No More Jokes
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a piece I wrote for the 4/16 edition of Bully Pulpit, a political publication on-campus that solicited an explanation of the controversial April Fools’ Day post and its aftermath. It contains an editor’s note (written by Everet Yi) at the bottom, which is reproduced below.
On April 1, I decided to post a Onion-style fake news piece titled “Asian Community Center to be Built Adjacent to Uris Library” on CornellWatch (blogs.kitschmag.com/watch), a blog about current events on campus. I figured it was April Fools’ Day, and that making light of stereotypes might somehow be more acceptable. The center was big news yesterday, and seemed like something that could stand up to some misguided lampooning. In any case, it was “satire,” right?
Wrong. Exactly a week later, some members of the Asian community, specifically those invested in the planning of the community center, found out about the post. Understandably, they didn’t think jokes about their status as the so-called “model minority” were very funny, and my initial response to them was basically: okay, I’m sorry that you’re offended and all, but you’re really reading way too much into this. After all, it was just a joke—a very crass, fell-flat-on-its-face type of joke—and as such, the viewpoints were not ones that I personally hold.
I hastily drew up a new post entitled “An Open Apology for a Bad Joke” and removed the offending April Fools’ post. I explained that I felt their pain and understood that the model minority stereotype is “the reason for the unrealistic academic pressure that Asian and Asian-American students face and likely the reason that they commit a disproportionate amount of Cornell’s suicides.”
Those shards of glass threatening to rip my journalistic credibility to threads were magically swept on the carpet—I was saved, right?
Wrong again. Riding the blogosphere train, commenters swarmed in on and tore apart my poorly constructed and ill-conceived apology. I was described as “a racist, pure and simple,” “some idiot college columnist [trying] to increase his… street cred,” and ultimately “a part of the problem.” Some intrepid internet vigilante even created a blog for me, reposting my initial entry and my “bullshit apology” below an image of two Ku Klux Klan members.
I have to admit that this was a scary situation for me, but that ultimately it is one that I am glad to have experienced. I met with concerned members of the Asian and Asian-American Center (A3C) and was educated as to the specifics of what angered and worried them about my post. I learned that in writing that post, I really was part of the problem—a problem that a 2004 task force reported as the “perceived lack of recognition and awareness of the reality, experience, and impact of racism and stereotyping as they relate to Asians and Asian Americans.”
I also have learned that I should not be one to speak or make assumptions about sensitive issues such as suicide or the model minority stereotype before I had done an appreciable amount of research; that the situation needs to be amended instead of defended; and that a more robust “meta-apology” of sorts should be issued. Hopefully before next Friday, I will be publishing this more comprehensive apology in the Daily Sun.
Once again—this time in light of more knowledge and less ignorance—I apologize for using racist stereotypes in a way that ridiculed the entire Asian and Asian-American community. I am hopeful that I am on the road to opening a dialogue on-campus about this issue, because, unfortunately, the belief and misuse of these stereotypes is altogether common—and fairly socially acceptable—on the Cornell campus. Please send suggestions and questions about the situation to watch@kitschmag.com.
Editor’s Note: We commend D. Evan Mulvilhill for starting an important dialogue across the Cornell campus. We condemn the commenters who have called Evan a cunt, racist, and a bigot.
We appreciate Evan’s use of humor to highlight the various stereotypes facing Asian and Asian American’s today. After all, if we don’t talk about it, nothing is going to get accomplished.
Without humor and dialogue, the world would be a sad place.
So, thank you Evan. Thanks for being brave by putting yourself out there by starting an important discussion regarding stereotypes concerning the APIA community.
P.S. Everyone calling for Evan’s head, CALM DOWN. Sheesh.
Tags: A3C, april fools' day, bully pulpit
April 16th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Getting the last punch in with the editor’s note huh? Frankly I don’t think the editors of this every gave a shit about Asian stereotypes until faced with the fact that they had to cover ass.
His “use of humor” was not intended to highlight the various stereotypes for sake of discussion. His
“use of humor” was plain and simple the same denigrating humor I’ve heard since I was little from those that were just plain insensitive. It is also the same kind of denigrating humor the Irish had to deal with in the early 1900s.
Obama just had a huge backlash from the Pennsylvania working class for his recent comments. But his words at the very least had truth to them and were intended in a way to point out a problem that needed to be fixed. THIS is much different than Evan’s piece.
I don’t know how you can use that as the “saving grace” on your commendation of his original piece. It’s like China saying “I denied human rights to my people so that the world could denounce it and discuss it” when really it serves their own means. In this case Evan thought it would be a funny little article.
Why couldn’t you let Evan make his apology and leave it at that. By defending him and propping his original piece on an intellectual pedestal, you are doing him a disservice as now it is worth less in our eyes.
