Verizon's Anti-Asian TV AD! [Archive]

Asianrules

05-22-2003, 07:57 PM

Hello,

I was shocked last week when I saw a TV AD about Verizon wireless. Why are Asian males always being depicted in the worst stereotypical way?

The Ad goes like this... A handsome white guy is in the backseat of a cab. He's trying to talk on his cell but the taxi driver keeps stopping and starting abruptly. This goes on for 20 seconds. Then the camera pans onto the driver: An older Chinese male with greasy hair and thick glasses.

Have any of you seen this?!?

How do we, as Asian American activists, go about protesting Verizon? I'd like to pressure them to take the horrible racist ad off the air.

Please advise, thanks. I think we should all email Verizon on the same day so we can make our voices heard, similar to how YellowWorld coordinated the protest against the makers of the Kung Fool mask.

SunWuKong

05-22-2003, 08:03 PM

i would have to see the commercial for myself before i form an opinion about it.

sOKaLiBoY

05-22-2003, 08:18 PM

i dunno. i seen that commercial many times and i didn't have a problem with it.

Deadpool

05-22-2003, 09:19 PM

The white guy was handsome? He looked pretty fugly to me.

TyTea36

05-22-2003, 09:26 PM

if its racist, the asian guy shouldnt have done the commercial for verizon. T Mobile - T mobile!!

tvbdude

05-22-2003, 09:27 PM

didn't see it yet but from your post it does seem very stereotypical. remember that older one where 2 white people eating in a chinese restaurant and they got food poisoning? was that also from verizon?

angel nympho

05-22-2003, 10:09 PM

Would you rather have had them depict an Arab in a turban driving the cab?

YuheiCarreau

05-22-2003, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by angel nympho@May 22 2003, 11:09 PM
Would you rather have had them depict an Arab in a turban driving the cab?
I dunno how it is on the west coast, but in NY there are a ton of Sikh and other south Asian cabbies, not Arabs.

mr. x

05-22-2003, 11:13 PM

yeah i think its a bit too much saying anti-asian. a bit stereotypical yes but not what id call yellowface

Emperor_Mike

05-22-2003, 11:21 PM

We're overreacting a bit here. Not everything reeks of "Outrage!" you know. It's a fine line that separates a responsible activist and nutbar who just wants to make a whole lot of noise. Let's not be the latter. :D

angel nympho

05-23-2003, 12:01 AM

Originally posted by YuheiCarreau@May 23 2003, 05:38 AM
I dunno how it is on the west coast, but in NY there are a ton of Sikh and other south Asian cabbies, not Arabs.
*Shrugs* I've never been in a cab in my life. But I always thought drivers were Indian or something. I don't know why I said Arab. I think my point was... does it really matter who's driving the cab?

YuheiCarreau

05-23-2003, 12:36 AM

Originally posted by angel nympho@May 23 2003, 01:01 AM
*Shrugs* I've never been in a cab in my life. But I always thought drivers were Indian or something. I don't know why I said Arab. I think my point was... does it really matter who's driving the cab?
If, as Asianrules says, the cabbie is an Asian person portrayed in an unfairly stereotypical way, then yes it does matter.

AliBabaIncorporated

05-23-2003, 01:08 AM

Oh no, a Chinese guy who wears glasses and drives a cab and doesn't look terribly hip and cool like the Asian-American generation would want! Burn Verizon at the stake!

Serious this is the most ridiculously distorted description of the commercial I have ever seen. You know how Verizon's fucking annoying tagline is "Can you hear me now?" Well the commercial emphasizes this by pointing out that other services have such spotty reception, if you're in a taxi it'll be fading in and out all the time. In fact it was the white guy in the commercial telling the driver to drive all jerkily so he can get reception on his cell.

It was the white guy on the cell who was made to look like the chump in the commercial, unless you are so locked into an Aktivist mentality which demands you to see Evil Whitey oppressing and stereotyping every person of color every time they come together.

rakovlam

05-23-2003, 02:00 PM

An older Chinese male with greasy hair and thick glasses.

I've taken the taxis in Hong Kong many times. NONE of them are young and handsome. Same for other taxi drivers. In New York, they don't need to be told to drive like crap. They just do.

Faithless

05-23-2003, 02:13 PM

I'm still debating: troll or not troll?

Either way, sounds like Verizon makes fun of short guys more, according to short support (http://www.shortsupport.org/TheMedia/commercials/verizon-honda-jmichno.html) .

Short guys need wuv too. :luv:

himura-dono

05-23-2003, 02:14 PM

asianrules, do you feel opressed by whitie in amerikkka? try this (http://www.asianguy.com) site, it caters more to the feelings you've expressed.

:rolleyes: i've seen the commercial, and yea, the guy was asking the driver to drive all over the place. maybe as an activist, you should pay more attention to what you think is racism at work and verify it, BEFORE flipping out and claiming verizon is a racist corporation. didn't they sign yao ming?

sOKaLiBoY

05-23-2003, 02:20 PM

Originally posted by himura-dono@May 23 2003, 02:14 PM
asianrules, do you feel opressed by whitie in amerikkka? try this (http://www.asianguy.com) site, it caters more to the feelings you've expressed.

:rolleyes: i've seen the commercial, and yea, the guy was asking the driver to drive all over the place. maybe as an activist, you should pay more attention to what you think is racism at work and verify it, BEFORE flipping out and claiming verizon is a racist corporation. didn't they sign yao ming?
haha props to HD. i would give you karma but i can't and plus you are maxed anyways.

Napoleon Chynamite

05-23-2003, 02:47 PM

Originally posted by sOKaLiBoY@May 23 2003, 01:20 PM
haha props to HD. i would give you karma but i can't and plus you are maxed anyways.
whoa whoa what the @#%^^#@?? how did Himura manage to rack up 5 karma points? I contribute ten times more useful convo and discussion to these forums than he does. Plus...my avatar is Norm and his avatar is some blue elf wearing a Bugle on his head.

I see how it is. The flaws and institutional imbalance of YW's power structure has finally reared its ugly head. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Just goes to show that amid every institution, organization, society, nation, or entity regardless of political system or structure, it's all about who you know, how much you kiss ass, and sleeping your way to success :angry: :HH:

Emperor_Mike

05-23-2003, 02:53 PM

What's Karma for anyway? I have one and I'm at a loss as to the purpose of that little number below my avatar. :)

sOKaLiBoY

05-23-2003, 03:02 PM

Originally posted by Emperor_Mike@May 23 2003, 02:53 PM
What's Karma for anyway? I have one and I'm at a loss as to the purpose of that little number below my avatar. :)
i guess if you are in the plus then it is good. when you go minus, it's bad.

angel nympho

05-24-2003, 01:07 AM

^-- Hey. I've been here longer than ALL of you guys and I have a big fat ZERO. Not fair... :( Maybe I hate on Asians too much... :rolleyes:

himura-dono

05-24-2003, 01:34 AM

you rarely post anymore. it's not based on past comments, it's based on the now. :)

Tao

05-24-2003, 06:59 AM

yeah right, I recently made that little swipe at the oriental thread, guess what? -1 karma point.....i really dunno how i felt about that.....i mean i was waiting for the almighty YW Mafia to come drag me outta bed and beat me up.

