♪ ♪
NO
>> John: HI THERE!
WELCOME TO THE SHOW, STILL
TAKING PLACE IN THIS BLANK VOID,
WHICH I'VE NICKNAMED
"HENRY KISSINGER" BECAUSE
IT'S WHITE, DEEPLY UNPLEASANT,
AND AT THIS POINT,
I'M JUST MAD IT'S STILL AROUND.
IT'S BEEN ANOTHER BUSY WEEK.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU LOOKS LIKE
HE MAY HAVE LOST POWER,
ANTHONY FAUCI'S EMAILS WERE
RELEASED, AND THE WHITE HOUSE
PARTNERED WITH ANHEUSER-BUSCH
TO OFFER FREE BEER TO
INCENTIVIZE VACCINES.
AND "REWARDING YOU WITH BEER"
REALLY CEMENTS JOE BIDEN'S
STATUS AS "AMERICA'S UNCLE WHO
PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE LEFT IN
CHARGE."
BUT AS THE VACCINATION ROLLOUT
CONTINUES IN THE UNITED STATES,
AND LIFE SLOWLY RETURNS TO
NORMAL, IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING
MANY OTHER COUNTRIES ARE STILL
VERY MUCH IN THE GRIPS
OF THIS PANDEMIC.
TAKE THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHICH
IS CURRENTLY PLANNING TO FULLY
REOPEN LATER THIS MONTH, EVEN AS
EXPERTS WARN A POTENTIAL THIRD
WAVE OF COVID MAY BE UNDER WAY.
DEMAND IS ALSO GROWING THERE FOR
A PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO
BORIS JOHNSON'S MISMANAGEMENT
OF THE PANDEMIC, FOLLOWING
TESTIMONY IN A COMMITTEE HEARING
LAST WEEK FROM FORMER
TOP ADVISOR AND "SMUG MOBY,"
DOMINIC CUMMINGS.
HE REVEALED A CHILLING MOMENT
FROM LAST MARCH, WHEN TOP
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS REALIZED
JUST HOW BADLY THE PANDEMIC
PLANNING HAD BEEN BOTCHED.
>> AT THIS POINT, THE SECOND
MOST POWERFUL OFFICIAL IN THE
COUNTRY -- HELEN MacNAMARA IS
THE DEPUTY CABINET SECRETARY --
SHE WALKED INTO THE OFFICE.
SHE SAYS, "I'VE JUST BEEN
TALKING TO THE OFFICIAL MARK
SWEENEY, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF
COORDINATING WITH
THE DEPARTMENT FOR HEALTH.
HE SAID, QUOTE, "I'VE BEEN TOLD
FOR YEARS THAT THERE IS
A WHOLE PLAN FOR THIS.
THERE IS NO PLAN.
WE'RE IN HUGE TROUBLE."
HELEN MacNAMARA SAID,
"I'VE COME THROUGH HERE TO THE
PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE TO TELL
YOU ALL, QUOTE, 'I THINK WE ARE
ABSOLUTELY FUCKED.'"
>> John: WOW.
"THERE IS NO PLAN.
WE'RE IN HUGE TROUBLE.
I THINK WE'RE ABSOLUTELY
FUCKED."
YOU DO NOT EXPECT TO HEAR AN
ASSESSMENT THAT GRIM UNLESS
IT'S FROM THE TEAM BEHIND
THE FYRE FESTIVAL,
OR WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY.
HI THERE, NEW BUSINESS DADDY!
JUST CHECKING IN TO SAY I LOVE
THE CORPORATE LOGO YOU DROPPED
THIS WEEK!
IT LOOKS LIKE THE OPENING TITLE
OF "THE SIMPSONS" IF THE FONT
WERE NOT FOUND.
AND QUICK NOTE: "THE STUFF THAT
DREAMS ARE MADE OF" IS A QUOTE
FROM "THE MALTESE FALCON," ABOUT
HOW THE THING THAT SEEMED LIKE A
PRICELESS TREASURE WAS ACTUALLY
NO
WORTHLESS GARBAGE THAT BROUGHT
CHAOS AND DESPAIR TO EVERYONE
AROUND IT.
ANYWAY, GOOD LUCK WITH THE
MERGER, I'M SURE EVERYTHING'S
GONNA GO GREAT!
BUT THE TRUTH IS, AS BAD AS THE
DETAILS OF CUMMINGS' TESTIMONY
WERE, THE U.K.'S COVID RESPONSE
PALES NEXT TO THAT OF
BRAZIL'S.
PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO HAS
BEEN A SPECTACULAR FAILURE,
WITH THE COUNTRY RECORDING
OVER 1.9 MILLION NEW CASES
IN THE PAST MONTH ALONE.
AND BRAZILIANS ARE
UNDERSTANDABLY FED UP,
STAGING PROTESTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK.
>> DEMONSTRATORS WANT HIS
GOVERNMENT TO ACCOUNT FOR
THE NEGLIGENCE IN PURCHASING
VACCINES AFTER TRYING TO LEAD
BRAZIL TOWARDS HERD IMMUNITY.
NO
>> Translator: BRAZILIAN PEOPLE
ALWAYS GOT VACCINATED.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST
COUNTRY WITH THE WHOLE
POPULATION VACCINATED.
INSTEAD WE SEE SUCH
IRRESPONSIBILITY.
>> John: THAT WOMAN MAKES A
GREAT POINT, DESPITE WEARING
WHAT I ASSUME BIOLOGISTS USE TO
DISGUISE THEMSELVES WHILE
WATCHING CROCODILES FUCK.
THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT IS IN
THE MIDST OF AN INQUIRY INTO ITS
OWN NEGLIGENCE, AND IT HAS
UNCOVERED SOME BOMBSHELLS --
INCLUDING THAT LAST AUGUST,
PFIZER REPEATEDLY OFFERED
BRAZIL'S HEALTH MINISTRY
70 MILLION DOSES OF THE VACCINE
IT WAS DEVELOPING, BUT THE
COMPANY "GOT NO ANSWER."
NO
AND COME ON, BRAZIL.
YOU CAN'T GHOST PFIZER.
THEY'RE A COMPANY THAT WAS
OFFERING YOU A POTENTIALLY
LIFESAVING VACCINE.
NOT A FRUITARIAN
ENTREPRENEUR-SLASH-POET YOU MET
ON OKCUPID.
IN THAT CASE, ABSOLUTELY HIT
"IGNORE."
AND THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE
SURPRISING GIVEN HOW PUBLICLY
DISMISSIVE BOLSONARO'S BEEN OF
THE VACCINES.
NO
THAT WOMAN'S CROCODILE HAT
WASN'T JUST SHOWCASING HER
ABILITY TO SERVE LOOKS THAT
NO
ARE EXUBERANT WITHOUT BEING
OBNOXIOUS.
SHE WAS MAKING AN EXPLICIT
REFERENCE TO A SHITTY JOKE
BOLSONARO TOLD, ABOUT HOW
COMPANIES WOULDN'T TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR VACCINE
SIDE EFFECTS.
>> IF YOU TURN INTO A CROCODILE,
IT'S YOUR PROBLEM.
