Comments on: Howdy, and Virginia Tech’s ASIAN KILLER http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/ Race, Politics, Gender, Sexuality, Anger Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:59:28 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: david http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1988 david Tue, 26 Feb 2008 02:40:48 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1988 i couldn't agree more and i'm glad you brought this issue up. i couldn’t agree more and i’m glad you brought this issue up.

]]> By: abw http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1987 abw Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:18:19 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1987 The problem isn't that Cho was simply identified as Asian. The problem is the emphasis and repetition with which his ethnicity was identified. Exactly. The problem isn’t that Cho was simply identified as Asian. The problem is the emphasis and repetition with which his ethnicity was identified.

Exactly.

]]> By: dan http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1984 dan Sun, 06 May 2007 11:04:45 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1984 I was actually surprised how little they focused on his background as an immigrant. To me, it was the most interesting thing about the story. I was actually surprised how little they focused on his background as an immigrant. To me, it was the most interesting thing about the story.

]]> By: Nora (not ABW's guest blogger anymore) http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1986 Nora (not ABW's guest blogger anymore) Sat, 05 May 2007 18:58:48 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1986 Mike S, If talking about racism bothers you... why are you here? There are lots of other places where you can go and express your love of black women to your heart's content. In this space that's not the point. Also, <em>I think it was relevant because they seem to be a group that has a hard time integrating in the US. Not in a bad way, they just keep to themselves it seems. Had he been born and raised in the US, the identification of race might be questionable.</em> That's... so many levels of illogical that I can barely wrap my head around it. Lots of subgroups of people "keep to themselves", and it's not a sign of anything other than that human beings tend to clump into groups that share experiences and interests. It wouldn't be any different if Cho had been born in the US. Good grief, remember the Columbine killers? Born and bred of longtime US families, plain-vanilla white Americans, and they kept to themselves, and they went stark fucking loony just like Cho. Nobody emphasized their whiteness and Americanness. And dan, Read the post again. The problem isn't that Cho was simply identified as Asian. The problem is the emphasis and repetition with which his ethnicity/origin was identified. Mike S,

If talking about racism bothers you… why are you here? There are lots of other places where you can go and express your love of black women to your heart’s content. In this space that’s not the point.

Also,

I think it was relevant because they seem to be a group that has a hard time integrating in the US. Not in a bad way, they just keep to themselves it seems.
Had he been born and raised in the US, the identification of race might be questionable.

That’s… so many levels of illogical that I can barely wrap my head around it. Lots of subgroups of people “keep to themselves”, and it’s not a sign of anything other than that human beings tend to clump into groups that share experiences and interests. It wouldn’t be any different if Cho had been born in the US. Good grief, remember the Columbine killers? Born and bred of longtime US families, plain-vanilla white Americans, and they kept to themselves, and they went stark fucking loony just like Cho. Nobody emphasized their whiteness and Americanness.

And dan,

Read the post again. The problem isn’t that Cho was simply identified as Asian. The problem is the emphasis and repetition with which his ethnicity/origin was identified.

