Saturday, 24 December 2011

The irony of racism

The irony of racism

Posted by theonlinecitizen on December 20, 201181 Comments
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By: He Ruiming
“Fucking Asian!”
The words, filled with disgust, spat from his mouth as he walked past. Who? Me? I looked around to see who the poor sod that was the victim of verbal  abuse. The only soul in sight was a single sprightly old lady, hobbling along, carrying a bag of groceries. Alas, she was not Asian.
Yes, me.
It was a rapid chemical reaction. Bewilderment turned into shock, then fear, then anger. Why I was so angry I couldn’t grasp. I was warned about this. My friends that  had been here for a while had already told me, “Hey man, when you start to go  further from the city, theangmohs (Caucasians) might start getting a little racist.”
A million thoughts ran through my mind. Should I defend my ethnicity? And if yes, how?
Physical confrontation was out of the question – I was one of those rare Chinese kids that did not know kungfu. What about saying something smart in response?  Yeah, I could do that. I hesitated, knowing that I only I had to make it count. I raised my fist, flipped out the longest of my digits… and then I stopped.
The situation was saturated in irony. Back in Singapore, where my kind thronged the streets and ruled the malls with our sheer numbers, this would never happen. Not to me. Never. It was a different story for our dark-skinned countrymen, though. The Indians. And the Bangladeshi construction workers that came over to make a living.
Despite their significant cultural differences, many Singaporeans often chose to ignore them, lumping both into a category labelled “Ah-pu-neh-neh.” The term has no inherent meaning – maybe it is meant to be a twisted parody of their spoken language.
Perhaps it was their dark skin that stood out too much, or their distinct accent. Maybe it was the fact that their spicy diets cultivated a distinct odour that many were uncomfortable with.
Whatever it was, they paid a price for their differences.
On public transport, I witnessed people use the international hand gestures for olfactory discomfort (wrist waving, in front of your nose) to signal their arrival. We avoided sitting next to them in buses and trains. There was also a plethora of jokes in circulation; mostly about how their dark brown skin was close to the shade of faeces.
One of them goes like this: What do you call an ah-pu-neh-neh in church? Answer: Holy shit.
Perhaps it was drilled into us since young. There was no bogey-man in Singapore, only scheming ah-pu-neh-neh, relentless in their pursuit to capture, disembowel and cook lost children for dinner with – you guessed it – curry.
Sure, it wasn’t outward aggression (like what I was faced with). Nobody screamed, “go back home!” or “fucking ah-pu-neh-neh!” One could dismiss them as harmless jokes, and resort to the usual defence: “I’m not racist. Some of my very good friends are Indians.”
Yet, distilled to its most empirical form, it was still racism, the same animal, just a different subspecies.
I know this not because I am a keen observer of social behaviour, or an exceptional telepath. I know this because I am guilty of such prejudice on occasion, more times than I am proud of.
But now, I was the minority. After years of remaining dormant, karma had struck. Now I knew what it felt like to be the proverbial sore thumb. In this land, 3,764 miles away from my own, I was the ah-pu-neh-neh.
The important question was: did I deserve the right of defending myself after all the times I laughed at racist jokes? Should one accept racism as a fact of life; an inevitable fate that befalls all minorities? After all, the ah-pu-neh-nehs never told us off for our gross breaches of conduct.
Which is why we never stopped it.
Sure, our government nags about the importance about race sensitivities. There is minority representation on television dramas and a channel for each ethnic group. Textbooks and public broadcast messages feature members of major ethnic groups living together in perfect harmony; their children playing together, holding hands, falling in love.
All these efforts just to ensure that one group of people doesn’t marginalise another. There is, however, nothing like having someone personally tell you how disgruntled they feel, in your face. If every Indian chided me for every time I made an offensive joke, instead of laughing along with me, I might have stopped thinking they were funny. If every Bangladeshi worker spat in our faces every time the international gesture of olfactory discomfort was made, it would most likely be obsolete.
Time to take a stand. For myself. (And the ah-pu-neh-nehs, in some ironic sort of way.)
“Go to hell, bogan*!”
The words spilled out of my mouth before I realised it.
Oops.
*Australian equivalent of white trash
–
The author is a freelance writer currently studying at the University of Melbourne.