SunWuKong

05-24-2003, 08:24 AM

Originally posted by angel nympho@May 24 2003, 04:07 AM
^-- Hey. I've been here longer than ALL of you guys and I have a big fat ZERO. Not fair... :( Maybe I hate on Asians too much... :rolleyes:
:)

himura-dono

05-24-2003, 09:13 AM

Originally posted by Tao@May 24 2003, 05:59 AM
yeah right, I recently made that little swipe at the oriental thread, guess what? -1 karma point.....i really dunno how i felt about that.....i mean i was waiting for the almighty YW Mafia to come drag me outta bed and beat me up.
not all mods are equally tempered. :)

if you feel it was pretty unjustified, you're best bet is to contact the mod(s) in the particular forum you were posting in that you think warranted the negative karma. if that doesn't work, speaking with an admin as a last resort is a possibility, although i wouldn't suggest persuing it unless you felt wronged by that mod, otherwise it's like going over your bosses head at work, which will be remembered by your boss.

ChinaLama

05-24-2003, 12:58 PM

bitching about karma should be an automatic negative. :)

as for the first post, PLEASE, AR, chill with the bold. my eyes hurt.

AngryABCGirl

05-24-2003, 02:55 PM

who cares about this tiny stuff.

Can we please focus on something more important than a stupid phone ad?

Commando_turned_MD

05-24-2003, 03:06 PM

Get over it.
Verizon is a great company. Stop over analyzing everything....
:rolleyes:

angel nympho

05-24-2003, 09:47 PM

who cares about this tiny stuff.

Can we please focus on something more important than a stupid phone ad?

more important.... like..........

...a tshirt from american eagle...?!? :unsure:

Tao

05-24-2003, 10:08 PM

Originally posted by angel nympho@May 25 2003, 12:47 AM

more important.... like..........

...a tshirt from american eagle...?!? :unsure:
but AE was more deliberate in their actions.

mr. x

05-25-2003, 01:05 AM

about the karma thing, its pointless really

its like communism, they talk all about being equal meanwhile the assholes telling u how equal things are drive beemers while you plow the fields

Napoleon Chynamite

05-25-2003, 03:25 AM

Originally posted by AzNBuffGrL@May 24 2003, 01:55 PM
who cares about this tiny stuff.

Can we please focus on something more important than a stupid phone ad?
yea...like karma points :)

Napoleon Chynamite

05-25-2003, 03:28 AM

Originally posted by mr. x@May 25 2003, 12:05 AM
about the karma thing, its pointless really

its like communism, they talk all about being equal meanwhile the assholes telling u how equal things are drive beemers while you plow the fields
Regardless of political system or structure, you will always find the less-fortunate or less-rich complaining about assholes at the top (elite few) running the show and controlling all the resources and influences that ultimately matter and affect overall society to the greatest extent. This concern and/or gripe is valid to an extent. The only difference is how big the gap is.

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 12:03 AM

Asianrule:

I am probably the only one around here who share the same view as you do.

I have seen this verizonwireless (don't get it confused with other verizon service commercials) many times,...especially during timeouts of the NBA playoff games.

I was so surprised. At first, I thought the driver was Iranian or Indian.

Of course I was wrong because of all the Chinese gadgets in the taxi and the 'stupid' expression the Chinese taxi cab driver had.

It really does piss me off to see a white guy on a business trip tell the Chinese taxi driver to go this way, that way and 'jerking' the poor driver in all directions. It makes it look as if Asians are whiteboyz slaves.

:pissed:

angel nympho

05-28-2003, 12:13 AM

You mean we're NOT supposed to tell taxi drivers which way to go while we're in the cab with them...?

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 01:03 AM

Angel Nympho:

Of course you tell a taxi driver where you want to go.

But ORDERING the taxi driver (the Chinese dude in the commercial) to go this way and that way makes it an impression that he is a slave of the white businessman.

I wouldn't mind verizon filming a Chinese cab driver driving a white guy to work....but having a white guy ORDERING a Chinese cab driver to back up and move forward and brake every other seconds is obviously out of whack.

Asianrules

05-28-2003, 01:06 AM

Exactly my point. It's almost as though the white guy is a rich Taipan in old China telling the Chinese rickshaw driver how to drive, and the senile old Chinese guy with thick coke-bottle glasses with fucked up hair gives this stupid ass look. Why is it that the media always tries to make money by deprecating Asian males?

The ad is not that extreme and designed that way, so as not to rile up too much trouble. As you can see, many people on here are quite gullible and fell right into it because they think that ad is just fine. This is exactly the way Verizon planned it. Nevertheless, it is racist at heart and plays on the "Lame Chinese driver" stereotype.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 01:09 AM

um, the dude is being paid. he's not a slave. it's not like the meter isn't running bub. and i don't think you share the same view asian rules does because he said the commercial was stereotyping asians as bad drivers. which in the end was proven to be a false statement because the white guy is trying to get better phone reception.

asianrules and geegeh7 sittin in a tree.... :lol: jk man.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 01:11 AM

Originally posted by Asianrules@May 28 2003, 12:06 AM
Exactly my point. It's almost as though the white guy is a rich Taipan in old China telling the Chinese rickshaw driver how to drive, and the senile old Chinese guy with thick coke-bottle glasses with fucked up hair gives this stupid ass look. Why is it that the media always tries to make money by deprecating Asian males?

The ad is not that extreme and designed that way, so as not to rile up too much trouble. As you can see, many people on here are quite gullible and fell right into it because they think that ad is just fine. This is exactly the way Verizon planned it. Nevertheless, it is racist at heart and plays on the "Lame Chinese driver" stereotype.
have either of you looked into yolk or asianguy, i swear they're right up your alley. lots of militants who believe whitey is out to steal their women, enslave their people and piss on their culture :rolleyes:

dare i offer myself up as a target? hmm, i'll think about it.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 01:12 AM

would either of you be bitching if the roles were reversed? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Asianrules

05-28-2003, 01:13 AM

Bullshit. The ad is clearly playing on the stereotype of the "Lame Chinese driver". You might not see it that way, but the majority of non-Asians will definitely see it this way. Who suffers? The minority being depicted in the perpetuation of this stereotype. Verizon did not need to use minority stereotypes to make a funny commercial.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 01:19 AM

O M F G :blink:

dude, first off (is now offering self as a sacrifice) i am white. i do not see the commercial as playing off "lame chinese driver" stereotypes. the guy is obviously directing the driver. how can the driver be seen as lame if he's being directed? bingo bango, he can't.

asianguy (http://asianguy.com) and yolk

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 01:20 AM

himama's dounot:

I think Asian sell-outs like YOU are sitting in a tree letting people of other races push you around.

If you like to live that kind of lifestyle...that's fine with me. But don't let that spoil my campaign to get across that the verizonwireless commercial is racist.

IT CLEARLY IS A RACIST COMMERCIAL! Open you eyes! :angry:

No shit, the chinese dude is getting paid to be filmed in the commercial. However, it gives the AA community (which you don't really care about) a bad image. It also makes it look as if it's okay to stereotype Asians as low-clas taxi drivers, or liquor store owners.