]]> By: dan http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1985 dan Sat, 05 May 2007 03:20:23 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1985 I have to say, I think it is relevant to the news story that Cho is from Korea. In recent years American violence has been a major hot topic (Bowling for Columbine). The fact that Cho is an immigrant from Asia is unusual. Unusual is news. Very little gun violence in this country is committed by immigrants from Asia, especially college students without criminal ties. There is a whole bag of stereotypes about the "quiet" Asian type, and I think it's worthwhile to analyze how those stereotypes play out in the media coverage of an event like this. It tells us a lot about our nation. It tells us about what fascinates us. I don't believe that identifying him as "Asian" is an attempt to connect that part of his identity to the crimes he committed. I would like to give the viewing public the benefit of the doubt and assume they can decide whether his identity as "Korean" or "Asian" caused his crimes. I know this sounds like I don't understand. I do know that the media has MANY details to work with, and the process of presenting those details reveals huge biases. On the other hand, almost nothing was known about the killer when he was first identified as an Asian male. Any information was important information, and what started as one fact was just the beginning of a barrage of factual data about Cho and his life. Also, I feel like I DO hear "killer has been identified as a white male" in the media. Am I wrong? I think focusing on a word like "Asian" hurts the relevant points that are being made. The fact that the word "Asian" (just the word!) brings such feelings to the surface means that this is sensitive for all of us, whether we are Asians or white supremacists. Can't we all just agree to make our own decisions about facts? Do we suspect that we are too dumb as a nation to trust ourselves? I have to say, I think it is relevant to the news story that Cho is from Korea. In recent years American violence has been a major hot topic (Bowling for Columbine). The fact that Cho is an immigrant from Asia is unusual. Unusual is news. Very little gun violence in this country is committed by immigrants from Asia, especially college students without criminal ties. There is a whole bag of stereotypes about the “quiet” Asian type, and I think it’s worthwhile to analyze how those stereotypes play out in the media coverage of an event like this. It tells us a lot about our nation. It tells us about what fascinates us.
I don’t believe that identifying him as “Asian” is an attempt to connect that part of his identity to the crimes he committed. I would like to give the viewing public the benefit of the doubt and assume they can decide whether his identity as “Korean” or “Asian” caused his crimes. I know this sounds like I don’t understand. I do know that the media has MANY details to work with, and the process of presenting those details reveals huge biases. On the other hand, almost nothing was known about the killer when he was first identified as an Asian male. Any information was important information, and what started as one fact was just the beginning of a barrage of factual data about Cho and his life.
Also, I feel like I DO hear “killer has been identified as a white male” in the media. Am I wrong? I think focusing on a word like “Asian” hurts the relevant points that are being made. The fact that the word “Asian” (just the word!) brings such feelings to the surface means that this is sensitive for all of us, whether we are Asians or white supremacists. Can’t we all just agree to make our own decisions about facts? Do we suspect that we are too dumb as a nation to trust ourselves?

]]> By: Mike S http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1983 Mike S Wed, 02 May 2007 04:12:25 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1983 Angel, As ABW pointed out, most incorrectly label all blacks as African Americans, no matter what the heritage. Technically, the term Asian is correct for people from any country. I don't, nor do most people, think of Asians as violent so I certainly didn't think "Oh, another violent Asian." I think it was relevant because they seem to be a group that has a hard time integrating in the US. Not in a bad way, they just keep to themselves it seems. Had he been born and raised in the US, the identification of race might be questionable. I think the fact that he was born in another country, (Korea is irrelevant) is a huge deal. We are all ignorant assholes, as a whole, with accepting other cultures...Black people included. I know that a lot of black people despise Asians. Racism is more than 'privlidge', it is an evil that is taught in all segments of society. Do you know what group I pretty much despise and am racist against? Rednecks...I grew up in a small town and was picked on by those idiots.....I hate anyoe with a cowboy hat, and it is wrong....And Im a white male. And, I aint just saying this, but I LOVE black women.....For a bunch of reasons...... Im also sick of bitching about racism and black and white....I signed up to be a big brother 2 weeks ago. We should all spend the same amount of time DOING something as we do wasting bandwidth blogging. Angel,
As ABW pointed out, most incorrectly label all blacks as African Americans, no matter what the heritage.
Technically, the term Asian is correct for people from any country. I don’t, nor do most people, think of Asians as violent so I certainly didn’t think “Oh, another violent Asian.” I think it was relevant because they seem to be a group that has a hard time integrating in the US. Not in a bad way, they just keep to themselves it seems.
Had he been born and raised in the US, the identification of race might be questionable.
I think the fact that he was born in another country, (Korea is irrelevant) is a huge deal. We are all ignorant assholes, as a whole, with accepting other cultures…Black people included. I know that a lot of black people despise Asians.

Racism is more than ‘privlidge’, it is an evil that is taught in all segments of society.
Do you know what group I pretty much despise and am racist against? Rednecks…I grew up in a small town and was picked on by those idiots…..I hate anyoe with a cowboy hat, and it is wrong….And Im a white male.

And, I aint just saying this, but I LOVE black women…..For a bunch of reasons……

Im also sick of bitching about racism and black and white….I signed up to be a big brother 2 weeks ago. We should all spend the same amount of time DOING something as we do wasting bandwidth blogging.

