Shamma provides an English translation:
Raphael Balsam '11, a Bloomberg Hall resident, was working on a computer in the third floor computer room when he noticed Chinese written on the blackboard last Sunday. He was surprised to learn that the writing translated to: "White people can't see this / White people can't read this / White people can't understand this" and immediately notified an RCA, Carrie Carpenter '10.
Was this a racially threatening message? A cause for alarm?
That much is suggested by the first lines of Shamma's post:
Discrimination is not new to Princeton's campus--regardless of which group is being targeted. Last week, discriminatory comments were found scrawled in Chinese in Bloomberg Hall.
But again, are these really discriminatory comments that "target" white people? If so, what exactly makes them threatening? The mere fact that they're about white people? Or perhaps, the fact that they're about white people, but written in--gasp--Chinese!
"White people can't see this / White people can't read this / White people can't understand this."
It seems to me that what those lines have to say about white people isn't threatening--it's more like a description, and a pretty innocuous one at that.
Nevertheless, according to Shamma, Princeton authorities are taking this incident quite seriously:
[RCA] Carpenter then notified the Butler College Office and RCA advisers. Director of Student Life Mindy Andino said that two students came forward to discuss the situation with Director of Studies Matthew Lazen and that there would be a meeting with the RCA's after Spring Break.
"The Director of Studies met with the students who reported the incident and addressed their immediate concerns," Andino said. "We will be meeting with the RCA’s at the start of next week to discuss the situation further. We are currently completing an investigation of the situation to learn more information."
Andino added that the College Office was trying to determine whether or not the message was a violation of the Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities (RRR).
Shamma provides the relevant part of the university's "RRR," which explains what students should do if they feel their "sensibilities" have been assailed:
Normally, an alleged infringement upon the rights or sensibilities of an individual, including complaints of discrimination, by an undergraduate or graduate student should first be discussed with that student. If this is not possible, or does not lead to a satisfactory resolution, the matter should be brought to the attention of the Dean or an Associate Dean of Undergraduate Students or the Dean of the Graduate School. If the matter is not resolved through discussion or through formal action by a dean, a complaint can be made in accordance with the normal disciplinary procedures.
What do you think? Are these lines cause for alarm? Or instead, is considering them a racist threat cause for alarm? And does it matter that these lines appeared in Chinese, instead of in English?
By the way, as commenters at the Daily Princetonian blog note, these lines resemble those on a t-shirt sold online, which in turn resembles a shirt featured in a popular online video, "Yellow Fever." Also noted is the sloppiness of the handwriting, which suggests that whoever wrote the message is a beginner with the language.
i don't find it threatening. my first response to the translation was to laugh, thinking it some sort of commentary on how a lot of white people use chinese or japanese characters for tattoos (cuz having a word like "love" imprinted into your skin isn't as magical as the asian-equivalent).
ReplyDeletei can't say i know what the intention is for this, and i don't think we can even assume the writer is chinese, but i don't find it threatening...it's not even like it's saying "white people, watch your asses." or maybe my shrugging it off means something.
It isn't threatening (I'm black, by the way).
ReplyDeleteIt just pisses white folks off that somebody's telling them what they can't do, and in another language to boot.
it strikes me as very white to be upset about this. it wasn't even like it was graffiti or anything, it was on a blackboard. and it wasn't even a judgment or a negative statement or anything.
ReplyDeletedo white people get that offended when it's pointed out that there are things they can't do? languages they can't speak or read?
it's kind of a joke, isn't it? kind of an in-joke. like isn't the punchline when a white guy goes through all the trouble to find out what it says and then realizes he just confirmed it?
but further, it looks like two different handwritings, and not very nice ones either - i mean my chinese is poor, but it looks comparable to my handwriting.
could it possibly just be students learning Chinese, trying to put some sentences together from words they know, and then using it as an opportunity to just write a silly little thing on a blackboard?
is that how it works in white people's heads all the time "uh oh, this could be about me, this could be about me, what am i gonna do?"
this isn't even "White people smell bad" or "White people can be mean" or something, this is so ridiculously free of malice, it's just...i don't see how anyone could think this is anything...
