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The paper quoted Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta as saying no discipline was planned because it wouldn't resolve racial tensions on campus.

YmoBeThere wrote:This edited caption from a picture in the article says it all, "Promotions for the party included depictions of stereotyped Asian speech and a spoof of the late North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il"

bluebutton wrote:I am Asian, born and raised in Virginia.

There are two levels on which I'm offended. First, if you look at the linked Chronicle article in the article posted http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/du ... -criticism, you'll see some pics from the party. It's one thing to have a tasteful Asian themed party, it's a different thing to wear rice paddy hats and sumo thongs. It's not an Asians-are-an-interesting-people-with-aesthetics-to-be-admired attitude. I have Anglo friends at church who wear traditional Asian clothes, but these were sent from a sibling who now lives there and they are RenFaire people. That's kind of their thing. They wear the stuff from times and places they are interested in. It's a very different attitude. Instead the party portrays Asians as these weird people who speak weird and dress funny. At the least, there is an other-ness aspect but arguably, it's just disrespectful.

And the second level of offense comes from this: could the same frat conceive of throwing a black-face, slavery party? Or a holocaust party? Maybe, but to my mind that's less likely. And that offends me too. Between the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Japanese internment, American history has some seriously ugly patches regarding Asian looking people. I, personally, do not want to be tip-toed around the way I feel some do around blacks and Jews. But I'm also sensitive to the fact that people do tip toe around other racial/ethnic groups in a way they do not with Asians. To me that speaks to the ongoing lack of acceptance of Asians as potential Americans in the way that Italians and Germans were once not accepted but today are well within the bounds of "American".

Hope that helps, Tilly. It's actually really hard to offend me. But the boneheadedness of this party was really kind of stunning. I've heard there's this new thing where hipsters can be racist because they're so tolerant it's ironic to be racist. That's the best spin I can put on this.

TillyGalore wrote:
Bluebutton, thank you for your response it does help. I have a few follow-up questions, they are not meant to criticize or belittle your points, to to point out the inconsistencies with society.

You feel it is disrespectful to wear rice paddy hats and sumo thongs to a party, though both are worn by Asians in Asia, granted the rice paddy hats more so than the sumo thongs.

Generally, they aren't worn to parties, they are functional for those that wear them. I'm never seen a relative of mine wear either. But then none of my relatives work in a rice paddy nor practice sumo. At least the one's I've met.

As someone of Irish descent and Catholic, it bothers me that St. Patrick's day is promoted as day to drink beer and get drunk. St. Patrick's day is a holiday in Ireland, or it used to be but it is so secularized that even they don't honor it the same way they used to, to celebrate St. Patrick for a) pushing the snakes out of Ireland (folklore) and b) introducing Christianity to Ireland. I've seen people of a variety races wearing Irish gear on St. Patrick's day, including "Kiss me I'm Irish" pins. To me the Irish now look like drunks and easy. Why is there no outrage there? For a long time the Irish were consider second class here in the states. Often times in the late 19th and early 20th century you would see signs in windows reading "NINA" - no Irish need apply.

Why don't Irish groups speak out about this? Or are they on some level profiting from this? At least some among the Irish community? This creates a very different scenario than what occurred at the party.

I would imagine, though I cannot and should not speak for Mexicans, that they may feel disrespected on Cinco de Mayo day. There are advertisements galore around May 5th to have beer and other alcoholic beverages at your local restaurant to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Do those guzzling down said drinks even know the significance of Cinco de Mayo?

Same questions and comment from above.

CathyCA wrote:I'm not Asian, but what I saw as offensive was the stereotyped Asian speech, "Herro Nice Duke Peopre" on the invitation to the party. Clearly, this was a swipe at Asian people.

This is very different than a party which celebrates a culture by offering up the culture's food, drink and music, and I think that the kids who threw the party must have known that their party theme was going to piss some people off.

windsor wrote:

CathyCA wrote:I'm not Asian, but what I saw as offensive was the stereotyped Asian speech, "Herro Nice Duke Peopre" on the invitation to the party. Clearly, this was a swipe at Asian people.

This is very different than a party which celebrates a culture by offering up the culture's food, drink and music, and I think that the kids who threw the party must have known that their party theme was going to piss some people off.

Absolutely!

If those of Irish or Mexican or German heritage are offended by holidays or stereotypical potrayals they need to speak up. I reject completely the notion that if Octoberfest makes all Germans look like drunks and that is apparently 'ok' it should also be OK to imply that all Asians wear rice paddy hats, bow incessantly and say 'Herro'.

...and Maxine is my hero. I want to BE Maxine when I grow up.


... I am 1/2 Hungarian - the other half is Dutch/German/English with a dash of Swedish thrown in. Take your best shot

CameronBornAndBred wrote:

windsor wrote:[... I am 1/2 Hungarian - the other half is Dutch/German/English with a dash of Swedish thrown in. Take your best shot

That is 5 halves. Apparently Hungarians suck at math.

windsor wrote:

CameronBornAndBred wrote:

windsor wrote:[... I am 1/2 Hungarian - the other half is Dutch/German/English with a dash of Swedish thrown in. Take your best shot

That is 5 halves. Apparently Hungarians suck at math.

Two words...first word sounds like "duck"

windsor wrote:

CathyCA wrote:I'm not Asian, but what I saw as offensive was the stereotyped Asian speech, "Herro Nice Duke Peopre" on the invitation to the party. Clearly, this was a swipe at Asian people.

This is very different than a party which celebrates a culture by offering up the culture's food, drink and music, and I think that the kids who threw the party must have known that their party theme was going to piss some people off.

Absolutely!

If those of Irish or Mexican or German heritage are offended by holidays or stereotypical potrayals they need to speak up. I reject completely the notion that if Octoberfest makes all Germans look like drunks and that is apparently 'ok' it should also be OK to imply that all Asians wear rice paddy hats, bow incessantly and say 'Herro'.

...and Maxine is my hero. I want to BE Maxine when I grow up.


... I am 1/2 Hungarian - the other half is Dutch/German/English with a dash of Swedish thrown in. Take your best shot