Author: Jericho Faderon

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zQSFTaUTuTRDUZj7zQYWx4Vzr-TTCSrquljafiMFARI/edit?usp=sharing

According to Phi, his point about the relationship between Asian American’s to the police and police violence is one of complacency. As long as their own people do not get attacked or disturbed by the police, they will keep silent. From my reading of his article, Phi wants us to support other communities that are affected by the police and not just people who put on a mask. “Chinese conservatism” according to the article by Zen is that it seems like conservatism and specifically white conservatism which is basically acting in your own favor or interest. An example pointed in this article is how Chinese people were mad when they found out one of their own was attacked by a black man. This one experience led to them jumping to the conclusion that they needed the police’s protection. Just like Phi’s points, this goes to show how Asians only bat an eye when one of their own is affected, and while I get this community aspect it is important that we rise above this and think about the bigger picture. The bigger picture is how we can protect other people in our community from the brutality and abuse of the police. The goal of this letter is to get people to see how blacks need to be supported and are being discriminated by the police, being killed by the police every single day without remorse and unfortunately this has become a daily thing when it shouldn’t.

For Frameworks, I chose to PROTECT CAREGIVERS by Ai-jen Poo & NDWA. This post goes in-depth with how caregivers are constantly put down and looked at as less compared to other healthcare workers despite being in the same field and putting themselves in danger, health-wise in order to take care of other people. I chose this since it is a common issue that is portrayed in movies, based on real events, that Asian caretakers are usually taken advantage of and usually mistreated in horrible ways.

For Stories, I chose “Tired” by Alice Tsui. This post shows how she feels ever since the coronavirus started and how the media has portrayed this while disregarding the prejudices that Asians have gone through since this pandemic started. Just like Alice, I’ve seen multiple posts on social media regarding discrimination towards Asians ever since the pandemic started and ever since then, I’ve always felt anxious and nervous whenever my parents leave to do simple tasks out of fear that they’ll be discriminated towards. I picked this issue since I’m Asian and ever since this year started, one of the main focuses has been on Asians but not in a good light and seeing other’s stories of how they’re affected, they usually give a piece of advice to calm yourself and deal with these issues which are very helpful.

For Resources, I chose media coverage recommendations. This post talks about how media coverage of the pandemic has inadvertently led to increased racism and xenophobia towards Asians in general. This is the point as to why I feel anxious and nervous whenever my parents leave the home. Especially with news outlets like Fox News who blatantly call the Coronavirus “China Virus” which leads to influence their already racist base and viewers. I chose this since it is interesting to see how the media shows stories and the outcome of their telling since they can reach millions of people in the world.

I learned about refugee “resettlement,” criminalization and the impacts of immigration enforcement in SE Asian communities show how easily someone can turn their backs on you based on the influence of others. As shown in the reading by Yang “The Forgotten Asian Refugees Fed into the U.S. Prison System” ICE decided to deport lots of Cambodian immigrants back to Cambodia despite the fact that multiples of them have not been there in their life or may have escaped as babies/kids. My one takes away from this all is a prevalent message all across communities where they either get forcibly removed or are forced by ICE which is “trauma”. The separation of family or people from a place they are familiar with creates a trauma within them that takes years of healing just to get over and sometimes, it never even happens. Some of the feelings that came up for me were resentment that this happens, most of what I saw were minor crimes yet they get arrested for it, there should be some form of understanding that what was in the past is in the past. Especially in the case of Loeun Lun who was deported for a crime that he committed a long time ago but due to his status, was still deported anyway. Besides the feeling of resentment, I had a feeling of hope that this might change, and as of writing this it might due to the recent victory of Joe Biden in the elections. While he’s no Bernie Sanders, one can hope that he and Kamala will lead us to a better change than we were in these past four years.

1.) The “model minority” myth comes from, according to these readings, as a means to propel the myth the thought that Asian Americans are the smarter of all minorities when this is clearly not the case at all times. This idea only serves to hurt and downplay other minorities such as the Hispanic and Black communities. Based on the data shown in the readings and especially Hassan Minhaj’s “Affirmative Action” video, one can see the bias that Ivy Leagues have towards Asian Americans. As pointed out by Hassan Minhaj, twenty-two percent of Harvard’s class of 2021 were in fact all Asian. That data did not even show other minorities.

2.) This myth is reproduced or challenged in the affirmative action lawsuit/conversation by the AACE through their words and actions but more so a prominent example is when Zhao based his book on so much of the model minority. His introduction before the book even starts, is how his son is super smart. One of the problems with the model minority myth is that it raises Asian Americans while putting down Black and Hispanic Americans which is entirely wrong and should rather show how minorities can rise to the occasion. Unfortunately, it has led to a different, more so horrible result.

