Why Gay Marriage Is an Asian American Matter
November 22, 2008
When the San Francisco Chronicle ran a Nov. 7 article exploring why Asians were the only ethnic minority to produce a majority of voters against Proposition 8 and its ban of same-sex marriage, a reader commented on the Chronicle’s website: “Why in the world would the Asian American community ally itself with the gays? The Asian American community [has] virtually nothing in common with the gays except maybe being minorities.”
This comment would be cute in its naiveté if we weren’t at such a critical juncture in American history. This kind of dangerously insular thinking has no place in a nation on the brink of tremendous political and social change, ignited by the election of President-elect Barack Obama.
When protest singer Phil Ochs penned an uncharacteristically patriotic song titled “Power and Glory” in the mid-1960s, he also issued a strong admonition for the very same America that he was celebrating: “She’s only as rich as the poorest of her poor.”
By the same token, certain civil liberties may be protected by the United States Constitution, but its strength and true meaning are reliant on whether every citizen of this country is afforded those same rights.
The reason Asian Americans were able to ultimately triumph over discriminatory laws in the last century (the Chinese Exclusion Act, anti-miscegenation measures, etc.) is not because Asians multiplied like rabbits, banded together in overwhelming numbers and steamrolled over injustices. It’s because non-Asian allies recognized the importance of equal rights for all. Strength in numbers was indeed a factor, but those numbers were comprised of people as diverse as this nation.
Likewise, the fight for marriage equality gained tremendous momentum after Prop 8 passed, culminating in nationwide protests this past Saturday, because gays and lesbians were offered the support of straight allies who understand the sentiment Ochs expressed decades ago. This is not just a battle for gay rights — it’s a battle for the integrity of the United States.
What do Asian Americans and gays have in common, aside from being minorities? Both groups know what it’s like to be discriminated against, both groups have suffered hate crimes and, most importantly, both groups have a responsibility to stand up for the ideals expressed in the U.S. Constitution — a responsibility that rests on the shoulders of everybody who chooses to enjoy the freedoms of this country.
Again, I look to Phil Ochs. In his song, “Love Me, I’m a Liberal,” he insisted that progressive thinking held little validity if it didn’t lead to quantifiable actions. The lyrics are dated, but the ideas are timeless, as is Och’s use of irony:
I go to civil rights rallies
And I put down the old D.A.R.
I love Harry and Sidney and Sammy
I hope every colored boy becomes a star
But don’t talk about revolution
That’s going a little bit too far
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal…
I vote for the Democratic party
They want the U.N. to be strong
I go to all the Pete Seeger concerts
He sure gets me singing those songs
I’ll send all the money you ask for
But don’t ask me to come on along
So love me, love me, love me, I’m a liberal…
My personal worldview isn’t as extreme as his; I don’t think that being a forward-thinking American necessarily requires active participation in protests, rallies, and other political activities. But it does necessitate that we speak up when injustices fall at our feet and come crashing down on our family, our friends, our fellow citizens.
Additionally, activists do not deserve the type of derision expressed by the Chronicle commenter; they deserve to be understood and encouraged. It’s amazing how a few words of support can have great impact on the morale of those who choose to be on the frontlines of the struggle—those who, on the surface, have little stake in the battle.
When my mother earned her U.S. citizenship papers some decades back, she didn’t know her son was gay. Her support of same-sex marriage all these years later may be because she loves me — but there is no doubt in my mind that her understanding of basic Constitutional principles seals the deal.
Prince Gomolvilas is a playwright whose plays have been produced around the country and in Singapore. He blogs at Bamboo Nation: bamboonation.blogspot.com
Comments
44 Responses to “Why Gay Marriage Is an Asian American Matter”
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The reason Asian Americans were able to ultimately triumph over discriminatory laws in the last century was because the equality they wanted was also wanted by every other other minority, dealing with issues every minority was worried about (immigration, equal citizenship, equal political rights). What Asian American wanted specifically for itself as a community was never really achieved with help of others, but only within the Asian Community itself (Asian language schools, community help, specific immigration help, US aid to homeland). So don’t guilt us into supporting gay marriage, especially when homosexuals themselves feel the need to treat Asian Americans disrespectfully; (O’Donnell, Karel, Emerson… and the lot)
Robert Wone (an Asian American heterosexual, law attorney president of Asian Pacific American Bar Association- D.C.) was murdered by a gang of homosexuals.
