This is the second part of my responses to the thirty-six points made in the
Open Letter to Japanese People from Black Men. This post will address the remaining issues starting at issue thirteen. If you would like to read my responses to issues one to twelve, you can find them at
this link.
13. I've gotten this sometimes. I've even had a microphone shoved in my face when the rap portion of a song came on at a KTV in China. If I wanted to be a smartass (or knew that the person was joking), I'd simply ask them if they can perform martial arts or some other Asian stereotype. However, if you can rap, by all means take full advantage of it.
14.See above.
15. Personally, I'm not the best dancer, but I can move freely to the beat of music, which must have been very impressive in the Xi'an clubs where most people were only swaying or doing a kind of line dance over and over and over. I do not mind getting accolades, free drinks, and female companionship over doing some basic moves at all.
16. Being fetishized is a problem if you are seeking a serious relationship, but if my Black skin and stereotypes that come with it make women fetishize me and want me for one night, I won't complain. Also, if the fetish can be used to one's advantage (getting hired for a job, modeling, getting laid, etc.), then I can see how it can be an issue, but it is something that should be utilized for its benefits.
17. You are correct. Just as Japan isn't all anime, samurai, and video games, Black people are not all rappers, basketball players, and so forth. It is on us to show this to the world though, and on us in some cases not to pigeonhole ourselves.
18. I agree with this. I'd be a liar if I said that I have never used the word "nigga", but it is a word that I prefer not to be used. If one insists on saying it, then I'd turn around and call them their respective racial slur as a "term of endearment". As a side note, it is going to be hard to stop the Chinese from using the word though; every other word out of a Chinese person's mouth is "那个".
19. This is true. In all honesty, it works both ways. There are Taiwanese people that I've met in Mainland, Mainlanders that I've met in Taiwan, Japanese that I've met in Hong Kong, Koreans that I've met in Japan, and so on.
20. I agree. There are a few Asian women that have a thing for Black men, and they often complain about not having a big enough butt, and one that I know that keeps eating and gets fatter and fatter since Black men like big butts in her idea (either that or she's just a lazy fat chick and goes for Black men since Black men do seem to be quicker to go for fat chicks, are low-standing, etc.). Unfortunately, many Black men seem to chastise me for liking Northeast Asian women since "they ain't got no azz mayne". If they only knew. As I've stated many times before, I prefer slim, petite Asian women with "refined curves", as can be found en masse in southern China and Taiwan. Proportions and face matter too, not just sheer size and not just the rump.
21. I agree with this, but once again, we are going to have to have more control over our image (and maybe even the image of others as they have done to us for years).
22. Agreed.
23. I don't think that Asians assume that all Black people are heterosexual. The gay agenda and Western media seem to be pushing homosexuality more on Black people than any other group, and Asians, along with the rest of the world, take this in. I have heard numerous stories of Black men not having the time of day with Asian women, but getting hit on by dudes. I disagree with this one; it would be great if strong, heterosexual male imagery were projected of Black men worldwide.
24. This goes along with number 23 and number 20, to a degree. I for one enjoy sex, and I am not ashamed to do so. However, I am not hypersexual to the point where I'll bang the ugly chicks, fat chicks, or bang anything to the point that I'd do gay shit. I enjoy sex, but I have standards and I'm only into women. Also, given how much sex goes on in Asia between super-duper White guys, local Asians, and so on, I see no problem with Black men getting ours too.
25. I agree.
26. I agree.
27. This has never happened to me, but it wouldn't be appreciated. That's pretty gay if you ask me.
28. Sadly, not all Black men have big ones (not to say that I'm Mandingo).
29. I personally do not mind dating girls that just want to try something new, but I just wouldn't take the relationship so seriously. A relationship cannot strive on a fetish or on novelty alone, but a few hours of physical lust can be enjoyed with these things as a basis. It can work both ways too.
30. This is true.
31 & 32. Right, not all Black people use these slang terms or listen to certain genres of music, for that matter. Once again, we are going to have to have control of our image so as not to be pigeonholed.
33. This is correct, just as not all Asians look alike, contrary to the beliefs of some.
34. That is correct. Most Asians and non-Blacks that dress up in urban styles these days don't seem to want to connect with Black people though, but just want to enjoy the fashion. Also, a Black person can spend decades in a country, learn the language, and they will still be a foreigner (
gaijin or
laowai) on top of being Black (
kokujin or
heiren), with the pros and cons that come with it, of course. I'll let Paul Mooney do the talking here:
35. Yes, I agree with this. Maybe we ought to do the same in retribution when they are on our turf?
36. I can see how this can be upsetting, especially on a bad day, but it can be used to one's advantage. I don't mind being referred to and treated as a cream-filled chocolate by some of the local ladies, if you catch my drift.
At the end of the day, these letters and what not don't mean diddly unless we have the power to either offer the Japanese (and other Asians and non-Blacks) incentives to modifying their behavior towards us, or punishments for not doing so. Unfortunately, we cannot realistically say that we can do much from the perspective of Black foreigners living in Asia at this time. It is great that this information is out there, although as you can see, I do have quite a few disagreements from the perspective of an unashamedly heterosexual and somewhat Machiavellian Black man.