From the readings and the films, we learn that the criteria for citizenship are about white people and rarely include POC leading to them having to prove that they meet the criteria for citizenship. An example of this was the loyalty questionnaire that Asians had to fill out whereas Europeans didn’t even have to bother. This shows an inherent bias and preference towards Europeans which had blindsided America for years and shows that from the beginning we were truly never the diverse country we tout ourselves to be in today’s modern era.

As for what defines “citizenship” today, I believe it means to be anyone who lives in the US and follows the laws as a law-abiding citizen should. As to what it means to belong here, I usually associate it with living here so having a house and a job. In my opinion, the definition should be a person who lives here and abides by the law. There is plenty of people who fit that criteria yet they’re not citizens when clearly they should be more than other actual citizens of the United States. As to what it means to belong here, it means that you follow the rules and pay taxes just like everyone else.

1.) Some of the arguments that are made to exclude Chinese migrants from the US were that they were unassimilable aliens or people who couldn’t fit in with the societal norms at the time, those norms being racist and discriminatory towards Asians.

2.) The Chinese communities responded to these arguments by stating it was unfair and it was. They had to pay taxes even though their children were barred from going to these public institutions. This limiting

3.) These historical events are compared to today’s time because just like in the past and the recent pandemic, many people in the beginning, harbored hate and racism towards Asians and Asian Americans due to the horrible stereotypes associated with the Coronavirus. With the widespread misinformation, they had in the past, a variety of stereotypes popped up and they still ring true today with some being brought back as a result of the pandemic.

4.) As for what came up to me this week while reviewing the materials, not many feelings came up since when I usually read, my feelings do not get invoked and brought up by the words or actions in a reading. Although I did feel disgusted as this was the past of America yet many people today still look to America as if it is a flawless country without fault despite its horrible history.

1.) Despite our limited time, I must say the interaction between us and Professor Munshi is great and makes this class the most enjoyable one. As a matter of fact, out of all of my classes, this is by far the most I enjoy. Personally speaking, the work is not overwhelming and I don’t know how to explain it but when I go to this class, it feels like I’m really in the classroom. Professor Munshi has made this class very enjoyable thanks to her creating a welcoming environment I always enjoy coming into the class. Not much to say in regards to my classmates but reading their responses to the Discussion Boards, I really admire their well-thought-out responses. One thing I would like to change though is “No Breakout Rooms” since it’s usually awkward silence/pauses and I get everyone is shy so it creates an awkward tension that usually eats at me wondering if they’re judging my voice every time I speak.

2.) The song I would like to add to the class playlist for opening music is California by Berhana. It has zero ties to the class in general but as cliche as this sounds, I feel good when listening to it and maybe everyone else in the class will if they get a chance to listen to it or hear it upon walking to the class as the intro song. On the other hand, I would recommend Whole Wide World by Berhana. My reason being, the beat, and sound of the song, has a very closing theme sound to it that you’d probably hear played in songs used in the background of family sitcoms.

1.)In the first minutes of this documentary, there are multiple meanings to this. But a definitive example I can give, is that prior to this year, majority of people thought the term “POC” strictly referred to African Americans when in actuality it also spreads to other minorities as well. The economic goal that this serves is to either limit or help us. In most instances,

2.)The differences are very racially charged and in one of the instances provided, it was said that the early Americans viewed the various tribes as being like them, European due to their skin color and expansive nature is similar to theirs as stated by Thomas Jefferson.

3.) The Filipino people racialized in the late 1800s/early 1900s were shown as exhibits like they were something to behold. Constantly being compared to the standards that Americans had at the time such as white skin and their so-called “upright” morals. I do not know the political and economic purpose/goals that these served but in today’s Philippines, we are so Americanized. Most Filipinos I know prefer the white skin that is so common among Europeans and even our education system up until a couple of years ago started following the American system. Prior to leaving the Phillippines, I remember that after 6th grade, you’d go straight to high school, but now they changed it to the American standard.

1.) One of the common explanations I hear about why people migrate to the United States is for a better life, as so many migrants in the past have said multiple times and to this day, still rings true. As the son of an Asian migrant myself, I was told this very reason as to why I barely saw my mom growing up. She provided not only for my dad and I but our extended family as well. This not only extends to just Asian migrants but migrants in general, especially going to a school like BMCC where I’ve met so many classmates who are migrants themselves, have come in order to further their education, and believe America is the key to their hopes and dreams coming true.

2.) Yang proposes the “Push and Pull theory” which ties in with these very factors since one of the examples of a push factor is economic hardships in which many countries today experience and as a result, countries that they view to be great, experience an influx of the number of migrants coming into the country. Such is the case in the 1840s where many Irish left their country due to the Potato Famine in search of a better life to provide for their family in the United States and Great Britain. As for the pull factor, in the example, I brought up, it was the hope for better crops due to the famine they were experiencing back home in Ireland.

3.)Finally, there is no additional “cluster of factors” that I would add to Yang’s theory since the majority of them were sound and reinforced his points very well.