PingHong's Webquest "Snow Falling on Cedars"

This blog post will have my Webquest response to Mike Hong's post on Snow Falling on Cedars.

I believe there is a prejudice against every type of religion, race, etc. So yes, there is a prejudice against Asian Americans. Asian Americans are often grouped into one as is all other social sects, most of the time being very unfair. I believe that in America, racism against African Americans is more talked about then Asian American for a multiple of reasons. First, there are tons of groups and people (such as Jesse Jackson and others) who all they do is point out racism against blacks. I have never heard of an Asian American group like this. Next, most people feel bad because of the history of African Americans, who were persecuted more in America than that of Asian Americans.

I did not realize there was as much racism against Asian Americans until I read the blogs, listened to the podcasts, etc. After reading the blog posts and articles, I don’t think an event such as the Virginia Tech shooting effect peoples views on a specific group (in this case Asian-Americans.) One should understand that there is always a bad apple, and that person does not always represented the overall population. I would be very surprised if an event such as Virginia tech would cause more racism against Asian Americans in the US. It is very possible though tensions may be higher on the Virginia Tech campus, even if it is not right. For the Virginia Tech example, it is isolated and did not effect the way people thought about Asian Americans.

During the Olympics, the Spanish Basketball team posed for a picture and pulled their eyes to the side to represent being in China. It was a terrible thing that got the press it deserved. The scary part of the whole thing was that the Spanish Basketball team, and the Country of Spain on the majority did not know why everyone was making such a big deal of it. Another example is some claim that colleges are “racist” towards Asian college applicants and accept less Asian students due to preconceived notions of the race as a whole.

However, an event such as 9/11 definitely effected the way people looked at Muslims and Middle Easterners. I believe this happened here as opposed to Virginia Tech because 9/11 was more of a national issue in which everyone was effected. Also, there was an already prior association (fair or not) that a lot of Muslims were terrorists.

Finally, one reason that people may not be aware of the history of racism towards Asian Americans is because the internment of Japanese Americans in California during World War 2 is rarely talked about. Instead what is talked about is our country having slaves and other world issues such as the Holocaust. The internment camps was a terrible thing and demonstrated the racism of some in this country. However, after reading all the blog posts and doing research, one must realize that the way one person thinks, is not the way the majority always thinks. There will always be that one bad apple.

Racial Boundaries Webquest

Despite the advancements our country has witnessed in racial equality, there is still not the equality that there should be in the present world. Minorities, blacks in particular, are discriminated against. Racism is so existent in today’s society that affirmative action has to get minorities more opportunities in both the workplace and in education. Our society has developed too much since the 60’s for us to have to worry about equality in today’s time.

I read Native Son by Richard Wright. The story discusses the hardships a black man faces in the south and describes how Bigger (the main character) faces them. Bigger gets a job with a white family (Dalton’s) and they treat him very nicely, almost too nicely compared to the way Bigger has been treated in the past by white people. Bigger goes out with Mary Dalton and her boyfriend Jan, who are communists and support blacks. Bigger gets too close to Miss Dalton and ends up having a “fling” with Mary. Mary’s blind mother walks in on them and Bigger to save his job, suffocates Mary to death. He then burns the body and tries to cover everything up. In the end though, Bigger got way to greedy and tried to use his girlfriend (Bessie) in to getting ransom from the Dalton’s who think their daughter had merely been kidnapped. Bigger then kills his girlfriend when she refuses to get ransom money. Bigger is ultimately charged with his crimes and the community is outraged and calls for his head. In the end, Bigger was sentenced to death and killed.

My delicious page has links to stories about the racism in today’s society. Just like in Native Son, there are boundaries between different races, boundaries that cause animosity between separate races.

There have been many instances recently where race has been deemed an issue between a white cop and African American. Read this article and think about if this was a racial problem or if it was just bad luck and had nothing to do with race. A very similar story occurred around New Years when a black teen was shot after being pulled over for a false allegation of grand theft auto. Again, decide if this happened do to continued racism in today’s world or if it had nothing to do with race.

The book has some very interesting quotes regarding this issue of racial boundaries and problems minorities face:
1. "He was black and he had been alone in the room where a white girl had been killed: therefore he had killed her. That was what everyone would say, anyhow, no matter what he said."
2. "They regarded him as a figment of that black world which they feared and were anxious to keep under control."
3. “Though he had killed a black girl and a white girl, he knew that it would be for the death of the white girl that he would be punished.”
4. “Anger quickened in him: an old feeling that Bessie had often described to him when she had come from long hours of hot toil in the white folks’ kitchens, a feeling of being forever commanded by others so much that thinking and feeling for one’s self was impossible.”

Explore the links I have on my delicious site and read the blog posts by fellow classmates and outsiders. Also there is a database article on racial issues. To view a podcast on itunes search for racism and go to the podcast section. Once there, view the podcasts on Black Talk Radio Network I BlogTalkRadio Feed.

After reading all these articles you should have a pretty good idea on some of the problems that still exist in today’s society that also existed when the book was written. The final assignment is you should make a PowerPoint or some sort of other media presentation outlining other instances in today’s society how racism is still a problem and compare these cases to other instances back in the 1940s, when Native Son was written.