IF YOU TURN INTO SUPERMAN,
IF A WOMAN GROWS A BEARD OR A
MAN STARTS SPEAKING IN A HIGH
VOICE, THEY WANT NOTHING TO DO
WITH IT.
>> John: OKAY, THAT'S ALL
COMPLETE BULLSHIT, BUT IF I MAY
JUST ADDRESS HIS INSINUATION
THAT "IF THE VACCINE TURNS YOU
INTO A CROCODILE, THAT'S YOUR
PROBLEM."
HONEY, NO.
IF YOU TURN INTO A CROCODILE,
IT'S YOUR SOLUTION.
NO
CROCODILES ARE INCREDIBLE
SWIMMERS, THEY CAN SEE AT NIGHT,
AND INSTEAD OF SWEATING THEY DO
SOMETHING CALLED "MOUTH GAPING"
THAT LOOKS A LITTLE LIKE THIS.
AND THINK HOW MUCH EMBARRASSMENT
THAT WOULD SAVE YOU
ON A HOT DAY!
NO PIT STAINS ON YOU, BUDDY.
JUST MOUTH OPEN, DICK OUT,
SWIMMING THROUGH LIFE
WITHOUT A CARE.
BECAUSE -- THANK FUCKING GOD --
YOU'RE A CROCODILE.
AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THIS NEW
INQUIRIES WITH BRAZIL'S DEATH
RATES, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT
57% OF BRAZILIANS BACK HIS
IMPEACHMENT.
NOT ONLY IS HE BACKING DOWN,
JUST THIS WEEK, HE APPROVED THIS
WEEK.
>> THE COUNTRY WITH THE WORLD'S
SECOND LARGEST COVID-19
DEATH TOLL WILL HOST
THE COPA AMERICA, WELCOMING
SOUTH AMERICAN TEAMS FOR A
FOUR-WEEK FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT.
>> John: YEAH!
BRAZIL IS SUDDENLY HOSTING A
MASSIVE SOCCER TOURNAMENT ON
JUST 13 DAYS' NOTICE.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED
TO BE IN ARGENTINA, BUT IT WAS
CANCELED DUE TO COVID RATES.
AND YET DESPITE THAT, BOLSONARO
-- WHOSE COUNTRY'S RATES ARE
SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER -- IS NOW
CHOOSING TO HOST A TOURNAMENT
ONE SENATOR HAS DUBBED
"THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF DEATH,"
AND WHICH HAS INSPIRED MEMES
LIKE THIS TO MAKE THE ROUNDS
IN BRAZIL.
AND I WILL SAY, THAT IS A PRETTY
CHEERFUL LITTLE COFFIN.
IT LOOKS LIKE CLIPPY THE
PAPERCLIP POPPING UP TO ASK YOU,
"IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO
HOLD A SOCCER TOURNAMENT WHILE
YOUR COUNTRY'S DEATH TOLL IS
SKY HIGH.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOT FUCKING
DO THAT?"
AND LOOK, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
BRAZIL SHOULD BE A WARNING
FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE IF VACCINE
MISINFORMATION CONTINUES TO
SPREAD, AND VARIANTS CONTINUE
TO EMERGE, THE WHOLE WORLD COULD
REMAIN IN TROUBLE FOR A VERY
LONG TIME.
IN FACT, DESPITE HOW
COMPARATIVELY WELL THINGS SEEM
TO BE GOING RIGHT NOW IN THE
U.S., IF WE DON'T ACTIVELY HELP
GET THIS VIRUS UNDER CONTROL
GLOBALLY, THEN TO QUOTE A FORMER
TOP U.K. OFFICIAL:
>> I THINK WE ARE ABSOLUTELY
FUCKED.
>> John: EXACTLY.
AND NOW, THIS.
♪ ♪
>> Announcer: AND NOW...
PEOPLE ON TV LOSE THEIR SHIT
OVER THE PHRASE HOT VAX SUMMER.
>> THE HOT VAX SUMMER, THAT IS
WHAT THEY ARE CALLING IT.
I CAN'T MAKE THIS UP.
>> LAST SUMMER WAS HOT GIRL
SUMMER.
THEY DO SUBSTITUTED THAT WORD.
>> ALL VAXXED, NO PLACE TO GO?
THE HOT VAX SUMMER.
>> HOT VAX SUMMER.
>> HOT VAX SUMMER IN THE STUDY.
>> NO!
>> TO PLAY ON THE HOT GIRL
SUMMER.
>> THREE WORDS.
HOT VAX SUMMER.
SO CONSUMERS ARE READY TO
SPEND --
[LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY.
>> HOT VAX SUMMER.
I AM TELLING YOU.
[LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I DON'T KNOW.
[LAUGHTER]
>> OKAY, JAN.
[LAUGHTER]
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> I WILL BORROW THAT, CHARLES,
I LOVE THAT PHILOSOPHY.
IT IS GOING TO BE A HOT VAX
SUMMER.
[LAUGHTER]
>> ALL RIGHT.
♪ ♪
>> John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
ASIAN-AMERICANS.
A GROUP THAT CURRENTLY MAKES UP
AROUND 7% OF THE U.S.
POPULATION, AND IS ACTUALLY
THE FASTEST GROWING RACIAL
GROUP, AND YET DESPITE THAT,
ASIAN-AMERICANS CAN SOMETIMES BE
ODDLY OVERLOOKED.
A RECENT SURVEY ASKED
RESPONDENTS TO SIMPLY NAME A
WELL-KNOWN ASIAN-AMERICAN, AND
THE RESULTS WERE NOT GOOD.
>> 42% OF PEOPLE SAID THEY DON'T
KNOW ONE.
THE NEXT MOST POPULAR ANSWERS
WERE JACKIE CHAN, WHO'S FROM
HONG KONG, AND BRUCE LEE, WHO
DIED IN 1973.
>> John: OH, COME ON.
NO DISRESPECT TO JACKIE CHAN AND
BRUCE LEE, BUT THAT'S
EMBARRASSING EVEN BEFORE YOU
CONSIDER THE POLL WAS CONDUCTED
WHILE KAMALA HARRIS -- WHO IS
ASIAN-AMERICAN -- WAS
VICE PRESIDENT.
HOW DO YOU FUCK UP A QUESTION
THAT EASY?
IT'D BE LIKE ASKING AMERICANS TO
NAME A "WELL-KNOWN JOE," AND
GETTING BACK "WHAT'S JOE,"
"JOHN KRASINSKI," AND
"JOE MILLIONAIRE."
IT IS PRETTY CLEAR MANY IN THIS
COUNTRY DON'T SEEM TO KNOW MUCH
ABOUT THE HISTORIES OR
EXPERIENCES OF ASIAN-AMERICANS.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT
EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED
IN RECENT YEARS, IT'S OFTEN BEEN
IN A TRAGIC CONTEXT, SUCH AS
KILLINGS OR MASS SHOOTINGS,
OR RACISM AROUND THE CORONAVIRUS
TRIGGERING VERBAL AND PHYSICAL
ATTACKS IN THE STREET, AS WELL
AS THE KIND OF IDIOCY THAT
FORCED LOCAL NEWS TO PRODUCE
PIECES LIKE, "NO, YOU CAN'T GET
CORONAVIRUS BY EATING CHINESE
FOOD."
BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU FUCKING
CAN'T.
YOU'RE ABOUT AS LIKELY TO GET
CORONAVIRUS FROM EATING
CHINESE FOOD AS YOU ARE TO GET
CHICKEN POX FROM EATING KFC.
THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND
IT'S ALARMING ANYONE THOUGHT IT
MIGHT.
AND ALL OF THIS HAS HIGHLIGHTED
THE NEED FOR US TO HAVE A
LONG-OVERDUE, BETTER-INFORMED
CONVERSATION ABOUT THE WAY THIS
COUNTRY REGARDS ASIAN-AMERICANS.
AND BEFORE WE START, I FULLY
RECOGNIZE, THE HISTORY OF
WHITE PEOPLE ON TV GENERALIZING
CONFIDENTLY ABOUT THIS SUBJECT
ISN'T GREAT -- SOMETIMES MAKING
STATEMENTS THAT ARE OFFENSIVE
EVEN WHEN THEY THINK THEY'RE
BEING COMPLIMENTARY, LIKE THIS
IDEA THAT'S COME UP CONSTANTLY:
>> THEY'VE WORKED THEIR WAY PAST
COLUMN As AND COLUMN Bs,
PAST NO STARCH PLEASE,
TO BECOME OUR NATION'S
MODEL MINORITY.
LISTEN TO THE NUMBERS.
MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME, HIGHER FOR
ASIANS THAN FOR WHITES.
>> ONCE AGAIN, SUPER ACHIEVING
ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE
BECOMING A PHENOMENON.
>> THEY ARE OVERACHIEVERS DRIVEN
TO EXCEL BY TRADITION.
>> THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF
ASIAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE SO
NOTABLE THAT IN SOME COLLEGES,
STUDENTS WARN EACH OTHER THAT
IF THEY END UP IN A CLASS WITH A
LOT OF ORIENTAL FACES, GET OUT.
THE GRADING CURVE, THEY SAY,
WILL GO OUT OF SIGHT.
>> John: WOW.
THAT IS JARRING TO HEAR,
ESPECIALLY WHEN DELIVERED WITH
SUCH A WEIRD COMBINATION OF
AMUSED SELF-SATISFACTION AND
TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE SOURCING.
"I WAS EAVESDROPPING ON SOME
TEENS LAST WEEK, AND I HEARD ONE
OF THEM SAY "NEVER SHARE A CAB
WITH A BLACK PERSON."
JUST THOUGHT I'D PASS THAT
ALONG, THIS HAS BEEN, FOR SOME
REASON, THE NEWS."
BUT THAT IDEA -- THAT
"ASIAN-AMERICANS ARE A MODEL
MINORITY" -- HAS BEEN AS
PERSISTENT AS IT IS PROBLEMATIC.
SO TONIGHT, WE THOUGHT WE'D TRY
AND UNPACK BOTH PARTS OF THIS
SENTENCE.
AND LET'S START WITH THE FIRST
HALF: ASIAN-AMERICANS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SPEND
MOST OF OUR TIME ON THIS TERM,
BECAUSE IT'S HAVING TO DO A LOT
OF WORK.
IT ENCOMPASSES A VAST GROUP WHO
CAN TRACE THEIR HERITAGE BACK
TO MORE THAN 20 COUNTRIES
COVERING A HUGE AMOUNT OF
THE WORLD'S LAND MASS,
FROM MONGOLIA TO INDONESIA
TO PAKISTAN TO JAPAN.
AND EVEN SOME WHO FALL UNDER THE
TERM "ASIAN-AMERICAN" -- OR THE
BROADER "AAPI," WHICH INCLUDES
PACIFIC ISLANDERS -- FEEL IT
MAY NOT FIT THEM, OR THAT THE
BROADNESS OF THE CATEGORY MEANS
THEIR EXPERIENCES GET ERASED.
>> PEOPLE ASSOCIATE ASIAN WITH
EAST ASIAN.
>> FILIPINOS AREN'T SO MUCH
DISMISSED, THEY'RE JUST
OVERLOOKED JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE
NOT AS POPULAR WITHIN, AT LEAST
THE AMERICAN CULTURE.
>> SOMETIMES I WILL IDENTITY AS
ASIAN, BUT THEN OTHER INDIAN
PEOPLE DON'T IDENTIFY AS ASIAN.
>> "WHY ARE YOU CONSIDERED
ASIAN, YOU'RE IN THE PACIFIC
ISLANDER, WOULDN'T YOU BE
CONSIDERED MORE HAWAIIAN?"
AND I'M LIKE, NOT REALLY?
>> John: YEAH, THE TERM
"ASIAN-AMERICAN" APPLIES TO A
RIDICULOUSLY LARGE AND DIVERSE
GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND THERE IS CLEARLY NOT GOING
TO BE ENOUGH TIME TO DISCUSS
EVERYONE WHO SUPPOSEDLY FITS
UNDER THAT UMBRELLA IN THIS
PIECE, EVEN THOUGH I DO INTEND
TO TALK VERY FAST.
SO APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE TO
ALL 127 MALDIVIAN-AMERICANS.
I PROMISE I'LL MAKE IT UP TO MY
ONE MALDIVIAN-AMERICAN FAN IN
THE FUTURE.
I'M SERIOUS, KAREEM -- STAY WITH
ME, TRUST ME ON THIS,
YOU WILL BE SEEN.
BUT THE FACT THE TERM
"ASIAN-AMERICAN" IS SO
INCREDIBLY BROAD ISN'T AN
ACCIDENT -- IT WAS KIND OF
THE POINT FROM THE START.
BECAUSE IT WAS FIRST COINED IN
THE LATE 1960s BY ASIAN-AMERICAN
STUDENT ACTIVISTS IN CALIFORNIA,
WHO WENT ON STRIKE ALONGSIDE
BLACK, HISPANIC, AND
NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS
TO DEMAND AN ETHNIC STUDIES
CURRICULUM.
>> IN THOSE DAYS, THE TERM
"ASIAN-AMERICAN" DIDN'T EXIST.
WE WERE ALL ORIENTALS.
IN 1968, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
THAT I HEARD THE TERM
ASIAN-AMERICANS.
>> ASIAN-AMERICANS ENCOMPASSES
EVERYBODY.
I THOUGHT, WOW, THAT'S
SOMETHING.
PEOPLE ARE FINALLY STARTING TO
REALIZE THAT WE WEAR OUR RACE ON
OUR FACE.
>> John: IT'S TRUE.
UNDER A SYSTEM OF WHITE
SUPREMACY, WE DO TEND TO
WEAR OUR RACE ON OUR FACE.
MY FACE, FOR EXAMPLE, IS
CURRENTLY WEARING DOWN MARKET
VINTAGE COLONIAL CASUAL.
I'D CHANGE INTO SOMETHING A
LITTLE LESS IMPERIAL IF I COULD,
BUT I CAN'T, SO INSTEAD I WEAR
THESE GLASSES.