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81 Responses to “The irony of racism”

  1. Freedom the singapore way21 December 2011
    Go back to basic folks, demand for your fundamental rights, rights to free speech, rights for peaceful assembly and protest. ‘Ah nehs’ aren’t going to tell you I’m offended when everyone has the basic rights these things are easier to deal with.
    Racism exists in the world, discrimination exists in the world but freedom of speaking your mind and supports from the like minded people do exist in many part of the world. When you don’t have the basic everything is cluttered like what the writer wants to ‘Ah nehs to tell..hey this isn’t funny’.
    In a free world where racism and discrimination exists minorities have various avenues to reach out to fellow minorities as well as the majorities. In a do no evil, see no evil world even if one ‘Ah neh’ tells you I’m offended hardly that changes things isn’t it? Think about it.
    ** As the saying goes, you can’t go to university without going to high school, everything so strongly related to basics.

  2. Racism = xenophobia21 December 2011
    @pbum2
    Not sure what self determination or the size of my home has to do with this discussion but may be in your own twisted world you see that.
    Everyone has the right to tell someone to buzz off. When that judgement is not done on merits but because of someone’s race or nationality it is called racism or xenophobia….
    Maybe buy a dictionary and check out these 2 words?

  3. desmond21 December 2011
    @ pbum1
    on the issue of malay muslims rejecting malay ex-muslims, i don’t think it’s technically racism. but it could well be prejudice based on religious grounds; hence maybe can be described as religious bigotry (?). i don’t think this problem is limited to only malays or muslims. arab shiites v arab sunnis? white catholics v white protestants? chinese christians v chinese buddhists? indian muslims v indian hindus? even atheists v non-atheists? now that i think about it, there’s so much conflict among the human race in every part of the world. however i would like to qualify this by saying only SOME, but not all, of the members of the groups above exhibit bigotry against other religions.

  4. yayah21 December 2011
    they want to compare with HK, where the populace can and will protest when they feel the issues are there and that the relevant parties not taking the right track for the sake of the population..
    Sg cannot compare

  5. NativeFiction21 December 2011
    well, ‘whose’ right to ‘self-determination’ is it?
    notions of ethnic, racial and national identity are, by definition, artificial social constructs even if they seem to be validated by the ‘reality’ of the quotidian.
    probe at the seams, edges and margins of these fictional constructs and you’ll easily see how complex, contradictory and self-serving these categories are (and how they are used politically for various ends). folks who view the world through the unthinking, overly-simplistic lens of a racist, ethnocentric or nationalist discourse…well, one can only pity them for going through life with such an impoverished, limiting and small-minded perspective, instead of focusing on making the world a better place. oh well, what do i care?

  6. agongkia21 December 2011
    @desmond
    john soh who posted his comment just after yours gave examples which i agree with: job wanted ads only want mandarin speakers, SAP schools etc.
    …………………….
    How you can agree on that?
    So if you are an employer who needs to recruit mandarin speaking staff to service the mandarin speaking sector,do you place an ad without telling the applicants on this requirement?
    Is this fair for the applicants to travel all the way,spent their time and bus fare and found themselves rejected without knowing the reason?
    Ad does not mention they require certain race,but the ability to speak certain languages.You can be of another race but the requirement is that you need know how to communicate with client in their languages.
    This is another eg of one being sensitive.
    And dun be sensitive if one’s daughter marrying someone of another race.Not everyone can have such opportunity and one should not be jealous on that.
    Love is colour blind.Nothing wrong with that.I haven’t got angmo name but I oso want marry angmo.

  7. Paul21 December 2011
    I strongly believe that we should help those employers who want only Mandarin speaking staff. We should tell their potential clients that they are not interested in Malay or Tamil or French speaking customers. Those customers should seek other providers and allow these companies to focus on the Mandarin speaking clientele that they want. That is only helpful

  8. Acting actor minstre of acting21 December 2011
    True smart racists do not reveal their identity. People think they are not racist.
    My manager was a cunning smart evil man.
    His company is full of foreigners of his type. One day, his company had no choice but to hire at least 1 citizen. So he hired me.
    After that he used all sorts of ways to push u out but in a cunning way such that he cannot be blamed.
    His objective: show citizen did not want the job so that he can justify hiring his own type.
    If citizens are shown able do the job , their Job Security diminishes and the myth that only they can do they job would then be busted.
    Foreigners know what is going on. Levies raised, citizens not only hurt but pissed.
    Many have refused citizenship and insist not to integrate. Now, it appears to me many of these long timers on long term pass feel someone owes them a living.
    Some have been more careful than ever to cover their reputation. Recently my citizen colleague, competent in his job left after 1 year. Some feel he was pushed. His mgr ever told him in front of me i am there to replace him.
    The chief and his clan make sure they take care their own interest. The more they can show they better, the higher demand for them, and helping mnc hirer more cheaper or justify their hiring pattern.
    Citizens are not as united by nurture and culture.

