116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Home / Opinion / Staff Columnists
The definition of racism is changing
It is getting hard to keep up!
David Chung
Jun. 4, 2023 6:00 am, Updated: Jun. 22, 2023 11:08 am
I grew up in Iowa, but my mother is from Guam, so she is CHamoru (yes, it's spelled correctly). My father is from Jamaica, and he is African/Chinese. I think the politically correct term for what I am is Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC). To most people I look white-ish but, I have been the victim of subtle and not so subtle racism.
This year, my wife and I celebrated out 40th wedding anniversary. She also grew up in Iowa, but her background is German on both sides of the family, so she is clearly white. Thirty-nine years ago, we had just moved into an apartment when we discovered that one of our neighbors didn't like us because we were a mixed marriage.
I lived for a year in Wichita, Kansas. Most people there thought I was Mexican or Native American. One afternoon, while driving with my family, I was stopped for no reason other than driving while brown.
Since I have a Chinese last name and degrees in mathematics and computer science, I am concerned that potential employers might think I don't speak English very well. So, my résumé says that I am a Native English Speaker and a U.S. Citizen. I also emphasize I won a scholarship to compete on the university speech team.
The definition of racism has broadened in recent times. We now must contend with microaggressions, cultural appropriation, digital blackface and more.
It is considered a microaggression to ask someone of Filipino descent if there is any place in town to get Lechon Paksiw (a Filipino dish made with pork belly and a sweet sauce). Of course, every Filipino does not automatically know every Filipino restaurant in town, but who else would you ask? Growing up my family really didn't eat much Jamaican food. Of course, we ate rice and peas (Americans call it rice and beans) but we didn't use curries or jerk seasoning in our meals.
So, would I be offended if you ask me to recommend a Jamaican restaurant — no? Who better than a Jamaican to give an opinion on something that is unique to Jamaican culture. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have had to say that I did not. If you ask me today, I will tell you that it is Caribbean Kitchen in NewBo. Tell Patrick that I sent you and make sure you try the oxtail stew if it is on the specials board!
Cultural appropriation is adopting aspects of another culture, especially by people from the dominant or majority culture. Some years ago, my wife and I vacationed on the French Riviera. We loved the colors, the pastel oranges and blues, that we saw everywhere. When we returned, we did exactly what the guidebooks said not to do! We painted our walls in those colors. I am afraid that I might have unknowingly been guilty of cultural appropriation. I didn't really study why so many buildings were painted that way nor did I understand the cultural significance. I simply took advantage of my privilege, went to the paint store bought the paint.
The most recent form of racism that I have seen called out in media is digital blackface. Simply put, digital blackface is when white people post memes of Black people. One of the most common of these memes is Michael Jackson eating popcorn in a theater (from the Thriller music video). It is often used to express one's desire to sit back and watch the drama unfold. Apparently if you are white and you have shared this meme you are racist.
What about another popular meme, the 'cat meme.' You know the one, it shows a white woman screaming and pointing and in the other frame a cat (also white) sitting in front of some broccoli or asparagus. Don't worry, you can use this meme even if you are Black because you are not part of the privileged class in American society. In other words, only white people can be racist.
Given the expanded definition of racism and how easy it is to be perceived as racist it is no wonder that our country is becoming more and more divided.
So, as a BIPOC and in the interest of racial harmony, I want to say that it's OK to ask me about the best CHamoru restaurant in town — sadly, there isn't one. You have my permission to listen to Bob Marly and feel free to you use the Michael Jackson meme on my social media.
David Chung is a Gazette editorial fellow. David.Chung@thegazette.com
Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com