I'm so angry right now, Masq. Is this how you feel when people are blatantly homophobic? Because I could punch someone, only the people who deserve to get punched are rich and famous and probably have good security.
Santa-hat Angel and Connor cheer me up a bit, though :)
I have learned to distance myself from homophobia, emotionally. Most of it so far from reality, sometimes it's actually easy to think, "they're not talking about me." Then something like proposition 8 happens and the only way I can cope is to sing, "We shall overcome some day..." with my fingers in my ears.
Not exactly brave.
What is happening with Avatar, though, is so blatant and surreal, all I can think is, "What decade is this, 1962? 1941?" I can only hope the fans of Avatar boycott it and make it clear why.
I guess after you've had to deal with crap like this for too long, you kinda have to step back or lose your sanity. I only wish the world would get better so it wouldn't be up to us to distance ourselves :(
What is happening with Avatar, though, is so blatant and surreal
Yes, exactly! I just don't understand how Shyamalan can't SEE what he's doing! He's Indian, it can't have escaped his notice, right? This kind of racism isn't exactly subtle, you'd think somebody at Paramount would've put up their hand and said, "Wow, this is *so totally WRONG*, let's not do this."
The Avatar casting choices? Are absurd. And the 'arguments' that various people have put forward to support the casting? Are flagrantly ignorant. I first saw this in kyuuketsukirui's journal with the link to the, shall we say, stupidest reason for the casting choices, and I quote, "Contrary to popular belief, most Japanese kids can't speak passable English, and even fewer Chinese kids can." I'd mock this, but seriously? It's ignorance is beyond mocking.
This ranks up there with the blantant racial miscasting for the Earthsea miniseries.
Joss Whedon's mistakes in casting Firefly were, at least, errors of omission in not having the Chinese represented (which he absolutely should have).
Yeah, I agree Firefly is in a totally different league than what happened with Earthsea and now with Avatar. (I hadn't known about Earthsea until I read the articles people were linking to. Wow, that is just horrific.)
"Contrary to popular belief, most Japanese kids can't speak passable English, and even fewer Chinese kids can."
Oh good God. *despairs for humanity* Because yes, absolutely, I majored in English Rhetoric because I no speakee Inga-rish.
And the underlying assumption that there is no one of Asian descent outside Asia itself? I join you in the despairing.
I would love for the creators of the series to have the same sort of very public rant that LeGuin did. They may not have the same fame / stature that she does but if it raises the profile of the stupidity so that, if nothing else, people can see that the choices of Hollywood do not reflect the sentiments of the general public. Or at least of a segment of that public that's not as miniscule as Hollywood seems to believe.
I've never been that impressed by M. Night Shyamalan before, and this isn't changing that opinion. Particularly since he's also writing the screenplay. One wonders how much he'll change the 'verse itself to work with the casting.
"Contrary to popular belief, most Japanese kids can't speak passable English
Am sad to report that this is actually true, at least of Japanese kids in Japan. However, I understand the English literacy rate among Asian Americans is really quite high.
And see, this makes sense. It's the assumption that the only place an actor of Asian descent can be found is in an Asian country, and that the only way a person of Asian ethnicity speaks English is as a second language.
Most people don't fluently speak a language that's not the primary language of their country. Particularly if there's no real reason to keep practicing.
However, I understand the English literacy rate among Asian Americans is really quite high.
Hee. Yes, that. I suppose they just can't act. *heavy and theatrical sigh*
What? You don't want Harmony wishing he was a Sparkly Blondie Boy? "Vampires. Don't. Sparkle." Or gushing over how handsome Edward is? "Poncey hair." Or how perfect his marble-like skin is? "Yeah, like a bleedin' statue in the park."
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Santa-hat Angel and Connor cheer me up a bit, though :)
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Not exactly brave.
What is happening with Avatar, though, is so blatant and surreal, all I can think is, "What decade is this, 1962? 1941?" I can only hope the fans of Avatar boycott it and make it clear why.
Reply
What is happening with Avatar, though, is so blatant and surreal
Yes, exactly! I just don't understand how Shyamalan can't SEE what he's doing! He's Indian, it can't have escaped his notice, right? This kind of racism isn't exactly subtle, you'd think somebody at Paramount would've put up their hand and said, "Wow, this is *so totally WRONG*, let's not do this."
Reply
The Avatar casting choices? Are absurd. And the 'arguments' that various people have put forward to support the casting? Are flagrantly ignorant. I first saw this in kyuuketsukirui's journal with the link to the, shall we say, stupidest reason for the casting choices, and I quote, "Contrary to popular belief, most Japanese kids can't speak passable English, and even fewer Chinese kids can." I'd mock this, but seriously? It's ignorance is beyond mocking.
This ranks up there with the blantant racial miscasting for the Earthsea miniseries.
Joss Whedon's mistakes in casting Firefly were, at least, errors of omission in not having the Chinese represented (which he absolutely should have).
Reply
"Contrary to popular belief, most Japanese kids can't speak passable English, and even fewer Chinese kids can."
Oh good God. *despairs for humanity* Because yes, absolutely, I majored in English Rhetoric because I no speakee Inga-rish.
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I would love for the creators of the series to have the same sort of very public rant that LeGuin did. They may not have the same fame / stature that she does but if it raises the profile of the stupidity so that, if nothing else, people can see that the choices of Hollywood do not reflect the sentiments of the general public. Or at least of a segment of that public that's not as miniscule as Hollywood seems to believe.
I've never been that impressed by M. Night Shyamalan before, and this isn't changing that opinion. Particularly since he's also writing the screenplay. One wonders how much he'll change the 'verse itself to work with the casting.
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Am sad to report that this is actually true, at least of Japanese kids in Japan. However, I understand the English literacy rate among Asian Americans is really quite high.
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Most people don't fluently speak a language that's not the primary language of their country. Particularly if there's no real reason to keep practicing.
However, I understand the English literacy rate among Asian Americans is really quite high.
Hee. Yes, that. I suppose they just can't act. *heavy and theatrical sigh*
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Oh, all right. I don't want to scare you.
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(especially since I have Saturday night blocked off to read Twilight!)
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Hee. Heheheheheheheheeeee.
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