Race at the Olympics (by Katie Van Loo)
I can't go anywhere these days without hearing about the Olympics ("Michael Phelps this, Michael Phelps that." Thank God my friend finally told me who Michael Phelps is). But it wasn't until I was over on Eugene Cho's blog the other day that my interest was thoroughly piqued. Cho posted a photo of the Spanish men's basketball team "making their eyes Chinese," along with his response. (I encourage you to check out Cho's honest and articulate posts -- he has since written a second one -- and the open conversation they have sparked.)
The New York Times has thoroughly covered the incident. The photo was an ad in a Spanish newspaper that also included an identical photo of the women's basketball team. In order to assuage some of the reactionary discomfort surrounding the ad, the Spanish teams have alluded that it was an "affectionate gesture" between the teams and their Chinese sponsor, Li-Ning footwear company. And as a response to critical accusations from those offended by the ad, we are reminded that the Chinese embassy in Spain does not find it to be racist or offensive.
This seems to imply that everyone else is overreacting: "Look! Even China doesn't care!" However, I see China's willingness to overlook the incident as a diplomatic consequence rather than an admission that the act is not a racially loaded and dangerous one. Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad we don't feel the need to start official conflicts over such things. Being able to recognize intention, distinguish between actions and actors, and, above all, gracefully forgive are hallmarks of mature relationships. But this does not equal rendering the act as "okay" and inoffensive. How do we keep from sacrificing loving accountability for diplomatic tolerance? Or more bluntly, how do we say a racist act is wrong but forgiven, rather than ignore the offended and excuse racism for the sake of appearances?
Let's bring this down a level: Suppose an acquaintance of mine says to me, with a wink, "Katie, thanks for helping with cleanup. You're such a good, subservient Asian girl." Now, I will not punch her in the face and declare her my enemy. However, I most certainly will put an affectionate arm around her shoulders and have a word. It might sound like this ("what I'd say" = "what I'd mean"):
"Ha, ha" = "I can see how you might think that's funny and clever because I'm Asian and it's an Asian stereotype."
"I'm glad we're friends" = "I believe relationships should be dealt with lovingly. So, I'm not going to punch you in the face."
"But let me tell you why you're wrong" = "But it's not okay. And I am going to use this opportunity to help you understand how and why this hurts people, especially those who are not your friends, because they probably won't do that. But, they might punch you in your possibly well-intentioned but ignorant face."
Or something like that. My point is, whether or not the Spanish teams meant nothing bad by the gesture and whether or not the Chinese embassy accepts this, it is still wrong. It offends someone. It misleads someone into thinking it's okay. It reinforces stereotypes. And it reduces all of someone's pain that was borne out of the history of such a gesture, such a stereotype, down to a couple of very public photos and a shrugged-off worldwide response. This is what matters.
I am a former student who studied cultural identity and stereotyping and am a Christian who seeks opportunities for reconciliation. Thus my initial reaction upon reading Cho's blog post was to displace blame (we are all at fault for racism), rigorously find and attack the root problem (Institutions! Apathy! Ignorance!), and mend relationships (let this bring us together rather than divide us further). But I am also an adopted Korean woman living in the United States. I have endured demeaning comments from men ("speak Japanese to me and giggle!"); I have struggled at childhood "beauty parlor" parties because my face didn't follow the Caucasian fashion magazine rules; I have had good grades discounted because studying and science are "in my racial DNA;" and I have, of course, been subject to people slanting their eyes at me. So when I read Cho's most recent post about the topic, I took the time to stop thinking and theorizing and problem-solving. Instead I simply looked at the picture of (this time) the Spanish women's tennis team slanting their eyes at the camera. And I have to be honest, it hurt.
Katie Van Loo, a former Sojourners intern, lives in Washington, D.C.
The New York Times has thoroughly covered the incident. The photo was an ad in a Spanish newspaper that also included an identical photo of the women's basketball team. In order to assuage some of the reactionary discomfort surrounding the ad, the Spanish teams have alluded that it was an "affectionate gesture" between the teams and their Chinese sponsor, Li-Ning footwear company. And as a response to critical accusations from those offended by the ad, we are reminded that the Chinese embassy in Spain does not find it to be racist or offensive.
