Is this casual racism? Along the lines of ching chong jokes?

[Cimcardishan]

I'm BBC (British born Chinese) and feel that it seems more permissible to be casually racist about Chinese than other racial groups. A few years ago there used to be a Chinese tea advert with a kung fu monk and really bad accent which just felt wrong to me. I don't think that kind of advert would have been made about jerk chicken or naan bread for example.

Someone just posted on my FB jokes with Chinese accent, one liners, eg.Tie my shoe Tai Mai Shu

OK, thats pretty rubbish but it was a long list of them. It wasn't to me personally.

I found it old fashioned and un PC. I feel if someone posted this with Jamaican or Indian accents it would be disapproved of.

Am I being oversensitive?

[ilovesooty]

Choc - I thought that sentiment was victim blaming at its worst. How patronising to tell you you can be happier if you choose not to be offended or hurt.

[WMittens]

ilovesooty
Choc - I thought that sentiment was victim blaming at its worst. How patronising to tell you you can be happier if you choose not to be offended or hurt.

In the words of Steve Hughes, "when did 'sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!' stop being relevant?"

[mudandmayhem01]

The sticks and stones analogy is rubbish, does that mean someone can use vile racist insults, call teenage girls fat slags, laugh at the children with disabilities, deny the holocaust etc, etc because its only words and its up to those being hurt not to take offence?

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

The "sticks and stones" mantra is utter bollocks.

[ilovesooty]

Of course it is. No one with any compassion or empathy would think otherwise.

[Cimcardishan]

My parents taught me that mantra when racist insults were sang to me in the playground.

I suppose the 'chinese, Japanese, dirty knees, what are these' songs were better than being beaten up but I'd have rather not endured it at all, tbh

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I'm glad you have come back to the thread OP. Your original post was not remotely unreasonable.

[ilovesooty]

Agreed.

[Cimcardishan]

Thanks guys. I thought the thread had concluded and was surprised to see it was still going strong!

[Leelu6]

Everyone is racist (or prejudiced may be a better word) to differing extents. The trouble starts when that prejudice is acted on.

[Cimcardishan]

It was interesting to see the brain scan results of racial prejudice in Is Britain Racist.

I agree, one should suppress these feelings if or when they occur

[rosebudyblue]

There was a post about casual racism around Christmas. Some of the people dismissed the Chinese woman who posted it. They said how they make fun of the Irish accent so the op should not find people making fun of her language offensive. Some also dismissed the example she gave.

Or being over sensitive because they found it so funny.

[AfroSuperMama]

I can't add more than what's already been said apart from the fact that casual racism for black people happens on a daily basis. If you did the legwork and Googled examples instead of making assumptions, you'd know that to be true.

Diminishing that kind of racism to uphold validation for your own experience is part of the problem.

I do agree that tropes and stereotypes for Asian people are damaging and do have unfortunate consequences (there was a post about Asian men and how certain tropes are damaging to their masculinity that I thought was incredibly eye opening).

However, it doesn't give you the right to dismiss racism of any other kind.