The media is fucked up. I hope you scrutinize this commercial even further. :pissed:

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 01:21 AM

dude, first off (is now offering self as a sacrifice) i am white

No wonder you don't see this commercial as a racist mockery! :angry:

Fireblade

05-28-2003, 01:23 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 01:20 AM
I think Asian sell-outs like YOU are sitting in a tree letting people of other races push you around.

If you like to live that kind of lifestyle...that's fine with me. But don't let that spoil my campaign to get across that the verizonwireless commercial is racist.

IT CLEARLY IS A RACIST COMMERCIAL! Open you eyes! :angry:

No shit, the chinese dude is getting paid to be filmed in the commercial. However, it gives the AA community (which you don't really care about) a bad image. It also makes it look as if it's okay to stereotype Asians as low-clas taxi drivers, or liquor store owners.

The media is fucked up. I hope you scrutinize this commercial even further. :pissed:
Waitaminute... so while we're all out here trying to our own spin on things... it's not Ok, and we have to AGREE WITH YOU? Grow up. Everyone has the right to think differently than you.

Fireblade

05-28-2003, 01:24 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 01:21 AM

No wonder you don't see this commercial as a racist mockery! :angry:
Be careful about what you say...

Because I can tell you straight off, IT IS NOT ABOUT COLOR!!!!

Got it?

Because when you think you're above it all, you're obviously not.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 01:29 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 12:20 AM
himama's dounot:

I think Asian sell-outs like YOU are sitting in a tree letting people of other races push you around.

If you like to live that kind of lifestyle...that's fine with me. But don't let that spoil my campaign to get across that the verizonwireless commercial is racist.

IT CLEARLY IS A RACIST COMMERCIAL! Open you eyes! :angry:

No shit, the chinese dude is getting paid to be filmed in the commercial. However, it gives the AA community (which you don't really care about) a bad image. It also makes it look as if it's okay to stereotype Asians as low-clas taxi drivers, or liquor store owners.

The media is fucked up. I hope you scrutinize this commercial even further. :pissed:
geegeh7 and asianrules are you really a retard or do you just play one on tv?

ok, first off, DRIVER IS BEING PAID BECAUSE HE'S A DRIVER. try and let that one settle in your brain before you comment. he is playing the role of a taxi driver. in that role, he would be being paid as a driver. he is being directed by a fare. ok? you understanding me so far? should i slow down?

am i the only one who sees being beligerant about something, not fighting smart?

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 01:58 AM

geegeh7 and asianrules are you really a retard or do you just play one on tv?

YOU'RE the obvious retard not seeing that the verizonwireless commercial is not racist.

Too bad sellouts like you exist in the AA community.

I'd wish you go to school, and have other students tease you for being Asian, as well as becoming a prospective taxi driver.

And by the way, why couldn't a hispandex or black guy drive the taxi?

Fireblade

05-28-2003, 02:01 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 01:58 AM

YOU'RE the obvious retard not seeing that the verizonwireless commercial is not racist.

Too bad sellouts like you exist in the AA community.

I'd wish you go to school, and have other students tease you for being Asian, as well as becoming a prospective taxi driver.

And by the way, why couldn't a hispandex or black guy drive the taxi?
he get's death threats everyday.

don't assume that your suffering is only your own.

look outside the sphere of your world, and you'll see that everything isn't all right with EVERYONE.

And looking as how you only advocate Asian this, Asian that... you'll be surprised about how stupid it sounds coming from me.

It's like certain african americans who still hold onto the slavery thing that's keeping them down.

Get over it.

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 02:04 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 12:58 AM

I'd wish you go to school, and have other students tease you for being Asian, as well as becoming a prospective taxi driver.

was it any different for getting jumped for being white? :blink:

wow... i'm so sorry you got teased for being asian. did they beat you? did their parents try to kill you? did they make it their life's work (like you have) to hate anyone different from them?

Geegeh7

05-28-2003, 02:06 AM

Fireblade:

It's like certain african americans who still hold onto the slavery thing that's keeping them down.

That's right,...us Asians don't have as much political voice as the black community. This is what we lack, and this is why the entertainment industry use the opportunity to mock Asians. Not only Leno, not only Shaq...but many more to come. This is why I think it's important for AA to petition against people who take Asians for granted when it comes to mockery.

Enough said....off to bed. B)

himura-dono

05-28-2003, 02:10 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 12:58 AM

YOU'RE the obvious retard not seeing that the verizonwireless commercial is not racist.

pwahahaha that was so funny

Emperor_Mike

05-28-2003, 02:22 AM

Well, well...skip a day or two and my, how minor topics can degenerate into little wars. It's a commercial that has absolutely no intended racial undertones. Or unintended ones for that matter. We're all getting a bit sensitive and worked up over something that is really quite inconsequential. Activism is one thing, but mad scrambles to denounce anything and everything that appears to be "racially insensitive" is quite stupid, pointless, and not worth the fuss, don't you think? Had the Chinese driver been replaced by a Russian or Indian or Ukranian do you think those groups would be up in arms over this? Very unlikely. So why should we?

The Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirts on the other hand were accomplished with abhorrent stupidity and that was a legitimate cause to some extent. Why? Because it dealt with a wider spectrum of Asian social misconceptions/consciousness, stereotypes, and good old fashioned ignorance that would serve as political cannon fodder regardless of whichever race was involved in the inflammatory merchandise. In other words, the kind of blunder committed by A&F would be unacceptable to the masses due to the fact that a precedent had already been set and agreed upon by society in general that the sort of message being printed on the clothing/accessories in question was/is a definite no-no.

And Fireblade's point is worthy one. As a community that wishes and strives for greater influence in all areas of public life we should be going beyond petty issues like the alleged Verizon trespass. If we maintain the image of a minority that's held back and "victimized" we will NEVER get any where. We must adapt to changing circumstances and mold elements of predominantly Caucasian society to OUR liking and refrain from letting them dictate what we should or should not find acceptable. *I* for one refuse to be involved in largely useless issues like this television commercial debacle. There are broader matters on the social and political horizons to deal with than to devote time, energy and effort to something that may or may not have a negative racial element.

Fireblade

05-28-2003, 02:29 AM

Originally posted by Emperor_Mike@May 28 2003, 02:22 AM
Well, well...skip a day or two and my, how minor topics can degenerate into little wars. It's a commercial that has absolutely no intended racial undertones. Or unintended ones for that matter. We're all getting a bit sensitive and worked up over something that is really quite inconsequential. Activism is one thing, but mad scrambles to denounce anything and everything that appears to be "racially insensitive" is quite stupid, pointless, and not worth the fuss, don't you think? Had the Chinese driver been replaced by a Russian or Indian or Ukranian do you think those groups would be up in arms of this? Very unlikely. So why should we?

The Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirts on the other hand were accomplished with abhorrent stupidity and that was a legitimate cause to some extent. Why? Because it dealt with a wider spectrum of Asian social misconceptions/consciousness, stereotypes, and good old fashioned ignorance that would serve as political cannon fodder regardless of whichever race was involved in the inflammatory merchandise. In other words, the kind of blunder committed by A&F would be unacceptable to the masses due to the fact that a precedent had already been set and agreed upon by society in general that the sort of message being printed on the clothing/accessories in question was/is a definite no-no.