In short, homosexual should set their records straight before whinning to the Asian Americans for help on advancement of their political agendas. Maybe start off as treating us with respect.
I have another historical perspective to add: Most East Asian cultures do not include the European Christian dogma that has evolved into American evangelical, do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do, force-you-to-live-by-my-religious-standards-or-else, fascist control. Even though the Christian Right does not want to admit it, the culture war they are waging against gays is a religious one.
The only example of an overwhelmingly Christian, East Asian culture would be the Philippines, as a result of being converted to Catholicism by Spain. But even then, we don’t see Filipinos rabidly attempting to push Catholicism down everyone else’s throats. Catholics are more independent-minded, tending to pick and choose the Vatican dogma they will follow. Let’s face it; Catholicism is no longer the proselytizing religion that is was 500 years ago. When was the last time anyone saw a band of badly-dressed, Bible-thumping Catholics roving a neighborhood?
That having been said, I’m pleased that we have the Asian community on the gay side; the side of justice and equality.
Actually, the Asian community is not on the same side as white homosexuals. The reason why Asians voted on the same side as homosexuals on prop 8 was probably that Asians have low voting rates in general because we don’t consider America to be our country because of racial discrimination and the only ones that voted were probably disproportionately Asian homosexuals. I am an Asian American but I have never voted in an election. The reason being is that I have always felt that I am a second class citizen because of my race and heritage and thus I have no real stake in America. Gay marriage is not part of my culture and if you look at the real Asian culture back in China, Japan, India, etc . gay marriage is not accepted in any of those societies by the vast overwhelming majority of people. That probably explains why there are apparently so many Asian homosexuals in California who probably formed the core vote on the Prop 8 legislation.
The San Fransisco Chronicle in an article called
“Some areas of S.F. voted to ban same-sex marriage” by
Heather Knight, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, November 14, 2008
states
“Voters in 54 of San Francisco’s 580 precincts supported the ban, with a high of 65 percent of voters favoring it in parts of Chinatown and downtown.”
In terms of why Asians in American “ultimately triumph” over discrimination that the above article speaks of has everything to do with the hard work of of Asian people rather than “non-Asian” allies that the author speaks of. For example, if you look in the American science, engineering, and technology field Asians are disproportionately represented in the workforce. Whites in America in general are not interested in doing these jobs because they require much more work at a University level than other majors such as English and History and in fact the average white IQ is lower than the average Asian IQ.
The bottom line is that whites in America need Asians to do the science and other technical related jobs. That is the major reason for the “triumph” over discrimination by Asian Americans.
“…don’t guilt us into supporting gay marriage.”
That’s funny.
Sounds like Tai needs to attend some anger management classes and examine where all his hostility is coming from.
Proposition 8 surely isn’t the source.
All the civil rights we enjoy, we got because of the hard work and sacrifice of those who came before us. Asian Americans (and all groups who’ve dealt with institutional discrimination) have benefited not only from the early work of African Americans, but from everyone who has fought for the principle of equal treatment under the law. We owe it to ourselves and those who have come before us and everyone who comes after us, to keep fighting for that principle, because we are not fighting just for our own interests, we are fighting for the principle that all of us are created equal and we are endowed with certain inalienable rights. What goes around comes around.
In terms of Obama’s election as president it seems like most professional writers for major magazines including AsiaWeek interpret this completely wrong . Obama’s election as the first black president of the United States is a good indicator of America’s disintegrating economy and questionable future as a single cohesive state which according to my research should become apparent around February 2009 when most people will realize that America is in an economic depression not just a recession. The American dollar will soon either collapse significantly in value either through market forces or through a formal devaluation by the American government. The elite whites, elite Jews, and the elite European immigrants have stolen America’s wealth through the financial system. Now when their deeds have been revealed through this current economic meltdown there were enough white voters seeing their lives starting to be destroyed to send a protest vote by voting for Obama. There is no great increase in racial tolerance by whites in America but there is a great increase in panic regarding the American economy.