  9. Uyowafap21 December 2011
    I’m a little surprised that TOC would see fit to publish this rather poor excuse for a JC1 GP essay. How convenient that in your pathetic sheltered Chinese world Ruiming, brown folks need to tell you about the abuse they suffer, because you’ve never seen it. Really….try a little harder than that little boy. This approach is a wee disingenuous mate. You and the rest of your kind are well aware, but you never bothered to act, because it never affected you. Moral courage is a rather rare commodity in Singapore. You have always known, it is only now when you are being disenfranchised by your own kind (PRC) that we Ah Nehs are suddenly your Singaporean brothers. My heart melts from the warmth of your concern..brother.
    My point, as an Indian Singaporean living and working in Australia, is this, for every racist bogan here there are at least five, maybe ten, honest and good white people who will stand up for you. They will openly do the right thing and they will stand up to racists. In all my 35 years in Singapore, no Chinese ever stood up for me when a fellow Chinese was racist to me. They chose to look away, or laugh it away. So many white people have stood up for me against racists here. Yes, there are racists here, but I must say, I much prefer the racist who bears his fangs in the open to the one who hides in the shadows in Singapore, while preaching all this ‘tolerance’ and ‘harmony’.
    I think we all know how this little anecdote in the streets of Melbourne really ended don’t we? Mate, just be a good Singaporean, tuck your head in, and pretend you heard nothing. Keep walkin’ mate. No worries.

  10. To Uyowafap21 December 2011
    Dear ex-citizen,
    I am a chinese singaporean and like to say that I fully understand you.
    I admit, before the influx nightmare got unleashed on citizens, some chinese felt they were more superior. Me included.
    As i grew up, I learnt and become more able to think and analyse.
    Especially in the last 10 years, I have learnt that we should have been more united as 1 people.
    Singapore, in my view , has never been a truely united people. Malays, Chinese, Indians and ‘Others’ were separate.
    This broke up a small city into many small pieces of a small city.
    In my office, a Chinese citizen GM is trying to find excuse to get rid of his own citizens. He favors foreigners.
    The less citizens, the more he becomes important.
    Lets say at least 10% must be citizens. Then the lesser citizens left, they more secured he becomes.
    So, office politics wise is to get rid of citizens.
    some Singaporeans may be united but most are not, based on my over 40 years of assessment.
    This is why we have terms like
    1. Ugly Singaporean
    2. Mr Kia Su
    3. Kia Si , Kia Sai , Kia C H (see, i so scared, I dare not type it out)
    If there is war, sorry to say this, we dont stand a chance.
    thank your lucky stars Malaysia is nice to us.

  11. To Uyowafap21 December 2011
    Now, after the effect of Influx has reached Plateau, whenever I see a Malay or Indian fellow citizen, I would feel closer to them and regret the way we were treating each other.
    We Divided ourselves while an ‘Invasion’ was occuring in our face.
    We were Divided and now Conquered left right and center.
    A laughing stock to some foreigners.

  12. blacktryst22 December 2011
    Yes, it is one reason why I avoided going to Australia to study. I have heard its horror stories. Not to say Australia is the only country to do that. Almost every country has its fair share of racial discrimination, from Israeli treatment of Palestinians to our Singaporean Chinese handling of Indians and Malays. It is all racial discrimination in some form or another. Fact is, whether we choose to like them or not, we still live with them, they are our neighbours, our colleagues, our friends and we should treat them all with the same kind of respect you expect them to treat you with.

  13. John22 December 2011
    Timely piece. Yet, I wonder if what the author wrote about kungfu is representative; I have always thought knowing kungfu was the exception, not the norm for Singaporeans of Chinese descent. Unless, of course, he is referring to the Mainland Chinese diaspora Down Under which I do not know much about.

  14. pbum222 December 2011
    @blacktryst,
    what about muslims treatment of ex-muslims and non muslims of the same race either in islamic countries or singapore. should palestine harbours and sends terrorists into singapore, you will be the first to treat them like enemy of the singapore ummah.

  15. joserizal22 December 2011
    Minorities can never be racist towards majority. Minorities are always the victims of racism and majority will always be the perpetrators.
    The only time minority can be the perpetrator is when they are the ruling power.