And Fireblade's point is worthy one. As a community that wishes and strives for greater influence in all areas of public life we should be going beyond petty issues like the alleged Verizon trespass. If we maintain the image of a minority that's held back and "victimized" we will NEVER get any where. We must adapt to changing circumstances and mold elements of predominantly Caucasian society to OUR liking and refrain from letting them dictate what we should or should not find acceptable. *I* for one refuse to be involved in largely useless issues like this television commercial debacle. There are broader matters on the social and political horizons to deal with than to devote time, energy and effort to something that may or may not have a negative racial element.
We need more free-thinkers like you in this world.

I praise you. :lol:

lethal

05-28-2003, 06:05 AM

Enough. Comment on the topic, not the posters.

sOKaLiBoY

05-28-2003, 06:31 AM

well my opinion is that i have no problem at all with the commercial. however i see that a few others here do. my question is this...are you trying to say that it would be ok if the driver was a different race? why does everything have to be based on color. if you have a problem with it...tough. you will just have to face life as it is. or don't buy into verizon. simple as that.

SunWuKong

05-28-2003, 08:50 AM

since this topic seemed to have generated some discussion, i will not close it. but the next time there is a personal attack on this thread, i won't hesitate to close it.

deez nuts

05-28-2003, 09:14 AM

Originally posted by Emperor_Mike@May 28 2003, 04:22 AM
Well, well...skip a day or two and my, how minor topics can degenerate into little wars. It's a commercial that has absolutely no intended racial undertones. Or unintended ones for that matter. We're all getting a bit sensitive and worked up over something that is really quite inconsequential. Activism is one thing, but mad scrambles to denounce anything and everything that appears to be "racially insensitive" is quite stupid, pointless, and not worth the fuss, don't you think? Had the Chinese driver been replaced by a Russian or Indian or Ukranian do you think those groups would be up in arms over this? Very unlikely. So why should we?

The Abercrombie & Fitch t-shirts on the other hand were accomplished with abhorrent stupidity and that was a legitimate cause to some extent. Why? Because it dealt with a wider spectrum of Asian social misconceptions/consciousness, stereotypes, and good old fashioned ignorance that would serve as political cannon fodder regardless of whichever race was involved in the inflammatory merchandise. In other words, the kind of blunder committed by A&F would be unacceptable to the masses due to the fact that a precedent had already been set and agreed upon by society in general that the sort of message being printed on the clothing/accessories in question was/is a definite no-no.

And Fireblade's point is worthy one. As a community that wishes and strives for greater influence in all areas of public life we should be going beyond petty issues like the alleged Verizon trespass. If we maintain the image of a minority that's held back and "victimized" we will NEVER get any where. We must adapt to changing circumstances and mold elements of predominantly Caucasian society to OUR liking and refrain from letting them dictate what we should or should not find acceptable. *I* for one refuse to be involved in largely useless issues like this television commercial debacle. There are broader matters on the social and political horizons to deal with than to devote time, energy and effort to something that may or may not have a negative racial element.
thank you.

there is such a thing as being oversensitive to the point that it might result in desensitizing the general publics' support on asian issues.

but to be fair: i haven't seen the verizon commerical in question to make a fair judgement.

deez nuts

05-28-2003, 09:24 AM

Originally posted by mr. x@May 25 2003, 03:05 AM
about the karma thing, its pointless really

its like communism, they talk all about being equal meanwhile the assholes telling u how equal things are drive beemers while you plow the fields
you're kidding right?

is this teenage angst and sexual frustration talking?

you're taking this karma thing way too hard.

as a matter of fact, lemme bring myself down to negative 5 just so you feel better if you're being serious.

Uncle Tat

05-28-2003, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by himura-dono@May 28 2003, 04:04 AM
Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 12:58 AM

I'd wish you go to school, and have other students tease you for being Asian, as well as becoming a prospective taxi driver.

was it any different for getting jumped for being white? :blink:

wow... i'm so sorry you got teased for being asian. did they beat you? did their parents try to kill you? did they make it their life's work (like you have) to hate anyone different from them?
himura-dono there's really no need to bring your personal life to this. I don't think your comments of

"did they beat you? did their parents try to kill you? did they make it their life's work (like you have) to hate anyone different from them?"

into this discussion. Maybe you got spanked as a kid for not being racist, I don't know. But I don't think it has any relevance to this conversation and I personally don't want to picture some kid getting beat it. Also there's really no need to start an entire thread to make fun of 2 people.

I'm actually WITH geggeh7 and asianpride on this one. I'm TIRED of Asians whining about not having power and glass ceilings or whatnot. You know WHY white people don't care? Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers. We sell-out and try to be white. We adopt their characteristics, our women suck their cocks, etc...

That's why blacks and Jews get respect. Because they have their own individual identities and cultures and don't associate themselves or try to become white. Asians on the other hand try to gain acceptance by sucking white cock all day.

I wouldn't be surprised if one day there would be no more Asians in America, either because everyone was intermarried (the Asian women most likely) or more likely, all Asians have become some white you can't even tell the difference.

Granted the reaction to Verizon commercial might be overreacting, but I still respect geggeh7 and asianpride 's comments.

sOKaLiBoY

05-28-2003, 10:13 AM

Originally posted by Uncle Tat@May 28 2003, 09:49 AM
Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers.  We sell-out and try to be white.

speak for yourself buddy. why would i want to be white? i'm proud to be asian. always have and always will

Emperor_Mike

05-28-2003, 10:45 AM

It's not a question of "selling out" to anyone. No one ever said that being Asian and being an integrated member in a multicultural society are mutually exclusive. To find perceived faults like these in the actions of others is plain wrong, if you ask me. What do you expect then? For the Asian community to survive on the fringe of society on the account that we find the notion of being part of the bigger picture abhorrent? If we don't want to be taken advantage of and "victimized" I say we should stop the oppressed mentality that's disturbing prevalent among our community. Pride and consciousness is one thing, but to forego the obvious advantages of "mixing well" with everyone regardless of race, religion or creed is definitely a dubious move on our part. You don't make friends by alienating them, you know.

Uncle Tat

05-28-2003, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by sOKaLiBoY@May 28 2003, 12:13 PM

speak for yourself buddy. why would i want to be white? i'm proud to be asian. always have and always will
Well I hope you're not one of those "AzN types" that pretend to be "gangstas," hang out in pool halls all day, smoke a lot, and type in alternating caps...oh wait.

Heh j/k. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but my guess is that most people "who are proud to be Asian" are in actuality...white cocksuckers who conform.

ChinaLama

05-28-2003, 11:08 AM

UT, whats w/ the white cocksucker this white cocksucker that? are you suffering from Mr. Garrison syndrome? "i like men my own age...i mean women!"

btw everyone uncle tat is my real life friend so i'm just kidding w/ him. no need to close the thread because i made a "personal attack."