And this is all important because a huge chunk of so called American technology and science is actually ASIAN technology and science and when the American dollar collapses then alot of these Asians will seek employment elsewhere outside of America. Overnight so called American technology and science will be decimated.
Robert:
When you look in the mirror in the morning, when you shave, or whatever, do you ever see anyone but your puny self?
Frank
P.S.: And all this shuck and jive about engineers and technicians and hard-working self-servers is just one more mantra for the underendowed and the overprivileged who have not clue-one as to their own humanity, much less that of others.
To Frank Eng:
My point about the importance of Asians in the engineering and science fields is that Asians have the highest incomes in America not because of Non-Asians have helped Asians out but because of merit based on skill, education and hard work and doing the jobs that white people don’t want to do especially the hard brain intensive work and hark work in general. The bottom line is that whites in America need Asians more than we need them and I am not going to have this attitutde that I am going to be greatful for any scap of food that they toss Asians because Asians have designed, manufactured and own the table at which the white people eat on. China is a huge American creditor even though Chinese people are still generally poor. I recently saw a show about a bankrupt American family where many useable products such as computers, lamps, toys, etc were just thrown away because the home was in forclosure and these items were left and had to be cleared away. These products should have gone to a deserving Chinese family in China instead of an American family.
Tai, the extent to which gay marriage is an Asian-American matter is equivalent to the extent that gay marriage is an American matter. Obviously, if you don’t buy this premise, if you don’t see the interconnection between all Americans, if you believe the APA community is an island, then I understand why my column comes across as “whining.” But don’t play cards you don’t have–don’t compare and contrast the levels of suffering of different communities to try to prove that one group is more deserving of political allies than others, when you obviously have zero first-hand experience of what it’s like to be gay. As an Asian-American and as a gay man, I can say with certainty that you will never–never–know the levels of discrimination and disdain that I’ve endured. And to use the example of Robert Wone’s murder as evidence of the gay community’s collective disrespect of the Asian-American community is absurd and, frankly, tasteless.
Robert, you write, “The reason why Asians voted on the same side as homosexuals on prop 8 was probably that Asians have low voting rates in general because we don’t consider America to be our country because of racial discrimination and the only ones that voted were probably disproportionately Asian homosexuals.”
Unless you have facts and figures to support this outrageous statement, then I will stand by my assertion that this statement is ridiculous.
Robert:
In my book, you still don’t “get it,” and, with your set of valuies and beliefs, you never will.
It’s NOT about “Chinese” and “whites,” it’s about understanding that human commonality transcends tribe, or race, or culture, or creed. And, very especially, about appreciations and bitternesses.
My single experience is that only the INDIVIDUAL matters, and that individual can be of any race, creed, or color.
Bottom line: most of us matter little if at all, a very few, like Gandhi or Buber or maybe Christ or Buddha or that rascal of a “philosopher,” Chuang-tze, matter more, at least to some of us, but the point here is that anyone who holds him- or herself as better or more worthy than someone else HAS to be deluded, inadequate, and/or needy. In extremis.
Speak for yourself, Robert. And not for anyone else, least of all those you claim as lands(wo)men.
P.S.: I think also that you might benefit from a hiatus from your hard-work, hard-wired subscriptions to the purely material and monetary. And, for God’s sake, and everyone else’s, try to imagine being in someone else’s shoes. And, then, walk that walk before you talk your talk. “White” folk, like black, brown, red, OR yellow, are no worse, if no better, than the rest or us, of ANY race, color, OR creed. Barring the fundamentalist that is. And what makes you believe hard-braininess is any better than hard-backed labor? Like those of the erstwhile “coolies,” whose very name and title implies “bitter strength”?
please.. please… please… do not use the term “Asian” if you are only talking about East Asians…ie: Chinese, Japanese etc… It seems like some of you are talking about the term Asian as though these are the only Asians that really count…
You sound very bitter, Robert, and you unfairly characterize white Americans based on the foolishness of a few. Why not give those items to poor in America, who need them just as much as poor in China do?
