There’s been a question in my mind since Barack Obama, an Afro-white, mixed-race American who is primarily “seen” as African American to the majority of the American population, all major American media outlets (including YOU Wikipedia) and seems to identify as so on most occasions, had been elected the next president of the United States of America and the first minority to ascend to the position, and that is: what is everyone else waiting for?

African American author and academic Ali Mazrui asks for the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS why hasn't there been a Jewish president yet? We can continue to follow his line of thought and ask the same about why there hasn't been an East Asian American president, Hispanic, Atheist, Muslim, woman, South Asian, Arab, Persian, North African, homosexual, or (insert minority group here).

Many different minorities have held high offices in government, but not the highest office in the U.S.: Gary Locke was the first East Asian American to be elected governor of one of the 48 contiguous United States and has been seen as a potential candidate for president; Bobby Jindal, a South Asian American is currently the governor of Louisiana; Bill Richardson, a Hispanic, is governor of New Mexico, and a few women have been elected to govern states. Is everyone waiting for a sign? Is Obama’s election that sign? Will his election change this trend? More importantly if it does, why? Granted, Obama is not the first minority to run under a major party, (those honors go to Shirley Chisholm D-NY in 1972, a West Indian American, as best I’ve been able to find) but he's the first to be elected.

Why not run for president before Obama's election? It seems like minorities use blacks or people thought of as black by the majority as a litmus test for racial climate here in the United States. The notion seems to be among minorities, “if a black person, or a person ‘perceived’ to be black, can do it, so can I, but if they can’t, then no other minority can”

Why are non-black minorities not pioneers in racial diversity as often as blacks? We could argue that African-Americans have the longest history in America and the injustices they have faced for so long have motivated them to strive to be the champions of diversity and defenders against racial injustice. But this is not true, the often forgotten Native Americans, Native Alaskans, and Native Hawaiians are the only true Americans and were the first to settle this land. However, when it comes to non-Native Americans, there were other minorities with a history in this country for as long as or nearly as long as African Americans, contrary to popular belief.

Francis C. Assisi writes South Asians have a history dating back to Colonial Virginia. Court records from the time referred to people from the Indian Subcontinent as “East Indians” or “Asiatic Indians.” They were later identified as “Mulatto,” “Negro,” and “Colored,” and gradually merged with the African American community at the time, thus being lost to the annals of history until relatively recently.

In addition, there are others as well that share in the early history of this country. Though not actually a part of America until the Louisiana Purchase, some of the first Southeast Asians on the American continent were Filipino sailors on the Manila/Acapulco Galleon trade route aboard Spanish vessels. Enduring low pay, disease, and starvation after supplies ran out, they jumped ship at ports in western Mexico, such as Acapulco and traveled to then New France. Dubbed the “Manila men,” they settled in Saint Malo, a village in the bayous outside of New Orleans in present day Louisiana. Evidence supports Filipinos participated in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 but this is still in question. Filipinos were also involved in the settling of Spanish California, dating back to the late 16th century, much earlier than the Manila men. In this same sense, one could say the immigrants of Hawaii, who were primarily East and Southeast Asian, have been here for a considerably long time, as they began moving to Hawaii after the end of the Colonial Era in the New World, which experienced its own version of colonialism due to the Europeans.

Opponents will argue that African Americans have made their voice heard louder than others in the country, as would be exemplified through the civil rights movement. Their efforts therefore, garnering them more attention from the majority. The black community has united under a cause shared by nearly every member and share a single identity through the atrocities of slavery and the curse of Jim Crow; the Hispanics have a shared identity by means of a common language for the most part, whereas Asian Americans as a whole (the whole continent) do not share or do not largely share any one language, script, ethnicity, tragedy, atrocity, etc. and historically, have strived to maintain their individuality but at the costly price of solidarity.

However, there is also the more sinister explanation akin to conspiracy theorists that things have been orchestrated by the white majority in a divide and conquer effort to keep the various minority groups from uniting under a single cause. This is highly unlikely in an intentional sense. As the saying goes, “never account for malice that which you can account for ignorance.”