FOR THOSE ACTIVISTS, THE TERM
"ASIAN-AMERICAN" WAS AN ATTEMPT
TO UNITE A MASSIVELY DIFFUSE
COMMUNITY IN SOLIDARITY, THUS
INCREASING THEIR POWER, AND,
CRUCIALLY, FORCING THEIR
UNIVERSITIES TO DEVOTE RESOURCES
TO MAKING SURE THE HISTORIES OF
ALL THEIR COMMUNITIES WERE
ACTUALLY TAUGHT.
IT WAS A POLITICAL TERM, A
RADICAL REDEFINITION AT THE
TIME.
BUT IT'S SINCE BECOME A COMMON
SHORTHAND THAT CAN,
UNFORTUNATELY, END UP BEING USED
IN A WAY THAT IS FAR TOO
REDUCTIVE AND SUPERFICIAL,
TO THE POINT WHERE AN OLD
GOVERNMENT PSA FELT THE NEED TO
MAKE A PRETTY OBVIOUS STATEMENT.
>> PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK ME HOW I
LIKE AMERICA.
MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS BORN
HERE.
LIKE MOST AMERICANS, WE'VE BEEN
AMERICAN FOR A LONG TIME.
SOME OF US FOLLOW ASIAN
TRADITION.
MY FAMILY IS APPLE PIE AMERICAN.
MINI BIKES, FOOTBALL,
ROCK GUITAR.
ALL ASIAN-AMERICANS ARE NO MORE
ALIKE THAN ANY OTHER KIND OF
AMERICAN.
WE DON'T ALL LOOK ALIKE, DO WE?
>> WELL, DO WE?
>> John: THE FUCK?
GOVERNMENT MONEY PAID FOR THAT?
EVEN THIS KID HAS A SMIRK THAT
SAYS "FUCKING WHITE PEOPLE."
ALTHOUGH, I'LL ADMIT, THE WRITER
OF THAT PSA DEFINING
"APPLE PIE AMERICAN" AS
"MINI BIKES, FOOTBALL,
ROCK GUITAR" IS MAGNIFICENT.
IT SHOULD BE THE OATH OF
CITIZENSHIP.
YOU PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR
HEART, SAY "MINI BIKES,
FOOTBALL, ROCK GUITAR,"
AND THEN YOU NEVER RIDE
A REGULAR-SIZED BIKE AGAIN.
WHY?
BECAUSE YOU'RE AN "AMERICAN"
NOW.
AND OBVIOUSLY, RECOGNIZING THE
DIVERSITY OF ASIAN-AMERICANS IS
ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN SIMPLY
RECOGNIZING THOSE THREE CHILDREN
HAVE THREE DIFFERENT FACES.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN DANGERS
OF TREATING ASIAN-AMERICANS
AS A SINGLE ENTITY IS THAT IT
OBSCURES THE REALITY OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING FOR THE DIFFERENT
SUBGROUPS INSIDE IT.
FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT 10% OF
ASIAN-AMERICANS LIVE IN POVERTY,
WHICH IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE
OVERALL U.S. POVERTY RATE.
BUT WHEN YOU DISAGGREGATE THE
DATA -- WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN
BY SUBGROUP -- YOU START TO SEE
A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED
SITUATION, WITH MONGOLIAN AND
BURMESE-AMERICANS HAVING A
POVERTY RATE OF 25%, MORE THAN
TWICE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION,
WHILE AROUND 75% OF
INDIAN-AMERICANS HAVE A
BACHELOR'S DEGREE -- WELL ABOVE
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE -- FOR
BHUTANESE-AMERICANS, THAT FIGURE
IS JUST 15%, WHICH IS WELL
BELOW IT.
THE POINT IS, DISAGGREGATING THE
DATA CAN REVEAL BIG DISPARITIES
YOU COULDN'T SEE PREVIOUSLY.
LOOKING AT AVERAGES FOR
ASIAN-AMERICANS AS A WHOLE IS
LIKE LOOKING AT THE AVERAGE
INCOME OF THE HEMSWORTH
BROTHERS.
IT'S VERY MISLEADING WHEN WE ALL
KNOW SOME HEMS ARE WORTH A LOT
MORE THAN OTHER HEMS ARE WORTH.
AND LOOK, USING THE TERM
"ASIAN-AMERICANS" TO REPRESENT
A POLITICAL COALITION MADE
SENSE, AND STILL DOES,
TO SOME EXTENT.
BUT A COALITION IS NOT A
MONOLITH.
AND TO START TO UNDERSTAND SOME
OF THE PRESENT-DAY DIFFERENCES
HERE, IT REALLY HELPS TO
UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES IN
WHEN, AND HOW, PEOPLE CAME TO
THIS COUNTRY.
AND YOU CAN BREAK DOWN THOSE
EXPERIENCES INTO A FEW BROAD
CATEGORIES, STARTING WITH THOSE
WHO ARRIVED EARLIER, IN THE
19TH CENTURY AND THE FIRST HALF
OF THE 20TH.
ASIAN IMMIGRATION IN THAT TIME
WAS ESSENTIALLY A CYCLE OF
ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION FOLLOWED
BY A VIOLENT AND RESTRICTIVE
BACKLASH.
THIS BEGAN WITH CHINESE
IMMIGRANTS, WHO WERE RECRUITED
TO WORK ON THE RAILROADS IN THE
1860s.
THEY FACED VIRULENT RACISM FROM
THE BEGINNING, BOTH FROM THEIR
BOSSES, WHO SAW THEIR LIVES AS
DISPOSABLE, AND FROM WHITES,
MANY OF WHOM SAW THEM AS UNFAIR
COMPETITION FOR JOBS.
AT THE TIME, A SENATOR FROM
CALIFORNIA DESCRIBED CHINESE
IMMIGRANTS AS "AUTOMATIC ENGINES
OF FLESH AND BLOOD" -- MAKING
THEM SOUND LIKE RAILROAD-LAYING
TERMINATORS -- AND DEMANDED THAT
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
"SECURE THE AMERICAN ANGLO-SAXON
CIVILIZATION WITHOUT
CONTAMINATION OR ADULTERATION."
AND IN 1882, WITH THE CHINESE
EXCLUSION ACT, HE GOT HIS WISH.
>> THE CHINESE EXCLUSION LAW IS
ONE OF THE FIRST REALLY
COMPREHENSIVELY RESTRICTIVE
LAWS.
AND IT'S ALSO THE FIRST AND ONLY
TIME IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF
THE UNITED STATES THAT A GROUP
IS SINGLED OUT BY NAME, CHINESE
BY NAME AS BEING UNDESIRABLE.
SO THIS IS TRULY A REMARKABLE
MOMENT.
>> John: YEP, THE POSTER SAYS
"HIP HURRAH" TO THE CHINESE
EXCLUSION ACT, AND IF YOU LOOK
AT THE WHOLE THING, IT SAYS IN
THE MIDDLE, "HIP HURRAH, THE
WHITE MAN IS ON TOP."
WHICH IS A BIT REDUNDANT.
IF YOU'VE SAID "HIP HURRAH"
TWICE, YOU DON'T NEED TO SAY
"THE WHITE MAN IS ON TOP."
IT'S LIKE SAYING
"BLUE LIVES MATTER" OR "WELCOME
TO CARRIE BRADSHAW'S BEDROOM."
"THE WHITE MAN ON TOP" PART IS
VERY MUCH IMPLIED.
