posted by Sam Richards
There are scores of ethnic groups in China and the majority group, the Han Chinese, make up over 90 percent of the population and remain relatively entrenched in their power to influence Chinese society. Think European Americans in the United States before the 1960s. The problem is that China has not had it’s 1960s civil rights movement and accompanying “conscientization” and so many of the Han are thinking about the rights of minorities in much the same way as many white southerners were fifty years ago–that is to say, “rights” are not on the table for a public conversation.
So remember the riots that broke out in China this past summer between minority Uighurs (who are Muslim) and majority Han? Not likely…because it’s probably not an issue for you. But do know that these riots were big news in the world’s most populated country. Many hundreds died all because of an overt racism that we rarely see on this side of the Pacific. Both the majority Han and minority Uighurs violently clashed over the issue or rights. Imagine thousands of majority Han (think white people) roaming the streets with knives and meat cleavers looking for Uighurs (think people of color) to kill after Uighurs had killed over 150 Han. The Uighurs attacked, so they said, as a response to racist attacks and policies by the Han. So yeah, big news in China.
Read this is from a James Fallows column in the New Yorker to get a sense of the racism in China. Fallows has had considerable experience living there as a Westerner/foreigner.
Regarding the “no Uighurs” sign [that is often seen in the Xinjiang region], that type of thing is pretty common in China. Many advertisements for foreign English teachers will include something like “Whites only” or a “Looking for Caucasian teachers” sentence somewhere in the text. Additionally, many a native speaker have flown from their country to China only to find upon arrival that regardless of the applicant’s qualifications, the job could only be performed by a white person. At these times the Chinese are usually polite and a little embarrassed (most Chinese are very nice people and mean no harm), but they will remain very firm in their conviction that a person with darker skin than theirs could not possibly make a good teacher.
I have experienced this on a number of occasions. But after living in China for a while I realized that what we would consider racism in the West is simply a deeply ingrained cultural characteristic of mainland Chinese people. White skin (the Chinese like to consider themselves white) and/or being a Han (the dominant ethnic group) means a person is good. Dark skin or not being Han means a person is inferior (and more likely to be a bad guy/a thief/incompetent etc.). It does not equal KKK style hatred. It does not even mean a Han Chinese wouldn’t be friends with a person from India or Africa. It simply means that if a person is non-white or a member of certain Chinese minorities [like Uighurs], they simply are to be considered less smart, less competent and less trustworthy than the average white person or Han.
On a lighter note, the Chinese are not inflexible and when exposed to nice people of color they usually will change their minds quickly, as with Obama. However, the tendency towards ethnic and racial chauvinism is a current running through Chinese culture that is unlikely to change in any meaningful way anytime soon.
These are pretty graphic scenes. I realize that there are many sides to this issue and there is no way that I can begin to present them all here. Nonetheless, these riots are not much different than the riots we have seen here in the United States in terms of their causes and consequences. What I want you to get a window into is the idea that ethnocentrism and prejudice and discrimination occur all over the world. I say this because I often hear people say something to the effect that the U.S. is the “most racist country in the world,” when in fact that know little to nothing about other countries in that world of which they speak.
This post is just a window into another culture and their struggles for civility and understanding.
I feel that I have been humbled somewhat after reading this article. The summer of my 10th grade year I visited Beijing, Xi’an, Suzhou, Shanghai, and Hong Kong China over the course of two weeks with a student group. And in looking back and thinking about the trip, I cannot recall witnessing any straightforward racially charged acts besides some people gawking over the fact that I’m a 6’3” black guy leading some of them to even come up to me to take pictures, which I just thought was hilarious. But other than that I sensed no racial distinction. I guess looking back on it now I can acknowledge the fact that not actually being of the culture and having that viewpoint most certainly lead me to miss a lot of things. In addition, often times I probably have thought that the United States has got to be the most racist country simply because of our vastly diverse population, and the fact that we must interact and coexist with people of different colors and ethnic backgrounds every day. I guess it is humbling for me because I would more readily expect to see racially fueled occurrences like this more in third world countries like the genocide in Sudan. I know that China isn’t exactly the richest nation and that the east in a lot of parts is very poor, but it still is a country well into the developing process and projected to be the next world superpower. But don’t get me wrong. I have never thought that there isn’t any racism in other countries, but I had developed an idea that, in most other countries with drastically less diverse populations in which the people interact with people of similar backgrounds, racism is in a sense behind closed doors or projected on to others outside of the region. From this I concluded that it is a non-issue since they don’t interact with other groups of people constantly. However, I know racism is alive and well worldwide for many reasons, one small one in particular being the “Say No To Racism” FIFA banners next to advertisements during most international soccer games http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/893/racism1sr.jpg (if you haven’t seen them before). But after reading about these occurrences my views are altered, and now I just feel that in most cases, a group of people will find a means to denounce another group for the advancement of their own and racism is the same everywhere. With the only difference being in less diverse cultures your reasoning is formed by the media presented to you rather than personal interactions. But I think and hope that over time we can break these trends through globalization.
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After watching these scenes I got really angry and upset. I forced myself began to think about if this issue really carefully. I don’t want to put myself as who I am but to think about this issue as a person outside. Yes I would probably think the same way as most foreign people thinks, Han people are raciest to the minorities in China after all these news coming up and this issue. As shown on Youtube how people are pushing cars over and setting them on fire, how women get beaten these are really intense scene to me. But as a mainland Chinese I am really sad when these scenes show up, and I wanted to shout out that things aren’t really like this. In the scene when a car got flipped over and had been set on fire, that’s the police car. All I can say is that there are some people in urumiqi hate the government and mostly they are less educated. They can be convinced to do things easily it is not really a problem about minority but more of a poverty. Some wanted to have their own land and establish themselves as another new country; they put this show up and blind people into violence. I am “Han” and I believe many people like me, we don’t have racism on the minorities in China but in another fact we respect them. I remembered when we are little I used to learn a song and it means that there are 55 minorities in China and we are a big family, we all love each other. That what I have been taught when I was in kindergarten, how would a child grow up to be so racism when they are in a circumstance that it racist doesn’t even exist? As a matter of a fact we respect them, there are some people in my school who are minority and they don’t eat pork, the cafeteria made other meat especially for them when most of us have pork.
But the other issue Sam mentioned is quite true, when Chinese people wanted to learn English they believe they wanted to learn proper English like what we have mandarin Chinese so people are raciest on this. And I think this can’t be solved in a short time, for most of the Chinese to believe people in color can speak proper English as white people are difficult. It is true, China is a racist country. There are no countries that cannot be considered racist, but the reality of the racism in China is very different than in the USA, which is still a racist country. They are racist in different levels. One is a developing country and the other is a developed country. The cultures are different and the way government deals with racism is different.
