<p>Nice, and very classy, typical Staten Island - oops, I thought that was funny.</p>
<p>Actually, I am not overly sensitive, as I’ve posted before, so I take no offense. Believe me, typical Staten Island wouldn’t be words on a message board. The usual thing is slashing tires or something similar if you park in front of someone’s house. This thread caused the exchange of experience and opinion. Someone actually took the time to productively post what may have been the background to what I saw and, as I posted, that was something I will carry with me. Communication is a GOOD thing. Understanding is even better. Such a shame that you’re too delicate to allow that to happen. Very sad for you.</p>
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<p>Haha, and YOU feel insulted when people deride your rude behavior? </p>
<p>I bet my “butt” that you’d also race by someone in a wheelchair or knock down someone walking on crutches … just to get to the opportunity you feel so entitled to obtain. And you probably would giggle about it as long as you got what you so desperately wanted. </p>
<p>Thank you for confirming the fact that people who espouse such logic are oblivious to the impact of their actions on others. </p>
<p>How pathetic!</p>
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<p>Well, that’s quite a jump from what azmmom actually said.</p>
<p>We stood there watching and realized that of the 35 or so kids registering, mine was the only non-Asian and the only one not registering for calculus!"</p>
<p>Just because we preface a reply with words like, “I never” or “I don’t”, does not mean its ok. Please don’t perpetuate stereotypes."</p>
<p>If the OP saw 34 Asian kids and 1 non-Asian kid registering for calculus, it’s not a “stereotype,” it’s an observation. My observation regarding my children’s summer talent search program is that it is overwhelmingly Asian, compared to the overall makeup of the city / neighborhood / college itself. That’s not a stereotype. It is an OBSERVATION that the program enrolls a disproportionately high # of Asians, a disproportionately high # of Jews (we are Jewish) and a disproportionately low # of Afr Americans than one would otherwise expect.</p>
<p>Stereotypes aren’t created because they have no basis in reality.</p>
<p>At the end of the day we all have to listen to the groups we joke about. If they say it’s offensive, we need to take note. No matter what we think.</p>
<p>“At the end of the day we all have to listen to the groups we joke about. If they say it’s offensive, we need to take note. No matter what we think.”</p>
<p>But it wasn’t “the group.” It was one or two posters who chose not to contribute to helping others understand where certain behaviors are coming from. This thread actually did do that, helped create understanding, and it would be a shame if that type of connection was lost because a couple of members of “the group” are too thin-skinned to acknowledge that there are behaviors that could use some explanation or background. There was nothing offensive in my original post. Nothing. It was a report of an actual experience that happened to me. Had I not posted the ethnicity, a dialogue wouldn’t have ensued that helped me to understand the why of what I saw. There were no insults posted. I painted a verbal picture of people running from different sides of a parking lot. It wasn’t mean-spirited and the vast majority of posters took it exactly as it was intended.</p>
<p>I think the thread is a good thread. I think some common understanding has been hinted at. But, people have their feelings in these situations and need to express them.</p>
<p>Alumother, I understand where you’re coming from, and I agree with you. I’ll go even further by saying that if even one person is offended by a joke about stereotypes, then maybe the joke isn’t in the best taste.</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I know you were genuinely trying to be funny by posting your experience. I am not Asian, but I still find the title of this thread offensive. I am actually a Southern White, another stereotype you mention in this thread.</p>
<p>Just as several Asians in this thread dislike being stereotyped as “typical Asians”, I really hate being stereotyped as a Southern White. That doesn’t mean I’m not very proud of my southern heritage. I’ve lived all over the world, including Asia, yet people here in the States still make fun of my southern accent. I don’t like it, because the implication is that I’m somehow not speaking proper English. My neighbor even went so far as to tell me that he thinks people who speak with a southern accent are stupid and uneducated.</p>
<p>I guess I’m just asking for a little sensitivity before stereotyping people. Some of us aren’t as thick-skinned as others.</p>
<p>“I am not Asian, but I still find the title of this thread offense”</p>
<p>Oh for heaven’s sake. Read the title in the context of the post. The Asian stereotype is all over this site. There are at least two active threads right now. The point of the title and the post was to respond to that. Jeez.</p>
<p>“That doesn’t mean I’m not very proud of my southern heritage. I’ve lived all over the world, including Asia, yet people here in the States still make fun of my southern accent.”</p>
<p>Nothing even remotely like that happened in my post.</p>
<p>You mentioned the Southern White stereotype in an earlier post. I dont understand why you even brought it up. Its just as wrong to stereotype Southern Whites as it is to stereotype Asians.</p>
