Apr 17 2007
Whitebread
By. JakGrabit
Race has been in the news a lot lately. As a transplant to Hawaii, I recently discovered something: apparently, I have a race. Not that I didn’t have one before, it’s just that it never mattered so very, very much.
In response to a comment in which I mentioned that on the mainland all Orientals are the same, Mr. Attack commented that I sound a little disgruntled.
My response:
No, I’m not really disgruntled. However, I have recently decided that (and entirely in the name of intellectual righteousness, not because I’m actually offended) as long as I am referred to as “haole,” I get to use the term “oriental.”
S
o “oriental” is the conglomerate term for all people of Asian descent, disregarding the importance of actual ethnicity and personal experience, while being mildly offensive at the same time. It’s a useful term to convey what I believe to be the general perception of all people of Asian decent on the mainland. I am certainly not saying it’s accurate; it’s mainly a tool to explain how ignorant crackers THINK ABOUT Asian people.
The beautifully ironic part, though, is that it’s directly analogous to the term “haole” in Hawaii. I get lumped in with all the douche-bag blonde Punahou alums with the prince valiant/surfer haircut and BMWs purchased by trust interest made from the blood, sweat, and land of Native Hawaiians 150 years ago. My ancestors never oppressed any natives (here)! So, there’s only one stereotype for all white people. Just like there’s pretty much only one stereotype for all Asians on the mainland. It’s a useful tool to understand how ignorant “locals” THINK ABOUT all Caucasians.
It’s not a matter of being disgruntled; it’s a matter of intellectual hypocrisy. I’m compelled to fight this by causing trouble and being a loudmouthed asshat about it. Stir the pot up a bit. I am compelled to do this because I am a haole.
Hawaii culture seems to place an enormous value on living up to your ethnic stereotype. I figure it’s time for me to step up to the plate.
Great post! I’d love to see some regular content coming from a caucasian expat living in Hawaii
I don’t like the term oriental. We’re talking about human beings here, not rugs, thus the proper term here is “squinty eyed HUMAN BEINGS.” More fashionable is the term “squints” or yet even more trendy is “squintz” with the “z” written backwards.
I think we need to apply the when in Rome principle here. If you’re the minority, then hey, you’re going to be stereotyped and possibly shit on. Why? Because people generally like to make fun of other people, as opposed to themselves, so making fun of minorities is an easy route.
Thus, haoles in hawaii get the “fucking haole” and land stealing stereotypes. Same thing happens to Asians elsewhere, i.e. the ching chong effect. That’s how things are.
Personally I love racist jokes, particuarly when they’re not about my race. Then it just gets waaaay to personal. That’s why I don’t live in Tennessee or Alabama.
I also think in hawaii the locals tend to be like blacks over here - very disgruntled about their status and how white people came over took land made money and whored out the state to other white people (and asians as well, granted). You get the “keeping it real” effect in Hawaii a lot - I got that just going to Punahou, regardless of my race.
I guess the point is that there are always going to be disadvantaged people as well, and those people will often be in the majority, and then you have the same majority vs. minority paradigm that you have with race. In hawaii, all of these profiles just kind of intercept, and yes, haoles bear the brunt of the backlash because they are both in the racial minority and there is a perception that they are in the economic minority (i.e. well off).