We need an Asian Al Sharpton more than ever

[Korean Hunk]

The gist of much of the racism we have faced recently, i.e. Banzai, Rickshaw Rally, the Louisville Cardinal article has come down to "other Asians aren't offended by X, why are you (meaning the complaining Asian) taking offense?

I have felt for the last ten years, that we need a vocal Asian figurehead who would bring attention to Asian issues. Al Sharpton whether you agree with him or not does just that for Blacks. If there is anything remotely racist cast upon Blacks by others Al Sharpton will rally the troops.

But the problem I see is that 1) Asians don't have that person, we're too separated, 2) Asians are too apathetic and 3) many Asians wouldn't support an Asian Rabble rouser.

It is as if we are like the hamster just spinning our wheels over and over. If it's not Banzai this year, it will be something else next year and the year after.

I think I need a drink.

[d-boy]

the root problem is lack of numbers. with a sufficiently large, diverse population, Asian singers, actors, athletes, politicians will naturally emerge. the hispanic experience provides a good example of this....

MORE Asians NOW!!!

[Blue dice]

IMO, the last thing we need is an asian Al Sharpton. He's the biggest whining pissbag on the block and draws controversy to issues that aren't even racial to begin with. He's become a joke and a parody even to most civil rights people. I think we need to focus on issues that are worth bringing attention to. Stupid crap like A&F t-shirts aren't high on what I consider serious issues. I'd rather talk about why so many asian-americans are falsely accused of being spies. The media turning its back on asians in general and the growing disenfranchisement of asian-american youth.

[ellsworth81]

IMO, the last thing we need is an asian Al Sharpton. He's the biggest whining pissbag on the block and draws controversy to issues that aren't even racial to begin with. He's become a joke and a parody even to most civil rights people. I think we need to focus on issues that are worth bringing attention to. Stupid crap like A&F t-shirts aren't high on what I consider serious issues. I'd rather talk about why so many asian-americans are falsely accused of being spies. The media turning its back on asians in general and the growing disenfranchisement of asian-american youth.

growing disenfranchisement of AA-youth?? you'll have to elaborate

[>:^|]

I have felt for the last ten years, that we need a vocal Asian figurehead who would bring attention to Asian issues. Al Sharpton whether you agree with him or not does just that for Blacks. If there is anything remotely racist cast upon Blacks by others Al Sharpton will rally the troops.


This can be your new next job. I'd support you. Rally away.

I think we need to focus on issues that are worth bringing attention to. Stupid crap like A&F t-shirts aren't high on what I consider serious issues. I'd rather talk about why so many asian-americans are falsely accused of being spies.

So you didn't consider the A&F shirts worth protesting? What issues do you consider important and, more importantly, what have you done about them? And do you think that the portrayal of Asian Americans as forever foreigners and funny Orientals has nothing to do with Asian Americans being accused of being traitors?

edited to fix a typo

[rice cracker]

I nominate Angry Asian Man (http://www.angryasianman.com/angry.html) for the Asian Al Sharpton :)

[deez nuts]

i like the idea....we need an aggressive asian voice who looks like he has a dead beaver on his head.

[SunWuKong]

i don't like Al Sharpton. but it wouldn't be a bad thing to have a loud-mouthed mofo screaming out to the public what issues Asian people have with this country.

[cmar]

i like the idea....we need an aggressive asian voice who looks like he has a dead beaver on his head.

Don't make fun of Al. He could be our next president. Sharpton might be the brightest of the democrats running in 04. He is definitely smarter than the current unelected occupier of the oval office.

But to get back on topic----I think every community would benefit from having its own "Al Sharpton" out there stirring the pot.

[Korean Hunk]

[QUOTE=>:^|]This can be your new next job. I'd support you. Rally away.



Thanks Goofy Symbol guy, but I don't want the position. I do comedy not social rabble rousing. And I don't think there really are enough people in the Asian community who would support me. They're too busy doing there own thing to care about anyone else. :angry:

[Cipherous]

[QUOTE=>:^|]This can be your new next job. I'd support you. Rally away.



Thanks Goofy Symbol guy, but I don't want the position. I do comedy not social rabble rousing. And I don't think there really are enough people in the Asian community who would support me. They're too busy doing there own thing to care about anyone else. :angry:

you can make us cry and makes us angry about social woes and then if we get too rowdy, you can cheer us with jokes.

Al Sharpton can only do the former.

