I spent all of last quarter in Chico and Frances class learning about the Japanese and Japanese/Americans. We started with a brief history of Japan before they started immigrating and ended with post WWII and the last effects. Not to say we victimized the issei or nissei in any shape or form, I think one of the most important things we learned all quarter was how strong and resilient they were. However, when you spend so long learning about he challenges and hardships of a specific group of people, you tend to sympathize with them whether you know it or not. I only bring this all up because in class on Friday, the group that spoke about Korean American spoke of how Japan had invaded them. It was strange I guess, seeing the Japanese in a completely different light.

This book has given me plenty of new perspective. In all honesty, I never thought of the impact that WWII had on other Asian minorities in the United States. It never really crossed my mind that this war would basically force people to pick an ethnicity and be bold and very specific about what and who they are.

The model minority part of the reading really interested me. I had never heard of the term before last quarter and I wish we couldn’t spent more time focusing on that alone. I guess it’s interesting to me because I’m constantly wondering how much of a ‘model minority’ I’m being. It’s an odd sensation, not wanting to conform to stereotypes but knowing you’ll be held to some sort of model minority status regardless of what you do.

Challenger

The Challenger Disaster happened on January 28, 1986 (a year after my sister was born). 73 seconds into its flight, its broke into pieces, leading to the death of its seven crew members. One of them including Ellison Onizuka. Onizuka was born in Hawaii in 1946 and was Asian American.

Paull Shin

He was born in Korea in 1935 and orphaned by the age of four. He came to America in 1954. He knew little English and had little education from Korea but still completed his GED in 18 months. He went on to earn degress from Brigham Young University, University of Pittsburgh, and University of Washington. He later became the first Korean American to be elected to Washington State legislative.

WWII Stragglers

The WWII stragglers were Japanese soldiers that didn’t know the war ending and continued fighting for years after the fact.

HIMYM

I watch How I Met Your mother often and I completely love the show. This past week, they aired an episode in which Marshal told the tales of him traveling to China to learn the ways of the slap to give Barney the most painful slap of his life. Honestly, when I first watched it, nothing fazed me. But in class when Chico asked us to research HIMYM I knew exactly what they were speaking of.

I don’t know why it did’t faze me. It could be a few things. I guess I also assume best intentions and I knew they didn’t intentionally  mean to hurt anyone’s feelings. Maybe it’s because there are so many things, TO THIS DAY of people doing black face, and ‘wiggers’ and ‘wangsters’ that I’m numb to all of it. Maybe it’s because I make fun of myself all the time, I believe in laughing at yourself and finding the humor in stereotypes. Maybe I’m completely wrong, a lot of things just don’t get under my skin I guess.

I’m not saying this makes it right. I understand why people might be upset. I can just see both sides.

“If you repeat something enough times, it becomes a part of you”

I’m 17, and this worries me. I don’t like the idea of being who I am five years from now. I’m clumsy and shy and I have no idea what I’m doing after graduation. All three schools that I applied to could reject me? What then? I’m not like the smart kids at my school. I just get by. I don’t want my habits to be a part of me. I don’t even know who ‘me’ is.

I don’t get how girls like Stephanie have everything. Like seriously? Three honors classes, a cheerleader and she has time for a boyfriend? She’s like every parents dream. Perfect. Or the guys on the academic decathlon team? I mean, I heard they’re like drug dealers and hired a hooker when they went to Vegas. It could all be bullshit but what if it isn’t? How are they balancing all of this? I’m barely managing my classes and they’re over here living the high school dream!

One of them is named Ben and he’s ridiculously cute but it’s obvious he’s in love with Stephanie. Told you she’s perfect, has a boyfriend and still has guys drooling over her. I don’t blame him for liking her though, he seems to be going places in his life. He’s the kind of guy that’ll get accepted to all the schools he applies for. It’s no wonder he wants a girl like her.

I wonder what I’d have to repeat to be like them? To be that smart and that cool at the same time? I mean, I heard Derek pulled a gun on a guy at a party and him and Ben and Virgil and Han all jumped him! I don’t think I want to do all that…I don’t think I could ever physically hurt someone. But shit, what do I have to do to get invited to these parties? I’d like to see all of this first hand, from the crowd. I want to be the person that already knows what happened before Monday morning.

I don’t know. I guess I just want to be apart of something…anything.

I’m personally more of a comedy person and I’m constantly wanting to watch more drama’s and action. I mean, my favorite action movies are the Fast and Furious series and apparently (according to everyone whom I tell) those movies are terrible. Honestly, I kind of only watch them for Paul Walker. The point is that when I watch action movies, I don’t know what to look for.

So in terms of action and all that jazz, it was awesome. I love fight scenes and I always get ridiculously pumped up after watching them. Then I convince myself that if I tried hard enough I could totally fight like that. However, the only thing that kept bothering me throughout the whole movie was that white savior complex. I know we were supposed to feel bad for Keanu’s character like “Oh no, he’s odd and nobody likes him, boo-hoo”. It’s just kind of hard when you know that in real life, in America, in this supposed ‘melting pot’ where everyone is equal, he is more equal than me.

But honestly, that was the only thing that bothered me.