Emperor_Mike

05-28-2003, 11:10 AM

Originally posted by Uncle Tat@May 28 2003, 10:02 AM
Heh j/k. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but my guess is that most people "who are proud to be Asian" are in actuality...white cocksuckers who conform.
So I suppose you find it preferable that the Asian community remains stunted in its growth on the account that some of us are simply too "proud" to adapt? You shouldn't make gross hyperbolic declarations on Asian "conformity." I find our assessment very narrow-minded, uninformed, and utterly fallacious in its qualities of reasoning.

However, it is your God-given right to state your mind on these things and I respect that. But I beg of you to re-examine your stance on this issue before commenting and take the time to analyse both sides of the social equation.

Uncle Tat

05-28-2003, 11:11 AM

Originally posted by ChinaLama@May 28 2003, 01:08 PM
UT, whats w/ the white cocksucker this white cocksucker that? are you suffering from Mr. Garrison syndrome? "i like men my own age...i mean women!"

btw everyone uncle tat is my real life friend so i'm just kidding w/ him. no need to close the thread because i made a "personal attack."
I teabagged you that night when I stayed over and took a picture! :rolleyes:

Uncle Tat

05-28-2003, 11:12 AM

Originally posted by Emperor_Mike@May 28 2003, 01:10 PM
So I suppose you find it preferable that the Asian community remains stunted in its growth on the account that some of us are simply too "proud" to adapt? You shouldn't make gross hyperbolic declarations on Asian "conformity." I find our assessment very narrow-minded, uninformed, and utterly fallacious in its qualities of reasoning.

However, it is your God-given right to state your mind on these things and I respect that. But I beg of you to re-examine your stance on this issue before commenting and take the time to analyse both sides of the social equation.
Does using big words make you sound big and important?

j/k

I got your point and it is duly noted.

Btw why is your avatar Napoleon. Why not Sun Tze or the Duke of Zhou or something?

sOKaLiBoY

05-28-2003, 11:13 AM

Originally posted by Uncle Tat@May 28 2003, 11:02 AM
Originally posted by sOKaLiBoY@May 28 2003, 12:13 PM

speak for yourself buddy. why would i want to be white? i'm proud to be asian. always have and always will
Well I hope you're not one of those "AzN types" that pretend to be "gangstas," hang out in pool halls all day, smoke a lot, and type in alternating caps...oh wait.

Heh j/k. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but my guess is that most people "who are proud to be Asian" are in actuality...white cocksuckers who conform.
well i'm not a wannabe gangster but i do smoke a lot :D. and i'm sick and tired of ppl thinking that i'm one just because i drive a fixed up 98 prelude. it's just a freaking car foolios. i just go about life as me. there is no reason for me to want to be something else. anyways i see myself more as just an american citizen since i'm a 4th gen jap. i really don't know much about my ethnic background at all.

deez nuts

05-28-2003, 11:15 AM

some of ya's need a hug!

Uncle Tat

05-28-2003, 11:15 AM

Originally posted by sOKaLiBoY@May 28 2003, 01:13 PM

anyways i see myself more as just an american citizen since i'm a 4th gen jap. i really don't know much about my ethnic background at all. [/quote]
*slurp slurp*

Haha j/k. You sound like a nice guy but you walked right into that one and I couldn't help myself.

Emperor_Mike

05-28-2003, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by Uncle Tat@May 28 2003, 10:12 AM
Originally posted by Emperor_Mike@May 28 2003, 01:10 PM
So I suppose you find it preferable that the Asian community remains stunted in its growth on the account that some of us are simply too "proud" to adapt? You shouldn't make gross hyperbolic declarations on Asian "conformity." I find our assessment very narrow-minded, uninformed, and utterly fallacious in its qualities of reasoning.

However, it is your God-given right to state your mind on these things and I respect that. But I beg of you to re-examine your stance on this issue before commenting and take the time to analyse both sides of the social equation.
Does using big words make you sound big and important?

j/k

I got your point and it is duly noted.

Btw why is your avatar Napoleon. Why not Sun Tze or the Duke of Zhou or something?
I couldn't find one of Sun Tzu that fit without getting all skewed. :D

And I *am* big and important. Hehe! Or will be in the near future. :lol: :lol:

sOKaLiBoY

05-28-2003, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by Uncle Tat@May 28 2003, 11:15 AM
anyways i see myself more as just an american citizen since i'm a 4th gen jap. i really don't know much about my ethnic background at all.
*slurp slurp*

Haha j/k. You sound like a nice guy but you walked right into that one and I couldn't help myself. [/quote]
i know i know. hehe it's koo.

deez nuts

05-28-2003, 04:01 PM

geggah7 and asianpride. if you're concerned about the asian plight how about donating some cheddah to the plight of asians overseas:

http://sarsfund.yellowworld.org/

put your money where your mouth is.

angel nympho

05-28-2003, 06:07 PM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 28 2003, 08:03 AM
Angel Nympho:

Of course you tell a taxi driver where you want to go.

But ORDERING the taxi driver (the Chinese dude in the commercial) to go this way and that way makes it an impression that he is a slave of the white businessman.

I wouldn't mind verizon filming a Chinese cab driver driving a white guy to work....but having a white guy ORDERING a Chinese cab driver to back up and move forward and brake every other seconds is obviously out of whack.
So do cab drivers who are chinese represent all asian people world wide or something...? cuz since when do I have anything in common with a chinese cab driver?

having the guy in the backseat telling the driver to do all kinds of shit was a part of the point the commercial was trying to get across. that phone reception sucks and you have to do crazy stupid ass shit to get it to work. crazy ass shit such as running around back and forth and trying to find the PERFECT spot where you get reception.... something that im sure all of us have had to deal with at some point.

would the commercial have been okay if it was somebody of a different race playing the part of the driver? no references were made at ALL to his race in the commercial, and he oculd easily have been replaced by somebody of a different ethnicity and it would have been just as effective, so i don't see how this is racist. the commercial made no focus whatsoever to his race, didn't make fun of him in any way, and didnt really do a whole lot of anything except try to sell verizon.

i dont see how anybody would think the taxi driver is a bad driver because the guy in the backseat is the one who's making him drive badly. *shrug*

sometimes i wish the media wouldnt portray asians at ALL so that nobody could complain about nitpicky bullshit anymore.... somebody ALWAYS gets offended by the most off the wall shit.

Tao

05-28-2003, 06:24 PM

i think the only reason people are upset over this is cause the driver wasn't some handsome dashing looking asian guy. I guess they feel short changed.

AliBabaIncorporated

05-28-2003, 09:41 PM

Originally posted by Tao@May 28 2003, 08:24 PM
i think the only reason people are upset over this is cause the driver wasn't some handsome dashing looking asian guy. I guess they feel short changed.
yeah, cuz they wanna pretend the poor, the fobby, the heavily-accented, the shabbily-dressed, and the big-glasses wearing elements of our community don't exist so they won't impinge on their perfect suburbanized American life. And then they accuse the rest of us who have a little bit thicker skin than them of suffering from false consciousness.

