Here are some of my favorite responses to Alexandra Wallace, the UCLA poli sci student who, during the stress of exam week, uploaded an anti-Asian rant. If you haven't seen her Youtube video, here's the re-posting which had received over 5 million hits in about 2 weeks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg3tIERI-D4
In the following Youtube responses, consider how these youth are rehearsing for systemic resistance via media activism. I'm pretty sure we will consider this a turning point in Asian identity in the US, a rousing defense of place and belonging, and a profound rejection of everyday white supremacy.
Jesse Hewit pointed out the messy sexism and femme-ism that is part of the attack on Alexandra Wallace. Philip Huang says, "Racism + misogyny = the perfect storm, right?" Note how many of the respondents call her a bitch and a slut, over and over again.
Here is a video that Sam Aranke told me about, in which the actual families (or should I say "hoards!") participate, but the mix of 'real' parents and 'people playing family' is brilliant. Their language parody could be a direct quote of a La Pocha Nostra video from 10 or 15 years ago. The current youth/media generation gets political satire, camp, media analysis and video production the way I learned to do multiplication tables. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPWy4iuxjQ4&feature=related
The song guy. I can't fully explain it but I have cried, not once but twice, watching this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zulEMWj3sVA
Asian guy just goes off: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbvDMYdEx8s&feature=fvsr
Parody by Asian girl in 'white blond drag' with both a Mexican and a holocaust joke, righteous!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkuwYX2hpZs&feature=related
Philip Huang asks, where are all the Asian performance artists? Ummm they're in school at UCLA and across the US making post-Margaret Cho videos! Here is one of the future comic geniuses of America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOGpGoEMu2s&feature=related
And here is another: somewhat funny, full of rage and sexist crap mixed up:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKpf9YT4x8o&feature=related
And I love this white guy's cheap drag.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F04YC-g6s4&feature=related
Isn't it amazing how many people - despite being raised in the most reactionary and racist/nationalist contexts - actually get what racism is, how stupid and anachronistic it is, and are willing to demonstrate their resistance to it, and their solidarity with non-white people. I wish I could find the video of the white girl who imitates Alexandra in a very smart parody/deconstruction, but there are now hundreds of response vids and I can't locate it.
Too many respondents (and Philip Huang) comment on Alexandra's boobs. This video takes it the furthest. He would get an A- from me for this well-sampled detournement. He doesn't get the A because he doesn't comment on his own comment on the boobs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqqvlXasBfk&feature=fvst
And on and on and on....
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