AND AMERICA COMMITTED TO THAT
EXCLUSION POLICY.
HERE'S SOMETHING YOU MIGHT NOT
KNOW: THERE WERE ACTUALLY SIX
CHINESE MEN WHO SURVIVED THE
SINKING OF THE TITANIC, BUT UPON
REACHING U.S. SHORES,
WERE NOT PERMITTED TO ENTER
THE UNITED STATES TO RECOVER.
INSTEAD, THEY WERE FORCED ONTO
ANOTHER BOAT AND SENT AWAY THE
VERY NEXT DAY.
WHICH ISN'T JUST RACIST,
IT'S INSENSITIVE.
DID IT REALLY HAVE TO BE ANOTHER
BOAT?
THEY HAD JUST BEEN ON THE BEST
BOAT AND IT FUCKING SUCKED.
COULD YOU NOT PUT THEM ON
A ZEPPELIN OR SOMETHING?
AT THE VERY LEAST, LET'S MIX UP
THE DOOMED TURN OF THE CENTURY
TRANSPORTATION METHODS HERE.
AND THE EXPERIENCE OF CHINESE
IMMIGRANTS UNFORTUNATELY SET
THE TEMPLATE FOR THE DIFFERENT
GROUPS THAT FOLLOWED.
BECAUSE WAVES OF JAPANESE,
KOREAN, SOUTH ASIAN, AND
FILIPINO IMMIGRANTS LATER CAME
OVER AS AGRICULTURAL WORKERS,
WITH THOSE IN CHARGE OFTEN
PITTING THE GROUPS AGAINST
EACH OTHER WITH UNEQUAL WAGES
AND TREATMENT.
EACH GROUP THAT CAME FACED
THE COMMON EXPERIENCE OF RACIAL
HOSTILITY, VIOLENCE, AND LAWS
DENYING THEM THE POSSIBILITY OF
BECOMING CITIZENS OR OWNING
LAND.
HERE IS A POSTER TARGETING
CHINESE PEOPLE, HERE'S A SIGN
TARGETING JAPANESE PEOPLE, AND
HERE IS ONE TARGETING FILIPINOS.
IT'S JUST LIKE THE STATUE OF
LIBERTY SAYS: "GIVE ME YOUR
TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR HUDDLED
MASSES...
BUT NOT OVER THERE.
NOT THERE EITHER.
DEFINITELY NOT IN MAINE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU GUYS JUST
FIGURE IT OUT.
DON'T WORRY, THE SIGNS WILL MAKE
IT REALLY OBVIOUS."
AND NO MATTER HOW LONG
ASIAN-AMERICANS OR THEIR
FAMILIES HAD BEEN IN THIS
COUNTRY, THEY WERE, AS NOW,
TREATED AS PERPETUAL FOREIGNERS
WHOSE LOYALTIES WERE IN
QUESTION, WITH THE MOST FAMOUS
EXAMPLE OF THIS BEING
THE WORLD WAR II
INTERNMENT CAMPS, WHERE
120,000 JAPANESE-AMERICANS
WHO'D BEEN ROUNDED UP EN MASSE
WERE IMPRISONED.
AND TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY,
WHEN THEY WERE FINALLY ALLOWED
TO LEAVE, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT
HAD THE GALL TO TRY AND GIVE IT
A POSITIVE SPIN.
>> IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY
ENOUGH TO GET TO YOUR NEW
LOCATION, THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH
W.R.A. WILL MAKE A GRANT OF
ENOUGH MONEY TO GET YOU THERE
AND A LITTLE EXTRA UNTIL
THE PAYCHECKS START COMING IN.
THIS MONEY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE
REPAID.
IT'S A HELPING HAND FROM
UNCLE SAM.
IT'S A BIG MOMENT WHEN YOU START
TO PACK FOR YOUR TRIP OUTSIDE.
IT'S AN EVEN BIGGER MOMENT
WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE GATES,
FOR THE LAST TIME.
AND PRESENT YOUR PASS TO THE
GUARD FOR THE LAST TIME.
AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE BARBED
WIRE FENCE FOR THE LAST TIME.
>> John: "AND AS YOU LOOK AT
THAT BARBED WIRE, YOU CAN THINK
"FUCK YOU, AMERICA" FOR THE LAST
TIME.
GO AHEAD.
WE'RE COOL WITH IT.
YOU CAN EVEN SAY IT OUT LOUD IF
YOU WANT TO.
WE'LL PRETEND WE DIDN'T HEAR
YOU, AND THEN WE'LL BE EVEN.
IN FACT, LET'S SHAKE ON THAT.
YOU CAN SAY "FUCK YOU, AMERICA"
ONE TIME, AND THEN WE'LL BE
COOL."
BUT AROUND THE MIDDLE OF THE
LAST CENTURY, ATTITUDES BEGAN TO
SHIFT AS THE U.S. - LOCKED
IN A COLD WAR -- CAME TO SEE
EXCLUSION LAWS AND RACIAL QUOTAS
AS BAD FOR ITS GLOBAL IMAGE.
SO LAWS LIKE THE CHINESE
EXCLUSION ACT WENT AWAY,
TO EVENTUALLY BE REPLACED BY
THE 1965 IMMIGRATION ACT.
AND THIS IS THE NEXT BROAD
CATEGORY OF ASIAN-AMERICAN
IMMIGRANTS: THOSE WHO CAME
POST-1965 AS A RESULT OF THAT
ACT.
BECAUSE IN CONTRAST TO THE
PREVIOUS MIGRANTS, WHO WERE
GENERALLY RELEGATED TO LOW-WAGE
MANUAL LABOR, A KEY THING THIS
LAW DID WAS PRIORITIZE EDUCATED
AND HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS LIKE
DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS.
AND IT ALSO TRIED TO ADDRESS
SPECIFIC LABOR NEEDS, LIKE WHEN
A NURSING SHORTAGE RESULTED IN
OVERSEAS ADS LIKE THESE.
>> LABOR RECRUITERS AND TRAVEL
AGENCIES STARTED TARGETING
FILIPINO NURSES WITH ADS THAT
PROMISED THEM BRIGHT FUTURES IN
AMERICA.
>> ONE PARTICULAR AD FEATURED A
BASKET THAT WAS DECORATED WITH
THE PHILIPPINE FLAG.
IT'S ADDRESSING THE FILIPINO
NURSE SAYING, "DEAR NURSE, IF
YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WHERE YOU ARE
RIGHT NOW, CONTACT US."
AND, "WE CAN'T PROMISE YOU
HAPPINESS, BUT WE CAN HELP YOU
CHASE IT ALL OVER THE PLACE."
>> John: I'VE GOTTA SAY, THAT'S
A REFRESHINGLY HONEST SLOGAN.
"YOU MIGHT NOT CATCH HAPPINESS
-- BUT YOU CAN CHASE IT!"
AND IT SEEMED TO WORK, AS NURSES
ARE ONE OF THIS COUNTRIES' TOP
IMPORTS FROM THE PHILIPPINES --
FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY, OF COURSE,
JOLLIBEE.
THE WORLD'S GREATEST FAST FOOD
MASCOT.