A more likely culprit is substandard education. What can anyone expect when in history class, we learn mostly about the atrocities committed against African Americans and struggles they have faced throughout American history when other groups and events are only mentioned in passing such as the Chinese role in building the Trans-American railroad and their treatment, Angel Island’s role in immigration from Asia, the Chinese Exclusion Act, Caesar Chavez fighting for farm workers’ rights, minorities’ roles in the women’s rights movement or various acts of unwarranted persecution against every minority group that has ever settled on American soil and if they’re lucky, something about the wrongs done to them, like the American Japanese concentration camps during World War II or the treatment of Native Americans throughout the history of the nation (at least until the 20th century). One thing is for sure, there is certainly no shortage of European history taught.

The effects of this have rippled throughout society, with those groups that get more attention in the history books also getting more attention in society, as is the case with mass media. One only needs to turn on the TV (even commercials) go to a movie, open a magazine (ads included) or come across a billboard to see this in action. How many blacks are featured compared to how many whites, are represented actively (not in passing) and how many other minorities are compared to blacks in media? More importantly how often are minorities in general portrayed and how so? Stereotypes of minorities are still largely portrayed in media. Physical presence is only scratching the surface of this problem, as it’s very easy to side-step this and add in a non-descript minority into for instance, a workplace environment instead of a role with any depth to it.

Whites seem to feel guilty over the oppression of African Americans throughout the history of America but not so much towards other groups, and it reflects in our culture. This is not an argument to say we should take attention away from black history in this country nor is this a comparison of who had it “worse.” Those types of discussions only serve to drive a wedge between minorities. The history of African Americans is an important part of our nation’s history, but more attention needs to be given to other groups as well or we have an extremely skewed outlook on our history. We need to set the record straight and level the playing field among all groups. Otherwise, we are saying that certain peoples' histories are more important than others'.

The result of our basic education speaks for itself. However, maybe the higher history classes learned more in depth. I can’t say since I was in a college-prep (see: low) course like most others, for the majority of my compulsory education. Perhaps there should be an entire year dedicated to the history of minorities in America in public school curriculum, or everyone should be required to take a _____ Studies course every year or maybe somehow incorporate it into the standard history curriculum. Whatever way, it needs a major overhaul to break this cycle.

To sum things up, if the election of our first multiracial president is a sign of anything, he’s a sign that all minorities need to stop competing against one another, unite, and fight for each other’s causes aside from their own. We have all been oppressed at one time or another and still are being to a certain point, despite gains we have made, both of which aren’t always highlighted in our textbooks or history classes. Comparing our struggles only serves to divide us and competing against one another only distracts us from our true goal, but hiding people’s contributions to this nation and struggles hurts everyone. Imagine the kind of progress that could’ve been made if all minorities worked together during the civil rights movement and what we can accomplish if we set aside our petty differences, childish grudges, and join together now. For separate, it will be an even more difficult and longer battle; we might even fail. But if we unite and work together for a common cause, triumph over adversity is just a matter of time. Only together can our true potential be recognized and only then will justice be served, and we can live in true harmony with one another.

This is just my argument. It is meant to provoke thought. Should you disagree with anything I have said, I strongly encourage you to publish your own piece on the subject attempting to refute my claims. The truth can only be determined after hearing all sides of a story. There are far too few voices out there expressing their points of view in the mediascape.

Joe, Chameleon

Links
• Imagine if Obama’s wife was white, asks African-American author, Thaindian News - http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/imagine-if-obamas-wife-was-white-asks-african-american-author_100122795.html
• South Asians in Colonial America - From the very beginning, they sought freedom., SPAN - http://span.state.gov/wwwhspmayjune076.html
• The Manila Men (The ManilaMen) - http://74.125.93.104/search?q=cache:http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.manilamaildc.net%2Farticle1896.html
• Manilamen: The Filipino Roots in America - http://www.filipinoamericans.net/manilamen.shtml
• When did Filipinos first come to America?, Americans of Filipino Descent - FAQs - http://personal.anderson.ucla.edu/eloisa.borah/filfaqs.htm#history

This weeks article comes from Joe

If you thought the recasting of characters from the film “21” from Asian to white was an insult to the Asian community, you’ve only scratched the surface of the injustices they’ve faced through mass media. The latest atrocity comes from the casting for the “The Last Airbender,” the Avatar live action movie.