April 16th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
I think its fine and dandy that he is opening discussion post-facto. It’s just that the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs of the editor’s note could have been omitted completely.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Just when it seemed like you had finally “gotten it” with a much more intelligent and sincere apology, you go and toss it all out the window by including a ridiculous “editor’s note” at the end that has the final spin you’re hoping to put on the situation, a spin which you are unable to make yourself because you’ve already been called out.
You probably pissed your pants when you could publicly slap an Asian name (the inarticulate Everet Yi) to a commendation of your drivel. Seriously Everet, you want to commend him for what he has done? Why don’t you thank Hitler for bringing about awareness of the Holocaust while you’re at it. Your stupidity makes the world a sad place.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Just to dry my pants–Everet Yi is a real, live Cornellian:
http://www.cornell.edu/search/index.cfm?tab=people&netid=ehy5&q=everet%20yi
I admit that Everet makes it seem like I intended to start a dialogue with the original post, which is clearly not the case, but I’m not just trying to “cover ass.” I sincerely regret touching upon such a sensitive subject and regret my original attempt to just “cover ass,” although it’s the view that most people who have been referred from other blogs have seen.
I am sincere in my efforts to educate myself and am making strides to publishing something fuller and more comprehensive in the daily newspaper here at Cornell.
April 25th, 2008 at 3:03 am
I’d like to see a psych profile on Everet Yi.
I did a few searches on him. Yes, he is real and he is at Cornell and he even mentions somewhere that he is pursuing an Asian studies curriculum.
To come up with this editor’s note indicates to me that he is either insane, self hating or maybe owes you a really big favor. Something is reaaaalllly not right here.
April 28th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Hi everyone,
Yes, I am a real person. Evan did not make up my name. I did append the editor’s note in the original Bully Pulpit article. Just google my name “Everet Yi” or look me up in the Cornell directory.
First of all, I cannot believe someone compared the holocaust to Evan’s satirical piece on Asian stereotypes.
Second, I don’t appreciate the personal attacks coming from a computer screen. Hiding behind a wall of anonymity without telling me your full name is a bit immature.
Third, just pushing the issue of the model minority myth and media stereotypes of APIA under the rug isn’t going help fix the problem. We have to air out all the dirty laundry before we can have a dialogue across Cornell.
Many don’t even know about the model minority myth. It’s important to start a discussion because this is when we can educate people on issues facing the AA community.
Fourth, Evan is an ally. I don’t appreciate how you’re trying to alienate him. After all, we need to build a coalition to help bring attention to issues that concern the AA community. Asians only make 5 percent of the population in the United States. Calling people a cunt, racist, and bigot isn’t going to help build bridges.
Fifth, the world would be a sad place if we did not use humor as a tool to help bring controversial issues to the forefront of the conversation. Using anger has its place and role, but that doesn’t mean we have to exclude humor.
Sixth, I oppose anyone who tries to stifle important discussions. Universities are suppose to be a bastion of the exchange of ideas and free thought. Once people start to suppress the free flow of information, the heart of the University dies. As Voltaire once eloquently said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.”
Indeed, one of my biggest problems I have with detractors of Evan’s piece is that instead of promoting a much needed discussion, they are trying to suppress dialogue. Excuse me for my profanity, but SCREW THAT!
Seventh, hasn’t Evan apologized enough? Stop beating a dead horse and address the substance of the problems facing Asian Americans.
Eighth, Evan did not reach out to me for “cover.” I’m the one that reached out to him with an email asking him to write and explanation/apology of the April Fool’s piece.
Finally, I never said I agreed with the content of the piece. What I said is that I commend Evan for starting a dialogue on the Cornell Campus, whether it was intentional or not.
So, let’s all calm down with the divisive rhetoric. If anyone wants to meet me or have a conversation, my contact information can be easily found on the web. Just remember, we’re fighting for the same goal. Don’t alienate each other. Thank you :).
May 4th, 2008 at 3:33 am
Evert.
It saddens me that you would come in his defense. This is exactly why racism towards Asians will never stop. Some other Asian has to try to be some sort of a “smart ass”, thinking that “this guy has had enough” and “we should be thankful that this issue is being brought up.”
The issue is resolved after he gets screwed, Evert. He needs to be made an example of. He humiliated the entire asian population, and now he needs to get humiliated 1.3+ billion times. I don’t believe in forgiveness, I believe in reclamation. It’s best that you sit out and watch how he resolves himself to figure out whether or not he deserves a break.
“First of all, I cannot believe someone compared the holocaust to Evan’s satirical piece on Asian stereotypes.”
So, it’s just like what Evan said: “you’re reading too much into it”.
Pisses you off, doesn’t it? I love Karma.
June 10th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Let´s stop with the ad homniem arguments here. Attacking a specific person is not making your claim any stronger.
I think Everet was trying to make this situation a constructive one by encouraging the debate and dialogue that could arise from it. It´s important that incidents like these are addressed properly and handled carefully, and I think they are a good opportunity for someone who did not previously understand the racial situation to gain a fuller understanding of it. More importantly, that could lead to more discussion among his own networks about race. Building antagonism is not contributing to the solution.