BECAUSE BELIEVE ME, UNLIKE
AMERICAN LABOR RECRUITERS IN
THE '60s, JOLLIBEE CAN PROMISE
YOU HAPPINESS, AND DELIVER IT TO
YOU, IN VIDEOS LIKE THIS.
♪ ♪
>> John: YES, PLEASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I LOVE MORE,
JOLLIBEE TASTEFULLY SHAKING THAT
STINGER LIKE IT'S A BOTTLE OF
HIS SIGNATURE KETCHUP OR
THE COY FLUTTER OF THOSE
NAUGHTY HUMANOID EYES.
JOLLIBEE CAN GET IT!
SO VERY BROADLY, ASIAN-AMERICANS
BEFORE 1965 WERE LARGELY
EXPLOITED FOR THEIR LABOR AND
LEGALLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST,
WHILE AFTER 1965, THERE WERE
MANY MORE WHO CAME AS SKILLED
WORKERS AND WHO FACED FEWER
"FORMAL" LEGAL BARRIERS.
AND THEN THERE'S A FINAL GROUP
HERE, THAT HAD LESS TO DO WITH
AMERICA'S LABOR NEEDS, AND MORE
TO DO WITH ITS GEOPOLITICAL
INTERESTS: THOSE WHO ARRIVED
AS REFUGEES.
BECAUSE BETWEEN 1975 AND 2010,
WE TOOK IN OVER A MILLION
REFUGEES FROM VIETNAM, LAOS,
AND CAMBODIA.
WHICH WASN'T SO MUCH "GENEROUS"
AS IT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF
PEOPLE SEEKING REFUGE FROM WARS
THAT AMERICA WAGED IN THE
REGION.
BASICALLY, WE BOMBED THE SHIT
OUT OF THEIR COUNTRIES TO THWART
THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM --
SOMETIMES IN SECRET WARS TO
FULFILL HENRY KISSINGER'S NAPALM
KINK -- AND THEN, ONCE WE TOOK
THOSE REFUGEES IN, WE DIDN'T
REALLY DO MUCH TO SET THEM UP
FOR SUCCESS.
>> WHEN IT COMES TO REFUGEES, WE
HOLD A LOT OF TRAUMA, PTSD,
MENTAL ILLNESS FROM THE WAR AND
THE GENOCIDE.
>> WE HAVE IN THE U.S., WITH
RESPECT TO OUR REFUGEE POLICY,
THIS DOCTRINE OF WORK FIRST OR
WORK IMMEDIATELY.
DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU JUST CAME
FROM A WAR ZONE AND HAVEN'T
HEALED FROM THE MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL TRAUMAS OF WAR,
WE WANT YOU TO GET A LOW WAGE
JOB IMMEDIATELY.
>> John: AND THAT IS REALLY THE
FULL SPECTRUM OF THE AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE, ISN'T IT?
TO GO FROM THE U.S. NOT GIVING
A SHIT ABOUT YOUR LIFE ABROAD,
TO NOT GIVING A SHIT ABOUT YOUR
LIFE HERE.
GOOD LUCK!
BY THE WAY, IF YOU THINK YOU
HEAR BOMBS AGAIN, TRY NOT TO
FREAK OUT -- IT'S EITHER A
HOLIDAY HALF THE COUNTRY KIND OF
HATES OR SOME COUPLE TELLING
THEIR FRIENDS WHAT GENDER THEIR
BABY IS.
WELCOME TO AMERICA!
THE POINT IS, DIFFERENT GROUPS
OF ASIAN-AMERICANS HAVE HAD
VASTLY DIVERGENT MIGRATION
EXPERIENCES.
AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND THEM
MORE, THE VARIATION THAT YOU SEE
-- IN EVERYTHING FROM INCOME TO
EDUCATION TO HEALTH OUTCOMES --
BEGINS TO MAKE SENSE.
AND YET, GROUPS THAT HAVE, IN
SOME WAYS, SO LITTLE IN COMMON,
OFTEN HAVE BEEN UNIFIED,
UNFORTUNATELY, THROUGH THE
COMMON EXPERIENCE OF BIGOTRY, AS
WAS THE CASE IN THE EARLY 1980s,
WHEN AMERICA'S FEAR OF AN
ECONOMICALLY ASCENDANT JAPAN LED
TO A RACIST FERVOR AT HOME.
>> PRETTY SOON, THE FINGER OF
BLAME ENDED UP ON JAPAN.
ALL OF THIS HATRED, YOU COULD
FEEL IT, IT WAS PALPABLE.
>> DETROITERS WERE INVITED FOR
50 CENTS A SMASH TO TAKE OUT
THEIR ANGER ON JAPANESE CARS.
>> John: WOW, THAT'S STUPID.
I HONESTLY CAN'T THINK OF A
SINGLE GOOD REASON TO BEAT UP
A CAR, EXCEPT MAYBE IF
LIGHTNING McQUEEN OWES YOU
MONEY.
AND TO BE HONEST, IF YOU REALLY
WANT TO HURT HIM, YOU DON'T BEAT
HIM WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER.
YOU LIGHT MATER ON FIRE,
AND YOU MAKE HIM WATCH.
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO.
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.
WHERE'S MY FUCKING MONEY,
McQUEEN?
BUT TRAGICALLY, AND
UNSURPRISINGLY, THAT TYPE OF
RESENTMENT AND BLAME TURNED TO
VIOLENCE, AND EVENTUALLY
CULMINATED IN THE MURDER OF
VINCENT CHIN, A CHINESE-AMERICAN
MAN WHO WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY
TWO WHITE MEN WHO BLAMED HIM FOR
WHAT JAPAN WAS DOING TO
THE U.S. AUTO INDUSTRY.
CHIN'S KILLERS WERE ARRESTED AND
CONVICTED, BUT THE JUDGE
SENTENCED THEM TO EXACTLY NO
PRISON TIME, INSTEAD GIVING EACH
OF THEM THREE YEARS' PROBATION
AND LESS THAN $4,000 IN FINES.
AND HE INSISTED AT THE TIME HE'D
MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.
>> JUDGE CHARLES KAUFMAN SAYS
JUSTICE WAS DONE.
HE WOULD NOT TALK TO CBS NEWS,
BUT HE DID TELL A DETROIT
NEWSPAPER THAT THE TWO
DEFENDANTS WERE LONGTIME,
HARDWORKING MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY, ADDING, "THESE MEN
ARE NOT GOING TO GO OUT AND HARM
SOMEBODY ELSE.
I JUST DIDN'T THINK THAT PUTTING
THEM IN PRISON WOULD DO ANY GOOD
FOR THEM OR FOR SOCIETY."
>> John: OH, IT GETS WORSE!
THAT JUDGE ALSO SAID, "THESE
WEREN'T THE KIND OF MEN YOU SEND
TO JAIL."
AND IT'S HARD TO TELL WHAT
CRITERIA THAT JUDGE USED TO
DECIDE WHAT KIND OF MEN THESE
TWO MURDERERS WERE.
WAS IT THE COLOR OF THE SKIN
ON THEIR FACES?
THE COLOR OF THE SKIN
ON THEIR HANDS?