I'm with AngelNympho ... people bitch about how there are no Asians on TV, then they find something to bitch about in every role cuz they worry it will reflect badly on them and it doesn't fit their "Asian-American ideal" of cool rich hiphop boys picking up all the girls. "He's too fobby!" "She flirts with a white guy!" "She speaks bad English!" Grow up. 70% of Asians were born overseas, almost half rate themselves as speaking English less than "very well," and in the neighborhood of 20% marry white folks.

golden_buns

05-28-2003, 09:55 PM

Originally posted by AliBabaIncorporated@May 28 2003, 08:41 PM
yeah, cuz they wanna pretend the poor, the fobby, the heavily-accented, the shabbily-dressed, and the big-glasses wearing elements of our community don't exist so they won't impinge on their perfect suburbanized American life.
The CS and EE departments at my school had plenty of guys that looked like that

BeTheReds

05-28-2003, 10:08 PM

I wanna see this commercial. Too bad they don't show it in Japan.

I don't know who to believe because I have not seen it, however, if people I have argued with before are saying something is not racist, that probably is a great indication that it is not.

Asianrules

05-29-2003, 01:50 AM

It has nothing to do with the Asian driver not being a dashing cool Asian male. It has everything to do with perpetuating the most negative stereotypes that Asian Americans are trying to eliminate. It takes years of activism and pressure to urge the media to stop perpetuating negative stereotypes. It will take years to eliminate the stereotype of the Asian female being the "easy whore" or the African American as being the violent criminal.

SunWuKong

05-29-2003, 08:58 AM

Originally posted by Asianrules@May 29 2003, 04:50 AM
It has nothing to do with the Asian driver not being a dashing cool Asian male. It has everything to do with perpetuating the most negative stereotypes that Asian Americans are trying to eliminate. It takes years of activism and pressure to urge the media to stop perpetuating negative stereotypes. It will take years to eliminate the stereotype of the Asian female being the "easy whore" or the African American as being the violent criminal.

then again, maybe the nerdy asian man is not a stereotype, but a statistical truth.

i personally can probably relate more to nerdy asian guys than those kids on Better Luck Tomorrow. and, not that Better Luck Tomorrow isn't a good movie, but i'd rather see a movie about poor, fobby people with their bad english in chinatown or koreatown or <pick your ethnic enclave> than rich suburban "asian american" kids.

angel nympho

05-29-2003, 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Asianrules@May 29 2003, 08:50 AM
It has nothing to do with the Asian driver not being a dashing cool Asian male. It has everything to do with perpetuating the most negative stereotypes that Asian Americans are trying to eliminate. It takes years of activism and pressure to urge the media to stop perpetuating negative stereotypes. It will take years to eliminate the stereotype of the Asian female being the "easy whore" or the African American as being the violent criminal.
What stereotypes did this commercial perpetuate?

I've already said that it really doesn't have anything to do with the guy being a bad driver, since he wasn't technically driving at his own will. So what was it? And if you say Asians as subordinate members of the human race, I'm gonna have to say that you're just seeing signs that point to what you WANT to see in this commercial even if they're not really there. THIS particular guy may have been taking orders or whatnot in the commercial, but that's because he's a cab driver, surely nobody expects him to take orders from anybody outside of a cab.

AngryABCGirl

05-29-2003, 09:37 PM

Hey let's go protest about something important, like immigrants who speak poor english getting ripped off than something stupid they play on tv.

If you don't like the commercial, e-mail them and inform them you and your friends won't buy the product, simple as that. That's about as much reaction as it deserves. Companies do take those complaints seriously because in the end they wouldn't care if your skin was purple as long as you offered them the greens. And our demographic is known for having those greens.

I'm honestly starting to think anything there's an ethnic face on the screen, something will be wrong with them. They're either always going to be too perfect or too imperfect, despite the fact of life all human beings do represent these elements. People didn't like the kids in BLT because they represented teenage angst and violence- fact of life. When people see an Asian whose smart or any type of overachiever screams Model Minority. Don't even start on the women who date outside of their race.

BeTheReds

05-29-2003, 09:42 PM

Originally posted by AzNBuffGrL@May 30 2003, 01:37 PM
Hey let's go protest about something important, like immigrants who speak poor english getting ripped off than something stupid they play on tv.

If you don't like the commercial, e-mail them and inform them you and your friends won't buy the product, simple as that. That's about as much reaction as it deserves. Companies do take those complaints seriously because in the end they wouldn't care if your skin was purple as long as you offered them the greens. And our demographic is known for having those greens.

I'm honestly starting to think anything there's an ethnic face on the screen, something will be wrong with them. They're either always going to be too perfect or too imperfect, despite the fact of life all human beings do represent these elements. People didn't like the kids in BLT because they represented teenage angst and violence- fact of life. When people see an Asian whose smart or any type of overachiever screams Model Minority. Don't even start on the women who date outside of their race.
wow...

This is exactly the opposite of how I expected you to react!
I am impressed! Good post! I agree with all of your points!
:lol:

Geegeh7

05-30-2003, 02:16 AM

Uncle Tat:

I'm actually WITH geggeh7 and asianpride on this one. I'm TIRED of Asians whining about not having power and glass ceilings or whatnot. You know WHY white people don't care? Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers. We sell-out and try to be white. We adopt their characteristics, our women suck their cocks, etc...

That's why blacks and Jews get respect. Because they have their own individual identities and cultures and don't associate themselves or try to become white. Asians on the other hand try to gain acceptance by sucking white cock all day.

Uncle Tat...YOU'RE THE MAN! Thank you for sharing your viewpoints about how us Asians should have more of a political voice. I HIGHLY agree with you.

I dislike it when other Asians tell me that the commercial was simply a joke, and let it slide under our nose.

Heck, if the commercial had a black driver, I'd bet Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be camping outside the Verizon Wireless building!

I would like Asians to be vigilant, and not accept these kind of jokes that give other people bad stereotypes about our race.

Asianrules

05-30-2003, 03:33 AM

Boy, if you don't know, I can't help you at this point. I guess there are many Asian versions of "uncle tom's" on this board. Uneducated and blind.

>What stereotypes did this commercial perpetuate?

Asianrules

05-30-2003, 03:36 AM

Uncle Tat, you are correct. Jews get respect because they have "chutzpah" and stand up for their rights. Too many "Uncle Tom" Asians hide their tail between their legs and crawl under and rock and pretend nothing happened.

>I'm actually WITH geggeh7 and asianpride on this one. I'm TIRED of Asians >whining about not having power and glass ceilings or whatnot. You know WHY >white people don't care? Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers. We >sell-out and try to be white. We adopt their characteristics, our women suck their >cocks, etc...

>That's why blacks and Jews get respect. Because they have their own individual >identities and cultures and don't associate themselves or try to become white. >Asians on the other hand try to gain acceptance by sucking white cock all day.

Tao

05-30-2003, 08:52 AM

Originally posted by Asianrules@May 30 2003, 06:36 AM
Uncle Tat, you are correct. Jews get respect because they have "chutzpah" and stand up for their rights. Too many "Uncle Tom" Asians hide their tail between their legs and crawl under and rock and pretend nothing happened.