Oh! See...I took this to mean that maybe the writer was trying to remind Asian folks that they can still write and speak Asian (did it say what language this is?) to get away from whiteness every now and again.
ReplyDeleteApparently that's a hate crime. *smh*
I don't believe that this is a "racist"incident. I believe it is more commentary about the ways in which whiteness demands to be included in every single sphere. Have you ever noticed how upset people get when confronted with a different language? It is none of your business what other people are talking about. My son and I regularly converse in french and you should see the looks we get in a country that has two official languages. Gasp what if we are talking about you?
ReplyDeleteThere is a t-shirt with this on it. It's a somewhat popular meme for students of Chinese. Perfectly innocuous, and maybe even (as another person mentioned) written by a white person. Yawn. Someone on that campus needs some perspective. Their overreaction is more of a dis on white people than the writing was.
ReplyDeleteDo you mean the t-shirt linked at the end of this post? If another, I'd be interested in hearing about/seeing it.
ReplyDeletei've seen the shirt before but in simplified characters. (the one you linked to is traditional) so yeah, there's other versions. and yeah, people who read chinese throw the joke around.
ReplyDeleteand yeah, it's a joke and DAMN, people need to grow up. do they feel 'threatened' every time they hear the "What do you call someone who only speaks one language" joke too?
*sigh*
now what i want to know is the racial ID of the parents who came down on this kid. Guy who wrote the parody weighs in here. i imagine his performance would've been perfectly entertaining...
the whole this makes me laugh..
ReplyDeletewhite people crying foul because they cannot understand something..
mind you, it's a big step from the norm of assimilate it or kill it...
damn.. i am going to learn igbo, arabic or swahili or something!!
I studied Chinese for a while and lived in China for some time and I am fairly confident that this was written by a student of Chinese and not someone who was taught it as a child, not because of its sloppiness but the opposite. Quickly written Chinese handwriting is, well, all but indecipherable for a non-native (think about most people's handwriting on chalkboards and how difficult it would be if you were not well-versed in Latin characters), whereas this displays a carefulness, if not proficiency, characteristic of a student who would be carefully laying out strokes in order.
ReplyDeleteI think Renee hit it on the head though with the comment that this is about how whites (and I'm white) demand inclusion in every sphere, and are threatened by things they don't understand. One of the most irritating things about living in China was all the expats whining about how, say, the bus schedules were only written in characters so they couldn't understand and had to take the metro or taxis. Well, tough, you live in China, things are written in Chinese, and anyway you are paid more than the average Chinese person doing your exact same job so you can afford taxis. I could go on about the subtle racism in the ways American expats behave in Asia vs. Europe but I will refrain for now.
I can't believe what I'm reading here. This IS anti-white racism in the highest degree! I shall call the Thought Police!
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, this is anything but threatening. It simply points out the fact that many Americans who wear clothing or have tattoos that show Chinese or Japanese lettering have no idea (or could care less about) what the actual meanings are.
I guess being told that you don't know something would strike a nerve in the most insecure of folks.
Macon D:
ReplyDeleteyeah, that's the one I was thinking of. Didn't catch that last paragraph.
@V knowledge
ReplyDeleteThat just the point. When whites are appropriating the Chinese language in an effort to appear deep and or thoughtful it is okay, but if native speakers converse it is somehow threatening. This is about power.
Renee, is it really about power, or about a falsely perceived threat to safety? I don't imagine that if the kid who first notified authorities about the Chinese characters on the blackboard was white, he did that because he felt a threat to his white power. He probably doesn't even know he HAS any power as a white person.
ReplyDeletePardon my saying so, but it sseems more likely to me that he felt a vague, potential threat, however unrealistic and overreactionary that was, a threat of violence, not of diminshed white power. And if people are speaking in a foreing language around white people, I think they mind because they fear (stupidly) that they're being talked about, or other things, but not that their white power is being threatened. If you see this as all being about power, that's very important to me as a white person to know, but I wonder, how would that actually work? I'm not trying to contradict you. I guess I just don't get your point about whites wanting to maintain power, and if they do how that actually works.
