those whose family members engage in the victimization, what does his article say? Yes–bullying hurts many people. Yes–the effects of bullying lasts into adulthood. But now that he holds a position in which he could effectuate REAL CHANGE, what has he done or what steps, if any, has he considered to STOP or implement to mitigate the effects of the victims and hold the bullies responsible for those actions he considers so heinous.

http://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/12310939-113/bullying-bus-signs-person

 

His rhetoric is, quite bluntly, what WE DO NOT NEED to effectuate real changes to stop the bullying in our schools–not some maudlin, reflective piece by a school administrator perfectly balanced to maintain perched atop the fence, straddling both sides.