In life, it’s important to be able to step back and laugh at oneself. Such capabilities of self-awareness and reflection are pivotal to one’s well-being, and it was with this attitude that I sat down to watch Fox News’ Jesse Watters interview Chinatown residents for a segment on the channel’s signature show The O’Reilly Factor.
What ensued can only be described as an unconditionally inaccurate and disgusting media generalization that should never have aired. From using outdated cut scenes of Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid, to increasingly racist interview questions that ranged from “Tell me what’s not made in China” to “Do you know karate?” I was unable to stomach the entirety of the almost five-minute long video, which you can watch for yourself.
As a first-generation Chinese-American, I am beyond horrified by the deplorable representation of Asian-Americans that Fox News so willingly justified as “all in good fun.” Even scarier is the possibility and probability that such racism does not end with one racially insensitive reporter and his bigoted boss. It’s profoundly disappointing to consider how many people might have actually enjoyed and believed the stereotypical representations of Chinese culture. This is not a case of being oversensitive to crude humor or being overly concerned with political correctness. This is a case of blatant racism, and it is an undeniably racist attempt to relegate Asian-American culture into some sort of funny entertainment.
While I will refrain from dissecting the particular inaccuracies of the video (great job interviewing and making fun of elderly citizens who don’t know English, and learning karate in a South Korean taekwondo studio), I do want to address their sad attempts to use journalism as some thinly veiled excuse to stereotype race. Instead of “sampl[ing] political opinion” among Asian-Americans,” as was the original purpose of the video, Fox News decided that it would be more interesting to rehash Asian-American stereotypes.
By neglecting to actually cover the Asian-American vote in favor of a damagingly offensive piece, Fox News continues to ignore trends in the American population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Asian population is the fastest growing racial group in the country, increasing 3.4 percent from July 2014 to July 2015, and Fox News would do well to remember these population shifts lest they wish to alienate an increasingly expansive Asian-American community.
As a whole, is it any surprise that Fox News’ botched TV coverage of Asian-Americans, when combined with Republicans’ increasingly hostile stances toward minorities and immigrants is forcing Asian-Americans toward the Democratic Party? Forty-seven percent of Asian-Americans now identify as Democrats compared to only 35 percent in 2012. The truth is that we Asian-Americans are not and have never been the unassertive and submissive model minority populations that we are commonly stereotyped as, and we will fight for our equal recognition as peers in this society.
Max An is a senior physiology and neurobiology major. He can be reached at maxandbk@gmail.com.