Once again, we see liberals unwilling to accept the consequences of their belief system and then suddenly, with an all-inclusive zeal, get to include ALL white people in their crazed madness.
ReplyDeleteThordaddy, please explain what in particular your comment has to do with anything in this post.
ReplyDeleteAnd who are you calling "liberals"? What does that have to do with anything in this post?
Macon D,
ReplyDeleteIt just pisses white folks off that somebody's telling them what they can't do, and in another language to boot.
it strikes me as very white to be upset about this.
I took this to mean that maybe the writer was trying to remind Asian folks that they can still write and speak Asian (did it say what language this is?) to get away from whiteness every now and again.
I believe it is more commentary about the ways in which whiteness demands to be included in every single sphere.
How does one glean from your post the above series of comments?
First, there is a question as to whether the person who reported the writing is even white.
Secondly, it is almost certain that the series of events that followed were the actions of rabid white liberals and not whites in general as is deceivingly referenced above.
I'll leave it to you to decide how my comment relates and while you're at it, you can make a comparison to the ones above and whether they relate better to the post put forward.
"First, there is a question as to whether the person who reported the writing is even white."
ReplyDeleteA good point.
"the series of events that followed were the actions of rabid white liberals"
That's a pretty big assumption since Princeton is generally considered a pretty conservative university. It also nullifies any credibility your last point gained you since you just replaced one small assumption for another whopping huge one. Good job.
"I'll leave it to you to decide how my comment relates"
Well isn't that just so convenient for you.
"and while you're at it, you can make a comparison to the ones above and whether they relate better to the post put forward."
They do, since they actually have something to do with what was actually in the article and were not based on wild partisan assumptions about the political leanings of the people involved.
Sounds like a harmless college prank to me. An inside joke. And a lot tamer than a lot of inside jokes that occur among white people.
ReplyDeleteIts all just a ride says,
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty big assumption since Princeton is generally considered a pretty conservative university.
LOL! I bet you thought GW was a wrabid wright wring Repwublican, too?
The idea that "conservatives" would make issue of a such thing is quite counterintuitive.
It is almost certain that these "drastic" actions were undertaken by rabid white liberals who are constantly attempting to extinguish even the slightest hint of difference and dispute.
And like clockwork, the anti-white racists come out from the cracks in an effort to smear ALL white people with this crazed madness of the white liberal.
Man Thordaddy, for someone who supposedly abhors unjustified generalizations and nonsequitors you seem to be the king of sling when it comes to both.
ReplyDeleteI'll state what has already been quite clear. What does anyone's political leanings have to do with any of this? The writing didn't say "Fuck Bush" or "Fuck Obama" in Chinese, so none of it has anything to do with any of these people's politics. Right leaning individuals are still human, and just as prone to overreaction as anyone.
"rabid white liberals who are constantly attempting to extinguish even the slightest hint of difference and dispute."
Funny, I thought the right-wing stereotype of liberals was that they were difference worshiping, bleeding-heart, amoral, relativists. Make up your mind, which is it.
"The idea that "conservatives" would make issue of a such thing is quite counterintuitive."
In what way? You must not be paying attention to this country, or you live elsewhere. Conservatives (and even many self-identifying Democrats) whine about simple things like McDonalds menus or telephone prompts being available in Spanish. How do you think some of them would react in this particular situation?
@runawayfred in everything and in everywhere there is always power (Foucault though bad paraphrase)
ReplyDeleteHe could only feel threatened to begin with because he existed with power and how when we look at the fact that the response was defensive within a social environment that privileges whiteness this can only be about maintaining power.
Its all just a ride says,
ReplyDeleteFunny, I thought the right-wing stereotype of liberals was that they were difference worshiping, bleeding-heart, amoral, relativists. Make up your mind, which is it.
How can I make up my mind about how a liberal thinks when how he thinks is with the intent not to make up his mind? That's why he is liberal.
You ask earlier,
I'll state what has already been quite clear. What does anyone's political leanings have to do with any of this?
It should be clear that white people can be categorized to a large extent just as they can be generalized. This can be done with intellectual vigor or it can be done like the commentators on this post.
What you see in the comments regarding this post is a bunch of people generalizing about white people. But, they make two fatal errors in critical analysis.
