Churchill Road Elem in McLean posts racial slur

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there something specific about the Fu Manchu mustaches that is troubling or stereotypical? If so, could you explain? I'm just wondering why this is offensive, but it's OK for the girls in the picture to wear the Chinese clothing.

It's hard enough to get boys interested in some of these very feminized elementary schools as it is.

One reason why the Fu Manchu moustache is troubling is because it is associated with a particular stereotype of Asian people -- namely, the Asian villain. It emerged from the depiction of Dr. Fu Manchu in a British TV series and has since grown to indicate an evil, sinister, and untrustworthy Asian character in American media. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fu_Manchu_moustache.

But more generally, when you go out of your way to add or alter physical characteristics to "portray" a group of people, that is inherently offensive. We don't paint our kids in blackface for Black History Month or put Hitler moustaches on them when studying World War II.

This string is making a big deal about nothing. First, you can't see anything in the pictures. Second, I doubt these kids would make any connect (much less adults) with Fu Manchu. Another example of over reacting.

[Anonymous]

I'll be sure to tell my Chinese-American co-worker who sports a Fu Manchu that he is being un-PC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I find it possible that these kids, the teachers and parents involved were inspired by Chinese Emperors such as Kangxi or Shih-Huang-Ti sporting mustaches in historical Chinese paintings. Many early emperors sport mustaches (and some beards) which are somewhat similar to the Fu Manchu mustache. Even many of the Terracotta Warriors now on display at the National Geographic Museum sport mustaches. Should we edit those? The prevalence of mustaches in the art was probably the inspiration for the mustache that the Fu Manchu character had in the movie. Historically it was more a symbol of being a man of age and wisdom.

Exactly. This is a prime example of a little knowledge being more hurtful than either ignorance or complete expertise.
Chinese history over multiple centuries is culturally immensely more important than a few years' worth of silly american portrayal of (chinese) foreigners in movies.
The problem for a thankfully small group of americans is that they only know about themselves and imagine the world revolves around what the US does.

[Anonymous]

Not only is it important to know more of the history in order to realize that there is more to a style of mustache than Fu Manchu, but a mustache is different from blackface or from slanted-eye gestures in another significant way. A mustache is something that a man of nearly any nationality or race can grow when he is of age. The color of one's skin or the shape of one's eyes is something one is born with. A man, whether he be black, white, hispanic, or Asian, can choose to grow a mustache.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I find it possible that these kids, the teachers and parents involved were inspired by Chinese Emperors such as Kangxi or Shih-Huang-Ti sporting mustaches in historical Chinese paintings. Many early emperors sport mustaches (and some beards) which are somewhat similar to the Fu Manchu mustache. Even many of the Terracotta Warriors now on display at the National Geographic Museum sport mustaches. Should we edit those? The prevalence of mustaches in the art was probably the inspiration for the mustache that the Fu Manchu character had in the movie. Historically it was more a symbol of being a man of age and wisdom.

Exactly. This is a prime example of a little knowledge being more hurtful than either ignorance or complete expertise.
Chinese history over multiple centuries is culturally immensely more important than a few years' worth of silly american portrayal of (chinese) foreigners in movies.
The problem for a thankfully small group of americans is that they only know about themselves and imagine the world revolves around what the US does.

Asian mom here. Born in Asia, part Chinese, and proud to be raised in the U.S. Couple of favorite Hollywood portrayals of Chinese characters come to mind: Charlie Chan (Beloved TV detective); Master Po (Kung Fu TV series-wise mentor to Grasshopper Carradine). OP should not presume to speak for all Asians, many of whom probably spend very little time thinking about such things, or getting upset over any perceived or misperceived racial sleight. And it is clear that the Churchill Road students and faculty were sincerely interested in just learning an Asian culture -- good heavens, how anyone can look at those darling faces in that school photo and think "racists" is beyond me! P.S. Both my older brothers (in their fifties) proudly sport Charlie Chan mustaches.