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Honestly I had no idea that there was even racism in China. I have been there a few different times and the only racism I saw was that towards people who were from out of the country. It is very difficult for me to invasion a different racism than you every day white and black that the United States has been predominately experiencing. However, the racism in China reminds me exactly of that of the minorities in the United States. I did a little research because I was interested in the topic and found that the Uighurs go to the major cities in China such as Beijing and Shanghai to try and find work. However, they are given similar jobs as those that they had back in North Western China such as street vendors. None have ever made it to CEO positions etc. In a way, the United States has gotten further than China in tackling racism. Today it is still very bad, but it was definitely the worst during the Civil Rights Movement. I feel like China is still in a position similar to that and we never even hear about it. That shows how much the United States cares about international issues such as those. I have never heard anything about small populations in China on CNN. When I did go to China however, I experienced a similar racism first hand. I am not sure if it was just the Chinese people who are angry with Americans for some reason, or they were just normally that way, but here it goes. I was in Beijing and a Chinese man walked in front of me, looked at me, and then pushed my shoulders so that I would get out of his way. In the United States, I don’t know of any guy, of any race, that would just push someone in public as he did that they didn’t know. I had only been minding my own business. Not saying that the United States is superior of course, I just mean that racism does exist in other societies and we are not addressing that when we should be in order to learn about different types. If we learn about different types of racism, it will help us to move forward in race relations.
I am a typical white American girl born into a middle class family. My father a business man etc. We moved to Japan because of his job where I was immersed in a totally different culture. When I first moved there, I didn’t really understand much Japanese. However, some friends at school had taught me words that I should know. I was out one day and couldn’t understand what a Japanese’s lady was saying to me at a shop. Under her breath she said, ‘baka gaijin’ which means, stupid foreigner. I knew that at the time too. So I was just disgusted with the Japanese people for awhile and thought that they were all the same and would treat me like that. I was wrong. I came to realize that they are not and after that incident I made an effort to learn more Japanese. I was working towards making myself more diverse. This is one step that we all need to take to acknowledge the problem of race. If the media would show stories similar to the ones posted, we would be able to learn other countries are very similar to ours and that we are more alike than we think.
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My parents subscribed to Chinese channels on Directv and I occasionally watch the news on it. The news coverage is completely different from the ones I am used to watching here in the United States. The news covers stories from all over the world and not just the major ones. Everyday there is information and storylines about other countries which is why the news broadcast can last for hours. I felt so informed when I watch the Chinese news and felt like I got the actual story instead of hearing only one side of the story. Most people in America know that the news likes to manipulate stories to make things more serious than it actually is. The news likes to attract viewers by displaying interesting stories that occurred and never anything they feel would be a waste of time. Whenever I turn to the news, the first stories I always hear are either about killing, robberies, or some potentially new bacteria or virus going around. These are announced in the beginning to make you curious and hopefully make you continue watching. From there they give you all this other news before presenting the one talked about in the beginning. Sam even said in class that if you believe everything the news tells you, then why are you in college? The news is known to manipulate stories to make it sound really cruel and terrible and some viewers actually believe everything they say. I’ll admit I do not watch the news here because I know it is nothing worth my time and I feel angered that the news only covers stories occurring in America. I would love to be filled in on other news such as the ones in China.
Racism in the United States is nothing compared to racism in what I see in other countries. This is a perfect example of things that occur around the world that few Americans are aware about. I say that racism is worse in other countries because of the violence involved in them. Normally you do not hear too many stories about physical violence relating to race or ethnicity here in America. Racism here is usually discrimination by cruel behavior or verbal abuse but rarely killings or injuries. People are afraid of acting too harsh on their emotions because the laws in America can get them arrested. Riots occur pretty often in other countries and they are usually not afraid of the government I believe people say that America is one of the most racist countries because they are naïve and ignorant of other countries and the news can be partially blamed for that. Like the story presented, people in China are willing to run around attacking others because of their race and discriminate them because of their dark skin. I am sure that if I research enough, there are riots and conflicts far worse in other countries. I’m glad that Sam brought this story up because this shows another side of racism that many would not even be aware of otherwise.
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Living in the United States is not necessarily the best thing in the world from what I’ve recently realized. Ever since the beginning of my time, all I have ever heard of, learned about, or seen on television is that the United States of America is the best country in the world and that all other countries and peoples are inferior. I know little history about other countries or of people living or that has lived in the US of any other ethnic background or race besides white. It is very saddening to think about that the American media, schooling, or culture doesn’t allow us to see or learn about other countries and people of the world. The rest of the world knows the history and all the facts about the US, but the American people know little or nothing about the rest of the world unless they are not born and raised here. I believe I am at a disadvantage for any type of social reasoning at my stage in life because I have never been outside of the United States, or truly seen firsthand how life is outside of this country. Now I already disagree with most of the actions performed by the USA government and how they disclose information from the public as to almost try to keep us under their control. They control the schools, most of the economy, the judicial system, and the armies and police. It uses all of these for its own advantage to enforce whatever it believes in and this will not change as long as the people who currently run the government and their predecessors keep in control. The American government has always had its cover-ups and not released all of the information to the people to prevent making itself look bad.
As for China and its people I feel very sorry for its society. We often believe that America is the most racist place on Earth because of its diversity and convergence of people and ideas. We don’t ever question the racial problems of the rest of the world, where it’s actually worse than it is here. After watching the video I am disgusted by the fact that the Chinese people feel so strongly against each other that they feel the need to attack each other in public to the point of killing each other and it doesn’t look like the government officials or police are doing much to prevent the situation.
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Racism is such a strange thing. It has always existed in the world, and yet it does not seem to be going away any time soon. Racism is completely different everywhere you go, it is against different people, it is expressed in different ways, but it’s all the same in its prejudices against one minority group. As an American, I’m sure I think of racism in very different ways compared to people from other parts of the world, China being one of those other parts. The topic of racism, to me, makes me think of the segregation of blacks, the civil rights movement, slavery, etc. All of these topics involving the American history between whites and blacks is what comes to mind when I think of racism; and sometimes maybe other minorities. Racism is just such a bizarre concept, especially when you think about other places or countries like China where the prejudices are against completely different people. This blog entry opened my eyes to something that I never even would have known about, led alone taken the time to think about and consider. I guess I don’t really think about what is happening in other countries enough. However, I don’t even recall hearing anything about this on the news, so sometimes it’s just not an option to know more. I do find it extremely odd that it was never on the news programs in America, but in China where the government controls the media I suppose it makes sense.
The events that were going on in China, the riots, the beatings, sound extremely familiar to events that happened in the past here in America. Why is it that this horrible racism occurs repeatedly in different countries? People can never just get along. Every culture seems to pick out a minority and become prejudiced against that minority. I suppose that’s just a natural occurrence, but it just seems so pointless. Everyone has to be racist against somebody just because they are different from them. I had thought that the world was overcoming racism. There are still racist people in America and it definitely still exists, but in America it feels like we are constantly trying to overcome racism and move forward against it. Because of this, I kind of just assumed the whole world was similar without really stopping to think about it. I am clearly wrong in thinking this at all when there are such blatantly obvious acts of racism going on right now in the world. It is really sad to think that riots and acts like these still occur in the world today. I don’t really know much about it, but I’m sure it’s happening in many more places than just China too. Hopefully there will be a day when racism is no longer an issue anywhere in the world.
