Dad taught you that all races are equal. Dad also encouraged
you to have friends of all races and family backgrounds. Dad understands
that you are always trying to understand your identities. You are Chinese
American. We expect that you understand everything in Chinese culture. And you
are an authentic part of American. You are unique and the lucky to be in the
fusion of two great cultures. When you grow up, you will be free to choose your
destination and nationality in the world. No matter where you choose to go, Dad
wishes that you are the best.
Dad understands that you sometimes come back and tell Dad
that you don't have (many non-Asian) friends at school because they don't like
your color. These non-Asian people may like some Asian American especially
girls more, because their color is lighter. Dad told you that you need to think
in yourself how you can go across the culture gaps and make friends, because
shade of color is never the determining factor. Dad loves you, your silly
words, your darker skin, and your unique voices. You will be able to make more
friends if you confidently get out of your own group and invite everyone to
play on equal term. Dad knows that you are the boy who cares everyone and helps
everyone, before you take care of your own work. Dad is proud of you.
Dad didn't tell you much that there are always dark sides in
the human nature. You can already feel it but you are still too young to
understand the prejudice that separate people apart and encourage resentment
between them. This is a side-effect of the human way of quick pattern
recognition and social intuition. Dad hopes to teach you how to be
"blind" to color, race, nationality, accent and religion as you are
growing up.
Tomorrow is a special day. It will be the awakening of
Chinese American Civil Rights Movement. It is still quite chaotic. There's no
good coordination or organizations in a lot of places. There are diverse
interests and maybe things behind the scene. Everyone could have their own
different voices, angles or opinions. There may also be pundits siting on the
side line and making comments about every imperfections or craziness. But Dad hopes that this message goes through.
There should be tolerance of free speech rights. Hold your judgment and join
the peaceful debate. We don't have to
agree with each other to start the talk. But let's make tomorrow a day we all
join the discussions and have constructive dialogues with everyone and every
races. We don't have to be in 100% agreement to get involve into a world. We
join and learn from each other to be better.
There has been a recent TV show in which Jimmy Kimmel had
four American kids to discuss about China's holding of U.S. National Debt. One
kid volunteered the "unscripted" solution of shooting canons all the
way to the other end and kill EVERYONE in China. Another kid thought a wall
should be built to prevent Chinese debt holders from coming to United States.
The kids agreed that if they want to kill all Chinese, they will have to kill them
all first so that American lives are not lost in the war. The only concern for
them if that if they killed Chinese there will be no one (at least foreigners)
daring to buy U.S. Debt to trade with America and support U.S. economy, or
their living standard. But getting rid of more than a billion Chinese is their
top task of the day. It was meant to be a satire of U.S. policy makers'
speeches. However, there are also people deeply disturbed by the hatred against
Chinese among kids, politicians and media. There's no need to point out,
killing billions of feeding hands for one's debt problem or living standard is
wrong. What's missing in this show is that China's buying and holding of U.S.
Debt is never a threat nor oversized. Unlike mortgages, a country can default
on national debt without losing any of their belongings except future borrowing
privileges. People will not lend money to them anymore without getting their
money back. Another issue is national debt in its own currency can always be
paid off, if a country wants to honor the promise, by printing more paper
money. The debt holder has only rights to the paper that worth more or less
depends on how the printing and recycling program works. Downside for this kind
of paying off is that it hurts all debt holders and users of this paper money.
Together with the world, American will lose their valuable savings and
purchasing power. In fact, China's buying and holding U.S. Debt help U.S. to
weather the worst recession since the Great Depression. The media or the smart
comedian king never cares to tell American these facts.
People feeling the show offensive found out that the
"unscripted" show was not live but have gone through Disney/ABC's
editorial process. They demand retraction and apology. Their request is simple,
if we cannot say "kill all the Jews" or "kill all the black
people", we cannot say "kill everyone in China". It is not
something to joke casually in front of a huge audience.