For those of you who may not be familiar, “Avatar: The Last Airbender” was a very successful, Emmy Award-winning, American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon set in a world based entirely on Asian (primarily East, South Asia, and Inuit) cultures, values, and not just martial arts. Avatar features the clothing, food, and philosophies among many other aspects of Asian culture and the Inuit, as well as strong themes of multiculturalism and diversity among the Asian continent.

The actions of the production team and the studio perpetuate the concept that Asian Americans don't matter in American society and reinforce concepts of white privilege, cultural appropriation, and white washing. To cast white actors and deny Asian Americans (or any minorities for that matter) a chance at major roles in a big movie is a crime against the art, the creators, and not just Asian Americans but any minority that's ever been denied a role to a white person in fear of a production not appealing to the "mass audience."

Many will be quick to blame the director for this decision. However, I am not holding M. Night Shyamalan completely responsible for this, because I understand there are many influences in the creative process when it comes to mass media. Yes, he is one of three producers on this project, but the producer still has to answer to the studio, and in this case, his fellow producers, but casting is typically done by a casting director, which a director should have say over. Unfortunately, the processes and conflicts in making a movie are quite complex with all these chains of command to answer to: above the director, you have the producer, the production company, and if applicable, the studio, in ascending order. The studio in turn, has to answer to the parent company, if it is a subsidiary, and the parent company has to answer to the shareholders, if a public company, so things can get messy real quick in this business.

Sure, he could have chosen to walk off the project, but it would probably still get made. He could even fight them over this, but I have little reason to believe he did and fought valiantly. Perhaps what disappoints me most is that Shyamalan is a member of the Asian community. He is Indian.

Some opponents will say, "but the story doesn't even take place in our world, why should it matter if the cast isn't Asian?"

Even so, this has kept most non-white minorities from being cast into “white” fantasy worlds. Can you imagine the uproar there would have been if Peter Jackson cast non-whites in all the major roles of Lord of the Rings? The most recent exception to this I can think of is “Black Knight,” released in 2001, which stars Martin Lawrence, a black man, sent back in time to medieval England. Asians have such few opportunities in media (especially in entertainment) that any chance to be in the spotlight that is taken away from them or any minority for that matter is a serious blow to the community. A white person will most likely be able to find another job quite easily compared to a minority in this business, and a film adaptation of Avatar has potential for great success, which could propel an Asian talent to unknown heights and recognition that has been long deserved but denied by Hollywood.

Others will argue, "but the characters don't even look Asian in the series. Aren't you being racist for saying whites shouldn't be cast in the lead roles?"

No, affirmative action was put into place to level the playing field for minorities. White people have unfair advantages in life socially, politically, and economically. This phenomenon is known as white privilege. Affirmative action gives other people a chance that would not otherwise even be considered most likely. It encourages diversity, because society has proven that it does not want to do it voluntarily in many more instances than the contrary.

Also, the animation style is strongly influenced by the anime (Japanese animation) style of animation. Now tell me that most of the characters featured in anime are not Asian. Though there are non-Asians featured in anime, you will find they are in the minority. Unless the creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko come out themselves and say that the characters are indeed white, I have no reason to believe that they are.

Advocates of the casting proclaim, “I only care about the most talented actors playing the roles. Are you saying you'd put race over talent?”

