Asian-American Studies

[AngryABCGirl]

While I don't doubt at all the educational value of these classes and plan to minor in ASA, I can't help but feel that they stir up a lot of anger in many students who haven't been especially exposed or noticed racism against him. I think most Asians in college are probably "born-again" in these classes. In fact in all ethnic studies classes, everyone I've known leaves it with more resentment then coming in. Even I'm feeling more resentment when I read about stuff i've known and encountered over and over again.

What do you guys think?

[kboy75]

i say forget all that stuff and study it if you truly enjoy it and have your reasons.

sure a lot of people are "born-again" asian-american activists, but don't let that stop you. although, to stop at resentment is bad. being angry can be healthy if it leads to positive action. if not, then it becomes mere resentment.

beware of the "asian am" students that are there to "asian scam" :P

[sandra]

i ta'd for ASA 2 at UC Davis. i remember during one class, after we showed the Vincent Chin documentary, some of the kids left so upset that i swore they were going to sock the first white guy that approached them. we did have a discussion during the next class session about the purpose of the class - to educate them of the history of racism in our community - not to teach them to hate whites.

[SunWuKong]

well, just try to keep an objective point of view, and ask those of us here on YW what we think about certain subjects if you are in doubt about how you feel about it.

[lethal]

I'm sure BTR has a strong viewpoint about these classes.

Personally, I wish I had the opportunity to even have these classes when I was in college. I may or may not have chosed to take them, but I wasn't even given that choice.

By the time I graduated, there was one class offered about the Asian American Experience. There still is not a program about it to this day.

[VV o n g B a]

Originally Posted by lethalweapon

I'm sure BTR has a strong viewpoint about these classes.

Personally, I wish I had the opportunity to even have these classes when I was in college. I may or may not have chosed to take them, but I wasn't even given that choice.

By the time I graduated, there was one class offered about the Asian American Experience. There still is not a program about it to this day.

same for me. we started an on campus organization whose purpose was to push for some type of asian american history or literature class to be created but we didn't succeed by the time i had left.

[kitty]

I'm glad they're there, and if they can teach people about Asian American history that's great... some of the classes tho' that don't teach about facts but are just there to teach you how to think are not really very educational... (this goes for all kinds of classes, not just ethnic studies)

[YuheiCarreau]

I have resented White people since I was young. I'm not a born-again, I'm an already-was!

[AngryABCGirl]

Originally Posted by kasia

i ta'd for ASA 2 at UC Davis. i remember during one class, after we showed the Vincent Chin documentary, some of the kids left so upset that i swore they were going to sock the first white guy that approached them. we did have a discussion during the next class session about the purpose of the class - to educate them of the history of racism in our community - not to teach them to hate whites.

I think I'm actually watching that video in class this Friday (I'm in ASA 2 right now), tell you guys how it goes.

[AngryABCGirl]

Ok, I just watched the Vincent Chen video in class this morning. I've been upset all day, although I don't want to hurt white people or anything, I just feel so disappointed and depressed. I haven't felt like doing anything all day.

[yoMAMA]

I'm not sure about Asian American studies, but I have a friend who is majoring African American Studies in Macalester college.

Seems like a fun major to do.

[sandra]

btw, my feeling is that most of the asians at uc davis are not born agains because they all either went to lowell or wash :)

they have more of the san francisco asian culture - which is hardly whitewashed. many of them have just not taken the time to become educated on Asian issues. now that they're doing so, i think we should encourage them.

btw, if it's asa 2, i'm almost positive that most are not born again asians. most of them are there to check each other out. long-known fact: asa 2 = meet market. bess, look around the room during lecture. you'll see that many of the guys are not paying attention to the professor - they're checking out the other asian girls in the room. i had to grade papers and essays for these fools. few of them were truly interested in asa studies. none took the time to do the reading. and it just so happened that the vincent chin documentary really pissed them off. if they did take the time, i think some of them would have found it worthwhile.

[AngryABCGirl]

Originally Posted by kasia

btw, if it's asa 2, i'm almost positive that most are not born again asians. most of them are there to check each other out. long-known fact: asa 2 = meet market. bess, look around the room during lecture. you'll see that many of the guys are not paying attention to the professor - they're checking out the other asian girls in the room. i had to grade papers and essays for these fools. few of them were truly interested in asa studies. none took the time to do the reading. and it just so happened that the vincent chin documentary really pissed them off. if they did take the time, i think some of them would have found it worthwhile.

Hmm I sit in the front row of the lecture so I haven't noticed, but I have to say the hottest guys I've seen on campus are the guys in there, but I'm not looking to mack there. There's really little reading, people should just do it. The people I'm with in the class are interested in ASA, we spent a lot of the afternoon sulking together after the video. I think some people in the class were gonna start crying. Dang, I'm still upset about it.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by AzNBuffGrL

Hmm I sit in the front row of the lecture so I haven't noticed, but I have to say the hottest guys I've seen on campus are the guys in there, but I'm not looking to mack there. There's really little reading, people should just do it. The people I'm with in the class are interested in ASA, we spent a lot of the afternoon sulking together after the video. I think some people in the class were gonna start crying. Dang, I'm still upset about it.

i understand. that's the general feeling after watching the documentary for the first time. heavy stuff, eh? i was crying the first time i watched it.

one thing to take away is that eben and nitz still have the judgment against them, and so they have been on the constant run and have not been reaccepted as members of society.

we really do have to show that documentary more - and to remember that the hate crime against vincent chin was not an isolated incident. had his story not been told in that way, it could have easily been written off as a bar fight. many hate crimes today are overlooked as just robberies, assaults, etc.

we need:
1) people to educate others about hate crimes;
2) lawyers in the system to fight the judges like Charles Kaufman. $3000 fine. "Men like him don't commit murders."

*sigh*

*hugs*

[AngryABCGirl]

Originally Posted by kasia

i understand. that's the general feeling after watching the documentary for the first time. heavy stuff, eh? i was crying the first time i watched it.

one thing to take away is that eben and nitz still have the judgment against them, and so they have been on the constant run and have not been reaccepted as members of society.

we really do have to show that documentary more - and to remember that the hate crime against vincent chin was not an isolated incident. had his story not been told in that way, it could have easily been written off as a bar fight. many hate crimes today are overlooked as just robberies, assaults, etc.

we need:
1) people to educate others about hate crimes;
2) lawyers in the system to fight the judges like Charles Kaufman. $3000 fine. "Men like him don't commit murders."

*sigh*

*hugs*

Is there no way the two can be punished?