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I was shocked after reading about the violence and racism happening in China. This is something that I have never heard or read about, which embarrasses me, both as an American and simply as a member of the human race. It’s true that this is a perfect example of ethnocentrism, at least in my life based on my current perspectives and cultural schemas. When we talked about ethnocentrism in class, Sam said that it is a thought or act of “seeing the world primarily through the lens of one’s own culture.” I guess I don’t think about racism in other parts of the world very often, which is also embarrassing to admit. I’ve heard and done some research on the Rwanda Genocide, which horrified me. That was definitely built upon racism and deeply seeded beliefs passed down through the generations of Rwandan people. Probably stemming from learning about this, I came to support and follow the cause for Invisible Children, an organization making efforts to end the war in Northern Uganda, where child slavery is taking place this very second. I think that one of the most well known examples is that of the prejudice and tragedy that occurred in Germany during the Holocaust.
Looking at modern day China and trying to understand their culture or the battles they are facing internally is difficult for me to do. I admit that I get blinded by the American lifestyle and all glamour and lights that are being shown to us by and through the media. The biggest focus when discussing racism in the United States (at least that I’ve been exposed to) has been that of which is happening here in the US. Makes sense I guess. But I feel uneasy about it. I mean, it’s definitely important for a country to focus, or at least THINK, about their own country when it comes to awareness and improvement, but not to the extremes of ignoring other cultures or events that are happening here in our world. Furthermore, I am in a race relations class, and I feel like this is the first time this concept has come up. If this type of racism is happening in China, I am sure that it is happening elsewhere.
I guess this is more of my ethnocentrism coming through, but I never thought about there being minorities in other countries. Here in the United States, the Chinese are a minority, so that’s kind of what they’ve always been to me. One of my best friends (whom I met here at Penn State) is Asian American, and it has only been over the past couple of years that I’ve known her that I’ve started to break the mold of “minorities” in my world. I come from middle-class suburbia and college has led me to think about what I’ve grown up with, what I once thought was “truth”, and allowed me to challenge these beliefs. Ironically, this journal entry has opened my eyes to how much my eyes are actually blinded to the world I live in.
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After reading this article I realized even more that racism is all over the globe. I never believed the United States was the most racist country, however, I never realized that such great extents of racism also occurred in other countries. A lot of people would assume that in other countries there are not as many cultures and religions that are brought together and that are forced to assimilate into one nation. Thus, this would hopefully lead to less racism and more uniformity. However, it seems as if anywhere you go there are always people who are trying to be the “king of the mountain”. Thus, power shifts seem to always be broken down by class and this tends to encompass different races or types of people.
The racism seen in China amongst the Hans and Ulghars is a very violent form of racism. It certainly reminds me of the type the United States faced before the civil rights movement and even when the Europeans first came to the “new world” and kicked the Native Americans off their own land. It is very unfortunate that other parts of the world are still facing to solve the issues that the United States resolved or at least came very far from the horrible reality it once use to be, decades ago. I wonder why it is taking so many countries so long to accomplish this? Was it not an issue in places such as China during the early 20th century when the United States was facing the same issues? Racism is certainly something that is embedded deep within one’s culture and it is very hard to get rid of. Even if the Ulghars started a Civil Rights Movement like the one that took place in the United States, it would still take decades to really resolve the issue. The issue of racism and class distinctions is still not resolved in the United States to this day. However, I wonder if it truly ever can be solved? If someone always wants to be at the top of the mountain then won’t there always be a constant struggle?
When the Ulghars attacked the Hans I can see it being a very big issue. It is certainly an issue of pride when this sort of thing happens. It would be similar to African Americans attacking whites decades ago and even for some, today. In the minds of the Hans they could not let this occur because if they did not take public action they would no longer be on the top of the mountain. Thus, this power struggle seems to be to a more violent extent publically in other places of the world however, in all cultures around the globe, racism is certainly still embedded deep in every culture.
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When I first read the title of this blog I was not sure what exactly I was reading or had an idea. As I kept reading I got really interested in the reading. I mean I knew it had something to with racism. Before reading this I did not know that china had racism. I assumed that racism is almost everywhere but some is not really presented by the media. I was surprised when I found out as I read that china had racism issues. In a way it is very naïve of me to think china had nothing to do with racism because I thought they were pretty much all the same race. It was very appealing that china also focused on skin color and that they were racist about. Another thing that I think it is interesting is that the Han group consider themselves white in and that they are better. Also, that they treat the Uighurs as if they were inferior when in a way they are not because they are human beings. Moreover, I think that it is really bad that they only hire and look for people that belong to the Han group in order to find as teachers. It is surprising that they even have signs that say only looking for signs. All of this reminds me of the racism from the south and the segregation that happened between blacks and whites. I know that in a way it doesn’t really pertain to me what is happening in china, but it is good to be aware of what is going on in the world. I think that is important to know about issues like these in order to be informed and think about what is going on with people around the world. In the end we are all a global community and maybe some countries go through the same problems just at different time periods. The video shows the intensity of the riots and the violence that is going on in china. It was shocking that china would allow external media to film all of these riots between the people of china. Even though the china government may say that this is under control I think it really isn’t because of all the violence. A lot of people died because of the riot and this is not seen a lot on the other side of the world. On the other hand, know I see that ethnocentrism is almost everywhere just like racism. I think that maybe people are so wrapped up in society that they end up doing what everyone else does. Overall, it was very interesting to find out that china had problems with racism and how they are dealing with them unlike other countries have before. I hope that their racial issues come to and en and that the differences between the two groups get resolved.
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I think that the issue of clear-cut racism today between Uighurs and Hans of China is a prime example of my ignorance to global crises as an American citizen. We tend to view our various forms of underlying racism here in the United States as insurmountable, however, when the amount of racism present in the United States is compared to that of China, the issue of racism seems very mild here. As I read through the article, some questions that came to mind were: How do extreme forms of racism like this happen? Why do these extreme forms of racism still prominently exist in the world today? Should the United States’ issue of racism be considered ‘milder’ than the issue of racism in other countries such as China? How close is the United States’ case of racism to the racism currently occurring in China? Could the United States ever truly overcome racism? Could the United States issue of racism possibly escalate to a more extreme form of racism like the issue that China is facing? Could the world ever truly overcome racism? Could the world possibly ever erupt into a battle of races on an even grander scale than racism already is today?
The possibility of the United States ever finding itself needing to deal with a situation of racism on its own soil to this magnitude is extremely frightening. However, despite the unlikelihood of this occurring within our lifetimes seems very slim. The possibility, however, still lingers. If something like this happened on our soil, how would we go about handling it, solving it, or simply trying not to escalate the problem? Would there be an immediate way to stop it? I don’t believe so. Society within the United States has taken years upon years to come to the state that we are in today. Racism is not a prominent issue that our society is facing, however, it is still in fact a major underlying one. Perhaps the notion that this remains an underlying issue in our country (while we deny it ever being an issue anymore) instead of a completely visible, prominent issue is the reason why this issue is so uncertain. Uncertainty about situations can most certainly bring about fear that can encompass those situations. Racism is, and will be, an ever-present issue within our society, no matter how much we attempt to push untied ends under the rug. Perhaps facing racism as a prominent issue looks more like what China is experiencing right now. How does that society attempt to go about picking up the pieces? How is Chinese society expected to reconcile this extreme issue of racism? Collectively, people in nations everywhere have the capabilities needed to end racism, yet we refuse to do so. We just don’ t quite know how to get rid of our strings.