<p>Alumother did a great job of explaining why some might find this thread offensive. Ill go a little further. By titling your thread The Asian Stereotype (humorous) and then posting a story about laughing at Asian stereotypical behavior, it might seem to some Asians that youre laughing at them because you believe your actions were more reasonable or legitimate than their actions (just as I think those who make fun of my southern accent feel their English is better than mine.) I’m not saying that was your intention, but to some it might look that way.</p>
<p>Im sure many Asians find your story humorous, as you intended it. The problem is the few who are offended. Its not OK to offend a few people even if the larger group is OK with it. And its not their fault that they find it offensive, as a couple of your earlier posts imply. </p>
<p>I know the Asian stereotype has been joked about endlessly on CC, but that doesnt make it right. Many Asians visit this website. As such, we should approach this subject with sensitivity.</p>
<p>"You mentioned the Southern White stereotype in an earlier post. I don’t understand why you even brought it up. "</p>
<p>You really don’t understand, do you? “The Asian Stereotype (humorous)” and then posting a story about laughing at Asian stereotypical behavior,” It was about Asians laughing at stereotypical Asian behavior as I’ve clarified repeatedly. Do you think those people were insensitive? </p>
<p>I feel like I’ve stepped into some alternate universe where someone says that up is down. Go back and re-read my post(s). There was nothing remotely insensitive. Nothing. It is the fault of people who intentionally misrepresent what they have read in order to create offense and that’s what has been done here. </p>
<p>The reference to the Southern stereotype was just that, a reference. You clearly know that it exists, but now because you’re so delicate we have to pretend that it doesn’t? “he last groups that it’s ok to mock with impunity are southern whites and Italian Americans.”</p>
<p>This is what I posted about Southern whites. Seems like you’re saying almost the same thing. Hmmmm.</p>
<p>Come on now people, this is just ludicrous. Really. You have to be working very, very hard to be so sanctimonioius. Yes that is harsh, but I was very careful in how I posted and I think a couple of you are really stretching things.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I get this. Who was laughing, the people running…at their own behavior? Because it’s somehow typically Asian?</p>
<p>“I’m not sure I get this. Who was laughing, the people running…at their own behavior? Because it’s somehow typically Asian?”</p>
<p>I was saying that this stereotype exists. I’ve never seen the behavior first hand, so I didn’t believe the stereotype was true. I went to this registration saw this mad dash (think of something on tv where everyone starts off nonchalantly and the gets a little faster and a little faster and soon they’re running) that made everyone laugh. Have you never laughed at yourself? It was a funny situation, that’s basically all there was to it. I had an experience in my real life that made me think of CC and I came back here to share it. No ulterior motive. As part of the experience, a couple of the parents did something not nice about the age, but I did make clear that they were a very small minority. Now people are making a sometimes fun and sometimes informative thread something un-politically correct. I can’t imagine why I couldn’t discuss something that I personally witnessed. It’s just bizarre that some people want to stifle normal communication.</p>
<p>zoosermom, I was just seeking some clarification on this sentence:
It was about Asians laughing at stereotypical Asian behavior as I’ve clarified repeatedly. </p>
<p>I read the thread but couldn’t find where this occurred.</p>
<p>“I read the thread but couldn’t find where this occurred.”</p>
<p>Post #21 and several others</p>
<p>“Alumother, I really do understand that. But this did happen and it was funny. For what it’s worth, many of the people there were laughing as hard as I when they started running. There was nothing mean-spirited about my observation and I didn’t see it necessarily as a negative thing, just as I don’t take exception to the people at the after-Christmas sale at Fortunoff!”</p>
<p>Thank you. I think the part I don’t get is not that they were laughing, but how one could conclude that they were laughing at behavior that’s stereotypically Asian. </p>
<p>I would have laughed regardless of race. It’s a funny thing to see a group of people all dashing like that.</p>
<p>"Thank you. I think the part I don’t get is not that they were laughing, but how one could conclude that they were laughing at behavior that’s stereotypically Asian. "</p>
<p>It wasn’t that that behavior was stereotypically Asian, it was that the collection of behavior when performed by a group of about 35 Asians and one non-Asian made me think of the things I’ve read here. That’s really all there was to it. As the experience was happening, the CC threads popped into my head and I decided to share what had happened.</p>
<p>I’m not sure I would have even noticed that every family was Asian but us before I came to CC because the stereotype I’ve read about here was completely unknown to me.</p>
<p>I guess what I got from this is that everyone have a different sense of humor and what is funny to some, is not funny to others. </p>
<p>Communications and understanding is all good. I am glad we talked about it. It would be sad if people just censor their posts or opinions, or keep them to themselves. Then we’ll never learn about how people can look at things differently.</p>