Also, just as an aside, I’d be willing to wager a large amount that my IQ is at least comparable to yours, if not higher. Not that IQ tests tell us anything.
I’m sorry, but if you personally are so far and above the average American in skill, what do you have to complain about?
China is a large holder of US debt, while its own populace is poor. Do you not see the problem with that? If the US fails and the dollar crashes, who is going to buy Chinese products? Not their own people, they don’t have the money.
Another question: why do you focus all of your criticisms on white America? White America is not the only America there is. White people are a tenuous majority and that status is slipping daily. Do you feel the same disdain for immigrants from Latin America, from Eastern Europe, from other Asian nations other than China?
To: peppermint_gomes
Apparently its not only Chinese and Japanese that find America’s economy is disintegrating but Asians of Indian descent in this recent article by the New York Times called “India Calling” By ANAND GIRIDHARADAS
Published: November 22,2008.
The article states how young Indians are going back to India in search of jobs and a better life. If these Indians were treated so fairly by white America and felt they are equal citizens then why are they going back to India in record numbers?
To: Prince Gomolvilas
I was watching a show I think that was on PBS about the origins of ChinaTown that was in San Francisco I believe. The commentator who was white said that the Chinese people needed to form ChinaTown because of the need to become self sufficient as a group because of racial discrimination. If you have a self sufficient community mostly isolated inside of America then why vote in
general? And those that voted in ChinaTown were 65% against gay marriage according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle.
That was probably roughly half of the vote on Prop8 that was against gay marriage.
To: Sterling
America is bankrupt regardless of what I want. If you had done your homework you would have realized that by now.
In terms of the current financial crisis it was white Anglo-Saxons, Jews, and European immigrants that were in the driver’s seat of America’s financial industry not Mexicans, blacks, or Asians. Those groups were in power and thus responsible for this meltdown in America and the world.
In terms of China, China would be better off keeping its capital to itself instead of lending to America to fund America’s huge budget deficit. The fact that America misspent the money China gave it on single family homes instead of internationally tradeable production proves that America is no longer a reliable trading partner.
Peter Schiff who appears on many mainstream television and radio programs hold this view and he is I believe a Jew.
To: Sterling
“Why not give those items to poor in America, who need them just as much as poor in China do?”
According to the program I saw that was tried but not successful because the people that were to pick the items up showed up late or not at all and the contractors that were responsible for clearing out the forclosed homes were contractually obligated to remove all the items from the premises by a certain time. Thus, most of the items ended up in a landfill. That is why China should stop funding America’s deficit.
Homeowners who borrowed above their means also contributed to the crisis, Robert, and they aren’t all WASP’s or Jews or Europeans. They are black, white, latino, asian, every racial group in this country had a hand in it. You cannot blame this crisis on a select few. America’s consumption-driven economy is what is tripping us up, and Americans of all races contributed. This is a central fallacy that you keep repeating, blaming the whole for the actions of the few. Not all white people, nor all Jews or Europeans are involved with the banking and financial sector. Therefore, you cannot directly hold all white people, Jewish people and Europeans accountable for this crisis any more than you can hold every single Japanese or German citizen responsible for the war crimes committed by their forces during WWII. These actions, and those, were committed by the people at the top, and that’s where the major culpability rests.
You cannot logically blame a single ethnic group or even a single nation for this situation. This is a worldwide problem, and we all share a part in it. What is the point in being divisive and pointing fingers? Especially when the fingers are pointed at only certain ethnic groups, namely “white Anglo-Saxons, Jews, and European immigrants.” Those kind of statements reveal ignorance and prejudice that blinds you to the truth that many many people are guilty in this crisis, not only those groups. When you start blaming ethnic groups, you incite hatred and resentment when it is undeserved, and you cause more problems that you solve. I could just as logically say that it was those damn sea turtles that caused this crisis, as you can that it was only whites, Jews and Europeans.
It’s apparent that the comments section contains fringe voice of dissent, so I’m just going to leave one more comment to this post and then move on.
