The Effects of Racism

The Houghton Mifflin dictionary defines “racism” as:

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Kenneth Eng’s article is almost a textbook example of someone who fits this description. So I felt a mixture of confusion and shock when I read another article he published entitled, “Discrimination Against Asians at NYU” in Down in the Dirt, an Internet literary magazine. The article is towards the middle of the page.

Since the background makes the article a bit difficult to read, I’ll provide some juicy excerpts here:

As an undergraduate student who is not afraid to express his opinion, I have faced extreme consequences for merely speaking my mind.

…

When I entered Tisch in May 2002, I assumed that the people there would be more intelligent and that I would be more tolerated. Thence, when I took my first film production class, I expressed my negative views on America, religion and African Americans.

Unfortunately, my assumptions were naive, for NYU’s populace was just as mindless as any other. The class shouted, threatened and loathed me after hearing of my views, often referring to me as “racist fuck” and “terrorist” whilst staring at me as if I were a bestial outcast (in an odd counterpoint, no one cares when racist comments are made against Asians as I will prove later in this article).

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I was later asked to speak to the Tisch Chairman David Irving about my conflicts. At first, he seemed like a rational man who could be reasoned with. However, when the conversation shifted to my controversial views, I told him that I thought Hitler was not a coward and that African Americans were receiving unfair aid from the American government at the expense of Asian Americans.

…

In September 2003, I took a class in which the professor stated clearly: “…don’t use stereotypes”. For the sake of being nice, I was about to comply to this rule just this once, but a week later, a black girl in that class pitched her script, which was loaded with Asian stereotypes. It was so unambiguously racist that a dolt would have been able to notice. Yet – surprise, surprise — none of the whites made a passing comment about it.

…

Many students have privately told me that they share similar opinions to mine, but that they are too afraid to express them

While part of me wants to react emotionally to this, the other part has to wonder: what would make Kenneth feel such hostility?

Let’s try and take a look at the world through Kenneth’s eyes.

He’s a young guy (early twenties), grew up somewhere in New York (maybe Long Island?), and is an aspiring writer and filmmaker. He’s enrolled in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and originally attended SUNY Stony Brook for computer science. There’s probably been a lot of racism in his life, even violence.

I have some empathy here because I also grew up on Long Island and went to NYU. My hometown was predominantly Italian and Jewish; I stood out because I was one out of three Asian Americans in my class. I’ve had my fair share of “ching chongs” and bullies and stolen lunch money. I loved NYU though and had a great time there.

Now let’s make some inferences about Kenneth’s frame of mind. He’s creative and likes the arts. Individuals who favor these topics tend to feel a lot (sometimes “too much,” as I’ve heard some say). Their temperaments tend to be emotionally-driven.

His articles “Why I Hate Asians” and “Why Non-Violent Protest Will Never Help Asians” also lend some insights. In “Why I Hate Asians”, he writes:

It seems like an odd title for an article written by an Asian Supremacist, but there are very good reasons why I hate many of my own kind.

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Don’t get me wrong. I love the Asian race, but every race has its inferiors.

He labels himself an “Asian Supremacist” and uses the term “inferiors.” These are potential signs of a superiority complex. Or an insecurity so deep that it’s turned into an aggressive self-confidence.

In “Why Non-Violent Protest Will Never Help Asians”, he admires an Asian man who uses violence to protect himself, while an Asian student is arrested because he didn’t physically defend himself. This hints at an inner aggression and belief that violence is the best answer for personal attacks.

Putting it all together, let’s make this assumption:

Here’s a kid who grew up in a predominantly Caucasian environment. He faced a lot of racism and internalized it deeply, since he’s especially sensitive to negative emotions. Growing up in an unsupportive environment is harmful to anyone; for Kenneth, this changed his outlook on life and made him see the world in a spiteful way. For the sake of his mental well-being, he had to believe that he was a good person – and better than those around him; anyone who didn’t share his views suddenly became inferior.

His parents urged him, like any good Asian American, to learn about computers. So he went off to college to study computer science. Unfortunately, he didn’t like it and was finally able to move to film school. There, he met students that exhibited what he saw were racist double-standards and hypocrisy. This troubled him greatly because he idealized the school.

The most effective way to deal with racism, as history has proven, is through education. Unfortunately, this can be a slow process that occurs over years, even generations. Kenneth was impatient for change. After trying to educate others in his own way and discovering it ineffective, he turned to anger. Then he found a creative outlet to share his angst: AsianWeek.com and his infamous article (which has since been removed).

It’s tragic that the events in his past shaped him this way. I’ve known other minorities who’ve been equally effected; they’ve wielded anger and violence as solutions. Others turned to depression. It can happen to anyone who doesn’t feel like they fit in. And sadly, it’s not just a burden for ethnic minorities, but any kind of social outcast.

I don’t agree with Kenneth’s views or methods. But I’m really trying to understand why he feels that way. For his sake, I hope he someday finds a more effective and constructive way to vent his frustrations.