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More apologies to Keith Olbermann, but the conservatives are leaving me no choice. The cover of the latest issue of The National Review features Justice Sonia Sotomayor as Buddha, complete with "Asian" features (read: slanted eyes and buck teeth) and titles it "The Wise Latina." A choice sample of reactions from TPM, Daily Kos, Angry Asian Man and The Huffington Post:
As part of a cover package called "The Wise Latina," the folks over at the conservative National Review--apparently flummoxed by the very idea of a "wise Latina"--have caricaturized the Puerto Rican-descended Sonia Sotomayor as an Asian Buddhist. (TPM)
Yeah, yeah, Asians and Latinos aren't white, so that gets confusing to conservatives. I get that. But maybe they could've consulted with outside experts to try and get this right? So embarrassing! (Markos Moulitsas)
Somehow, the artist has managed to mock Asians without even rendering an actual Asian person! Amazing, and above and beyond the call of duty. (AAM)
Anyway, the good news is this will surely provide a excellent P.R. opportunity to Puerto Rico's little talked-about Buddhist community. (Huffington Post)
And this howler from Salon:
In an e-mail, Salon asked [National Review editor] Lowry, "Why approve the depiction of her with slanted eyes, given the sensitivity of that stereotype? Was that something you considered before publication? Were you worried about the reaction to it?"
Lowry responded, "[N]ot sure I'm following you. Can you be more specific?"
Jeff Yang promises to write more about this soon. (As will we, hopefully.) What do you all think? Is there a rational explanation for this or is it a pure case of What. The. Fuck!?!
Update: Jeff Yang's updated post.
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| User | Points |
|---|---|
| curtis | 1928 |
| ebeh | 1161 |
| Madhuri | 1145 |
| erinjerri | 1074 |
| spamfriedrice | 551 |
| oliveoil | 457 |
| Calvin Prashad | 358 |
| JennyG | 281 |
| jenn | 219 |
| chriswong | 155 |
OK, I take this little stupid episode to remind us that we need to build more bridges with Latinos. It's so obvious that white racism is built upon this kind of trope where people of color are all of a piece. I say that APAP should issue a joint declaration of disgust with another Latino organization. We might as well complete the circle for white racists but on our terms not theirs.
However, genetically speaking, Latinos are the long-lost cousins (up to 30,000 years) of Asian folks, as they are descendants of Asian people that crossed into North America. That's the best defense of the National Review cover that I can see. Clearly though, it's unlikely that the National Review editors would ever make a positive association between Asians and Latinos in that way.
What hurts the most for me, is that the senior editor of this rag is Indian-American. Is it too much to hope that he should know better?
I agree that the best defense against this would be to team with a Latino organization to issue a press release. As for being lost-lost cousins... commonly held belief regarding the dispersions of peoples across the world would support that. In fact, according to Joel Spring's book, "Deculturalization and the struggle for equality: A brief history of the education of dominated cultures in the United States", the government used to keep Latinos and Native Americans out of the school system based on the fact that they were actually immigrants due to their shared heritage with the Asians... interesting that there is actually legal precedent for this position.
Hey Calvin, I share your pain. How do you think I feel when Michelle Malkin is on TV?
Is it Ramesh Ponnuru? Want to do a Worst Asian American in the World post on him? :)
If it is Ramesh... YES, Eugenia... dooo it.
The cover is totally cringe worthy, what were they thinking. It is hard to find a way that this image isn't racist. Here is a good story about it : http://www.newsy.com/videos/wise_latina_cover_to_cover
And people wonder why
Asian American + conservative= race traitor
The narrow worldview of the right wing simply has no space in it for peoples of color or difference. That's all there is to it.
Is this formula really that hard to follow?
You are making a big deal about a poor caricature. She does have squinty eyes, though. Interesting that you are fixated on the way she is portrayed rather than her poor record as appellate judge. For someone who purportedly worked her way up on her own accord she does not seem particularly wise in her interpretation of the law.
Haywood, what are you looking at to assess her record as an appellate judge? I can see how progressives would hate on Sotomayor's consistent pro-corporation and pro-police records, but I fail to see how conservatives wouldn't be overjoyed that someone like Sotomayor would be nominated by a "liberal" president.
Wouldn't you agree?
something else all of you might find interesting:
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/issues/173/contents
As a layout editor myself, I wonder when the record of shitty and racist magazine covers will end...
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