I will stand behind you on this.

[>:^|]

My point being that everybody wants somebody else to do this.

[deez nuts]

Don't make fun of Al. He could be our next president.


that makes me sad.

[Cipherous]

that makes me sad.

same here,

I might else well flip a coin between him and Bush

[AngryABCGirl]

I wouldn't an Al Sharpton but I'd love someone to scream HEY NO MOTHERFUCKER and have people listen.

[kitty]

Don't make fun of Al. He could be our next president. Sharpton might be the brightest of the democrats running in 04.


That's not saying much.


He is definitely smarter than the current unelected occupier of the oval office.


That's also not saying much.

[Blue dice]

So you didn't consider the A&F shirts worth protesting? What issues do you consider important and, more importantly, what have you done about them? And do you think that the portrayal of Asian Americans as forever foreigners and funny Orientals has nothing to do with Asian Americans being accused of being traitors?

edited to fix a typo
Read what I said about the spy issue. There are issues and people higher up on the scale of things that need to be looked at first. When the asian community expends their media publicity to complain about T-shirts it makes us look pedantic and foolish. For instance Wen Ho Lee never received any kind of formal apology or acknowledgement about his innocence. The Yousef Yee case is rather fishy too with the military practically dropping their "espionage" case against him and hitting him up with other trumped up charges instead. There was that case of the Asian university student being assaulted by white jocks years ago that disappeared rather quickly off the AA radar too.

How about using all those organized AA groups to try to rally around those causes instead? Better yet, write letters to AA friendly senators, and other assorted politicians to address these issues. Of course noone will touch the hot topic of national security right now but guys like Lee were basically harassed by the government. There's still a large number of people who believe that he really was a traitor.

[Blue dice]

i don't like Al Sharpton. but it wouldn't be a bad thing to have a loud-mouthed mofo screaming out to the public what issues Asian people have with this country.
How many people take Al Sharpton seriously? Really he's a complete joke. An asian version of him would be an even bigger joke. We need someone that focuses on SERIOUS issues.

[Blue dice]

Don't make fun of Al. He could be our next president. Sharpton might be the brightest of the democrats running in 04. He is definitely smarter than the current unelected occupier of the oval office.

The chances of Al Sharpton getting elected are about the same as Pat Buchanan getting elected. Nil. White America will fiercly reject him and he doesn't even come close to representing the black demographic he claims to represent. Both Al and Pat are characters far to the left and right of the political horizon.

[>:^|]

Read what I said about the spy issue. There are issues and people higher up on the scale of things that need to be looked at first. When the asian community expends their media publicity to complain about T-shirts it makes us look pedantic and foolish. For instance Wen Ho Lee never received any kind of formal apology or acknowledgement about his innocence. The Yousef Yee case is rather fishy too with the military practically dropping their "espionage" case against him and hitting him up with other trumped up charges instead. There was that case of the Asian university student being assaulted by white jocks years ago that disappeared rather quickly off the AA radar too.

How about using all those organized AA groups to try to rally around those causes instead? Better yet, write letters to AA friendly senators, and other assorted politicians to address these issues. Of course noone will touch the hot topic of national security right now but guys like Lee were basically harassed by the government. There's still a large number of people who believe that he really was a traitor.

Well, here's my thought. Things like A&F tee-shirts promote the idea that the Asian community can be ridiculed, that they are foreigners and outsiders and that they do not belong. These types of images and stereotypes directly feed into attitudes that lead to incidents like Wen Ho Lee case. They are connected.

I don't think that protesting the A&F shirts made the Asian community look foolish. I think it had an educational value for many people who had never thought about the issues before. Frankly, some non-Asians will label any Asian activist effort as foolish or stupid. That always strikes me as "Shut up and know your place."

And just because people protested A&F doesn't mean that they didn't protest Wen Ho Lee's treatment.

I've written letters, I've been involved with AA groups. I encourage everybody else to do the same, rather than expending energy criticizing the efforts of others.

[nonamerasian]

Heh, heh...

The title says 'We need an Asian Al Sharpton more than ever'...

Well, some A-Af's don't even think we need a 'Black' Al Sharpton! :p

The title made me smile, too.

I was going to say the same, but didn't want to kill the thread.

Just based on personal observation, it seems to me that more non-African-Americans see him as an influencial leader of the Black community (as in today's MLK) than do African-Americans.

I must say, though, I do think his presence is a nice asset sometimes.