Debito all too Debito (4)

UPDATE
A Japanese blogger posted clips showing stereotypical Asians depicted in the U.S. It clearly shows that what Debit was saying is false.
He wrote:

you just know that if an American TV show were to do this sort of thing–make all the [fill in the blank] into Asians, Chinese, or Japanese (with accents or stereotypical features to boot)–there would be complaints from either the local anti-defamation leagues or even the Japanese embassy (cf. New York Senator Alphonse D’Amato making fun of Judge Lance Ito’s Japanese ethnicity in 1995

I am not saying that since since racism is rampant in the U.S. it is okay in Japan.
; racism is wrong in anyplace, and Japan needs education and needs to put the education into practice just as the U.S.needs to do so. (The first thing I was told from a white students at the dormitory was that a black student smelled. Looking back he was a racist, but I guess he was educated.)
But what is getting clearer is Debito's prejudice; the U.S. is innocent ,morally well grounded to push around Japan , and Japanese must have the same ugly prejudice that some racists in the U.S. have. Japan should learn from her, I don't know what to call it---Whitman's burden is not quite correct, because these days, not many "white people" have it. However it should be called, i say nobody has to shoulder such burden to preach. The preach is not convincing unless he tried to share local people’s agony.
That said, we can see the point in still another way; as a white person who belonged to the dominant classin USA, he might have thought there were less racism in the U.S. than in Japan where he is a minority;it might be that he just didn't notice the racism because he didn't suffer from it. If that is the case, that tells us, the majority to think twice about his prejudice;We as those who belong to the majority might have the same kind of prejudice as Debito.

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Debit criticises JD, "hanayori, dango 2" for being partake of racism.
via Japan probe
Let's see how the commenter on JP reacts to the drama in question.

Comment by Syd
2007-07-25 19:41:08

I agree with the lot of you, that was too stupid to even care about.

Comment by RYO
2007-07-25 22:12:46

These stereotypes are not formed in a vacuum. Blame Hollywood and MTV if you must. The scene in question, for example, reminds me of the one in which Bruce Willis’ character is saved from a harsh beating in Harlem by Samuel L. Jackson’s character. That scene even came complete with a basketball.

Comment by caz
2007-07-26 02:44:59

Oh fuck you guys. I see this kind of cultural stereotyping all the time in America where they show asian to be full of ninjas, yakuzas, and white slave rings. Get over your hypocritical racism.

Comment by Kantwon
2007-07-26 05:31:00

I couldn’t even watch this long enough to get to the scene that you were talking about. It’s so cheesy and horrible. I’m more offended that people actually consider this bad acting and horrible script entertainment. But honestly, I think America is still worst when it comes to stereotyping black people and other races, hell America created it. Plus that’s New York city and that’s actually partially correct when it comes to crime. You can ask any other black person besides me that who commit the most crimes in New York.

I don't know about J-drama A-drama because I don't watch them.

I assume what the posters are saying is all true.

Regardless, I think Debito has a good point.

what gets me is not just the stereotypes of crime in NYC: It’s the fact that all the criminals are black (from the bag snatcher to the gang of four), using random profane jive talking, and assailing our heroine with a basketball (yes, a basketball, with added sound effect when it hits her).

It is a good to raise the consciousness on the danger that the public prejudice are formed throgh TV dramas and films.


The problem with Debito's presentation this time is his articles lack balance, depth, and probably affection. But I wholely agree that Japanese producers need to keep his point in mind when producing dramas and movies.

Debito all too Debito (3)