This documentary that we watched was a bit of a new story for me. I had no knowledge of all of these things happening during this time during peoples careers of having these stereotypes of Asian Americans. This is not cool, just being blunt and saying that all this stuff they said about Asian American women being exotic and lusting and shit. This stuff is wrong and just degrading for people or media to say these things. I don’t remember that about my friends that are Asian American, all of my friends are just themselves. They are just being the way they are. Don’t matter if their different just like in Joy Luck Club, not all Asian Americans are slutty at all. Movie media just portrayed them at being that way. Whoever got that started should just stop and plus should of never said that in the first place. That’s not right. In the Slaying the dragon that I really thought was interesting was that so many Asian American women had so many roles, starring roles for that matter. I really like how they addressed that and in Joy Luck Club there was a lot of Asian American women was a delight to see most of the movie. In the book where is says, “The construction of the model minority was based on the political silence of Asian America.” I can relate that to Slaying the dragon because a lot of Asian American women broke that silence by becoming leading roles in the film industry. Power to the Asian American women that broke that barrier for them to shine on the big screen.

This crisis turn of events I can relate to both films in a sense also says some in the reading. In Orientals Lee talks about Asian American habits of behavior are seen as the secret weapons of national restoration. I want to believe that, but both of the films showed me differently. In the slanted screen where all the actors are talking about well one of them where he was saying being rebellious and be creative. The future events of their movie careers could definitely change for thinking out of the box, where the guy that said that stared in the movie just recently cam out: 47 Ronin. He was rebellious and is still going to achieve what he wants to. In Saving Face, where the main character she was suppose to be the one to make her mom proud and marry a man and turns out that she likes the opposite sex and the norm is different in her mind. Crisis climbs through the family where her mother was thrown out of her dads house and had to move in with her daughter and she trying to juggle her emotions and with her mother needing her 24/7 and the restoration is not there. She wants to be with her girl, but shes scared of rejection and being ashamed as her mother did in the movie. I’m saying that crisis can happen in your life at anytime and sometimes when you least expect it. I can say that the norm of Asian Americans can be different. No ones stopping anyone. Power to the People.

This book Orientals. Okay this book was something else when I read it, but one part gave me the chills. This sentence on page 2 of the introduction. “Race is a mode of placing cultural meaning on the body.” I was replaying that sentence back and forth in mind before  going on and was wondering to myself is this true? I thought yes it is, but want to know do people think of it in this context. I do, but I never thought it would be in a published book about Asian Americans and related to this subject of race. This really showed me that race is a sacred and should be appreciated not to go against it. Everyone should love everyone no matter what the color of their skin is. This book throughout reading gave me a perspective of that Asian Americans that were here have just as much right to be here as we do and it would be a disgrace to repeat any past actions of discrimination, racism or any other dislike to a race, but even today racism and discrimination of race is still practiced and just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean its not happening. Reading the rest of these books I know that I will find out about all the other races that may have or still are being in the same predicament as the Asian Americans were and maybe still to this day. I mean I can’t say myself because myself is not Asian American, but from a African American stand point there is still racism going on today. I’ve seen it and its horrible to watch. You would think that after all that’s happened that we just be at peace, but no. I believe in this world all the blood that’s been shed, all the empires been invaded and all the races been at each others throats, there will never be peace in this world to me.

This 2005 drama was good. This is a more interesting film that we’ve seen this quarter. I had no idea about these stereotypes of Filipino that get compared to Chinese where the main character got called a chink meaning Chinese and he’s not even of the race. I hate when people just judge off appearance and not ask like a adult would do, but they make it a joking question game. Just insulting and even though this was just a movie, I know people out there that act just like that. Its a shame of how many don’t know how these phrases have a effect. Words are life and words have a strong message in what context their used in. Where Ruben got called a coconut by Augusto and I’m just like so just because you want something better for your life that makes you a sellout. I can speak where Ruben is coming from in this movie. I’m African American and Native American,  but just because I didn’t want to start my career at a casino or work for my Tribal Administration that makes me a sellout, so many people during high school told me you have a for sure ride because you can get a job and be set for life. Everyone said your mom is big in your tribes casino and you should allow in her footsteps to make her and the tribe proud. No sir.  My parents told me to be whatever you want to be no matter what anyone says. I may be first generation to go college, but I wanted to go to do what I want to do. That scene where Ruben confessed to his father that he got accepted into a school for something he loves to do. That’s the attitude I have here. I also like the family traditions that we upheld from their culture even from moving over from Philippines holding onto that culture. The coming of age factor party even with cultural aspects and I love that they kept that traditions in there. I also love that one of the characters mentioned the Filipino war and how we fought by their side against a higher anarchy. THANKS for addressing that. I wish I would have watched this movie earlier in my life so I would know more about other people cultures history and not just my own.

Holding a hand out in a shape of a gun and bang, bang, bang. The dramatic/comedy of Gran Torino where Clint Eastwood plays an American war veteran in a neighborhood where some would not care for his kind. Wanted to be left alone and then everything changed. I thought that the scene where Thao was pushing the tree in the yard reminded me of life itself where Walt and the priest were talking about life and death. Just keep pushing and stay strong. I like how they address the stereotype of Hmong girls go to college and the boys go to jail, and I don’t know how that happens, but some would imply a non father role model figure such as Thao that was looking up to Walt. Walt was keeping him out of trouble and telling him that he had his whole life ahead of him. Horrible things that were mentioned in this film and Walt saying carrying a burden all of that and not confess to it because he was strong willed. I respect the character for that. Also I like the traditional customs that were keep in Thaos house where everyone would look down at him and looking someone in the eye is disrespect and wanted to know is that just Hmong people or do other cultures abide by that too?

Gran Torino

The muscle of cars casting people off his yards, knocking pricks out knows how to clear a crowd, tries to explain leave me alone, Spider causing trouble, he says he won’t be here for long. He protects his own, his house, his dog, his car, himself, he knows what hes doing, hes a Korean war machine from hell.

Just a little something I was messing with as far as the movie goes.