The idea that Asian Americans comprise an autonomous community that fights discrimination and injustice on its own without the assistance of people from outside the race is an idea of unfathomable inaccuracy. Perhaps my involvement in the arts community has skewed my worldview in favor of interdependency (we all help each other), but I know that this worldview is not limited to my circle of colleagues and friends because my circle crosses over into other industries as well.
To: Sterling
First of all I stated it was the “elite” Anglo-Saxons, Jews, and European Immigrants and that was in my first post on this subject not all whites. This small elite group controlled the lending of the actual money, the rules governing this lending, and the marketing and sales of these securities that the mortgages were packaged into. The importance of this is that now I am hearing fr0m some commentators that it was China and Japan that were responsible for America’s problems because of “currency manipulation”. Well, this currency manipulation was what kept American interest rates low so that American people could borrow money. Obviously, this money was misused on non-productive areas and this is what is causing this meltdown now. It was the failure to use this borrowed money to build productive American industry that is the problem not currency manipulation by others.
Just a reality check: While it might seem like a preponderance of the comments were angry hatin’ CRAZINESS, the vast bulk of it came from one nut with way too much time on his hands, and one right-wing homophobe. I’m sorry that this really smart and thoughtful examination of some eye-opening (and to me, just a little inspiring) numbers elicited such toxic crap.
Asian, White, Black, Brown..all these people were born with their skin the color it is. The difference is that it is wrong to discriminate against people over something they have no choice over. Being “Gay” is not a minority, it is a minority “CHOICE”. No one has found the “GAY GENE”. It is an “Adult Sexual Lifestyle” choice and the LGBT community wants the straight community to “sign off” on their deviation from nature. If the plumbing does’nt fit???????? That’s a major clue folks
First of all my comments trying to establish blame for the current American economic meltdown attempts to set the record straight on who is responsible. I remember that the killers of Vincent Chin were sentenced to probation for his murder. The reason for this outrageously light sentence was that the white jury believed that it was Asian automakers that were responsible for their poor economic situation and decided to retaliate against a person of Asian decent. I have seen other posters to AsianWeek cite this case as well. What I see when looking forward is that white Americans might try to blame Asians people again because I keep hearing that it was Asian “currency manipulation” that is the root cause of America’s economic problems. The fact is that this “currency manipulation” lead to low interest rates and widely available loans which were wasted on building single family homes and other non-productive goods that could not be sold aboard to lessen the trade deficit. It was not Asian people’s fault that America is in deep debt and is currently in an economic meltdown.
Secondly, I resent the idea that I need to accept gay marriage because it would help the civil rights of Asians. Asians have contributed hugely to American prosperity in the technology fields, sciences, and even the American defense industry. Asians support the huge American debt with China being the largest holder of American debt and Japan being number two. In my opinion the only solution to America’s economic meltdown is to treat Asians especially China as an equal parter and build the American economy around exports that support China’s growth and well being. Right now it is a one way street with China’s exports geared toward the American consumer with not many products going from America to China. The bottom line is that without Asian support for America, America would be a third world country already.
Let me cite Fareed Zakaria Editor of Newsweek International, columnist in his article “China’s Lifeline to the U.S.” In this article he quotes a source that states of the Chinese/American relationship that “The East Chimericans did the saving, the West Chimericans did the spending.” Thus, the Chinese work hard and sent their money to Americans to spend on large single family homes, luxury automobiles,etc. and nothing of value is returned to the Chinese people. To me this is an outrageous situation that is not going to last.
After reading this thread, I’m left with one question: is AsianWeek the house publication of the Asian branch of the kkk - a sounding board for the vehemently ignorant elements in the A-A community?
Why do so many people insist on grouping other people together based on ethnic origin?
My parents were immigrants from China.
I am a San Francisco-born Chinese American.
And I am also gay.
Do I have anything in common with the Chinese immigrants in Chinatown who voted in favor of Prop 8? Just the same ethnic origins and perhaps the primary cultural values of “family” and “education” and “honor.” Other than that, I have as much in common with them as I have in common with whites or blacks or Filipinos or Mexicans or any other Americans (which varies, depending on socio-economic status).
So, please stop lumping us all together by “race.” We’re not the same just because we all originated from the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
We don’t vote in blocs. We have different values, beliefs, religions, etc. Just like all Americans.
