(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Labels [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-06-25 I really don’t like labels. One of my compulsive traits surfaces while I’m folding towels. The stacks of towels in the cupboard show up in narrow stripes since towels of the same color are never put together. Ideally, every other one is white or very pale, so there is an obvious separation between them. Their labels also bug me. When we get new towels or wash cloths, the labels get cut off. That way there aren’t any silly tags hanging down when the towels are hung on the rack. Most of the tags are cut away from the neck areas of my shirts too. They can irritate your neck and look messy if they’re sticking out of your clothing. There are those who label people according to their skin color, gender choice or their ancestry. Often those terms lead to discrimination and hate. Even some people in a certain racial group might criticize another because they seem to identify more with “white people”. Insults might be that the person is an “Oreo cookie - black on the outside, but white inside”. An old show, The Jeffersons, had the father characterizing the son’s girlfriend as “a zebra” because she had a white father. Her mother was black, just like the Jefferson family. Crazy Rich Asians is a Cinderella-type movie where labeling and social status distinctions are showcased. Early in the show, an Asian-American term “banana” — yellow on the outside, white on the inside, is discussed. The lead character, Rachel, is a professor at NYU. Nick, her boyfriend, takes her to Singapore to attend his friend’s wedding. It turns out that Nick, his family and friends are all quite rich and of high social standing. Instead of magical fairy godmothers, Rachel’s wacky friend and Nick’s queer cousin (the self-described “rainbow sheep of the family”) help her transform into fashionable perfection when she attends the wedding. Toward the end of the movie there is a pivotal scene where Rachel plays Mahjong with Nick’s mother, Eleanor. There is much symbolism in the game. That includes the camera lingering on discarded bamboo tiles, which call to mind a frequently used term for Westernized overseas Asians: “jook sing”, which literally means “empty bamboo.” It’s a slang term that’s the Chinese equivalent of accusing someone of being white on the inside. Eleanor made assumptions about Rachel, including that she wouldn’t know how to play Mahjong properly because she’s Asian-American. Rachel proved her wrong when she reveals that she could have won but allowed Eleanor to have a key tile which enabled her win instead. Rachel also acted contrary to Eleanor’s expectations when she rejected Nick’s proposal so that he could be free to marry someone Eleanor deems worthy. Rachel exhibits three exemplary attributes. The first is that she loves Nick enough to put his future ahead of hers. The second is that she understands that family should always come first (something that Eleanor suspected she wouldn’t comprehend as an Asian American). Lastly, Rachel is revealed as strong, self-sacrificing, and courageous. Instead of “never being enough” she’s most likely exactly who Nick needs as a partner. The song that plays during the final scenes of Crazy Rich Asians needed to evoke sadness and strength to serve as a thematic close for the story. Director Jon M. Chu thought tune that should be used was the Coldplay song Yellow. The title was problematic. Just as “redskins” was used to indicate natives in the Americas, “yellow” has been used as an ethnic slur against Asians. Oddly enough, that’s why Chu wanted it. He wanted “to own that term,” saying “If we’re going to be called yellow, we’re going to make it beautiful.” He told Coldplay that the word yellow “has always had a negative connotation in my life … until I heard your song.” No one has ever called me names because of my Native American heritage, but my great grandmother might have been called a “half-breed” or a squaw. Both of my grandfathers were immigrants. No doubt they suffered discrimination because of that. The German one would have been referred to as a “Kraut”. Some might have grouped the grandfather from Hungary with people from nearby countries (including Germany) and called him “Fritz”. We are a nation of immigrants. Unless you are 100% Native American, you have immigrants in your family background. It is our very diversity that makes our country great. Having people who are different and who look at things differently can result in some amazing innovations. A small example to illustrate is the very popular “fusion cooking”. It brings together diverse types of food preparation. Fusion cuisine combines elements from a variety of culinary traditions from different countries, regions, or cultures. It involves blending flavors and techniques to craft meals that are often surprisingly delicious. As one recipe website states, “It’s where East meets West on a plate, and tradition dances with novelty.” Often, I feel like a kind of fusion myself. There are so many people in our family tree who came from other countries. Looking into facts about our ancestors is interesting. Sometimes it is sad to have lost the knowledge of the different cultures of our forefathers. We’ll visit museums and see baskets and artifacts from “my tribe”. They are not familiar at all. By the same token, it seems hard to identify with some of our distant relatives who came from other eras and other countries. 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