Unwrapping White Privilege and Asians at the Library

Almost a full week after the infamous “Asians in the Library”  video blog, we have charged responses from many denouncing it as bigotry, catchy Youtube renditions, UCLA campus revisiting its teeth of Code of Conduct standards, and someone’s life forever changed.

Among the plethora of youtube responses, I was a bit taken aback at the sexist language directed at Alexandra. Though, to be sure, I have seen in any case where white bigotry (e.g. KKK coverage) has been openly public, some folks often like to distance themselves by dismissing the person merely as “uneducated” and “white trash” (i.e. I am not like them!) I see it no different how folks responded to Alexandra. Why do we do this?  Have we really addressed her racist perspective or what “American manners” really mean?  I’m trying to think how I distanced myself when a fellow Filipino gets bad coverage, I don’t have that privilege of race in this country.

I guess immediate lessons from this are:
1 – Don’t mess with Asians or the Asian American community.
2 – When making provocative rants, never represent a large institution where almost half of the folks you’re attacking attend. (I wonder how my alma matter of 3% Asian Americans would have responded?)
3 – YouTube can destroy your life.

I’m glad folks like Beau Sia attempts to address (in Alexandra voice) some real issues reflecting why Alexandra and many of us could have been threatened by Asians in the Library. A great piece and performance:

Thanks to ColorLines article for calling for a better conversation.