To get really pissed off that a lot of people seem to think it's acceptable to be racist towards Chinese people?

[xiaozhu]

'They all look the same'

'Sum ting wong?'

'I'll have a number 28 please'

'Oh but they eat dogs and cats and small children, and are therefore scum'

Just a few of the comments I've seen on 'news' articles published by a certain 'newspaper'. I mean, I know Daily Mail readers are not known for their intelligence and tolerance, but AIBU to think that similar comments about other races would not be tolerated, or would at least be regarded as much more serious? Not just referring to the DM morons, it seems to be 'OK' to make ignorant sweeping statements about the Chinese in supposedly more educated circles, too.

The same probably applies to other east Asian races too, but I notice it more with the Chinese.

No, I've noticed it too. I noticed it was getting particularly prevalent on panel shows - programmes like QI, full of "liberal", "tolerant" types who would no more make a racist comment about a South Asian than they would tear off all their clothes and run through Hyde Park, completely failing to blink an eye at people making anti-Chinese "jokes".

I've heard that awful urban myth about dog id chip in a Chinese takeaway repeated recently as if it was gospel. Although that person may well be just generally racist or a bit thick. Not sure racism against Chinese is considered any more acceptable than against other groups.

My step dad is half Vietnamese and has been subject to some stunning racism. People pulling their eyes narrow, calling him chinky etc. and he's not even Chinese. I absolutely hate the work chinky and think that people who use it are racist knob heads.

Word not work. Autocorrect fail.

I think because there has been such a huge (and excellent) drive in the UK in the last 30-40 years in tackling racism against black people, most people - even those who are generally pretty ignorant - are aware that they will get a very poor reception (even on the DM website) if they, say, use the 'N' word. There's a similar effect with racism about Indian or Pakistani people - at school in the 80s it was common to hear racist jokes about Pakistanis, whereas it's much less so now, thank God. Lots of people still have horrible attitudes towards black people, but they are at least aware that they're generally socially unacceptable, and probably only express them with their racist mates.

When it comes to Chinese people, however, I think maybe people who are ignorant feel less inhibited about making ignorant 'chinky' comments because they see it as somehow 'not as racist' as racism against black people - missing the point that racism is racism, whoever it's directed against.

For instance, in football racist chanting about black players is rightly stamped on, but it's apparently still OK for fans to sing racist songs about Park Ji-sung (Man U) eating dog, because he's Korean.

Sorry sour, I took it wrong Thank you.

I wonder why this is though? Why are Chinese and other south Asians considered fair game?

Agreed eek. Also, perhaps south Asians are less likely to stand up for themselves?

I'm confused. I don't consider China to be South Asia - when I said South Asians earlier, I meant Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, etc.

I think its because we're the smaller minority?

You read the daily mail comments - there's your problem right there. They're all ignorant, goady fuckers and trolls.

I remember seeing a video years ago where someone interviewed white people in the street and asked them to do an impression of a Chinese person, which they did, and then they asked them to do an impression of a black person and it all got awkward and they refused. When they were asked why some people just sort of shrugged but the upshot of the ones who answered was that they were scared of black people.
It was weird but i think there is something in it. I also think that the racism you see towards black people is more overt and aggressive, whereas racism towards Chinese and East Asians is more patronising. People think we're fine because we can get good jobs in IT and Cho Chang was in Ravenclaw and it just so happens that we don't have those leadership skills needed for promotion.

Naturally you notice it more when you are one or have family who are.

I imagine the people who are racist against Chinese are probably racist against most other races.

Idiots at school told Ds he was yellow - (he isn't at all so I dunno why they said that) fortunately he hasn't had much bother since.

All racism is wrong; no ethicities are "fair game".

Daily Mail readers are not known for their enlightened views, however.

they were scared of black people

which, ironically, could be part of a racist stereotype that black men are aggressive, violent and lawless. Thus meaning that racists are less overtly racist about black people because of the racist views they hold about black people.

I mean, I know Daily Mail readers are not known for their intelligence and tolerance,

I'm assuming you must read the Daily Mail to see these comments?

The daily mail is good to research what the average dullard thinks.

Yes, what clarkson said was horrible- and he shouldn't have got away with it at the time.

Yanbu op.

Dentist appointments at 2:30, fancying a Chinese, there's a nip in the air........ All seemingly acceptable jokes but unacceptable for any other race.

My daughter came home one day and asked me why the school goes (rightly) berserk when racist remarks are made to children of colour. Yet when someone made a racist remark to her Chinese friend the teacher did nothing, despite witnessing it all.

She now thinks racism only applies to people if colour.

I meant south and east Asians (south including Thailand, Vietnam etc).

Hello, as stated above I read the DM for the gossip columns. The DM is kind of beside the point really - it's not just DM commenters who make these comments but they are particularly bad and I don't think they would make quite the same comments about black people (although undoubtedly they hold the same views about them).

Thanks xiao.

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Woops, Chinese keyboard!

The daily mail is good to research what the average dullard thinks.

What a horrible way to look at life.

You see that as an enjoyable time waster? to laugh at "dullards" and feel superior?

Glad I don't feel that defensive that I need to do that.

Yanbu.

I once read an article discussing people of East Asian heritage who were born in the UK, with a slight emphasis on Chinese people because the UK has quite chinese communities in terms of immigrats, being the silent "minority". As in, they don't complain about any manner of shitty things that other people say or do to them so it "doesn't happen". In a similar vein, East Asians are woefully underrepresented on UK television, something I tried to start a discussion on quite recently, but it got ignored.

TBF don't think John said he/she spent a lot of time reading the DM, nor that he/she enjoyed laughing at people who made comments on articles.

Yes hello it's for my dissertation on people who have no sense of humour.