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Racism from Different Vantage Point
Racism occurs all over the world in ways that we do not even see. We were lucky to have had a civil rights movement. Many places in the world cannot do anything to stop the racism. I never thought that there was racism in China; I had no idea about it. I did not think that there could be anything like racism in a country where everyone seems alike. This blog proves be wrong. I think that this is very interesting because it follows the United States. I think that many countries try to be like the US and unfortunately, some countries take the bad aspects like racism. It is very impressive to see how one country can change the fate of the whole world. Like here in the United States in china people of darker color are seeing differently and thought to be criminals and the lowest of people. This affects their ability to get a job and their ability to live a profitable life. I do not think that those people are going to get their rights anytime soon. The government does a good job covering all of the events that take place. The government does not want the media to get a bad look of the country, that is why they change all of the news to the governments’ advantage.
It’s not only in china but in another countries that racism is taking place, we and the world only think that the United States is the only racist country in the world but that is not true. I’m guessing that what we heard about human right violations during the Beijing Olympics had to do with racism. The country is so huge and no one knows much about what is going in there, its very easy to hide something like racism. This shows us that people of color get discriminated in every corner of the earth. I think that one difference is that people here did not used to be discriminated so much because of their religion; that has to do somewhat with the racism that is going on in china.
I think that this issue needs to be fixed soon. I think that they need to have their own civil rights movement quickly. It is going to be much harder for china to fix the racism problem do to the oppressing government. Even if China manages to have a civil rights movement, they will fail to eliminate racism. I think that the civil rights movement in the United States shows that some racism can be eliminated. No matter what we do racism is never going to disappear, but we can manage to control it and to make it nonexistent.
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After reading this blog, I can safely say that this is news to me. I had no idea about the discrimination and racism that went on in other countries. I was unaware that the Hans and the Uighurs existed and that there were Chinese people that were considered “white”. I was in utter amazement to learn about the massacre that occurred in China and was even more shocked about the fact that I had never heard of this event. It is extremely mind-opening how strongly other cultures and countries can teach us about our own country and ourselves.
The video that is posted in the blog is extremely sad and repulsive. Seeing the blood and despair on the people’s faces made it extremely hard for me to watch. I know for a fact that none of my friends knew about this hate in China because living in this country has unfortunately made us somewhat close-minded. Not only do we not know what goes on in other countries, but we do not even make it our business to know. I know that none of my friends go out of their way to learn about other countries. The most any of us will do is pick up a newspaper or turn on the news.
If I had to sum up in one word how this blog and video made me feel, it would be sad. I feel sad not only because I realized how ignorant the youth of America is to the rest of the world, but I feel sad also for those poor people who are subject to such harsh and cruel racism. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to constantly have that many people looking down on you and hating you. Because I am white, I have never been subjected to any type of racism; therefore I can only empathize with these people. If this massacre were to happen in America I would be embarrassed to call myself American. When I hear stories such as this one, it makes me wonder where all of the hate in the world comes from and why people feel so strongly against people who have the slightest difference from themselves. Hopefully there is some type of progress in China and they will see an end to racism soon enough.
No blog thus far has opened my eyes as much as this one has. Not only was I completely oblivious to racism in other countries, but I was in pure shock to find out about the massacre that went on in China. The fact that such hate still goes on in the world today is scary and something that should not be taken lightly. This type of violence should never occur over race and hopefully it ceases to exist in the near future.
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I look at the Han Chinese and Uighur people situation and it just reminds me that the ugliness of hate within humans is universal. No matter what the race, ethnicity or culture—be it western or eastern—the repugnance of prejudice, racism or discrimination can and will be (in this current time) present. We cannot whole heartedly deny this observation because it is natural for us to separate ourselves into categories, err; maybe it isn’t natural for us to automatically separate ourselves into categories, but it does seem like an easily learned skill (for lack of a better word).
I remember an individual moment, after Barack Obama was elected as the first president of color, I thought to myself “While this is a momentous and historic occasion. How slow is the social progression of America if the nation of Argentina already has a female president (Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner)?” However, seeing the clip about the social tension and civil unrest between the Han Chinese and the Uighur people and reading Sam’s blog instilled some hope in me about America’s social progression. I must admit some people may find the previous statement just awful. I would not fault you nor would I pose a great objection for you thinking that way, because it is an awful thought much less even to say. Though I feel both the thought and statement are warranted because the unrest occurring in China shows the whole world that the gaping divide that the great chasm of racism causes affects the whole world and not just one “super power” nation.
We frequently seem to forget the idea that racism or more generalized, ethnocentrism is not an isolated, singular entity the only affects the nation we currently call home. It affects a myriad of nations but we a more often than not blind to this fact because of our own self indulgent cultural attitude. If it doesn’t affect me directly then what the hell do I have to worry about? It does affect you, me and all of us, because when the social tension of a foreign nation or nations reaches its maximum pressurized limit and everything explodes then the adverse effect is felt worldwide and the aftershock tremors are more crippling to nations who have a vested interest in the social situation of the nation that is going through unrest.
Moving away from the broad world view of the Han-Uighur issue and focusing more on the fact that the total disregard and disrespect to one people group by another is an atrocity. In the video clip the reporter states that the Han Chinese have claimed they have given the Uighur the opportunity to have economic stability and also to assimilate into the majority culture. Obviously we all enjoy the prospect of economic stability so I doubt that the Uighur people have any qualms over that issue, but why would they want to assimilate into Han Chinese culture if they are already proud to be a part of their current culture? From the little I know of this issue, I believe the battle lines were drawn because of the invitation of assimilation.
I doubt that the Hans are totally guilty in this case and I know that the Uighur people are not free of guilt either, but the Hans must realize just because a people group’s culture is different from their own and just because a people group’s skin complexion is somewhat darker than their own, this does not mean the people group is a lesser group; it just means they are different, plain and simple.
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After reading the “Racism From a Different Vantage Point” article, my whole view on the world changed. I was one of those people that thought that America was the only racist country and that the ignorance lingers nowhere else. However, I was wrong. This passage is truly disturbing yet truthfully depicts other events of racism around the world. Just like the United States, China has the same political, economical, and racial problems as well. I always knew that every country has its own problems, but after reading this passage, I now realize that the violence involved with race and ignorance is prevalent throughout the world. After the civil rights movement within the United States, everyone thought that just Americans were ignorant and had racial problems, yet that is far from the truth.
It’s insane that even that far away, the physical appearance of a persons skin color can still mean so much. Not just African Americans, but many other dark-skinned ethnicities get discriminated against too. It’s hard to imagine living in China and seeing once civilized people chasing and killing people in their very own streets. How do we still live in such an ignorant world of hate and violence? People all across the planet need to see above the racial line of skin color and race, but appreciate and judge a person based off their inner self.
The Chinese asking for only white or Caucasian teachers also illustrates clear racism. How can you judge somebody’s intellectual aspect based off the color of his or her skin. It really hurts to see that type of ignorance still exist. The passage, “a person with darker skin than theirs could not possibly make a good teacher,” in the article surprised me because I never thought that the Chinese culture had racism based off skin color like we do in America.
