Some thoughts on Alexandra Wallace, "Asians in the Library," and the backlash

mizjenkins:

People of color have been caricatured for so long in American history that most White people don’t even notice it when it’s being done today. I blame Disney for a lot of that. Big-lipped Black folks, buck-toothed Asians, whooping “Indians”…all par for the course. All some of our most beloved childhood memories and cultural symbolism. A lot of folks in the mainstream still think that POC are being “over-sensitive” or exaggerating when we get pissed off about these things (see, Duncan Hines “Hip Hop” cupcakes etc).

There is no equivalent racial caricature of White people. Because most of the portrayals of laughable White folks are done by White folks. All the Roseannes and Archie Bunkers and Jed Clampett hillbilly types are ultimately presented as loveable and complex and worthy of some sort of respect. Caricatures of people of color, on the other hand, are simply two-dimensional buffoons represented in the “funny” or “weird” way they appear to people who are in no way familiar with or appreciative of them or their cultures.

So.

If some ignorant ass White person is going to go around perpetuating caricatures of my people, I feel damn well entitled to make a caricature of her right back. No, two wrongs don’t make a right. I’m not trying to be “right”. I’m trying to exercise my right to be as wrong as she is. Because apparently in our society it’s only White people who are allowed to be wrong and everyone else’s job is to have calm, polite discussions about what their motivations are and how we might help them be better people.

Fuck that.

As a woman of color I frankly don’t need to get into a deep academic discussion about why racism is not ok…I’m pretty sure I’ve figured that out. Frankly I’m irritated that anyone hasn’t. But as it is I spend plenty of time having calm, polite dicussions about race and trying to educate. Every now and then dammit, I have a right to retaliate.