Martin Luther walked so Barack Obama could run

Despite the advances in racial issues in America, religious establishments are still not integrated between African Americans and Whites. More specifically, churches have remained to be segregated in the majority of America. In the article, Why many Americans prefer their Sundays segregated, this issue is discussed at great length. According to numerous studies, only five percent of churches in America are racially integrated. Curtiss Paul De Young, author of “United by Faith” defines an interracial church as, “one in which at least 20 percent its membership belongs to a racial group other than that church’s largest racial group” (De Young). Further studies by De Young have shown that half of this five percent of the racially integrated churches are on the path to becoming either all-white or all-black. (De Young). The article describes both sides of the coin, discussing both the hardships of keeping an interracial church and the advantages of integrating churches. No matter the reasons, it is hard to comprehend how a country that united around a black candidate for president still has a hard time praying together on Sunday mornings.

Despite the fact that Native Son by Richard Wright may not seem to be related this article from afar, the same ideas and principles resonate across both platforms. Bigger, the main character in Native Son, witnesses the “walls and barriers” between whites and blacks. The two are separated on so many levels that when Mary and Jan treat Bigger like an equal, he is confused and to an extent afraid. Whites and Blacks, both in the past and in today’s society have a ton of different qualities and characteristics that get discussed, but what often is not talked about are the similarities between the two cultures. In the CNN article it is stated that the two races common goal on a Sunday morning is praying. Why should it matter what color your skin is? Yes, the two races may have different methods of divining, but the country and integration have evolved so much since Native Son was written that we should be able to put aside our differences. Dwight Pryor is a perfect example about how our country has developed since the novel was written. Pryor is an African American who grew up in a segregated Mississippi town where people of his race were tortured and beaten by whites. Therefore, he grew up with hatred towards white people. Through meeting in Wilcrest, an interracial church, Pryor is best friends with a white member of the congregation. This man grew up in a segregated Mississippi town and his family hated African Americans (Blake). Despite this, they have put their differences aside and have a strong bond. In Native Son, there was a huge barrier between African Americans and Whites, one that is still obvious is some foundations nowadays.

Members of segregated churches should get with the times and become integrated. The country has put an end to most of its racial problems and churches are the next institution that needs to be integrated. Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and Asians, all united to elect the first minority president. It should not be hard for people of different races to unite in religion, and in all other establishments.


Blake, John. “Why many Americans prefer their Sundays Segregated.” CNN. 18 Mar. 2009 .

Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and WON

24, is a modern television show revolving around the world of Jack Bauer and his actions to save the world from terrorists in you guessed it, twenty four hours. He is a merciless man that has no regard for human life. Jack Bauer is the modern version of John McClain, or a more recent version of Chuck Norris. Like Norris, people have derived a “top 100 facts” about Jack Bauer such as, “The city of Los Angeles once named a street after Jack Bauer in gratitude for his saving the city several times. They had to rename it after people kept dying when they tried to cross the street. No one crosses Jack Bauer and lives.”

Jack Bauer is as heterosexual as it gets, he is manly, muscular, and all the girls flock towards him. In 24, the topics at hand are serious, such as nuclear attacks, chemical warfare, among others, causing the show to have a very serious tone to it.

More specifically, I’ll be focusing in on Season 1, Episode 7 which deals with Jack’s daughter, Kim being captured and being used as bait to get Jack to help the terrorist (Gaines.) This episode and the overall series on a whole portray Jack and the rest of the characters to be very heterosexual. Usually, masculinity is linked with heterosexuality while being weak and feminine is linked with homosexuality.

This episode deals with a secret love triangle, between Jack, his wife who he is separated with (Teri), and Nina Myers. The episode also delves into a love interest between Kim Bauer, played by Elisha Cuthbert and her kidnapper.

The show never touches the idea of homosexuality. The only part of the show that could be deemed promoting homosexuality if dissected greatly could be women holding positions that people often associate with men. This idea breaks the barrier between feminine and masculine jobs in the workforce.

Overall, the show on a whole promotes the heterosexual privilege, as overall the characters are comfortable within themselves.

Just remember, if you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.



You don't know JACK about Jack Bauer unless you visit this site with facts about Jack Bauer.

Keep track of Jack Bauer's kill count on this website. Through yesterday (the two hour episode) he has killed 15 people this season, which is a low number for Jack. Unfortunately the real Jack Bauer Kill counter has been blocked by the school, so we have to settle for this.

Women's Sports Coverage

While men and women are deemed equal in today’s world, this is still not true in the world of sports. Professional women sports are not given the coverage that professional men’s sports are given. The blog, “Keeping Score: The media and women’s sports” address the problems women face in the exposure in women team sports. The author of Keeping Score says that professional women sports do not receive the attention the deserve from both the public and the media. Furthermore, she says the media has a responsibility to increase the popularity of female sports. The author of the article stated, “If a media outlet ignores a local women’s sports team because they think no one cares, then many people will not care because they will see that the media outlet isn’t bothering to cover it” (Keeping Score, 1). The author continues on to discuss how the media has an obligation to report and garner interest in women’s team sports.