>I'm actually WITH geggeh7 and asianpride on this one. I'm TIRED of Asians >whining about not having power and glass ceilings or whatnot. You know WHY >white people don't care? Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers. We >sell-out and try to be white. We adopt their characteristics, our women suck their >cocks, etc...

>That's why blacks and Jews get respect. Because they have their own individual >identities and cultures and don't associate themselves or try to become white. >Asians on the other hand try to gain acceptance by sucking white cock all day.
So i'm guessing the solution would be to lick some white pussy?

Hell try it out first and then tell me how unsatisfied you are with the AAs here.

SunWuKong

05-30-2003, 09:16 AM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 05:16 AM
Uncle Tat:

I'm actually WITH geggeh7 and asianpride on this one. I'm TIRED of Asians whining about not having power and glass ceilings or whatnot. You know WHY white people don't care? Because all Asians are basically white cocksuckers. We sell-out and try to be white. We adopt their characteristics, our women suck their cocks, etc...

That's why blacks and Jews get respect. Because they have their own individual identities and cultures and don't associate themselves or try to become white. Asians on the other hand try to gain acceptance by sucking white cock all day.

Uncle Tat...YOU'RE THE MAN! Thank you for sharing your viewpoints about how us Asians should have more of a political voice. I HIGHLY agree with you.

I dislike it when other Asians tell me that the commercial was simply a joke, and let it slide under our nose.

Heck, if the commercial had a black driver, I'd bet Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would be camping outside the Verizon Wireless building!

I would like Asians to be vigilant, and not accept these kind of jokes that give other people bad stereotypes about our race.
oh please. i'd hate to see an asian al sharpton or an asian jesse jackson. and that's because i think both al sharpton and (maybe) jesse jackson are borderline racist whiny sons of bitches.

have you ever considered that a lot of asian people really don't see a big deal in some of these "issues", and it's not because they don't want to stick their necks out? have you ever considered that a lot of asian americans lead pretty comfortable lives and don't feel the least bit oppressed?

angel nympho

05-30-2003, 11:11 AM

I don't even think this commercial was picking on asians "as a joke" that I choose to ignore. It wasn't even a joke, there was no reference made at all to the guy's race.

AliBabaIncorporated

05-30-2003, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by Asianrules@May 30 2003, 05:33 AM
Boy, if you don't know, I can't help you at this point. I guess there are many Asian versions of "uncle tom's" on this board. Uneducated and blind.

>What stereotypes did this commercial perpetuate?
yup, that's the Asian-American way. When you can't win the argument, claim the other side's political views make them into non-Asians.

Geegeh7

05-30-2003, 12:21 PM

SunWu:

oh please. i'd hate to see an asian al sharpton or an asian jesse jackson. and that's because i think both al sharpton and (maybe) jesse jackson are borderline racist whiny sons of bitches.

have you ever considered that a lot of asian people really don't see a big deal in some of these "issues", and it's not because they don't want to stick their necks out? have you ever considered that a lot of asian americans lead pretty comfortable lives and don't feel the least bit oppressed?

Whatevahz Sun. Asians need to voice their opinions, and it's Uncle Toms like you who give the slack to whites, blacks and hispanics to discriminate against Asians. I don't know where you live bud, but where I am from, racist attacks from blacks and whites were flying at me daily like bullets from AK-17 assault riffles.

I am in favor of an Asian Al Sharpton, or some kind of figure that would unite the AA community here in the US, as well as fighting for better positions in society.

AA and Asians may be financially well off in general, but we lack a political voice.

Lastly, you say that Asians don't want to stick their necks out in these kinds of issues. Well, if you don't blurt out a protest, Verizon and other corporations will continue to bash Asians.

I bet when rep. Cobble of N Carolina said that the US government had the right to intern Japanese-Americans during WWII, I bet you said that was okay. Well...too bad it didn't happen to you and your family. :angry:

lethal

05-30-2003, 12:23 PM

I saw the ad the other night.

You know what? I don't get what the issue is.

There's a white guy in a cab talking on a cell phone. He's getting bad reception, so he tells the cab driver, who happens to be Asian, to move around so he can hear. The driver drives erratically, under command.

What's ya'lls beef with it? That the cab driver is Asian in the first place or that he drives erratically under command?

And for you newbies, I look out for slights as much as anyone here...worked on all the campaigns this site has been active with...and I still don't get what the big deal is.

lethal

05-30-2003, 12:27 PM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 03:21 PM
I bet when rep. Cobble of N Carolina said that the US government had the right to intern Japanese-Americans during WWII, I bet you said that was okay. Well...too bad it didn't happen to you and your family. :angry:
Actually, SWK was on the forefront of the campaign. He called the Congressman's office and spoke with Coble's spokeswoman.

Before you go around criticizing others here, build up your own credibility.

Geegeh7

05-30-2003, 12:30 PM

It's because the Asian cab driver is treated like s--t driving erratically, having a white businessman boss around the Asian taxi driver.

Listen, the taxi driver is Asian, and Asians are stereotyped to work in this kind of business,....especially the immigrant Asians.

Lethal, there was also a commercial where a black financial analyst had a white female customer. In the commercial (I think it was for Charles Schwab), the white female customer told the black analyst that she didn't like his companies banking policy.

Let me tell you, this commercial didn't seem like a big racist issue to me. But for the NAACP and other black organizations, they called Schwab, and told them to take this commercial off the air. And Schwab did respond!

I'd wish many more Asians would wake up, smell the coffee, and fight back.

lethal

05-30-2003, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 03:30 PM
It's because the Asian cab driver is treated like s--t driving erratically, having a white businessman boss around the Asian taxi driver.

Listen, the taxi driver is Asian, and Asians are stereotyped to work in this kind of business,....especially the immigrant Asians.

Lethal, there was also a commercial where a black financial analyst had a white female customer. In the commercial (I think it was for Charles Schwab), the white female customer told the black analyst that she didn't like his companies banking policy.

Let me tell you, this commercial didn't seem like a big racist issue to me. But for the NAACP and other black organizations, they called Schwab, and told them to take this commercial off the air. And Schwab did respond!

I'd wish many more Asians would wake up, smell the coffee, and fight back.
Are there Asian taxi drivers? Yes. Especially in NYC and SF.

People boss around taxi drivers. Especially stupid people who choose to use poor cell phone service, as the commerical implies.

The commercial, in my opinion, puts the white businessman in a negative light as a person who choose an inferior cellular service and as someone who bosses around a service worker.

The Asian taxi driver is doing his job.

If you're offended by the commercial, take your complaint to Verizon (or better yet its advertising agency). Tell us to support you and maybe we will, but people are free to choose their causes.

Some black organizations complained and they were successful in their campaign to have the commercial pulled from the air. This does not mean they had the support of all black people.

You don't need all of our support to wage a successful campaign. Come here and inform us of what you perceive to be a slight and let us choose whether to take action with you or not. Don't come here and expect us to all follow you and criticize us if we do not. Just because we don't take offense to what you took offense to does not make us apathetic or turncoats or traitors or sellouts.

Sometimes we just need to pick and choose our fights.