  16. 3rd Gen S'porean22 December 2011
    I am a Singaporean of Persian decent.I feel the Racism in Singapore was inherent in the older generation, i.e those born in the 1930s to 1940s ( for most Singaporeans when their grandparent migrated here). But in my opinion not so much now.
    I have had 3 Chinese girlfriends. My best friend is Chinese and I’ve had Chinese Ah beng’s ( The gangster type dudes that hang around void decks) come to my aid, when an ang moh was racist towards me. The racism I encounter in Singapore tend to be from the older generation, my grandparents and even my Girlfriend’s grandparents but not so from our generation.
    @Angel,
    I have lived in London, Dubai and now Scotland. You’ll find that the Indians and Chinese and even the Pinoys in all those countries will discriminate even if you are of the same decent as them but not from their country.
    Singapore has got to stop sub-grouping individuals into the ’4 Races’ (I was listed as Others but at NS regrouped as Indian). As far as I am concerned Indian is a nationality describing someone from the country India. I am SINGAPOREAN.

  17. Office adultery22 December 2011
    Blacktryst,
    You are being unfair and closed minded.
    Indian ft go lunch with indians.
    Are they integrating to sg culture?
    Are they even integrating to sg indian culture ?
    Many have been here 10 , 20 years but have never really integrated. I do not believe they want to be citizen. Its purely for earning money. Their plan is like some elites we know, waiting for retirement and then exit.
    So, you are completely debunked as what u say is the pro ft things. You omitted the bad news
    Are u not a mole? Troll?

  18. Iron ronny22 December 2011
    In my office IT consultants are mainly indians.
    Not surprising becos its singapore.
    Some of them could have taken for granted after earning money here for loong time and mistakenly assume we owe them a living?
    I ask because i am a minority it consultant. I get a feeling they feel superior to us or assume sg cannot survive wo them?

  19. Naedyn23 December 2011
    I’m guilty to say that I secretly felt happy, for a little while, when i saw an Asian overseas being treated the way I was treated as a minority in Singapore. Then I felt bad. Also you’ll find most Asians overseas keep to themselves, they usually don’t cause trouble at all.

  20. This Article Needs Be More sensitive23 December 2011
    I find this article OK overall, but the references to Indian’s physical features and color is not appropriate. If I’m an Indian,I will be offended. As a chinese, I squirmed when reading these references. Lets use example carefully and not make a point at the expense of others.

  21. pbum223 December 2011
    @joserizal,
    in order word, the malays are racists when they cross into malaysia. but will that fact change anything about them being racist regardless of whether they are in the minority or majority?
    henceforth, the chinese and indians cannot be racist because they are a minority in a sea of green. is that a valid conclusion.

  22. pbum223 December 2011
    @This Article Needs Be More sensitive,
    if we are any more sensitive we would all be “already famous”? we need not be thin skinned otherwise life put you on the defensive all the time. life becomes an “internal struggle” for you.
    is she a racist for spoofing accents? what if a malay had done that? is he a racist for being factual.

  23. mtsy23 December 2011
    @Uyowafap
    CTFO aite? Lay off. You’re just pissed the example used for racism in Singapore is Indians and not say, Caucasians. Don’t need to get all sensitive.
    Btw, this IS a well written article. It is so obvious your sentence: “I’m a little surprised that TOC would see fit to publish this rather poor excuse for a JC1 GP essay.” is cause your ire is clouding your judgement of what is good writing and what isn’t.
    Also honey, if somehow you were trying to give constructive criticism, there’s a thin line between that and being a douche. Just saying.

  24. eaglefly24 December 2011
    any body not born here i would say,
    “GO HOME”
    am i racist ??

  25. kukujumuku24 December 2011
    There is a line beyond which most of us do not cross.
    =========
    Hey that line was crossed many moons ago, go ask the LTTE,
    because of them, the arabs have taken that ROUTE, for the liberation of palestine….and religion justify it.
    THE LINE BETWEEN HUMANITY AND EVIL !!!
    GO ASK THE SRI LANKANS,,,,,,,,,,

  26. oms24 December 2011
    No wrong being a racist and rich, provided that you are capable to provide.
    A Malay help the malay, the indian help the indian, the chinese sabotage among themselves…damed ambitious.

  27. Don't be Fooled. Everthing can be Twist neh.24 December 2011
    We must not be fooled to think that we are racist to them because they also do not want to integrate with us. They like to mix with their own kind only and won’t convert to citizen even benefiting from the system for years, even decades.

  28. Emy Lomazzo24 December 2011
    This article is quite ok . .
    Let me share with a good article.
    The Misconceptions & Myths About Malays In Singapore

  29. JustAPoint24 December 2011
    “Maybe it was the fact that their spicy diets cultivated a distinct odour that many were uncomfortable with” – *fact*? Hm… I know Ruiming’s trying to be fair here and he probably didn’t mean for that line to be offensive, but since when has it been a fact that eating spicy food makes you smell bad? It’s the same as saying that Chinese people smell “piggish” cos they eat lots of pork.

  30. JustAPoint24 December 2011
    That being said, this was a wonderful article… very well written! :)

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