Tip for racists

[benlehman]

Chinese people can distinguish between "l" and "r" sounds just fine, in fact probably better than English-speakers can. It's only Japanese people that have trouble with it.

If you're going to write stupid racist captions on pictures of the US-China summit, get it right. How can I be offended if you're not going to at least put in a minimum amount of effort on this one?

Comments

A letter from J.Q Racist

[judd-sonofbert.livejournal.com]

Dear Ben,

But they all look so much alike!

Ignorantly,

J.Q. Racist

P.S. Some of my best friends are orienta....I mean, Asian.

[denyse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the whole 'L' and 'R' thing really annoys me. The number of times I've had to put up with the 'flied lice' joke since coming to america...

[karjack.livejournal.com]

*facepalm*

The overwhelming sense of embarrassment I feel for these people is really cutting into my rage.

[yurodivuie.livejournal.com]

It bugs me when I listen to my japanese lessons; since they aren't sure about the l/r sound, they pronounce loan words like "restaurant' in a way that is sort of midway between an l and an r, so that I can't tell quite how to pronounce it. The same with k/t, and d/t. Actually, I suck at listening.

But I'm pleased to know that the chinese do not have this problem. Informative! This will hone my nascent racism.

[summercomfort]

What do you mean all Asians aren't the same? :/

Actually, that's an example I use to try to explain "racism" to Chinese people in China-- "Guess what... In America, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people are considered the same." Them: ::aghast::

[alexpshenichkin.livejournal.com]

The kind of racism that'll get you on the air or into office pretty much demands asserting ignorance at every turn.

Knowing how to pronounce a foreign word, knowing the difference between Mexico and Honduras, knowing that Chinese and Japanese don't sound the same -- that distances you from "the base". Just knowing things about foreigners or people of color taints you culturally, even if you only learn about them in order to sharpen your hate; you're much better off just making shit up. You have to be constantly asserting that it's your right and duty not to know the Other at all.

-- Alex