This seems to imply that everyone else is overreacting: "Look! Even China doesn't care!" However, I see China's willingness to overlook the incident as a diplomatic consequence rather than an admission that the act is not a racially loaded and dangerous one. Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad we don't feel the need to start official conflicts over such things. Being able to recognize intention, distinguish between actions and actors, and, above all, gracefully forgive are hallmarks of mature relationships. But this does not equal rendering the act as "okay" and inoffensive. How do we keep from sacrificing loving accountability for diplomatic tolerance? Or more bluntly, how do we say a racist act is wrong but forgiven, rather than ignore the offended and excuse racism for the sake of appearances?
Let's bring this down a level: Suppose an acquaintance of mine says to me, with a wink, "Katie, thanks for helping with cleanup. You're such a good, subservient Asian girl." Now, I will not punch her in the face and declare her my enemy. However, I most certainly will put an affectionate arm around her shoulders and have a word. It might sound like this ("what I'd say" = "what I'd mean"):
"Ha, ha" = "I can see how you might think that's funny and clever because I'm Asian and it's an Asian stereotype."
"I'm glad we're friends" = "I believe relationships should be dealt with lovingly. So, I'm not going to punch you in the face."
"But let me tell you why you're wrong" = "But it's not okay. And I am going to use this opportunity to help you understand how and why this hurts people, especially those who are not your friends, because they probably won't do that. But, they might punch you in your possibly well-intentioned but ignorant face."
Or something like that. My point is, whether or not the Spanish teams meant nothing bad by the gesture and whether or not the Chinese embassy accepts this, it is still wrong. It offends someone. It misleads someone into thinking it's okay. It reinforces stereotypes. And it reduces all of someone's pain that was borne out of the history of such a gesture, such a stereotype, down to a couple of very public photos and a shrugged-off worldwide response. This is what matters.
I am a former student who studied cultural identity and stereotyping and am a Christian who seeks opportunities for reconciliation. Thus my initial reaction upon reading Cho's blog post was to displace blame (we are all at fault for racism), rigorously find and attack the root problem (Institutions! Apathy! Ignorance!), and mend relationships (let this bring us together rather than divide us further). But I am also an adopted Korean woman living in the United States. I have endured demeaning comments from men ("speak Japanese to me and giggle!"); I have struggled at childhood "beauty parlor" parties because my face didn't follow the Caucasian fashion magazine rules; I have had good grades discounted because studying and science are "in my racial DNA;" and I have, of course, been subject to people slanting their eyes at me. So when I read Cho's most recent post about the topic, I took the time to stop thinking and theorizing and problem-solving. Instead I simply looked at the picture of (this time) the Spanish women's tennis team slanting their eyes at the camera. And I have to be honest, it hurt.
Katie Van Loo, a former Sojourners intern, lives in Washington, D.C.
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Comments
I was shocked and offended by the photo (I only saw the men's basketball team) and couldn't believe they even thought of it.
But it's not just race that gets such offensive treatment. People get teased for everything they're good at and everything they're bad at. People even gave the "political correctness movement" grief when it started, for being too touchy feely.
Of course we need to point out what's offensive --and we need to not punch people in the face. I'm sorry these very stupid photos offended you. Just so you know, lots of us from European descent shart your pain.
Posted by: frankie | August 20, 2008 12:12 PM
This to me is one of those - what were you smoking when you thought this was a good idea - issues. I can not believe that someone didn't think that this might be something that should have have been documented on film. Now I have a relative that is Asian and this has been our joke for years. She comes up to me and adjusts my eyes and then says something like - 'you look so hot like this' which brings a laugh to us and others around. But this is a fun-loving joke between us and not on the cover of a publication. I am sorry that this is so hurtful and I bet someone is wishing they had pulled the plug on this one a day or two prior.
All the Time - God is Good
.
Posted by: big guy | August 20, 2008 12:32 PM
I sure can understand it, but wish it didn't have to hurt.
In discussions of race and ethnicity, there seems to be a well accepted platitude that "everyone is prejudiced." And if you think you're not and you're a white American, then it's "liberal guilt" or it's "unconscious."