It’s actually very interesting to see how the color of someone’s skin stereotypically means something. Not just with Africans or Blacks, but also with any race in the world, the darker you are, the more racism you see. It’s pathetic that throughout history we have looked upon darker skin as inferior, lazy, and less economically proven people. And to sit back and watch these problems and riots escalate throughout the world is just as disgraceful as being involved. We as Americans, and even as people, need to help stop the racism and hate across the world. From religion to skin color, racial problems seem to always exist. Racism has been around since the beginning of time but it is our civil duty to put an end to this negative aspect of our world. We need to strive away from the ignorance and head toward the path of equality for everyone.
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Before reading this post and watching the video, I was unaware of the racism in China. I also did not know that riots had occurred and people were dying. Throughout the article, Dr. Sam Richards made a connection between the racism in China and the discrimination that used to occur in the south. After reading this post, it became apparent that there are many parallels between the two regions. One similarity that I found interesting was that not only was their racism subconscious, but it was also conscious as well. For example, the post explained how there were signs and subtexts that read “whites only” should apply for teaching jobs. To be honest, this level of blatant racism shocked me. On a more out of sight level, the Han (also known as the “white people”) looked down on the colored people in society. As Dr. Sam Richards explained, that the minorities “are to be considered less smart, less competent and less trustworthy than the average white person or Han.” However, the article was quick to state that since the Chinese people were more open, that their minds often changed after meeting a friendly colored individual.
Another concept of this story that I found to be really interesting was how the Chinese majority viewed themselves. This article explained that racism occurred in China because the whites looked down upon the colored people around them. While this statement may not seem noteworthy to some, the part that stuck out to me was the determination of whites and colored people in that society. It was very interesting to me that the Han think of themselves as whites, since we think of them as colored people in the United States.
After reading this article, I began to think about the future of China. I wondered if they would have a racial movement in the near or far future. After reading about how engrained the culture is in China, I do not think that this revolution will occur in the very near future. However, if I had to make a guess, I do think that some sort of major change will occur within the next century. Unfortunately, many more people will die before this change occurs. Furthermore, I think that even after the social movement occurs, it will take many more decades for people to see the current minorities as equal.
This post also made me wonder if there are any countries in the world that are not dealing with racism. I am also curious what other racially based riots are occurring around the world. I think that each country should make it a top priority to fight racism, because if even one country has people racially discriminating against others, many people will be suffering great injustices.
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It is weird how big the Civil Rights were, and how much influence and power it had over the United States. You would think that other countries would learn from others mistakes, but we have learned in Soc 119 that that is not the case. This group called the Han basically rule China because they are 90% of the population, and they suppress the Uighurs . This whole problem is extremely comparable to what the whites and blacks went through in the United State’s history. You also have to think that it took one man who sacrificed his life for the Civil Rights, Martin Luther King, Jr., to actually start an affirmative move in the right direction. Before that people didn’t really have the courage to stand up for what is right, so no one did anything. That is kind of what is going on in China now. Unfortunately, the Han control so much that if just one person tried to do something they would be eliminated so quickly. It is really a shame that people go through this just because what they look like. It is sad that people associate what people look like to their level of intelligence. Since they don’t look the way that people are expected to look then they are inferior to everyone else, and in addition they cannot do everything that the rest of those “normal” people can do. Sort of sounds to me like discrimination. It also is very peculiar to me that certain Chinese regions are so focused on white skin being the most important thing in life, and that is why white teachers are going to be hired, but Chinese people who speak English will not be hired. It just seems to me a little mind boggling that someone would be denied a job because of their skin color, but then again it happened in the country I am living not too long ago. I find it interesting how it was mentioned that we see it as a culture problem. One society thinks they are better than the others. It is sort of like Disposable People by Bales because many of the modern day slavery happened within castes. One caste was higher up, so therefore the lower castes were looked upon more negatively and became enforced slaves. It is also pretty embarrassing to admit, but I didn’t hear anything this summer about the fighting that was happening in China. Whether it wasn’t publicized that much or I just didn’t pay enough attention to the news, it didn’t catch my attention. If it didn’t catch me, it’s pretty safe to say that a lot of people my age probably didn’t hear about it as well. I am glad that Sam ended it with the fact the ethnocentrism is a problem people are dealing with around the world, not just in the United States. People need to stop saying that America is so racist, because like Sam said, there are plenty of other countries out there that are having the same struggles as the United States is.
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After reading the article entitled, “Racism From a Different Vantage Point”, I was amazed to learn that racism even existed in china. As stereotypical as this sounds I always thought every Chinese person looked alike and they all liked each other. However, after reading this article that’s not the case at all, I would have expected China being the most populated country to have racism be such a problem. It’s ridiculous to think that a person who looks just like you is a dumber, lazier person. I thought the United States was the racist country, but that’s what I grew up with. Now that I’m taking these classes and talking to other students I’m starting to see that there are many other countries out there and lots are worse than the United States. Racism exits everywhere in the world today as I am beginning to learn. People fear other people who look or act differently then their own. I am very close-minded about other countries problems and had no idea before reading this article that there were even those two groups of people in China. I found it interesting though that they consider themselves white, European white people may view them as something completely different. I also found it interesting that they would rather have a white person (or United States person) working in some of their businesses than their own race. It just goes to show you that everyone’s different in what they believe. I guess the same things happen here though to with the Jews, even though the majority of Jewish people are white, the general society still views them as sneaky or not right for the job. People in this world have to stop fearing what’s different and start embracing it. The same thing in the Middle East goes on too; I just read in a newspaper today that women in some countries who wear the clothing over their faces and not their whole body are being kicked out of schools and jobs. This is all happening because the government does not think dressing that way has anything to do with their religion. That practice was probably going on before their religion even started. Now back to the Chinese, I don’t understand why China would not try and stop this conflict from going on. China has been making great strides toward becoming one of the biggest world super powers, but how can you do that if you don’t even get along with your own people. The whole situation reminds me of the U.S. and our problem with people of different color. The U.S. has made giant leaps since 50years ago when racism was the focus of America. People of different colors live happily together now for the most part, and we even a minority race person to be president. That just shows how much progress and effort we are putting into it. China should take some pointers and get over the fact that people of color are not as good as them. We are becoming more and more a globalized world, sooner or later people of color will fill into China and I hope by then they fix things up.
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I know almost nothing about the different, clashing, Chinese ethnic groups, or about the relationship between the Chinese and other minority groups around the world. I do however understand that discrimination stretches far beyond the race tension that is present in the United States. Discrimination comes in all forms, sizes and colors. Almost every country or region around the world has some type of conflict or tension between the different groups of people who reside there. Regardless of whether or not their skin color, eye shape or height is different, people always find was to segment themselves. This segmentation usually leads to a majority group taking power and control over the minority groups, therefore creating a discrimination issue. The current situation in China seems extremely similar to the situation between white and black people in the United States just over 50 years ago. China is a country that is far less developed then the United States, and even though they are developing at an extremely rapid rate, they still have a ways to go before they can fully be considered a developed country. That being said, while the conflicts between the Han and the Uighurs people are by no means right or just, we cannot expect that they will be regarded or handled the same way they would be in the United States because their county is not in the same state as the United States.