Jimmy Kimmel and Disney/ABC had plenty of time and
opportunities to clear it up and send a strong message to the world what they
really meant. Instead, Disney sent a private letter to a persistent Asian
American organization telling them that they were too sensitive and didn't get
the entertainment value. All they can do is taking the video offline and
reiterate that they will never purposefully do anything wrong. Jimmy made the
apology that "You know, today is a weird day. There seems to be a lot of
people upset with me, more upset than usual.... So I just want to say I am
sorry. I apologize. It was certainly not my intent to upset anyone." He
certainly cares more about his comedian king status and dignity than whoever
being offended by the outrageous talking of killing billions in vain for
American's living standard. When a Chinese American suggested that he should
resign, he is clearly upset, "sorry that's not going to happen".
By digging their feet into the ground rather than coming
clear to denounce the "most preposterous” kids talks, Jimmy Kimmel and
Disney / ABC made it clear that they enjoyed this entertainment and all the messages
the show carried. They action told us that they still don't see anything wrong with
the show and felt that they had a good joke. In school across the United State
of America, kids of different races are now picking up the messages. They point
at a Chinese American's head and said "kill you all Chinese." They
want to be the comedian king’s coolest guest.
Jimmy Kimmel may be "innocent" and
"honest". But we know that many places have zero tolerance for
offensive racial speeches. If you agree that protection of one's comedian king
status is more important than a sincere apology and clear clarification, then
you will support him to remain in the shows. Otherwise you should join everyone
in denouncing the show and the creators who are not distancing themselves and
society from the darkness of hate speeches. Scholars and attorneys will argue
forever how to tell a joke from a hate speech as well as the best solutions. We
just tell everyone that all races should have equal rights.
Jimmy Kimmel is smart and thinks that he didn't break any
laws. After all, laws are not meant to dictate "right or wrong" but
to serve as arbitrator in case of a conflict, in the specific cultural
environment. Any lawsuit will be expensive and prolonged with uncertain
outcomes. It could well be a lot of money wasted to sue him since people need
rights of free speech more than the desire to eradicate all hate speeches. The
best weapon against hate speech is more good speeches. The rights to judge
what’s right or wrong don’t exclusively belong to the elite who can perfectly
understand every languages or technicalities. The people with open minds are
the best juries.
So you know why Dad will go out tomorrow. We want to have
the good speeches that get people to champion equal protection to everyone. We
want Jimmy Kimmel and Disney/ABC to get it that they are not a higher class
that will never do wrong. Their arrogance already told us which speech they
encourage. It is up to them to repair their images, reconcile and rebuild the
bridge they burnt. Dad wants you to learn how to treat others and how to
apologize. Also how to tell what are lies when majority if not all the media
were telling you something that's wrong.
With the Chinese American Civil Rights Movement, we hope
that you will be proud as a Chinese American, be proud of moms and dads, and be
proud of your own culture identity and the two cultures heritage you are
exposed to. You will understand that by being silent we experienced the
segregation, exclusion and decrepit old Chinatown We no longer hide our
message in baffling traditional “Chinese” silence, tea leaves, or cryptic
nuanced indirect response. By going out speaking to all races we are across the
gap to become “American” just like all others in the world. The American here
is not about the nationality but the culture and ways of speech formed in the
new world from the melting pot of different races. The world is for everyone. Chinese Americans
have the rights to go anywhere they want, be part of the vocal community and
the leaders for the better world.
It probably won’t be a smooth or easy sail. There may be
misunderstanding, backlashes, and even blood in this new chapter of civil
rights movement in America. A lot of laws may also need to be rewritten, by
everyone now understand how important to hold hands together. Chinese American
will join hands with everyone, including the people from the two great cultures
and all others. This is Martin Luther King's Dream, for America, for the world.
Dad and mom hope that this is the best we can pass on to
you, our little boys. You should be proud of your identity and what mom and dad
gave you.
[One of our blogger contributed this. It was from a Dad’s perspective to his two little boys. It is
not saying moms and girls are not in. Nor does it mean kids are not participants in the Chinese American civil rights movement.]
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