OR JUST JUDICIAL INSTINCT -- A
GUT FEELING THAT THESE TWO MEN
WERE, IN FACT, WHITE?
THAT'S THE THING ABOUT THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM:
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S MORE
RACE ART THAN RACE SCIENCE.
BUT THE ENDURING LEGACY OF
THE VINCENT CHIN CASE WAS THAT
IT MANAGED TO BRING
ASIAN-AMERICANS OF ALL
ETHNICITIES TOGETHER
TO CALL FOR JUSTICE.
AND OUT OF THAT SPRANG
A NEW CHAPTER OF ASIAN-AMERICAN
ACTIVISM AND POLITICAL IDENTITY.
AND THAT'S JUST THE MOST FAMOUS
EXAMPLE OF A RICH HISTORY OF
ASIAN-AMERICAN ACTIVISM.
WHICH HAS OFTEN WORKED ACROSS
RACIAL LINES, FROM THE STUDENT
STRIKE WE MENTIONED EARLIER, TO
FILIPINO LABOR LEADERS WORKING
WITH CESAR CHAVEZ TO ORGANIZE
A GRAPE BOYCOTT,
TO YURI KOCHIYAMA'S FRIENDSHIP
WITH MALCOLM X AND HER ADVOCACY
FOR MARGINALIZED PEOPLE OF ALL
BACKGROUNDS.
AND YET A PREVAILING NARRATIVE
MOST PEOPLE HEAR REGARDING
ASIAN-AMERICANS IS ONE OF
CONFLICT BETWEEN THEM AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR -- LIKE
DURING THE 1992 L.A. UPRISING.
AND LOOK, IT'S NOT THAT THOSE
TENSIONS AREN'T VERY REAL.
BUT IT'S NOT THE WHOLE PICTURE.
AND IT'S ALSO A NARRATIVE THAT
FITS INTO A MUCH LARGER PATTERN,
IN WHICH WHITE AMERICA HAS
ACTIVELY PITTED ASIAN-AMERICANS
AGAINST OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE SECOND
HALF OF THIS SENTENCE, AND THE
"MODEL MINORITY" MYTH.
THE IDEA OF THE MODEL MINORITY
EMERGED OVER HALF A CENTURY AGO,
IN PART BECAUSE SOME
ASIAN-AMERICANS WERE
STRATEGICALLY TYPECASTING
THEMSELVES IN A BID TO ENHANCE
THEIR DEMANDS FOR
RACIAL EQUALITY.
AND THEY DID SO BY PROMOTING
THEIR COMMUNITIES AS UPSTANDING
AND HARDWORKING.
AND AS IMMIGRATION LAW BEGAN
SELECTING FOR SKILLED AND
EDUCATED ASIAN IMMIGRANTS,
THE CREDENTIALS OF THOSE NEW
ARRIVALS SEEMED TO CONFORM TO
THE STEREOTYPE, WHICH THEN TOOK
ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN, ESPECIALLY
IN THE CIVIL-RIGHTS ERA,
AS WHITES, UNNERVED BY BLACK
AMERICANS' RADICAL CHALLENGES TO
THE SYSTEM, HELD UP JAPANESE AND
CHINESE-AMERICANS AND THEIR
SUCCESS AS EVIDENCE THAT THEY
CLAIMED DISPROVED SYSTEMIC
RACISM.
VERY BASICALLY, AMERICA
PRIORITIZED WEALTHY, MORE
EDUCATED ASIAN IMMIGRANTS,
THEN TURNED TO BLACK PEOPLE --
WHO'D BEEN SUBJUGATED
FOR CENTURIES -- AND SAID, "SEE?
THEY'RE EDUCATED AND SUCCESSFUL,
WHY AREN'T YOU?"
AND USING ASIAN-AMERICAN SUCCESS
TO DOWNPLAY AMERICAN RACISM IS
A TREND THAT VERY MUCH CONTINUES
TO THIS DAY.
>> IF AMERICA WAS SUCH A
HATE-FILLED, DISCRIMINATORY,
RACIST SOCIETY FILLED WITH
ANIMUS AGAINST ASIAN-AMERICANS,
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE
REMARKABLE SUCCESS OF
ASIAN-AMERICANS IN OUR COUNTRY?
>> THEIR MINDSET IS TO JUST WORK
REALLY HARD.
IT'S NOT TO PROTEST THINGS AND
NOT TO SHUT THINGS DOWN.
IT'S JUST TO WORK REALLY HARD.
ASIANS, THE WHOLE REASON
WHY THEY KICK ASS IS BECAUSE
THEY DON'T SPEND ANY TIME ON
PETTY BULLSHIT.
>> ASIANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT
HATE CRIMES, BUT THEY'RE
VERY UPWARDLY MOBILE,
VERY SUCCESS-ORIENTED,
VERY BUSINESS-ORIENTED.
THEY'RE MODEL CITIZENS
IN MANY CASES IN MY VIEW.
PROBABLY THE MOST ADMIRABLE
ETHNIC GROUP WE HAVE.
>> John: WOW, CONGRATULATIONS,
ASIAN-AMERICANS!
DICK MORRIS THINKS YOU'RE THE
MOST ADMIRABLE ETHNIC GROUP WE
HAVE.
THAT'S SO SWEET OF HIM TO SAY.
IF YOU WANT TO WRITE DICK A
THANK YOU NOTE, JUST ADDRESS THE
ENVELOPE TO "SHOVE THIS RIGHT UP
DICK MORRIS'S ASS, NEW YORK, NY,
WHATEVER ZIP CODE DICK MORRIS'S
ASSHOLE IS IN."
A CENTRAL PREMISE OF
THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH IS THAT
THE KEY TO OVERCOMING AMERICAN
RACISM IS SIMPLY STRONG VALUES
AND HARD WORK -- WITH THE
IMPLICATION BEING THAT GROUPS
THAT HAVEN'T SUCCEEDED SIMPLY
HAVEN'T TRIED HARD ENOUGH.
AND PUTTING ASIDE HOW OFFENSIVE
THAT IS, THE TRUTH IS, WHETHER
OR NOT YOU'RE "SUCCESSFUL,"
LIVING A LIFE DEFINED BY A
RACIST FANTASY JUST ISN'T
GOOD FOR YOU.
>> STRIVING TO MAINTAIN THE IDEA
OF A "MODEL MINORITY" HAS REALLY
SEVERED MY SELF-ESTEEM.
IT REALLY MAKES ME FEEL THAT I'M
NOTHING MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO
COULD GET GOOD GRADES, SOMEONE
WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PERFECT,
AND BE MUM ABOUT EVERYTHING.
>> John: RIGHT.
TRYING TO BE PERFECT YOUR WHOLE
LIFE IS GOING TO BE TOO MUCH TO
BEAR.
THAT'S WHY I MADE A PROMISE WHEN
I STARTED THIS SHOW THAT I'D
ALWAYS GET ONE FACT IN EVERY
STORY COMPLETELY WRONG.
IS THAT RESPONSIBLE?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
BUT IT IS WHAT KEEPS ME LOOKING
YOUNG.
AND THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH IS
ESPECIALLY GALLING FOR SOME
MEMBERS OF GROUPS -- LIKE THOSE
WHOSE FAMILIES CAME AS REFUGEES
-- WHOSE LIVED EXPERIENCE
DOESN'T REMOTELY MATCH THE
STEREOTYPE.