The part of the blog post that really got to me was the part about the selection of English speaking teachers in China. The fact that they discriminate so openly about the skin color of international teachers who are coming to teach English is absolutely disgusting to me. Just like in the studies we discussed in class regarding callbacks for job openings and the differences between white and black applicants who had the same exact resume, the applicants in China are being chosen solely on their skin color. It is despicable that they would turn away a perfectly capable person just because their skin is darker than their own. Currently, the Chinese cannot even come to an agreement between different segments of their own people, so how can we expect that they will treat people from other nations who are of different ethnicities? We can’t. We cannot expect them to change their actions towards people outside their country until they are able to treat their own landsmen with the respect that every person deserves. I think that the world community needs to turn our direction towards this issue. If no one puts pressure on the Chinese population to come to terms with their differences and learn to treat each other equally, they never will. While, by this, I do not mean that the United States or any other entity should rush in and “force” them into working and living together, I do mean that steps should be taken to offer support in the situation, and let them know that it is possible to overcome this immense discrimination. Maybe once the Chinese people are able to treat each other with respect they will be able to treat people of other nationalities with the same respect.
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This is a very interesting piece, first it is important to know that I am not familiar with Chinese subculture at all, nor am familiar with any of their habits. However, it is a change from the United States by not having black, whites and Chinese; it is usually whites versus Chinese. In the United States, when hiring for different positions it is never pointed out for people of color to apply, or for a specific skin color such as the Chinese do. People would fight for their rights to have an equal opportunities for every job. The only situation where it is known they can point out a specific group is for a particular survey or something that is trying to get a general knowledge about a subject.
In my experience, I was always taught that Chinese people went to school almost all year around, so education wise they are ahead of America. Why would they strive to have white people teaching their schools? I was taught that they were going to be the most powerful continent by the year 2050, which was taught my sophomore year in a sociology class. It was so believable because they have such a huge continent that they could do anything they wanted to! However, is their education really sufficient. Since there is so many people and often herd about living conditions, there has to be millions of families with over crowded homes. At one time China was only supposed to have one child, since China was so over populated, and because of this I do not believe they have a system of “no child left behind”. Maybe all of the children do not have a fair chance to get an education. If my assumption was right then maybe China is not as sufficient as it could be.
It is a wonder how many white people will go over to China to take different positions considering how competitive it must be just within China to find a job, let alone go over seas to find one. Would it not be easier to just stay in the United States, many people do not know Chinese in this sense. Maybe, it is a privilege to have a white teacher but, why would they teach over a person of Chinese decent who has just as much experience. Is this a common thing for colleges? I know when I was enrolled at Penn State New Kensington, it was very often that each math, and sometimes English teachers were of a different back round other than white. Do they look at it as sense of diversity within teaching as well as the students going there? I know it was much harder to learn from a Chinese person as my math teacher, because it was hard to understand her, and then understand what she was trying to say was often frustrating, and hard. I would have to go to other students who knew the material and have them teach me the whole lesson.
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This article came across as very interesting to me. I think it drew my attention partly because I really never considered problems in Chinese society, and although I hate to say it, the issues in China very rarely affect my daily life in America. I found it particularly fascinating that this huge issue was not widely televised in the United States. Is America that ignorant that we do not care enough to broadcast this horrifying hatred towards the Hans and the Uighurs? I find this issue almost scary in itself. How can a huge outbreak between Chinese civilians where 150 Han people lost their lives? That really makes me wonder that if something this huge did not make national headline, other serious issues could be occurring in China and we could have no idea.
I was shocked to read James Fallows article in the New Yorker. “Looking for Caucasian teachers” “Whites only” are you kidding? I find this very disturbing. Even as a white female I am extremely distraught over those ads. This shows that China fails to see past racial differences and that they may be underming the intelligence and power of a colored person. The article says that although the Han Chinese feel this way about colored people they will still befriend them. I find that ridiculous that they can degrade these individuals and then make friends with them. This article also solidifies that racism is not just a dominant issue in the United States but it is widely dispersed throughout the globe.
Because we live in the United States we often hear about racism in our country whether we are dwelling on past issues or how we have improved. We sometimes focus on the fact that qualified people are not getting appropriate jobs due to the colors of their skin, or ethnic backgrounds. Although we hear about these issues I find that as we approach the year 2010 they are becoming less apparent. However I was unaware that this same issue is occurring in other places like China. It kills me that people like the Uighurs are being denied jobs simply because their skin is darker then those of the Hans. It baffles me that even in the year 2009 skin color is still a major factor in determining who a person is. It also irritates me that people can walk through the streets of their home with meat cleavers and knives ready to take the lives of their fellow Chinese citizens. To me not only is this scary and chilling but it is barbaric and disgusting and should be stopped immediately.
The scenes from the outbreak were very graphic. The demonstration is shown to be clear and utter chaos. Innocent civilians are getting hurt because of an ongoing tension between these two groups. In my opinion America needs to broadcast more storied like this to show the terrors in the world. We need to expose these terrors so we can draw worldwide awareness and help these innocent people.
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It is pretty ironic that I have always considered Asians to be the “smartest” race. Whether the stereotype is true or not, the majority of Asians I know are extremely intelligent. I have even said once before an accounting exam that I wish I were Asian so I could receive an A. However, if the Chinese and other Asians are known as being book-smart, why are they so behind the times when it comes to race relations? When I read this blog entry, I immediately said to my roommate that I was shocked by the ignorance of the Chinese. She proceeded to argue that few countries, if any, are as advanced socially as we are. I guess it is naïve of me to think that the rest of the world is on the same page as the United States. Assuming that a person with darker skin would be an inadequate teacher is completely ridiculous. What makes a white person more qualified than a colored person? It infuriates me to think there are still people in the world who are so ignorant to make such extreme judgments on qualities that are simply inherited. I wonder if this is the overriding rule, or if factors beyond skin color actually do play a factor. Clearly, if I had the choice of a colored college graduate or a white high school graduate, the choice would be simple. It is really hard for me to wrap my mind around anyone in the world believing that hiring someone based on skin color alone is a logical process. I highly doubt that the educational system in China is half as good as it is in the United States if the dominant feeling is that whites are the only race capable of teaching others.
Since the idea of racism between the Muslims and the native Chinese is so accepted and a part of everyday life, there is little reason for it to ever be erased. In the United States, it was blaringly evident that African Americans were being mistreated. I would not be surprised if even the slave owners themselves knew in the back of their minds that a change would inevitably come. However, on the other side of the world in China, racism is engrained in their blood, even known as a “characteristic”. A person’s characteristics define them. To change characteristics of a person is close to impossible. I cannot change the fact that I am a brown-haired girl who has grown up with certain values my whole life. Maybe the Chinese can learn from our history. Hopefully, one day the characteristics will be a thing of the past. The hateful feelings among both parties will possibly diminish and they can live together in peace. Despite the tragedy of the riots that broke out, at least the Muslims know of the inequality in the situation, and maybe a change is in the near future.