SunWuKong

05-30-2003, 12:47 PM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 03:21 PM
SunWu:

oh please. i'd hate to see an asian al sharpton or an asian jesse jackson. and that's because i think both al sharpton and (maybe) jesse jackson are borderline racist whiny sons of bitches.

have you ever considered that a lot of asian people really don't see a big deal in some of these "issues", and it's not because they don't want to stick their necks out? have you ever considered that a lot of asian americans lead pretty comfortable lives and don't feel the least bit oppressed?

Whatevahz Sun. Asians need to voice their opinions, and it's Uncle Toms like you who give the slack to whites, blacks and hispanics to discriminate against Asians. I don't know where you live bud, but where I am from, racist attacks from blacks and whites were flying at me daily like bullets from AK-17 assault riffles.

I am in favor of an Asian Al Sharpton, or some kind of figure that would unite the AA community here in the US, as well as fighting for better positions in society.

AA and Asians may be financially well off in general, but we lack a political voice.

Lastly, you say that Asians don't want to stick their necks out in these kinds of issues. Well, if you don't blurt out a protest, Verizon and other corporations will continue to bash Asians.

I bet when rep. Cobble of N Carolina said that the US government had the right to intern Japanese-Americans during WWII, I bet you said that was okay. Well...too bad it didn't happen to you and your family. :angry:

so basically you think i should cry racism even when i don't think there's any racism involved? what kind of ass-backward thinking is that?

please do explain to me how this TV commercial causes racial "attacks" from blacks and whites. how come they don't fear you because of all the bad-ass kungfu fighting that asian people also do in mainstream media, and how come black kids aren't also the victims of these supposed racial "attacks" because of characters like Erkel on Family Matters?

could it possibly be because bad media portrayal is not the cause of racism?

and for your information, people like Al Sharpton only unite a certain portion of the African American community. they have also caused disunity, or more accurately, polarised the disunity, because guess what? a lot of black people also think that people like Al Sharpton are racist whiny sons of bitches. and if an Asian Al Sharpton comes into existence in the political landscape, i'd want more than ever to dissociate myself from being an "Asian American" (i'm an Overseas Chinese).

and i didn't say that asians don't want to stick their necks out. read what i wrote again.

and Lastly... i happened to have actually called Coble's chief of staff Missy Branson on the phone. in fact, i was the first person on this site to call her, and the only person on the site that actually got to talk to her. after our conversation, she stopped taking any calls. i basically pissed her off because she couldn't answer any of my questions in a direct and to-the-point manner.

so maybe you should just accept the fact that some of these "issues" you see don't actually matter all that much to a lot of Asian Americans, and that is because they don't really feel all that oppressed.

golden_buns

05-30-2003, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 11:21 AM
I am in favor of an Asian Al Sharpton, or some kind of figure that would unite the AA community here in the US, as well as fighting for better positions in society.

Ever heard the story of the boy who cries "wolf" 2 times and then the third time when the wolf comes for real no one comes to help cuz everyone thinks he's shitting again?

That's why we shouldn't cry racism at little things like this. Just when it's truly important

BTW, asian cabbies an asian stereotype? that's a new one to me.

Emperor_Mike

05-30-2003, 01:52 PM

All this talk of activism and outrage is nothing but hot air without action. All I see in this thread are words with no substance behind it. It's just as bad as watching individuals who cry out for war from the comfort of their armchairs with a TV in front of them while the soldiers do the actual fighting and dying.

Geegeh7, I'd be careful about calling people "Uncle Toms" without any legitimate information to back your statements if I were you. Many of us here are active members in our respective Asian communities and have likely done more to advance the social and political causes of our brethren that you can ever hope to accomplish in a lifetime with your immature rants. So instead of resorting to belligerent name calling, childish outrage and inflammatory commentaries with no credible backing or feasible facts, why don't you do something constructive and write to Verizon, explaining in detail the reason behind your stance and calmly present a case instead of making a fool of yourself on the Internet?

That said, if you (Geegeh7) really think that there's a need to express your displeasure to Verizon do give everyone here a well thought out and well crafted reason why it must be so. If you present your points well perhaps you can change our opinions with solid facts instead of random bursts of nonsense. :)

In any case, I do not feel that there should be a continuing need to debate this issue any further. It is evident that intellectual exchange has been overtaken by non-sensical and irrelevant conjecture that serves no purpose whatsoever other than to antagonize all parties involved.

Perhaps we can close this and be done with it?

Napoleon Chynamite

05-30-2003, 05:28 PM

could it possibly be because bad media portrayal is not the cause of racism?

Yea...cause I always thought that media portrayals were the byproducts (i.e. affected by generalizations already present) as well as the reinforcements of racist thinking or stereotypes much more so rather than the other way around.

btw i still haven't seen this ad yet :lol: mabey i should watch more tv

mr. x

05-30-2003, 05:29 PM

i say we close this sucker, cuz we making much ado about nothing

AngryABCGirl

05-30-2003, 06:06 PM

Stop with the personal flames, they aren't appropiate with or without knowing the other person, it makes everyone stupider.

Also, protesting against most commerical companies is stupid because they usually aren't intentionally trying to insult any group because their only purpose is to make money. A&F orginally made those T-shirts to attract Asians, not insult them, that's why they pulled them because they were going to lose a lot of revenue becuase people were offended. Companies really respond to customer complaints, and that's all that's needed.

angel nympho

05-30-2003, 06:19 PM

Originally posted by lethalweapon@May 30 2003, 07:45 PM
Originally posted by Geegeh7@May 30 2003, 03:30 PM
It's because the Asian cab driver is treated like s--t driving erratically, having a white businessman boss around the Asian taxi driver.

Listen, the taxi driver is Asian, and Asians are stereotyped to work in this kind of business,....especially the immigrant Asians.

Lethal, there was also a commercial where a black financial analyst had a white female customer. In the commercial (I think it was for Charles Schwab), the white female customer told the black analyst that she didn't like his companies banking policy.

Let me tell you, this commercial didn't seem like a big racist issue to me. But for the NAACP and other black organizations, they called Schwab, and told them to take this commercial off the air. And Schwab did respond!

I'd wish many more Asians would wake up, smell the coffee, and fight back.
Are there Asian taxi drivers? Yes. Especially in NYC and SF.

People boss around taxi drivers. Especially stupid people who choose to use poor cell phone service, as the commerical implies.

The commercial, in my opinion, puts the white businessman in a negative light as a person who choose an inferior cellular service and as someone who bosses around a service worker.

The Asian taxi driver is doing his job.

If you're offended by the commercial, take your complaint to Verizon (or better yet its advertising agency). Tell us to support you and maybe we will, but people are free to choose their causes.

Some black organizations complained and they were successful in their campaign to have the commercial pulled from the air. This does not mean they had the support of all black people.

You don't need all of our support to wage a successful campaign. Come here and inform us of what you perceive to be a slight and let us choose whether to take action with you or not. Don't come here and expect us to all follow you and criticize us if we do not. Just because we don't take offense to what you took offense to does not make us apathetic or turncoats or traitors or sellouts.

Sometimes we just need to pick and choose our fights.
Thank you. You untangled all the cut up bits and pieces of thoughts that were in my head and communicated it perfectly. And way nicer than I would have.