]]> By: Angel H. http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1982 Angel H. Tue, 24 Apr 2007 23:25:07 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1982 mike: First of all, learn the lingo: "Howdy, and the Virginia Tech's ASIAN KILLER" is a <i>post</i> or article on a <i>blog</i> called The Angry Black Woman. "Howdy" is not a seperate blog in and of itself. 'kay? Secondly, what I find most offensive is your antiquated view of racism. Racism is an institution born of privilege; it doesn't always mean rednecks in white hoods. Finally, the reason that Cho being labeled as the "Asian" killer is so racist is because not only does it put his race into the forefront, but because it also does not distinguish his national orgin from that of any other Asian, aka: They All Look Alike So Why Even Bother. By the way, how is the fact that he was born in Korea relevant to the crimes he committed? mike:

First of all, learn the lingo: “Howdy, and the Virginia Tech’s ASIAN KILLER” is a post or article on a blog called The Angry Black Woman. “Howdy” is not a seperate blog in and of itself. ‘kay?

Secondly, what I find most offensive is your antiquated view of racism. Racism is an institution born of privilege; it doesn’t always mean rednecks in white hoods.

Finally, the reason that Cho being labeled as the “Asian” killer is so racist is because not only does it put his race into the forefront, but because it also does not distinguish his national orgin from that of any other Asian, aka: They All Look Alike So Why Even Bother.

By the way, how is the fact that he was born in Korea relevant to the crimes he committed?

]]> By: A. http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1981 A. Tue, 24 Apr 2007 23:01:54 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1981 It is a serious charge to people like you when you refuse to admit that a lot about America is racist. Who here said that black is the only color? You insinuated that, especially when this topic here isn't even about Black people - it's about Seung-Hui Cho and the fact that the media keeps throwing around the fact that he's Asian, as if that somehow matters unless they want to villify people. I ask you - how is it relevant that you can identify him as being Korean? It is somehow going to mold your idea of how Koreans behave? It is a serious charge to people like you when you refuse to admit that a lot about America is racist.

Who here said that black is the only color? You insinuated that, especially when this topic here isn’t even about Black people – it’s about Seung-Hui Cho and the fact that the media keeps throwing around the fact that he’s Asian, as if that somehow matters unless they want to villify people.

I ask you – how is it relevant that you can identify him as being Korean? It is somehow going to mold your idea of how Koreans behave?

]]> By: mike http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1980 mike Mon, 23 Apr 2007 15:20:06 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1980 Im going to be very honest and call BS on this entire Blog. The very blog before this one is over what term to use to identify skin ethnicity. The blog about color blindness rightly states that you are in fantasy land if you don't see color. Black ain't the only color. Should I head off to fantasy land when an Asian is around? The fact that he was born in Korea makes the identification even more relevant. America the Crazy, accusing someone of Racism is a serious charge. You better have more than identifying the ethnicity of an Asian. In this climate, calling someone a racist is equal the offensiveness of the N word. Think about it. If you call me a racist you are telling me that you think, in my heart, I want to enslave people and that I justify all the horrible things that have happened when I would fight to the death to prevent them from ever happening again. All for calling a Korean an Asian. Pretty Damn Offensive. Be careful throwing that word around. Im going to be very honest and call BS on this entire Blog.

The very blog before this one is over what term to use to identify skin ethnicity.
The blog about color blindness rightly states that you are in fantasy land if you don’t see color.

Black ain’t the only color. Should I head off to fantasy land when an Asian is around?
The fact that he was born in Korea makes the identification even more relevant.

America the Crazy, accusing someone of Racism is a serious charge. You better have more than identifying the ethnicity of an Asian.

In this climate, calling someone a racist is equal the offensiveness of the N word. Think about it. If you call me a racist you are telling me that you think, in my heart, I want to enslave people and that I justify all the horrible things that have happened when I would fight to the death to prevent them from ever happening again. All for calling a Korean an Asian.

Pretty Damn Offensive. Be careful throwing that word around.

]]> By: Women of Color Blog » Links http://theangryblackwoman.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/comment-page-1/#comment-1979 Women of Color Blog » Links Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:02:21 +0000 http://theangryblackwoman.wordpress.com/2007/04/18/howdy-and-virginia-techs-asian-killer/#comment-1979 [...] Slant Truth: Va. Tech and Gun Control Guest Blogging at ABW: Howdy and Virginia Tech’s ASIAN KILLER [...] [...] Slant Truth: Va. Tech and Gun Control Guest Blogging at ABW: Howdy and Virginia Tech’s ASIAN KILLER [...]

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