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With the Han Chinese making up over 90 percent of the population in China, it is no wonder why they are the most powerful group in China and are feeling that the minority groups should not be given rights. Though I am sure plenty of majority groups in various other countries would agree with these people too. It is wrong because everyone should have rights in their own country but it is hard when you are part of the minority group and do not get much say in what goes on. This is becoming a huge issue between the Han and Uighurs, who are Muslims. Hundreds died because of a fight that broke out over the issue of race. Events like this occur all the time in a lot of countries but we do not always get to hear about everything that takes place in the world when the majority of the news is about the United States.
I find it very disappointing that these people are living in the same country as the Han and they are just not willing to give them a chance. The “no Uighurs” sign and the statement about the foreign English teachers that said “Whites only” or a “Looking for Caucasian teachers” is absurd. Equality is something that a lot of people have to deal with. Just because someone is a different race does not mean they are less qualified for a job or anything of that matter. They see black people as inferior to them, such as a bad person or a thief. This stereotype exists within the United States as well and some people are just more accepting than others. History started off like that and now we are progressing towards a more accepting society. As presented in class, those people with white sounding names on a resume were 50% more likely to receive a response than those with a “black/brown” name. I found this puzzling that just by reading a person’s name an employer thinks they can make a judgment on how well that person will perform a job.
After viewing the clip of the riots going on in China, I found it very disturbing. It is sad when arguments over issues turn into a rage of unnecessary violence. I also chose to Google about this event and I found an article from July 2009 that said the Chinese were seen with axes, machetes and hammers in the streets. It was then estimated that 156 people are dead, along with 1,400 already arrested. I can not imagine how many lives have been taken by now. They believe that the police are not doing enough to protect them and they have now decided to deal with the issue themselves.
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After reading the “Racism From a Different Vantage Point” by Sam, I was surprised to discover the overt example of racism in China. It is hard to believe that people of the same racial group could exhibit such hatred toward one another. The overt example of racism in China hits home to the United States because it sounds similar to our difficulty with racism throughout our nation’s history. The majority group, the Han Chinese, make up over ninety percent of the population, which sounds very simialr to the white majority in the United States. Also the minority group of Uighurs sound like our African Americans, who also endure prejudice and racism. The violent clashes and riots sound similar to our 1960s civil rights movement. Until the completion of a true civil rights movement, the Uighurs will continue to face overt examples of racism.
The example of racism in China sounds very similar to our nation’s racism between white and black people. The Han, who are light-skinned people dislike and distrust the Uighurs, who possess a darker skin tone. The Han believe that the Uighurs are inferior and more likely to be a thief or an incompetent person. Their basis of racism sounds very similar to a white man’s perception of a black man. Throughout our nation’s history, the white man believed that black people were lazy and incompetent, which was responsible for slavery and our history of racism.
I found it very surprising to hear that people of the same racial group would demonstrate such hatred among their own racial group. It is unbelievable that alittle difference in skin tone would cause such hatred and animosity. Also it is disgusting that such hatred would go as far as violence and genocide. It is ironic that the Han Chinese consider themselves the “good” people because they believe that they are light skinned; however, if they were in the United States they would be considered part of the minority of “brown” people.
Being a Korean American, I was unaware of the Chinese culture and how they treat differences in skin tone. Koreans do not demonstrate such overt examples of racism, which would lead to violence; however, there are certain stereotypes of darker-skinned Koreans. Koreans with a darker skin tone tend to be farmers and people of manual labor, which means that you are on the lower rung of the social class. Koreans focus on achieving a paler skin tone because a darker skin tone means that you might be poor.
When will we ever learn to accept each other for who we are? If people of the same racial group demonstrate hatred and animosity towards one another because of such a simple thing as skin tone, what hope do we have in the Unite States?
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Though I do not know too much about other countries and the racism in each one, I would never say that the United States is the most racist one, because it is human nature for people to think badly about other people that look differently than them. There may be more accepting people in some countries but I do think that the United States cannot be the most racist because we are made of so many different cultures and people, so in order to get along with our neighbors we must be somewhat accepting. This may not apply to all places, but it does apply to many of the places I have been to. Also, how would anyone know that the Unites States is the “most racist country in the world,” if they have not been to every other country. This is an ignorant statement to make.
I also think that it is awful that we do not know of the riots that broke out in China this past summer between minority Uighurs and majority Han. Many people died because of severe racism but I never even heard of it and I was not that affected by it at first because I do not relate to these people. The more I thought about it though, the more I realize that this is a terrible way to think, but it is very common. When you do not know the people involved in terrible tragedies they become less upsetting and therefore you take fewer actions to stop them. This is what we were talking about in my recitation class that if something does not directly affect you, people tend to not take action. This is the same way we feel about slavery, we may buy clothes that are made by slaves and we may use many things from slaves but still we do nothing to stop it. We are not even that upset, after reading the book and hearing the stories you would think many people would at least want to help but no one does. Also, in a previous blog, about the white man who was beat up by a group of black teens, many people in my class were upset that the black civil leaders did not take a stand. I can understand (though I do not condone) their actions, or lack of actions, because it is something everyone does. If you can not relate to the victims, people tend not to care as much, or at all.
This may also have to do with ethnocentrism, people care most about their own country. For the most part slavery is not in the United States, it is in other cultures. Also, these riots are occurring in China about an issue we know nothing about. Therefore, people think that the United States is above this type of thing and that they do not have to help. I do not agree with this but I think this is why Americans do not care.
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I cannot believe that racism is still as prominent as it is. This class has opened my eyes to the fact that racism is not just the typical black slavery that we all know that took place in the United States. What is interesting is the fact that this racism is close to the slavery of black people. The aspect that is similar to black slavery is the fact that they believe that people of darker complexions are inferior in terms of intelligence, morality and capability. This is AMAZING to me. I want to know what happened in the beginning of human development what darker complexioned people did to make so many different races discriminate against their darker skinned people.
I was ignorant to the fact that Chinese people struggle with racism themselves. And it’s always the majority against the minority. The Hans hold about 90 percent of the population and the Ugihurs are a significant minority. I guess it will always be a struggle for any minority. I was very surprised to see that the media showed such graphic scenes. And what is also surprising to me is that I cannot tell the difference between the Hans and the Ugihurs. They just look like Chinese people to me. And that is the problem, I didn’t know that there was a difference therefore I neglect the possibility of this being even an occurrence.
150 people may not be a lot considering the Chinese population, but it’s still a problem if pointless bloodshed is happening. You would think that pointless killing is something that diminishes with time, but it is proven that that is not the case. When I saw the car get set on fire and them turning it over I just shook my head. I cannot see how this problem will be resolved without more bloodshed. I was thinking to myself that it is never a good thing when the minority feels that they are not equal and they want to start to up rise against it.
Now the teachers issue. Throughout my life I have had some horrible white teachers and some horrible black teachers. And on the flip side, I had some terrific white teachers, like my AP English teacher that I believed changed my outlook on how I tackle literature. I also had a black teacher in high school that I thought was the guru of life lessons. My point is that when teaching it has nothing to do with skin color. It is about that persons passion for teaching. It bugs me that they immediately think someone that is darker skinned cant teach them because they are inferior. One thing that I learned is that intelligence has no color. So I believe that that particular aspect is stupid to allow.