Arggh!
Anyways I can’t believe a lot of people here are butthurt by the bare truth that homosexuals better behave and not disrespect the Asian American community if they expect us to give them any help at all. Oh justice and equality for all sounds great when it’s your justice and equality all of us are fighting for. But comes time to support your good neighbor, I can’t seem to find a single homosexual (Asian excluded) that cared enough to fight for our causes and beliefs.
“I resent the idea that I need to accept gay marriage because it would help the civil rights of Asians. ”
- Robert
Absolutely correct. You have your lilly white social “progressive” liberals running around harassing good citizens about their behaviors yet they fail to regulate the behavior of the homosexuals. If homosexuals weren’t so disrespectful to the Asian American community then they would gain a lot more votes.
Can anybody name an Asian American celebrity that is a public homophobe? What about a racist homosexual celebrity?
To Gomolvilas
Firstly, you are naive to think that people will hold hands around the campfire and sing kumbaya. Asian Americans have not forgot the disrepect and racism the homosexuals have directed towards them. It would help if the homosexuals STOPPED being racist and showing disrespect.
Secondly I have no idea what it’s like to be a homosexual because I’m not. But I am a heterosexual Asian American male, which makes me a minority when it comes down to my media representation against the homosexual Asian American Male. And it also makes me a second class citizen when ‘gay rights’ frequently steals the spotlight from ‘minority rights’.
Frankly it is quite ironic that I am accused of being bitter and angry, didn’t Prop. 8 turn out in our favor? And I see homosexuals have not learned to respect the Asian American community any more so.
No, Wone’s murder was just a recent event that I brought up to juggle people’s memories. There’s more if one just finds the time to dig. I also find it interesting that no homosexuals ever came to apologize to the Asian American community for the actions of Rosie, Kernel, etc.
Of course there’s racism in the Gay community, just like there’s homophobia in the Asian community, and there’s sexism everywhere, etc. Oppression is embedded throughout society.
That doesn’t change the issue here, which is that a certain group of people is being denied a right that others have.
As for you anti-Gay marriage folks who feel you are being ‘forced to accept’ something you don’t believe in: I’m sure there were plenty of White people in the pre-Civil Rights era Deep South who felt equally indignant that Blacks were forcing them to sit together on the bus; plenty of men during the Suffragette movement who were deeply resentful that women were imposing their desire to vote on them; many Americans in 1965 who just didn’t believe it was right that race-based quotas on immigration should be eliminated and Asians given the same opportunity as Europeans.
How dare these disrespectful minorities impose their will and try to change the way things were?!?!?
Yeah, you folks are in good company…
I agree that both Asians and gays have suffered discrimination and hate crimes. And both groups have a responsibility to stand up for the Constitution.
But every other minority in the US can say the same.
Why are Asians the only minority (other than gays) to have opposed Prop 8? And why were African Americans so strongly for it?
Bigotry remains a mystery to me.
Thank you Prince, for having a thoughtful conversation on this topic. As a white hetero who works for an Asian American company and who is strongly aligned with the gay community, I think this conversation is important to have and to examine. The hate expressed in the comments are disheartening, though I know are made by only a few.
One of the big discussions going on right now is whether or not the “gay issue” is the same or similar to the civil rights struggle of the sixties. I know the black community, in general does not like the comparison. So I think it’s important to make a distinction: The gay rights struggle is not the civil rights struggle of the 60’s. But the similarity of equal rights as an issue cannot be denied. The struggles are/were different, but the desire for equal rights are the same.
As far as racism in the gay community…I’ll admit that I have witnessed it (subtly). But are blacks less racist now that they have more rights? Should they be denied rights because some still resent whites or other races? That argument does not hold water. Rights are rights, no matter who you are or how you feel about others.
And thank you Dan Kwong for your well spoken comment.
This is revealing! As a white American whose ancestor signed the Declaration of Independence (not kdding…), I never knew that a) Asian Americans were so racist! b) Asian Americans were so homophobic! c) that all Asian Americans appearantly fit the sterotype of the lab coat wearing, nerd who is good at math! Gee, thanks for clearing that up.