First, their generalizations about "white people" tells us nothing in particular. In fact, all that is done is to simply assert that this event is evidence of white privilege and a white racist power structure. This is sophistry.
Secondly, by refusing to get particular and accepting liberal standards, the above action becomes racist by definition. So the anti-racists are in fact racists who can generalize and denigrate with the best of them.
Further, by refusing to get particular, there is the assumption that this was just "white people" overreacting and not liberal white people doing what they do best.... Creating mountains out of molehills.
Are you really going to try and sell the idea that this incident got rolling on account of some "conservative" faculty at princeton?
Thordaddy,
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is, you're right to a certain degree, and thanks for finally dropping the obtuse vagueness and getting down to business. The problem is just as many people on this blog overgeneralize and stereotype white people, so you have overgeneralized and stereotyped an entire class of people as well. Making mountains out of molehills is what people of many stripes do, regardless of what political ideology blows their skirt up. If they are in a hyper-sensitive mood about it, they will see confrontations everywhere, and it can happen to liberals as well as conservatives. Jerry Falwell on the subject of Tinky Winky's supposed gay pride ring a bell?
Its all just a ride says,
ReplyDeleteThe sad thing is, you're right to a certain degree, and thanks for finally dropping the obtuse vagueness and getting down to business.
I've said the same thing from the beginning and you have yet to signal whether the white people that overreacted had any particular belief system that caused the overreaction. You insinuated they may be "conservative," but this seems farfetched.
The problem is just as many people on this blog overgeneralize and stereotype white people, so you have overgeneralized and stereotyped an entire class of people as well. Making mountains out of molehills is what people of many stripes do, regardless of what political ideology blows their skirt up.
Why should I make necessary the habit of pointing out the obvious? Of course many different people make mountains out of molehills. Some even make molehills out of mountains. But only one kind of person has a belief system that necessitates the constant mountain/molehill situation. Those people are liberals. And being a liberal means you can imply the faculty at Princeton is actually conservative.
If they are in a hyper-sensitive mood about it, they will see confrontations everywhere, and it can happen to liberals as well as conservatives. Jerry Falwell on the subject of Tinky Winky's supposed gay pride ring a bell?
I think analogy is poor. Anyone with children and a renewed experience with children's television knows that the perpetual and progressive inclusion of homosexual habits, thoughts, stereotypes and innuendo in children's television is real. That is why Falwell's concern was legitimate.
In this case, procedure took precedent. Once the RA was informed of suspicious writing on a chalkboard, he/she followed liberal protocol which demands equality and non-discrimination in any and all incidents where a perception of a harassing environment is reported. Therefore, the notion of analyzing the situation first before any investigation is sought is thrown out the window and the investigation is sought regardless as ANY judgement prior to a full investigation is a violation of the equality and non-discrimination principles. The rest is just the domino effect.
"That is why Falwell's concern was legitimate."
ReplyDelete........seriously?
"But only one kind of person has a belief system that necessitates the constant mountain/molehill situation. Those people are liberals."
How so? What about a liberal worldview absolutely necessitates that in every situation the importance MUST be exaggerated to epic proportions?
Its all just a ride says,
ReplyDelete...seriously?
Well, if you can distinguish between whether the Tinky Winkys are homosexual propaganda and whether Falwell was merely bringing attention to the larger trend of bringing homoexual imagery to children's television then YES... Seriously!
How so? What about a liberal worldview absolutely necessitates that in every situation the importance MUST be exaggerated to epic proportions?
For example, many on this blog would say that the James Byrd murder was an act of murderous racist hate and then claim the Wichita Massacres to be incidents of botched robberies and then claim that rubbing a black man's bald head is racist disrepect.
Only a liberal can make these claims and still hold on to an internal logic that has an outward appearance of principle. Yet the principle, when it is not following the protocol, is to simply will one's own reality regardless of external truth. Again, this allows you to imply that this particular overreaction may be the work of a "conservative" faculty/administration at Princeton.
Again, in this instance liberal protocol took precedence. When the RA was informed of the harassing environment, he/she had only one option and it was to follow liberal protocol. The protocol's first principles in this case start with equality and nondiscrimination. That is why a full investigation is instantly mandated without a prejudgement of those who perceived the threatening environment.
