<p>Cobrat and apprentice prof,</p>
<p>Historical events may explain the origin of racist comments, but they do not justify their use today.</p>
<p>^like, Bay.</p>
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<p>We aren’t justifying them. Just placing them in historical, geographical, and power dynamic contexts which does matter if we’re to understand them. </p>
<p>It’s also done to red flag false equivalencies such as the "uttering the “n-word” against Black people is just as bad as calling White people “crackers”…a common rhetorical tactic done by White supremacists, those ignorant about those critical historical/geographic/power dynamic contexts, or those who are otherwise trying to derail discussion of such issues.</p>
<p>Well doesn’t this look like fun… [Kill</a> Haole Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_Haole_Day]Kill”>Kill Haole Day - Wikipedia)</p>
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<p>From what I’ve heard from every Hawaiian resident I’ve met IRL, including White Hawaiians, it’s mostly an urban myth. While they’ve heard of it, none of them experienced or heard about it in their respective Hawaiian K-12 schools. </p>
<p>This is also reinforced by this local news article posted here:</p>
<p>[Responses</a> refute existence of any recent ‘Kill Haole Day’ - Hawaii News - Honolulu Star-Advertiser](<a href=“http://www.staradvertiser.com/columnists/20101123_responses_refute_existence_of_any_recent_kill_haole_day.html]Responses”>Hawaii Featured Columns News | Honolulu Star-Advertiser)</p>
<p>So do all of you who think, apparently, that there is no difference between “cracker” and the “n-word” also think that there is no difference between a Black Students Union and a White Students Union?</p>
<p>I think it is discriminatory to think whites can’t have a student union when every other group does but for better or worse, it gets tied to racism.</p>
<p>Colleges in Texas and California should start them. Whites are no longer 50% in either State.</p>
<p>Myth or no myth, cobrat, the mere thought of it is repugnant. Can you imagine the response to such a “mostly urban myth” of “Kill the <<fill in=”" disliked="" group="" of="" choice="">>" on the mainland?</fill></p>
<p>A-prof: point is, it’s not nice, not as smart as it may seem, when one uses it. It’s stereotyping. And, the typical response that I was kidding or they get it or so and so is proud to be a redneck, etc, doesn’t change what it is: not looking beyond a simple, handy characterization to find the individual behind the label.</p>
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Anti-white sentiment is NOT an exception within Asian society (whether it is in an Asian country or in the US), so discrimination swings both ways. It is relevant because no matter where OP’s D goes to school, even outside of US, she is going to encounter discrimination because there still are a lot of ignorant and intolerant people out there. She could find a place, like NYC or other more metropolitan cities, where there is more diversity, but she will not be able to get away from it completely. Again, it doesn’t make it right, but OP’s kid is not going to right the world by herself and be so upset when she couldn’t fix it (like trying to make students be nicer to the Chinese teacher). I am sure the Chinese teacher is no wall flower and has been around the block a few times. Maybe she’ll just give those obnoxious students lower grades, and see who’ll be crying then.</p>
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<p>Agreed. What’s worse is that most of those Hawaiians, including White Hawaiians I’ve met IRL have a strong suspicion the urban legend was started by a tiny group of disgruntled White Hawaiians in order to justify their own racism and continuing SES disparities against native Hawaiians and other minorities by making false equivalencies.</p>
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<p>In the US context, that’s making a false equivalency considering the long history of anti-Asian racism within the US from the 19th century to the present. It also neglects the fact the strongly privileged position White folks have had in US society historically. </p>
<p>Especially considering that some discriminatory laws against various minority groups weren’t eradicated until the late '60s(i.e. School desegregation in parts of Texas, eradication on interracial marriage bans, etc). </p>
<p>Moreover, blatant discrimination still reared its ugly head much more recently as this news item published during my HS years as shown by this:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/02/us/asian-american-proves-marine-bias.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/02/us/asian-american-proves-marine-bias.html</a></p>
<p>^ That sounds like blaming the victim to me, Cobrat. The “suspicion” sounds self serving.</p>
<p>cobrat,</p>
<p>Kill Haole Day is not an urban myth, it is an idea that has existed for decades and is well-known. Whether any physical incidents have been reported in connection with it, is beside the point.</p>
<p>Many people in this country look for some group to denigrate; it somehow makes them feel more elevated. False equation. Never mattered to me much, what the historical context is (that’s a more academic discussion and fine, in the right circumstances.) What matters to me is, is it fair, today? Maybe that’s too simple. </p>
<p>The way we swarm around any race discussions tells me it’s still something we haven’t shaken off yet. Some have their own tales, some have tougher skin, some try very hard to be tolerant- but it all swirls around the appearance or ethnic differences and how we still categorize.</p>
<p>I know appearance and ethnicity can flavor how a person approaches the world and how others approach them. I know. But we’re still trying to place people into boxes, even when we think we aren’t. </p>
<p>The interesting thing about an anon forum is that, until one acknowledges some personal detail, we only have words and attitudes to go on.</p>
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<p>It may be an idea which is well known, but according to every Hawaiian resident including several White Hawaiian residents who spent K-12 there, it never happened in their own schools nor those in the areas they/their relatives/friends attended. </p>
<p>More importantly, no such incidents were reported in the local newspapers…newsmedia which mind you, aren’t controlled by native-Hawaiians. They’ve pointed out that if this “Day” was for real and widespread as implied, there would have been massive reporting considering this would be a serious school safety issue. </p>
<p>As far as they’re concerned, it’s an urban legend fanned by genuine strong resentments between some native-born Hawaiians for historical grievances and a tiny minority of White Hawaiians who continue to justify the coup, their racism towards native Hawaiians and other minorities, etc</p>
<p>cobrat,</p>
<p>Kill Haole Day doesn’t have to “happen” in order for it to be problematic. The idea simply needs to exist and be perpetuated for it to promote and reinforce negative race relations, and it does.</p>
<p>Even Elvis faced it in “Blue Hawaii”.</p>
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<p>I’m stuck on this quote by apprenticeprof, and sincerely hope that she rethinks her position, or at least chooses not to espouse this idea in the context of teaching a sociology course. I cannot imagine a more inflammatory position in the context of discussing racism, than one which places differing levels of “offensiveness” on slurs against different races. This type of thinking will foment racism (let alone exemplify the definition of it), not help remedy it.</p>
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<p>Sure, why wouldn’t we? Almost every other negative or positive thing in the world comes in degrees. Why wouldn’t this?</p>
<p>Thats ridiculous. Each of us might find a different slur more offensive than another. But they are all offensive. Maybe just because I don’t consider something severely offensive but rather only mildly unpleasant, I should be entitled to call you that slur? You have got to be kidding. I sincerely hope you are.</p>