Seriously - Robert, I don’t care what skin color you are… the only words for your world view regarding “elite” anglo saxons and Jews is racism and Anti-semitism.
Tai - the plumbing argument doesn’t work. Homosexuality is found in nature. In almost every species. If you doubt it, look up the sexual habits of Seagulls. And Chimpanzees. That’s not to say “homosexuals are animals,” but rather to point out the fact that the “it is un-natural” argument is a total fabrication of the religous right. As for the Gay Gene… there is plenty of evidence to support the fact that it is hereditary. Whether or not they have actually found the gene is irrelevant. They have found differances in certain brain operations which point to scientific proof that homosexuality is not a “lifestyle” choice, but rather a “fact of life.” Again, if you don’t believe me, look it up. But look at an unbiased, scientific source please…
Besides which, even if it were a choice, I want to live in an America where choices between consenting adults are respected and allowed. It’s actually the belief my ancestor fought for. The government has no right to interfere and restrict the personal actions of two consenting adults. It may not stop them from trying… but it doesn’t change the fact that it is unconstitutional.
Thank you for writing this!
Oppression? The Asian American vote didn’t even tweek the tide of the proposition. Asian Americans were only slightly against it, with the majority of voters from centralized locations. Don’t ramble about oppression or homophobia to me when nobody (famous) in the Asian American Community has publicly denouced gay marriage. (Michelle Malkin excluded, the PI version of Anne Coulter, and to my knowledge she hasn’t really denounced on air publicly about homosexual marriage… but I rarely even keep track of her.) Especially when many prominent figures within in the homosexuals themselves have denounced Asian Americans and perpetuated anti-Asian racism.
Everybody here is butthurt that Asian Americans aren’t blindly supportive of the homosexuals in the wake of all the discrimination we have experienced publicly and privately from homosexuals. I’m suprised that everybody here downplays the racism that we’ve experienced and that is constantly (even today) perpetuated by the homosexuals. Racism does not equal homophobia (sorry homosexuals, it’s not your “get out of being a racist” clause).
It’s like a kid on the playground getting picked on by bigger bullies. He turns around and picks on smaller kids and wonders why they never help him out when the bigger bullies come out to pick on him.
So instead of putting the blame on why everybody else is a homophobe maybe the homosexuals should look deeper and see why people aren’t supportive of their glamours activities. Perhaps not being passive-aggressive and bitter everytime they don’t get what they want would be a good start.
to kent:
What on earth are you trying to get at? I’ve never said homosexual was unnatural or a choice. Neither have I said it wasn’t. I could care less about the moral obligations of homosexuality. The only thing I care about is practice what you preach, if you’re going to disrespect our community and discriminated against my brothers and sisters, then I’m not to inclined to help you advance your political agendas.
Hypocrites.
Prince,
I am really grateful for your point of view. The comments from us readers range from the absurd to the thoughtful. At its heart, the issue of gay marriage is about equality and our ability to accept and respect all people, no matter their identities or their choices. For us API folk — we who are particularly susceptible to discrimination and alienation because of the way we look — being a minority has often come with very real discrimination, so we definitely have a duty as a group that has suffered to protect our own queer API brothers and sisters from a double dose of discrimination, as well as any other minority, racial, sexual, disabled, etc.
In particular, I always wonder at how easy it is for people to judge others through the lens of God, and the belief that homosexuality is a willing aberration from the righteous path. To those people, I just want to ask, so when did you choose to be straight?
I am particularly proud of those members of my Taiwanese community that stepped forward and said No on Prop 8. All of us who did so did it out of a sense of love and respect for others. It is important that people of color and queer people and all of those people who have any stake in a “minority” group in this country understand how precarious ALL our fundamental Constitutional rights become when one majority group can take those rights away merely by voting on a ballot initiative. Our country can only thrive if it embraces its social and cultural diversity, rather than eat itself alive through blame and divisiveness.
Together, we can stand up for the underdogs in each situation — respecting that there are so many queer people of color and queer white people living in poverty who will suffer because of the stigma from those who voted for Prop 8 (not just the marriage issue) and from real, not perceived, discrimination on so many different levels; respecting that trans people are singled out for hate crimes; respecting that gay marriage harms no one and helps many of our neighbors.
