Everyone, and I do mean everyone, seems to be missing the most offensive thing about Betty Brown’s comments concerning Asian-Americans and their names (previously ranted about here). Anyone who is ranting about it on blogs or newspapers are entirely too hung up on the “she asked them to change their names” outrage rather than what they should be focusing on, which is that she didn’t just imply but basically outright stated that Asian-Americans, citizens of the USA, aren’t Americans. Let me post her statement again.
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” State Rep. Betty Brown [R-Terrell, TX] said.
“Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”
She’s talking about Americans. Citizens. People fully endowed with the rights of citizenship, including the right to vote in elections, and yet … see those bold bits? Seems like she’s talking about a bunch of foreign “others” who aren’t citizens of the USA and belong to some other country. That’s what people should be pissed off about. The name situation is just a tangent of the whole shebang. The fact she sees anyone that is different from her own ethnic group as being somewhat less American is the real problem.
Supposedly, she has made a statement and apologized. I can’t find the whole statement or apology anywhere. The only thing quoted in the news is her saying she apologizes … and, of course, she didn’t mean they should change their names. See, focusing on the name angle and not mentioning how she essentially said they weren’t Americans!
Anyway, I had to rant about that again, because it’s still stuck in my craw … likely because I see people getting outraged about the wrong damn thing. If anyone wants to get outraged about this stupid woman’s stupid remarks, get angry about her not-so-hidden feeling that legal immigrants who have naturalized to become citizens aren’t as American as she or the poll workers are (in her mind, anyway).
Brown stands out only in that she is less inhibited in expressing her ignorance and insecurity. Most Americans, including those commenting on her statements, see different cultures pretty much through a National Geographic lens; exotic background color existing primarily for their amusement. Once those quaint folk demand equal consideration they pose a threat to the vested interests of the established order. Caste systems exist everywhere and are maintained by dehumanizing rivals; it’s hard to understand how rigid any one system is when you’re part of it and so much of your assumptions contribute to its maintenance.
I have to admit to a somewhat morbid fascination with the fear- and stupidity-based downward trajectory of this country. Having ruled so long through military threat and dollar hegemony, this slow motion train wreck provides endless insight into human nature.
One more thing to ponder: Chinese(-Americans) have lived in California for 160 years and many are 6th, 7th and 8th generation citizens. More than a few are quite wealthy and have lawyers in their families. They have little interest in the antics of provincials like Ms. Brown.
I have to admit to a somewhat morbid fascination with the fear- and stupidity-based downward trajectory of this country.
Oh, me too, so long as they stay out of my way and don’t impeded my own life too much in the way of stupid laws. I mean, if I didn’t have stupid people to rant about, my life would be one long boring mess of happiness every day. :lol:
I have to guess that there are a lot of Americans who just haven’t lived around people of other cultures/ethnic groups at all. I have, intentionally, since I left my parents’ house. If all these silly white people ever lived in a mixed area (and had open minds) they’d realize the same thing I have: the whole lot of them, no matter color or culture or country of origin, are all just as annoying, bothersome, and daft in exactly the same ways. Human nature is human nature, no matter what skin it is wrapped in.