Let's take a look at who has been cast into the lead roles:

Noah Ringer – Aang
Jackson Rathbone – Sokka
Nicola Peltz – Katara
Jesse McCartney – Zuko

Judging from this, they're all relatively no-names who were probably only hired due to their perceived "resemblance" to the characters. Jesse McCartney is a teen pop star, so he has some recognition but limited to a very small niche. Peltz and Rathborne have also starred in a few films, but they are not established in the industry. An example of the kind of effort that usually goes into casting is Daniel Radcliffe, who was cast as Harry Potter in the films based on the books due to his resemblance to the title character. I'm sure they could've found a much better actor than him. He was discovered in the theatre by the producer, whom his father, a talent agent, was friends with. Although he did have to audition, this encounter probably helped greatly in getting the part, and auditions like this are sometimes just simple formalities. It is not so much about your skills and abilities in this business, but who you know and chance encounters such as this one. I personally favor truly open casting calls because you never know who you will find in those, and because I think they should be Asian, I'm actually concerned with resemblance to the characters in the show to a certain degree. There are approximately 15 million Asian Americans and 4.1 million registered Native Americans in the United States. There must be at least a handful of people out of all of them that would be perfect for these roles.

It was recently announced that McCartney backed out of the role, citing “scheduling conflicts,” and Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire will now take on the part of Zuko. However, this still raises the issues of tokenism and the stereotype of the Asian villain. It is a minor step forward though just to have an Asian American on the cast and more needs to be done.

Still, I can be countered that there was an open casting call. However, open casting call does not and almost never means truly open, as one prospective actress writes about her experience trying to get an audition for the film. Talent needs agents to find out about and be able to apply for these auditions in most cases. One cannot just walk off the street and audition. Not everyone has access to representation in the entertainment industry, and therefore, people that could put on an amazing performance and do the characters justice get snuffed. Open casting also does not mean that the crew is casting with an open mind.

Finally, Avatar was very successful in its original form, and they made no sacrifices regarding content of the show for the sake of audience appeal. Animation in the US is still relatively regarded as a children’s medium, primarily aimed at males. Avatar went against the rules of its format featuring a complex, serialized story, strong female lead roles, and a diverse range of characters from a variety of backgrounds and ethnic origins. If the series has proven it can turn a huge profit, why change it for the movie?

In conclusion, if you still think nothing wrong is being done, I suggest taking a look at this photo essay of the world of Avatar, which clearly demonstrates just how much it was influenced by Asian and Inuit culture and values. I expect opposing views will come from all communities, not just the white community, even the Asian community itself to a certain degree.

A concerned citizen in their Livejournal proposes that we do a physical letter writing campaign to the studio. While I appreciate the effort, we all know protests only work one way: numbers...big, massive numbers. I'm talking tens if not hundreds of thousands of people voicing their opinions (in a non-violent fashion of course) even a million. The kind of crowds that make the police send out the people in riot gear just to make the protesters appear violent when they aren't, the kinds of actions that make the press salivate at the thought of an "interesting" lead story. The communists didn't leave Czechoslovakia because people wrote letters. No, they had to gather in huge masses in the capital and coordinate a massive nationwide strike to make them give up their power.

I know traditional Asian cultural values are all about "don't rock the boat," "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down," and “take everything in stride and wait for the opportunity to strike,” but I could be long dead by the time that time comes, and I don't want my children or any more people to be subject to the same kind of treatment and injustices that I and my ancestors have been. I sincerely hope that something (if not this but hopefully this) will galvanize the community and anyone outraged by this ignorance to take action finally against the majority. That is the only way progress will be made: by playing their game. This great country was founded on protesting against social injustice.

I recently discovered a movement has started against this and is growing on Facebook. They are planning to protest the next casting call which will be held in Philadelphia on February 7. The time to strike is now! I wish them success in their task.

I call for more active forms of protest (non-violent forms of course). I also call for the Asian community to be more proactive in situations like this to prevent similar scenarios from even getting this far in the future.

I certainly hope this message is not falling on deaf ears.

Edit - 2/6/08

Note, while I said casting Dev Patel is a minor step, he is not East Asian, and I do not endorse it. This casting is only minor a step forward in that it now features a person whose ethnicity is from the Asian continent. However, this reinforces the "all look same" mindset that has plagued Asian Americans ever since they came to this country, that forced Asians during World War II to wear buttons and hang signs declaring, "I am not Japanese" and caused Vincent Chin to be murdered in the early 80's for being "mistaken" for Japanese, so this recasting is disingenuous at best.