THE TRUTH IS, THAT KIND OF
PRESSURE CAN DO REAL DAMAGE.
SUICIDE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF
DEATH FOR ASIAN-AMERICANS
BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 24.
AND YET, APPARENTLY, ONLY 8% OF
ASIAN-AMERICANS SOUGHT HELP FOR
THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, WHICH IS
LESS THAN HALF THE RATE OF THE
GENERAL POPULATION.
AND THAT IS NOT JUST A RESULT OF
CULTURAL STIGMAS AROUND
MENTAL HEALTH.
IT'S ALSO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU'RE CONSISTENTLY TOLD TO
QUIETLY AND HAPPILY ACCEPT
DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE YOUR
VERSION IS THE "NICE RACISM."
BUT THERE IS NO NICE RACISM.
THERE IS NO SILVER LINING TO IT,
AND THERE IS NO WORKING YOUR WAY
OUT OF IT.
YOU'RE STILL PERPETUALLY TREATED
AS A FOREIGNER, STILL ASKED
WHERE YOU'RE "REALLY FROM," AND
ASIAN-AMERICANS ALWAYS SEEM TO
BE ONE GEOPOLITICAL CRISIS AWAY
FROM BECOMING THE TARGETS OF
VIOLENCE YET AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S
THOSE INTERNMENT CAMPS FOR
JAPANESE-AMERICANS, OR THE SPATE
OF ATTACKS ON SOUTH ASIANS AFTER
9/11, OR ALL THE RECENT RACIAL
VIOLENCE DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SO THE MODEL MINORITY MYTH IS
BOTH A TOOL OF WHITE SUPREMACY
AND A TRAP.
AND AS WITH SO MANY THINGS IN
THIS STORY, WITH A COMMUNITY
THIS DIVERSE, THERE ARE GOING TO
BE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON HOW
TO HANDLE IT.
ANDREW YANG HAS ANNOYED SOME
BY LEANING INTO IT, WITH
SELF-DEPRECATING JOKES AND HIS
FUCKING MATH HAT.
AND HE ALSO ANGERED MANY WHEN
HE RESPONDED TO THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION'S "CHINA VIRUS"
RHETORIC BY WRITING AN OP-ED IN
WHICH HE CLAIMED, "WE ASIAN
AMERICANS NEED TO EMBRACE AND
SHOW OUR AMERICAN-NESS IN WAYS
WE NEVER HAVE BEFORE" BY, AMONG
OTHER THINGS, "WEARING RED,
WHITE, AND BLUE."
THAT ARGUMENT PROMPTED A
BACKLASH, WITH EDDIE HUANG
TWEETING, "FUCK OUT OF HERE WITH
THIS AMERICA DRAG...YOU BUMBLING
PINEAPPLE BUN," AND I DO GET
THAT.
BECAUSE IT'S PRETTY INSULTING
TO SUGGEST TWO CENTURIES OF
RACISM COULD BE DEFEATED BY
SERVING UNCLE SAM REALNESS.
SO ALL OF THAT IS, VERY
SIMPLISTICALLY, TOO BROADLY
AND PROBABLY TOO QUICKLY, AN
ABRIDGED VERSION OF HOW WE ALL
GOT TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
WELL, WHAT IS CLEAR IS, WE HAVE
TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE SMARTER,
MORE NUANCED CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THE REALITY OF
THE ASIAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
AND WE CANNOT DO THAT WITHOUT
ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY,
DISAGGREGATED DATA THAT CAN HELP
BETTER FIT PUBLIC POLICY TO THE
ACTUAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL
COMMUNITIES.
BUT THAT IS NOT ALL.
BECAUSE ASIAN-AMERICANS HAVE
BEEN WARNING FOR DECADES ABOUT
ALL OF THIS.
JUST WATCH A MAN TELL A
REPORTER, FIVE YEARS BEFORE I
WAS EVEN BORN, WHAT I'VE BEEN
TRYING TO TELL YOU, DURING YET
ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE OLD "MODEL
MINORITY" PROFILES.
>> BUT I SUGGESTED THAT COMPARED
TO THE BLACK AND CHICANO, THE
JAPANESE-AMERICAN HAS IT MADE.
HE CAN GET A JOB, A PLACE TO
LIVE.
>> IT'S A SITUATION WHERE I
THINK THE QUESTION IS NOT
MATERIAL, MAKING IT IN TERMS OF
ECONOMICS, BUT A QUESTION
BASICALLY OF HUMAN DIGNITY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN IN TERMS OF
HUMAN DIGNITY?
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE BEEN
SET IN A CERTAIN CATEGORY AND
MANY PEOPLE ARGUE,
"MAN, YOU GOT A GOOD STEREOTYPE!
YOU GOT A STEREOTYPE THAT GETS
YOU APARTMENTS WHERE YOU DON'T
HAVE TO PAY A CLEANING DEPOSIT
BECAUSE YOU'RE SO GODDAMN
CLEAN!"
THAT'S OUR STEREOTYPE, BUT IT'S
AN INFRINGEMENT, IT'S A
VIOLATION OF OUR HUMAN DIGNITY,
'CAUSE THEY DON'T VIEW US AS
INDIVIDUALS, AS HUMAN BEINGS.
WE FIT INTO A CERTAIN CATEGORY,
WE FIT INTO A CERTAIN BOX.
THAT'S HOW THEY VIEW US.
>> John: HE'S RIGHT.
IT'S A CATEGORY, IT'S A BOX,
BUT THE THING IS, YOU DON'T
LEARN ANYTHING FROM IT UNLESS
YOU BOTHER TO LOOK INSIDE.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, NO GROUP,
COMMUNITY, OR INDEED,
INDIVIDUAL, IS JUST ONE THING.
AND WHEN YOU REDUCE
THE ASIAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE TO
THAT OF A "MODEL MINORITY,"
YOU'RE OMITTING A HISTORY THAT
INCLUDES EXPLOITATION AND
EXCLUSION, BUT ALSO INCLUDES
ACTIVISM, SOME INFIGHTING,
CHALLENGES WITH ISSUES LIKE
IMMIGRATION, EDUCATION, AND
ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES THAT
CONTINUE TO THIS DAY,
AND AN ARRAY OF INTERESTS AND
ACHIEVEMENTS THAT GO FAR BEYOND
THESE TWO GUYS, TO BE AS VAST
AND DIVERSE AS AMERICA ITSELF.
AND BY THE WAY, CAN YOU SEE WHO
IS IN THERE?
I TOLD YOU, KAREEM!
I TOLD YOU I GOT YOUR BACK!
I SEE YOU, KAREEM!
AND I KNOW THIS STORY HAS BARELY
SKIMMED THE SURFACE OF THIS
SUBJECT, BUT I HOPE IT'S AT
LEAST INTRODUCED SOME OF YOU TO
A BIT OF THE HISTORY INVOLVED
HERE, AS WELL AS WHAT I THINK
WE CAN ALL AGREE IS THE WORLD'S
MOST FUCKABLE BEE.
THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK,
GOOD NIGHT!