Links
Jenn at Reappropriate has an interesting perspective on Palin and Bipartisan feminism.
Angry Asian Man points us toward this Complex post on “When Hollywood Rips Off South Korea.” I agree with AAM, as a J.S.A. remake makes no freaking sense. I’m also kind of shocked at the My Wife is a Gangster remake with Queen Latifah. I’ll go borrow Hae’s copy of that one and try to put together a post on that.
Safiya Outlines posts on what not to say about mixed race relationships.
Stereohyped reports that Obama is creating a new office in the White House:
Barack Obama’s transition co-chair and friend Valerie Jarrett confirms that plans are underway to create a White House Office of Urban Policy, which will help to coordinate federal efforts to aid large cities (aka “fake America”).
The Education and Class blog has a link to an interesting study on why qualified low income students do not enroll in college:
With these students — who are disproportionately low-income or students of color — schools are doing their part: These students have taken a college prep curriculum and gotten decent grades.
But, because of the high costs of college, inadequate information about financial aid and loans, and guidance counselors responsible for hundreds of students, these students are not applying for or enrolling in college.
There are so many ways that low-income kids are left behind.
The Nation reports on infighting among the MSNBC anchors.
Monica Roberts at Transgriot posts her TRANScending Gender Keynote Speech.
Nordette at Blogher writes about the Obamas and the Huxtable Effect:
Yes, many Americans enjoyed the The Cosby Show and many African-Americans wished they were the Huxtables, but speculation about whether or not the Huxtable family influenced America’s love affair with the Obama family, seems to focus more on white acceptance of the Obamas and the belief that the Obamas and the Huxtables are post-racial or universal.
Hyphen points our attention toward a study that uncovered a glass ceiling in the workplace – for Chinese Americans:
According to a press release about study:
Chinese Americans, one of the most highly educated groups in the nation, are confronted by a “glass ceiling,” unable to realize full occupational stature and success to match their efforts, and that on average, Chinese American professionals in the legal and medical fields earn as much as 44 percent less than their white counterparts
.
The study was done by the University of Maryland Asian American Studies Program with support from the Organization of Chinese Americans.An interesting point the authors bring up is that Chinese Americans are split evenly between “poorly educated recent immigrants from China and a more settled, acculturated, educated and prosperous group of older immigrants and second generation Americans. These earlier arrivals came mainly from Taiwan and Hong Kong.”
An op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer explores “environmental racism” aimed toward Philadephia’s Chinatown community:
City officials required an environmental impact review and took almost a year and a half considering plans for the original proposed site of a Foxwoods casino on the riverfront in South Philadelphia. But the new site, near Philadelphia’s Chinatown, is being fast-tracked, without meaningful input from the people most affected. There is an obvious disparity of process and transparency.
Why does Chinatown have to deal with more of a burden than the rest of the city or state? The casino could bring in hundreds of cars per hour, air pollution and congestion, petty and organized crime, and increased gambling addiction in the Asian community. While catering to the concerns of other neighborhoods and Foxwoods, city officials are not doing their part to represent Chinatown.
This type of economic development is built on the backs of a community of color that has been neglected at best and exploited at worst.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Cynthia wrote:
On the Asian American docs and lawyers: Do we know what these people are specializing in? Some specialties earn more than others. And some specialties might be considered on the taboo side for immigrant parents/grandparents (many Asians have living immigrant relatives). I think if I became a doctor and decided to go into psychiatry, at least one relative would consider it “wrong.” Heck, they already find it weird that I majored in history and drama and looking at making a career switch to writing ( Of course, language and where they practice is another thing (most of my parents’ friends who are doctors are GPs who work within the Chinese-speaking communities. They have few patients who speak English fluently).
Posted 17 Nov 2008 at 11:54 am ¶
jen* wrote:
regarding the what not to say…
Following the link to that ‘inspirational’ piece at Jezebel, I can certainly understand why a response was made. I know that there are people who are taking issue with whether Obama should be called/defined as ‘black’ or ‘mixed’, but can’t we just let him self-identify and move on?
Oh. And I believe he has already. As black.
Posted 17 Nov 2008 at 12:16 pm ¶
nonogirl wrote:
Psychiatry is one of the lower paying specialties and not too many asians go into general practice, which is also low-paying. Most Asians have the scores to go into life style specialities like derm or radiology or anesthesia, and they do. So, area of specialty is not the culprit here. Neither is language; there are plenty of foreign born heavily accented WHITE doctors, and I’m almost positive they make more on average than their intellectual ASIAN peer. Let’s stop lying to ourselves and face the music. Asians have and always will be discriminated against in this country, both institutionally and on an individual basis. However, I am hopeful with attitudes changing in Asia and with the development in technologies (internet) that people will speak up more for themselves and our peeps, instead of playing the denial card. Remember people, the squeeky wheel gets the grease. Get active or continue to suffer.
Posted 17 Nov 2008 at 8:45 pm ¶
Cynthia wrote:
You’re partially wrong, nonogirl. Not many YOUNGER Asian doctors are in general practice (younger as in under 40), while older docs are. Practically every single one of my parents’ doctor friends are GPs. My generation, on the other hand specialize.
I think we also need to do a study on accented white doctors. I’m sure some accents make more money than others. And this goes for “native” sounding accents that are considered “downmarket.”
Posted 17 Nov 2008 at 9:16 pm ¶
octogalore wrote:
I thought the article on Palin and Bipartisan feminism was seriously flawed, frankly. There were serious problems, certainly, with Palin’s readiness, qualifications and points of view (which has been true for male candidates as well).
This says nothing about feminism, whether liberal feminism, or as the author terms it “Republican feminism.” What it says is simply that A.B. Culvahouse, conservative Chair of the law firm O’Melveny & Myers, and one or two similar 50-60-ish white dudes, thought she’d energize the base. Period, end of story. There was not feminist analysis there, of any political stripe.
If the author truly means that “feminism sometimes seems to suffer from the lack of bipartisan dialogue amongst feminist scholars,” then calling an underprepared, non-intellectual, female candidate a “moron” is not the way to go about it. There are plenty of other ways to disagree with Palin’s views; the fact is, she’s to many accounts been a competent governor, and is at least competent enough, however distasteful her social politics, to avoid that kind of name-calling.
Ultimately, trying to form conclusions about feminism based on the tactical decisions of a couple of older white guys is pretty weak journalism.
Posted 18 Nov 2008 at 9:34 pm ¶