I’m really sorry that happened to you. I am Asian-American and hear similarly unwanted comments all the time in France, where I live. Mostly “ni hao” which seems innocuous but it’s still racist because I’m not Chinese, people simply assume I am. When I am in a group and feel safe, I always respond aggressively. I…

It’s been happening for a long time :( It’s just getting coverage now. A young black Muslim man, Adama Traouré, was recently taken into police custody. Hours later he was dead. They wouldn’t even let his family see the body at first. I think two or three autopsies were done, which finally proved that the police lied…

Seriously, I don’t know why these mayors associate the burkini with ISIS, because a garment that gets women out of the house, into a public space purely to enjoy herself and exercise and have fun, doesn’t seem like something ISIS would encourage...

But was he smashing him around? In the video, he stands in front of him to protect him from the screaming. Then he holds his hand. He drags him by the leg after that but I think that was his way of moving him to a safer spot. I read that gorillas raised in captivity never hurt humans. He is 400 lbs and if he wanted to…

What?! Tell us more!

I’m glad they featured John Cho and Greta Lee, but you would think that these attempts to be more inclusive would make the writers more sensitive to the fact that Japanese tourist + broken English + sex jokes is NOT okay today. It wasn’t just language, it was her standing in a towel and yelling “Wet! So wet!” Asian…

Can we take a second to talk about how the last time Asians were prominently featured in an American blockbuster was Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s Sisters? And how the incredible Asian-American actress Greta Lee (she is hilarious in Inside Amy Schumer) was forced to speak with an accent. How she was a nail salonist…

Yeah, white people complain that no one will be able to relate to the story of Asian Americans. Oh yeah? I’ve grown up my entire life relating to nothing except white people’s stories and narratives, from Barbie to Little Women to Nancy Drew to Judy Blume’s characters to on and on. If I can do it, so can they! Why do…

Sigh, then New Girl had to cast Ally Maki as a stereotypical oversexed Japanese tourist who keeps making sex jokes (in her broken English btw!) without even knowing it. So like, her poor English was the butt of the joke... three times throughout the episode.

You should check out WongFuProductions! They create short films and sketches on Youtube (and one feature film) that feature a predominantly Asian cast. When they realized no one in Hollywood was casting them, they took matters into their own hands! People who think it’s weird to see an all Asian romcom should watch…

Since you’re super into contemporary Asian American literature & poetry, you must know Celeste Ng and Jenny Zhang.

Yes, in America free speech means you can write or say whatever you want and you won’t be thrown in jail for it. But this isn’t about the limits of free speech. Trillin wrote a bad, poorly thought out poem. People want him to apologize. He doesn’t want to. That’s what it comes down to. A couple other commenters up top…

Thank you! You said it perfectly.

Eastcoastfarmer, I’ve been replying a lot to you. Now I’m actually curious. What’s your stake in this? Why must, in your opinion, Trillin’s poem be defended? Why am I not allowed to dislike a piece of writing - something that is inherently subjective and that we can’t all agree on?

Your argument: “Black people should stop complaining about racism in America. You have Obama! And Beyonce! And Will Smith! Kobe Bryant! That’s like, 4 people! For god’s sake, can’t you just be happy with what you have? We give you some and now you want more, more, more. There can’t be a race problem in America because…

Your comment is dripping with condescension and also, seems very agitated and illogical? “Okay, we’ll explain it again”? I don’t know if you’re mansplaining or whitesplaining to me, but it’s not appreciated. “Now, go take your naps. Or practice being real.” This doesn’t make sense. Am I baby? Am I a spambot learning…

I don’t have to “get” anything. I dislike the poem and a vast majority of the Asian American population dislikes the poem. If a white supremacist wrote what they believed was a very personal poem about lynching a black man, is the entire black community supposed to not have a “gut emotional reaction” because “they…

The Oscars apologized about the Asian jokes, why can’t Trillin?

Good thing I’m not writing a paper for you then. Good thing I’m writing a comment on the Internet... where people tend to get emotional.

That’s the thing; he is defending his position. He wants to be above criticism. But like you said, I’m allowed to complain about it.