Maybe I unconsciously like George Bush or still believe in Santa Clause...?
Anyway, where I wanted to go with this is to say that it's possible to be in the ethnic majority and not see bigotry as anything but ridiculous as well as ugly. Through personal experience as well as extensive observation of young children, I'm convinced that bigotry is learned.
So it's possible to grow up white in America and not believe in bigotry - that is, not to take it seriously - any more than Martians. Naturally, as someone who belongs to a minority group that's sometimes on the receiving end of bigotry, it's impossible to grow up innocent of it in the same way. If you're the one who's being dumped on, it's pretty hard not to notice!
I hope someday the world as a whole will see the ridiculing of other races as itself being so ridiculous as to be unworthy of notice. We're so far from being there, however, that I understand why this incident got your attention and would have felt the same.
Posted by: Paul Maurice Martin | August 20, 2008 12:57 PM
I'm glad you wrote about this Katie. When I first saw the photos I was sucked back into memories of childhood ignorance/cruelty.
It's kinda weird that nobody, from the photographers to the team players to the marketing execs, protested the photos or advertisement.
What do you think that's about?
Posted by: Anna | August 20, 2008 1:05 PM
"It's kinda weird that nobody, from the photographers to the team players to the marketing execs, protested the photos or advertisement."
I think it's about privilege and position -- not socially but as athletes who are captivating the world's attention and soaking a bit in glory that comes with being "special."
The pre-Olympic publicity about China's unacceptable human rights violation also lowered respect for the country. It's the fault of a miniscule collection of government decision-makers but it gives us an edge-up if we see our national character as too responsible to do the same things. The excuse is not that "we want to insult them," so much as it is not caring that a whole nation of decent people might be hurt.
I'm bipolar and an advocate for the mentally ill, which means I'm pretty open about mental disorders and the respect those with these disorders deserve. Still, it's daunting to hear comments about the "looney bin", "crzazies" and (as one client said to me), "It takes a nut to know a nut."
It's scary when the general population associates mental illness with "psycho killers" and rapists and child abusers. The mentally ill are wayyyyyy
more likely to be victims than perpetrators.
I don't like being bipolar, but then, with God's help I've learned far, far more about illness and the ill than I could have learned anywhere else.
What the Spanish teams and supporters did spoke volumns to the rest of the world about what behaviors are respectful, and which are not.
I hope we consider the response of the Chinese (and other Asian folks) as a way to grow in humility and understanding. And for heaven's sake, I hope we don't go anywhere near the urge to tell Asians whether or not it's legitimate to be offended.
Posted by: openeyes | August 20, 2008 2:20 PM
As a father of Asian children, this hits home for me, too. My philosophy has been, if you think it might hurt or offend someone, just don't make the joke. Isn't it better to err on the side of passing up an opportunity to make people laugh, in order to avoid offensive racial remarks? Don Imus? Jimmy the Greek? Rush Limbaugh?
Posted by: I and I | August 20, 2008 4:14 PM
One word to describe the photo "stupid" and even more stupid has been the defense of the ad by the Spainish team.
I saw the men's photo, I didn't see Rush Limbaugh in the shot. Was he in the women's team photo?
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | August 20, 2008 5:25 PM
Hmmm. Can't help but ask. . . . could it be that bringing Rush Limbaugh into the discussion in such a way as was done here, is as much a demonstration of bigotry as anything else we are talking about? It's at least worth thinking about. . . .
Posted by: joekc | August 20, 2008 7:26 PM
Posted by: Jeff | August 20, 2008 5:25 PM
I would rather be seen with the womens team if I had a choice - they're cuter. (lol)
All the Time - God is Good
.
Posted by: big guy | August 20, 2008 8:56 PM
After careful inspection of the womens team photo, Rush Limbaugh can be seen peeking over Rick Warren's shoulder.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | August 21, 2008 9:36 AM
Joekc, I mentioned Limbaugh along with Imus and JTG as examples of people who who have made racial statements that were unnecessary and perceived as offensive. If it helps you feel better, I'm happy to add Jesse Jackson for his "hymietown" remark. Don't read more into my original comment than is warranted.