I disagree with this due to the fact that the reason women’s sports are not covered as much as men sports are is due to the fact that there is no interest in them. The media does not have a responsibility to increase the popularity of women’s sports, but has a responsibility to report what the masses are interested in. The media is a business, and it is their job to sell the most papers, get the best ratings, and make the most money. The author goes on to say about women’s sports, “No one will care if you suck. (Keeping Score, 1)” Yes, that is very true, because no one cares if you win either.

Women’s sports whether it is fair or unfair have an uphill battle to be even mentioned in the mainstream media. As an outsider, it may seem unfair that female sports is trumped by male sports in the media, however it is fair based on the popularity of each. When male sports started, it took years to garner the popularity that they boast right now. It is only fair that female sports undergo the same hardships. Society likes to watch the most talented athletes in the world, which is what male sports gives to the public.

This is not to take away from women’s sports (especially at the High School and College levels) as they are of high quality and are very competitive. However, professional women’s sports have an uphill battle to fight to garner not only the respect but also success in mainstream society. The current state of the economy also hurts the expansion of female sports. In fact, the Houston Comets, the most successful team in WNBA history have recently dissolved and are no longer a team due to the economic crunch. That would be like the Yankees or Lakers seizing to exist, which would not help their respectable sports.

It’s very sad that the most collegiate or professional women’s sports have been discussed about in the past few years was during the Don Imus and Rutgers Women’s basketball team incident. Is that what the author of this article wants, more negative publicity? I mean there is the idea that negative publicity is good publicity, and I’m sure after the Don Imus’ comments, a few more people tuned into a women’s basketball game.

Let the game evolve by itself, which is what every other professional sports organization has had to undergo. If the quality of the product is good enough, the masses will become interested. For example, the MMA has become a huge sport after starting with such a small fan base. The sports media does not have an obligation to progress the sport and they should only present information that the public will find interesting or what the public demands to hear. I hope that professional women’s sports become more popular in the future, however it will be a tough journey.

Jewish

The following poem deals with the experiences that the typical Jew experience throughout the year. I add in personal experiences and opinions on my Jewish heritage. The poem has a relatively serious tone to it due to the importance of Judaism in my life. At times while I may disagree or not want to follow the traditions that come with being Jewish, it is important to me that I follow them. Just like there are rules to being Christian and Muslim, this poem presents the "rules" of being Jewish. The poem takes the format of Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl" which has a unique, long winded, writing style. The poem outlines the qualities or beliefs that may or may not be found in the lives of an average Jewish person, because like we have been discussing, who is to determine how an individual acts, even if that person is a member of a particular group, sect, or religion.



Observe the Sabbath every Saturday; no driving; no lights; light the candles every Saturday night; use your weekly day of rest; go to temple; this is how you read the torah; no talking, no talking at all; all cell phones off, no chewing gum; listen to the haftorah service. Go to temple for Rosh Hashanah when all of your Christian friends are off from school; suck it up; this is how you put your tallit on; I hate wearing a tallit; listen to the shofar blow; this is how the cantors face gets bright red; Rosh Hashanah’s over, Yom Kippur is next; no food; no food at all; go to temple with your stomach grumbling; this is how you get through temple; open the sidor and follow the Hebrew, service will go faster; read the English out loud to show your paying attention; this is how you kiss the torah when it passes; watch your friends read from the torah; listen to the shofar blow, again; go home and sleep, watch a movie, preferably with a Jew in it; this is how you get through the day; at night when you can eat; eat until you throw up. Channukah is the festival of lights; this is how you recite the words to Adam Sandler’s Channukah song; we have 8 crazy nights; this is how you light the candles, right to left; don’t blow the candles out under any circumstances; it is bad luck; this is how you sing the Channukah songs; this is how you spin the dreidel, your dreidel is not made out of clay. Passover, is a holiday that celebrates G-d sparing the Jews when he killed the first born of Egypt; I hate Passover; during Passover you can eat no leavened bread or any kind of food with yeast; this is what matzah is, an unleavened piece of “bread”; I hate matzah; Passover is one of those holidays that you hate when it comes but must celebrate. This is what a Bar Mitzvah is; it is the coming of age of a Jewish boy or girl at the age of 13; it is more then a big party which most people think it is; this is how to become a bar mitzvah; you must learn the prayers and learn the torah portion and recite them in front of hundreds of people; this is what the party is; a mini wedding; consisting of a band, a dj, fancy food, fancy dresses, open bars, and fun activities. This is what being Kosher is; food in accordance with the Jewish law; this is what non-kosher food is; food with the presence of ingredients derived form non-kosher animals; bacon, shrimp, cheeseburgers, lobster; all non-kosher; It’s hard I know; I keep Kosher in my house; separate dishes for meat and dairy; separate silverware for meat and dairy. This is what the holocaust did to Jews; 6 million Jews wiped off the planet; always remember the holocaust. I live with a dad who is very Jewish and follows lots of Jewish customs that the average Jew would not know or listen to; this is how you deal with it; while at times I may hate it; I know in the long run it will help mold me into the man I will become.