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I will definitely admit that I do not know anything about Chinese racism or ethnocentrism. In the United States, we are practically isolated from the rest of the world – both geographically and mentally. Many people, me included, are not aware that there is such extreme racism between other groups. We only see things in black and white. It sort of makes me feel like we are all a little stupid for getting so upset about things being possible perceived as racist when there are these huge groups of people who do not even have their basic civil rights yet. I’m not trying to devalue the serious issues that we obviously still have in this country, but it just shocks me that no one is really trying to put a stop to this so that these people are given their rights to live just like anyone else. Here, someone is falsely arrested and it becomes such a big deal that both parties are invited to have beer with the President. In China, there are riots and discrimination and signs for Caucasians only and it seems largely ignored or not even considered. Like you said, it is “a deeply ingrained cultural characteristic of mainland Chinese people.” So, no one is even thinking about it?
One thing I really do not understand is why everywhere, dark skin is associated with negativity. I’m surprised that this is a universal thing. Even when racism is not about black versus white, it still sort of is. The Uyghurs are the ones being discriminated against and they have the darker skin. What motivates people all over the world, no matter what the culture or history, to do this? I think it is kind of crazy that you say they are not completely unwilling to change because they have accepted or changed their minds about President Obama. Really? I feel like this is the “I’m not racist because I have a black friend” argument. When exposed to nice people of color they will usually change their minds? That seems even more racist to me because that is like saying, I know black people are not supposed to be nice but hey look, some of them are so I can accept those ones. Just not the rest.
The media really needs to pay more attention to these things. We cannot all spend all of our time researching the great inequalities of every single group of people; that is why journalists make a living doing so. They have a responsibility to inform the rest of the world and get people involved and making changes. I realize the government controls the media in China but obviously it is not impossible to find out about these things, and more people need to know the truth.
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It is pretty surprising to me that there is prejudice and discrimination in China today. Apparently, I know very little about Chinese culture, but I had always assumed that socially and civilly, they were right on par with us, the United States. In fact, I honestly did not know that two different ethnic groups even existed in China, these two groups being the Han and the Uighurs. From what I read, the Hans are equivalent to whites in the United States and the Uighurs are the equivalent of blacks. The similarities end there, however, because we have already had a civil rights movement here in the US, whereas China is still struggling. I guess one could say that the current situation in China is somewhat of a replica of what it may have looked like here back in the 50s and 60s. Regardless, to know that these issues still occur is disgusting. The Hans are treating the Uighars poorly, for no reason other than the color of their skin. Like Sam said, this is ethnocentrism at its finest in the fact that the Han do not have solid basis for why they are treating the Uighars so unfairly. Perhaps, if they would step into the shoes of the Uighars and attempt to learn a bit more about them, they would better understand their situation and be less likely to show hatred toward them. I can not imagine how I would feel if I were a well-qualified Uighur, perhaps even more so than a Han, and still be refused a job opening just because of my skin and the way that other people see me.
I found everything that the second poster had to say very interesting, as he/she was a first hand witness of these events. This blogger admits that China remains a very racist country, separated by those who are white and people of tanned or colored skin. It is silly to me that people go to extreme lengths to show that they are not laborers and even to maintain the whiteness of their skin. I can not believe that men in China will grow out their pinky nails to show that they do not partake in intensive labor (apparently because any sort of labor would break off their nails?). It is also interesting that, by nature, poor people will have darker skin than people with more prominent jobs because these poor people spend long hours in the sun, which obviously tans their skin. Lastly, it is ironic that women in China will do things such as using umbrellas to block the sun from their skin- in hopes of keeping its paleness- all while women in the United States spend a considerable amount of time and money to gain darker skin. Weird.
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Racism From a Different Vantage Point
It is very important to educate ourselves on the issue of racism but I think that the majority of us associate racism with black vs. white pre and post Civil Rights movement. When in fact, racism outside of United States culture has become more evolved than just black and white. In the case of the Chinese ethnic groups, the Han and the Uighurs, it is beyond appalling what these two ethnic groups have created, religious and ethnic tension. Which I think is very sad because they share the same land but these two groups have very different rights, beliefs, and mannerisms. Violent riots that have broken out just to demonstrate which group is inferior and which group is dominant have caused hundreds of deaths, which again is very sad.
Much like the prejudice and racism that we in America faced pre and post Civil Rights Movement, the ethnic groups in China have a firm belief that people who are light skinned are the dominant species because of their “higher” rate of intelligence and a better chance than landing a job than those who are dark skinned who are seen as the bad guys who are inferior. What is crazy about this article is how we as the United States rarely see this type of content and coverage without actually doing our own research because of what the gatekeepers of media want to put out there for the mass audience. I think that society as a whole have to rethink the way we live life because we are stuck with this ideology of who is the dominant group, species, and even individuals rather than us focusing on how to better the standards of living for society. Is it too much to ask for that? I think not but one thing that is holding everyone back is greed and power which everyone wants a piece of.
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It is just crazy to me how the color of one’s skin can be a determining factor on how they are treated by others. This story is just a reminder that racism is still alive and that this cycle is probably never going to end.
This article came as a complete shock to me as I’m sure that it has for many of the other people who had no idea that anything like this was still going on today. Before reading this article I had no idea that China had more than one ethnic group. This was a very disturbing article to read. As a black person I am thankful that I never had to experience any direct racism as it was in the early 1950s. However if I did I would be in the same position as the Uighurs. The fact that this prejudice is still happening in 2009 says a lot about people in the world. I can understand how a change in a person’s views of another can change after speaking to them. However I find it ridiculous that only when exposed to Uighurs that are nice do the Han then decide to change their mind about them. The fact that even if well qualified for a job the Uighurs cannot obtain a position because of something that they have no control over really bothers me more than anything.
I do not understand how the Han do not see anything wrong with their unjust laws and policies that is clearly unfair to the Uighurs just because they make up about ten percent of the population. Also I find it ironic how the Han are mistreating the Uighurs by their laws and policies but once the Uighurs stand up for themselves (by fighting back) the Han begin to hunt them down as if they (the Han) are the only victims in this entire situation.
I feel that maybe some other countries who have much more power should step in (if they have not already) or maybe even the United Nations because if nothing is done this situation will only get worse for the people involved.
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Hello!
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I was first expose to this story in the summer 2008 when the Olympics where held in china. I was amazed because I did not even know that different ethnic groups existed in China. I didn’t even know racism went to beyond these boundaries in other countries. When I think of racism I think of people complaining that they’re not treated equally. My view of the term racism has change completely after seeing the way the Uighurs people have been treated in their home land. Uighurs was born in China and have been in china for century and they don’t have the same right as the main land.
The Uighurs cannot get a job because of their skin color, but the Chinese are welcoming many people from different countries to work for them and trade with them. I want to know what cause main land China to give label to the Uighurs people. I also want to know the reason why this issue hasn’t been in the main stream media or been discuss by humanitarian. China is a country that gets involve in many globalize decision that effect how countries can help provide for their countries. It doesn’t make sense to me.
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