Posted by: I and I | August 21, 2008 10:55 AM
This story is very illustrative of how the American culture is a culture of offendedness. We are extremely sensitive to both the possibility of offending others as well as seeking out opportunities to be offended ouselves.
I and I, I'm not sure what I missed. I haven't heard of any racist comments out of Limbaugh. Oh, I see, you were making a joke by sterotyping all Conservatives as racists.
Posted by: Bradley | August 21, 2008 1:42 PM
I just re-read that post and I wasn't very clear. I did not intend that to imply that what the teams did was okay or that Asians don't have a right to be offended by it. I am sorry for my lack of clarity.
Posted by: Bradley | August 21, 2008 1:49 PM
Bradley, the snarkiness hardly deserves a response, but Rush once told an African-American caller to "take that bone out of your nose," and he resigned from ESPN over comments perceived as racist. I'm won't be responding further about Limbaugh, and out of consideration for Katie and her topic I hope you and others will let it drop as well.
Posted by: I and I | August 21, 2008 3:55 PM
I guess I should be offended by this, but I am not at all. There are many differencies between our races that can be considered extremely rascist and stereotypical, but I believe, in this case, it was just good-natured playfulness among two cultures. There are visible distinctions among people that are just very obvious. I know the humor line is thin, but we would all be better off if we could laugh, joke, & most of all, REJOICE in our God crafted differences. Our diversity is beautiful, knowing that we are all so very different, yet so very much the same- all in the same boat. When we rejoice in others's differences, rather than rejecting or ignoring, we truelly defeat racism.
Posted by: Bethany | August 21, 2008 4:23 PM
Bethany: I understand your point and agree that we should celebrate in our God-given differences. I also agree that the humor line is thin. While you and others may see this particular gesture and photo as falling on the appropriate side of the humor line, there are just as many who do not. They have been subject to these gestures when they were laced with malice and cruelty. They have been degraded and pushed down and set back because of their physical differences that, yes, we should be able to rejoice in but are not always allowed to. For them it is not funny and it still hurts. They should not be discounted. And even if they were able to look past that pain and be proud of those differences, it would be their accomplishment, not an eradication of racism on the actor's part. I hope that makes sense.
Maybe in a world where we fully embraced each other and our diversity, such gestures and words would no longer hold any negative connotation or pain and photos like this one would not matter because our racist world had truly been replaced by a loving one, but we are definitely not there yet.
Also, it is not a judgment upon the Spanish teams. Calling out the act as racist is necessary because of the example it sets and the message it sends to those who are "not there yet." To use your words, those who are not rejoicing in our differences. I would hate to have enabled our slide down the slippery racial slope because I had brushed the whole thing off.
I am very glad that you are able to look upon our differences as beautiful and see how we are so unique yet so very much the same. I hope that one day we are all able to be accepted and affirmed by our diversity and collective humanity as God intended.
Posted by: Katie | August 21, 2008 5:44 PM
I and I said, "I'm won't be responding further about Limbaugh, and out of consideration for Katie and her topic I hope you and others will let it drop as well."
I'm trying to think....who was it that brought Limbaugh up in the first place? Hmmm.....I can't seem to recall....wait a minute! It was YOU!
Posted by: Bradley | August 21, 2008 5:44 PM
Hi all,
Have we lost all innocence? Do we not wonder that my eyes are brown and yours green?
I am amused that the Chinese people have NOT made much of the incident ...
Do you think that, perhaps, God has a sense of humour, creating us with so much variety, while hardwiring a penchant for stereotyping into us?
Could it be that He is, at least sometimes, upset at our efforts to always be 'correct', politically or whatever?
Please forgive the Spanish team for not being too circumspect, will you? And, if you choose to be over-sensitive they aren't to blame either, are they?
- Alu
Dar es Salaam
Posted by: Robert Alu | August 22, 2008 1:32 AM
I feel this is minor compared to the published reports of Chinese police telling Beijing bar and restaurant owners not to serve black people during the Olympics. Where has the outcry been on that offensive move?