Troglodyte, I mean, Thordaddy--you imply that the Witicha Massacre was a racist hate crime. If so, what's your evidence, other than the races of those involved?
ReplyDeleteAnd how is getting scared by Chinese phrases about white people on a chalkboard a "liberal" reaction? Simple overreaction, which you think liberals always do? If that's all you've got, your conception of liberals is straight-up bizarre.
Also, are you saying that a white man rubbing bald black men and black children on the head are not acts of racist disrespect? If so, what else could they be?
Macon D asks,
ReplyDeleteTroglodyte, I mean, Thordaddy--you imply that the Witicha Massacre was a racist hate crime. If so, what's your evidence, other than the races of those involved?
According to you, all that is needed is the perception of a hate crime. Therefore, I perceive a racist hate crime in Wichita and hence one occured.
And how is getting scared by Chinese phrases about white people on a chalkboard a "liberal" reaction? Simple overreaction, which you think liberals always do? If that's all you've got, your conception of liberals is straight-up bizarre.
Who got "scared?" You and your commentators say "white people" were scared, but how factual is this and how close to the real truth does it go? I say it is tactically all-inclusive so as to give cover to liberals who ARE REQUIRED to overreact in situations like this.
Also, are you saying that a white man rubbing bald black men and black children on the head are not acts of racist disrespect? If so, what else could they be?
I am saying that I've never rubbed a black man's head and never will. And you would, quite progressively, call me a racist for such a statement.
But maybe those that have done such a thing do it as a sign of friendship. Crazy thought in your world, I know...
According to you, all that is needed is the perception of a hate crime.
ReplyDeleteWhat? Where did I ever say that?
Who got "scared?" You and your commentators say "white people" were scared, but how factual is this and how close to the real truth does it go? I say it is tactically all-inclusive so as to give cover to liberals who ARE REQUIRED to overreact in situations like this.
I can't make sense out of what you're saying--who do you think are the dreaded "liberals" in this situation? Those who reacted to the words on the board by reporting them to authority figures, or those here who say that reporting them and considering them a threat was an overreaction?
I am saying that I've never rubbed a black man's head and never will. And you would, quite progressively, call me a racist for such a statement.
No, I wouldn't--why would I say that? You're ridiculously presumptuous.
Instead of running around condemning "liberals," why don't you ask for clarification? You clearly need it, often. And why must you construct a politicalized conception of someone, and then attribute everything they say to their political stance? Again, that's ridiculous behavior that serves no other purpose than for you to throw punches at your "liberal" shibboleth.
But maybe those that have done such a thing do it as a sign of friendship. Crazy thought in your world, I know...
No, Mr. Presumptuous, that's not a crazy thought "in my world," especially since I've seen white men do that to other white men. You need to read more carefully--look again at the footnote about Bush in the post you're talking about. Nevertheless, even though Bush does seem to practice a more general bald-head fetish (which he may well consider a "friendly" gesture), given the racist history in the American South, which includes a tradition of white adults rubbing black heads (especially those of children), and given GWB's long-term residence in Texas, he should realize the resonances of racism that emanate from such actions and stop them--whatever his "friendly" intentions may be when he does that. "Effects," Thordaddy, focus on effects, not "intentions." (As for Bush, I think he should also stop groping people in general, unless he asks permission first, which I doubt he ever does, given his general frat boy manner.)
I am a Black person studying Chinese. It took a moment for me to decipher because I am a novice, but surprise surprise - I can read it. I agree that it looks like the writing of a beginner. The calligraphy looks sort of like mine, that is non-Asian, without the elegance and visual balance of someone with YEARS of practice, you know, a REAL Asian? Wonder what was their point?
ReplyDelete"Wonder what was their point?"
ReplyDeleteThe thing that comes to my mind is that it's actually a good grammar lesson. In order to say "can do X" in Chinese you have to know whether or not the skill or action is considered a learned skill or just presenting ability based on condition. For example, drinking is considered a "learned skill" so to say "I can drink" in Chinese requires a different form than some other mundane activities. It also gives a good example of how word order differs form English, since if you literally translate the words it reads "white person see not can".