Might has never made right, and your courage in speaking out can lead all of us into a better and brighter future. Thank you!
”What do Asian Americans and gays have in common” Thats the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Your are speaking like there is no such thing as a gay Asian.
You can be in the Asian community and BE GAY!
People are born gay.. no mater what race they are! and Asians are definitely not excluded from this. The worlds biggest gay population must be in China.. I mean the odds are because of its large population. at least 10% are homosexual!
This article makes it seem that if your openly gay you lose your race and culture.
I am not defined by being a gay. Just like you are not defined for being straight.
I know that this article was not intended to be an attack or meant to be negative.. but come on!
Prop8 was an ATTACK on the ASIAN community.. BLACK community.. WHITE community.. NATIVE AMERICAN community.. SPANISH community.. IT WAS AN ATTACK ON EVERY PERSON WHO IS HOMOSEXUAL. race aside.
I did not choose to be Asian and I did not choose to be Gay. I am a double minority. And I will fight for my equality!
Thank you for writing this PRINCE!
Why does anyone think they have a right to vote on anyone else’s private life? Marriage is a personal decision, learn to live in a society with both the rule of law and some value for personal freedom.
There is no evidence that being gay is a “lifestyle choice,” and the proposition is pretty absurd. No person honestly thinks, just in general “oh, I’ll be attracted to him/her” or “oh, no, that other person is a better idea.” People simply are attracted to whomever they’re attracted to, it’s a force of nature, not of conscious choice.
All this bitching and moaning about “racist gay people” as if gay people hold the monopoly on racism. Surely, no straight celebrity has ever said anything racist about Asian people. That must be why I’ve never heard anyone bitch about, say, Sarah Silverman’s comments on the subject. She’s straight, of course she’s not racist.
And stop citing something Rosie O’Donnell said as evidence for what gay people in general think. Otherwise, assbags like her will turn around and play the same card, charging every Asian person with genocide ‘cos Pol Pot seemed to like it.
Grouping people into monolithic blocks is the essence of bigotry.
John Wone’s murder isn’t neccesarily the fault of the entire gay community, but it IS remarkable the complete silence of the Asian gay community on the topic. The DC gay community gossip boards are abuzz with conjecture that Wone was set up to be preyed upon by a S&M Asiaphile, and these were guys that OTHER gays should be very afraid of. AW devoted just ONE article to the new charges against the 3 with barely any mention of a gay angle at all. We should be upset when a gay man is wronged, but we should also be upset when an Asian is murdered and his murders walk free for two years and the press calls the case “mysterious” because it makes the gay community look bad?
Kudos and thanks
to Serena & Alex & Jud:
You nailed it.
As for our ever-mumbling awarthur, God!, I truly hope you won’t make more “ass” of yourself, as in donkey brayings, in re your eager and prurient readings of the RObert Wone case.
Your “knowledge” of “gay” matters is about as deep and penetrating as your recent online caperings about your “hero,” one John McCain.
That said, first, it isn’t “murder” yet. Second, the “juicy,” to you?, specifics and details are less than condign, and, thuird, and finally, you contradict your own premise in that you, an “Asian American” continue to exploit a sad and dreary episode of contemporary sensualities in these very columns and precincts.
Better you return to your other misappreciations and misappropriations of ANYthing remotely “American” and/or APA.
P.S.: And, for your sake, please try to ioverify “dots” before you attempt to “connect” them.
Excuuuse me, ok, maybe it was merely manslaughter, they didn’t actually mean to drug, rape, and then KILL him, it just worked out that way and they covered it up to protect their relationships….. The silence from the Asian gay community is deafening.
Sorry, Art, no way can you be “excused.”
You asked for it, you got it, Katrinka.
You and your latterday adventists.
adventurers? Hardly. More like skulking hyenas, circling the dead.
P.S.: Whatever the end game here may prove to be, I agree that Robert Wone may well be a victim, but, then, victims “submit” to their victimizers, no? Still, condolences to his wife and family. No way to mask this.
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