Posted by: Emily | August 22, 2008 6:56 AM
Emily, I didn't hear or read such a report. Do you have a reference or link to it?
Posted by: Don | August 22, 2008 9:50 AM
Bradley, since you want to pursue it I think perhaps it IS germane to the topic to talk (preferably without sarcasm) about radio personalities and remarks perceived as racist. You took exception to my mentioning Limbaugh without citing what he specifically said that was controversial. Fair enough, so I supplied the quote.
Now my point originally was not to brand Imus, Greek, Limbaugh and Jesse Jackson as racists, but to point out that, as with the Spanish team, they made remarks that were PERCEIVED as racist. They deliberately went close to the line, but it is up for discussion whether they crossed it. When Limbaugh said "take the bone out of your nose," was that racist? Or was it simply a humorous retort that some people overreacted to?
My original point was: "Isn't it better to err on the side of passing up an opportunity to make people laugh, in order to avoid (coming across as) offensive racial remarks?" In other words, shouldn't Imus, Greek, Limbaugh and the Spanish team steer clear of jokes that COULD be perceived as racist? Or is it okay to come close to that line if it can be argued that the remarks were racial but not racist?
Another example: Ted Danson performing in blackface. Some were offended, even though he was performing with his African-American wife Whoopi Goldberg. Should they have taken care to avoid the topic of race in their skit to avoid offending people? Or were people just overreacting?
That was the question I was encouraging people to think about.
Posted by: I and I | August 22, 2008 10:34 AM
From www.eurweb.com/story/eur45554.cfm:
"A recent article in the South China Morning Post alleged that the Chinese government had ordered Beijing bars to ban blacks and other "undesirables" from entering during next month's Olympic Games.
The article came to our attention through the comprehensive black search engine RusmoreDrive.com.
The article stated, quote:
Bar owners near the Workers' Stadium in central Beijing say they have been forced by Public Security Bureau officials to sign pledges agreeing not to let black people enter their premises ... Security officials are targeting Sanlitun (district), which Olympic organizers expect to be a key destination for foreign tourists looking for a party during the Games. The pledges that Sanlitun bar owners had been instructed to sign agreed to stop a variety of activities in their establishments, including dancing and serving customers with black skin, they said.
Chinese officials denied the report right away and so far there is very little evidence to support the article's claims. A blogger called Beijing Boyce talked to a few bar owners in Beijing's Sanlitun area who said that they had not been ordered to keep black patrons out.
An African-American sports reporter for China Central Television named Tony Perkins told Beijing Boyce that he had not been discriminated at any of the bars.
The South China Morning Post acknowledged the lack of proof for its original report and offered this explanation:
"Further investigation found that not all bars in the newly revamped area known for its nightlife had been ordered to refuse black customers, suggesting police are targeting specific bars."
Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, who will be in Beijing next month for the Games, stated:
"The Olympics is a global event for peace and unity, and I would expect the Chinese Government to accept all people. We've been down this road before and I thought we were past that."
Posted by: I and I | August 22, 2008 10:52 AM
I and I,
What are you thoughts on the article? There doesn't seem to be much proof. Maybe Emily can provide us with more evidence. If the accusations are true, this should (not to say it will be) a major issue.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | August 22, 2008 11:08 AM
Jeff, thanks for asking. Having lived several years in China, I'm highly skeptical that this was Chinese policy. Many African-Americans work, study and live in China without discrimination, and patronize bars and restaurants while there. If there is anything to this at all, I suspect it was some low-level, corrupt cops who had motives other than China's image. Perhaps they were in cahoots with organized crime groups who want "protection" money from the local bars (this is a huge problem in Hong Kong), I don't know. But it makes absolutely no sense that China would have this kind of policy.
It could be, too, that certain bar owners did not want to serve black patrons and made the story up, in which case the SCMP should have pursued that angle further.
Posted by: I and I | August 22, 2008 11:27 AM
I and I,
Thanks for your thoughts. What you say makes sense to me.
Jeff
Posted by: Jeff | August 22, 2008 1:34 PM
I think I and I has been taking brain vitamins as of late . His posts have been logical and quite informative .
Posted by: Michael | August 23, 2008 3:21 PM
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