Macon D,
ReplyDeleteHave you not read the comments on this post?
It just pisses white folks off that somebody's telling them what they can't do, and in another language to boot.
it strikes me as very white to be upset about this.
do white people get that offended when it's pointed out that there are things they can't do?
I took this to mean that maybe the writer was trying to remind Asian folks that they can still write and speak Asian (did it say what language this is?) to get away from whiteness every now and again.
I believe it is more commentary about the ways in which whiteness demands to be included in every single sphere.
white people crying foul because they cannot understand something..
mind you, it's a big step from the norm of assimilate it or kill it...
What EXACTLY is IN your post that allows these pathetic generalizations to stand without so much of peep from you?
How are these generalizations EVEN RELEVANT to the incident?
Raphael Bloom, Tasnim Shamma, Roger Wang...
And then there are Carrie Carpenter, Matt Lauzen and Mindy Adino.
Are these "white people" who got "scared?" Are those that pushed forward this issue have a conservative or liberal worldview?
How come YOU don't want to get down to particulars?
You say,
Thordaddy, focus on effects, not "intentions."
But what you really mean is focus on the perceptions of the offended and not on the actions of the potential offender.
Yet, you apply a confusing standard in this case.
You want to minimize the effects, discard it as "white people" overreacting AND give credence to generalizations that tell us nothing in particular other than the particular prejudices some people have about "white people."
You attempt to downplay the "effects," even giving the impression of mocking the overreaction, while doing everything you can (like totally ignoring the gross generalizations of your commentators that TELL US ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT THE INCIDENT or WHO is overreacting and WHY) to give credence to the notion that this is a case of "white people" get up and arms over nothing.
Any mention of race in graffiti requires an investigation according to Princeton policy.
ReplyDeleteA comment that started with "Black people are..." or "Asian people are..." would have been investigated the same way.
I'm sorry, but there is no social commentary here.
Next story please...
What Thordaddy is trying to explain is that this brouhaha is not the fault of "whites" -- and you are exceedingly bigoted to say so.
ReplyDeleteIt's the fault of "liberals", who are the REAL racists because they ended Jim Crow.
aw, what was racist about ending Jim Crow? Are you saying we should still live in an Apartheid society? Almost everyone would consider THAT racist--why are you instead saying the opposite, that ending an Apartheid society was racist?
ReplyDeleteAasialaiset eivät näe tätä.
ReplyDeleteAasialaiset eivät osaa lukea tätä.
Aasialaiset eivät yämmärrä tätä.
=)
Hint: It's about Asians.
ReplyDeleteAasialaiset eivät näe tätä.
Aasialaiset eivät osaa lukea tätä.
Aasialaiset eivät yämmärrä tätä
that's just silly... I'm sure there are Asians in Finland :P
I meant... I'm sure there are Asian people who can read Finnish. Besides, there's always Google translater :D
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should have chosen a language that's harder to recognise ;)
I meant... I'm sure there are Asian people who can read Finnish. Besides, there's always Google translater :D
ReplyDeleteAnd there are whites who can read Chinese. So yeah, silly on the whole.
Perhaps you should have chosen a language that's harder to recognise ;)
That would require me to know such a language. Unfortunately I don't know any other obscure languages.
as someone who can actually read mandarin, I gotta say, the writer doesn't seem like a native speaker because the writing looks unpracticed.
ReplyDeleteI write like that...and my mandarin writing skills suck.
That said, the sentence is totally non-threatening. It just says "whites can't read this". Whoever became fearful is just.....overly fearful. Maybe he's afraid of his chinese illiteracy LOL.
by the way, white people will often tattoo "asian symbols" on themselves without actually knowing what the heck it is they're putting on themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe tattoo artist probably doesn't know any better him/herself. More likely than not, they just ripped a ton of asian script off the internet.
I once saw a white guy with the chinese character "foot" tattooed on his arm. And I once saw a woman with "slave" tattooed on her shoulder. Honestly, i started laughing because they probably thought they had something noble...like..."warrior" and "princess"