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Negative stereotype of Asians in Daily Tar Heel

5 comments
November 11, 2009
Letter to the Editor

TO THE EDITOR:

On the second page of Wednesday’s Daily Tar Heel (Nov. 11) paper, the Daily Dose contained an article titled “Woman finally passes driver’s test.” This article talks about how a South Korean woman has just passed the written exam portion of the driver’s test after her 950th try.

Although this piece was somewhat humorous, newsworthy and entertaining, it also works to confirm the negative stereotypes.

Was the fact that the woman is South Korean really so important that it had to be explicitly stated? The article would not have even mentioned the woman’s race had she been white. If her race was really that important, people could have figured it upon reading her last name.

This is just like the way that news stations use the black male when talking about violence and/or acts of crime. It is like linking all Republicans with racists or white supremacy groups.

Negative stereotypes are enforced through articles like this one. I am sure that the person who wrote the article did not mean for it to sound like this, but we all need to be more careful about how we portray and receive people.

Ebony S. Montgomery
Sophomore
Communication Studies

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Correct me if I'm wrong...

Submitted by jim jimson on November 12, 2009 - 23:52.

Correct me if I'm wrong... but "South Korean" means that the woman is from South Korea. Her so-called "race" would be "Korean", since there is no "racial" difference between a native North Korean and a native South Korean. Many North Koreans have relatives living in South Korea and vice versa. If anything, this letter simply points out your own racism by saying "people could have figured it (her "race") upon reading her last name." And if there's any negative stereotype being portrayed in the article about the woman (68 years old), it's the idea that OLD PEOPLE are bad drivers. You're a "sophomore," so I forgive your inability to recognize that what you said in your letter sounds racist.

How is a person with a name

Submitted by Mmmhmm2012 on November 12, 2009 - 13:19.

How is a person with a name like EBONY going to “pull the race card” for someone that is not of her own race. No, she is merely standing up for a race that like all races, deserve not to be discriminated against. And it is a form of discrimination, it’s called indirect discrimination. People who have never been discriminated against don’t normally recognize it. As an Asian, I was offended

The article also never said

Submitted by Mmmhmm2012 on November 12, 2009 - 13:29.

The article also never said that she was from South Korea. It said that she is South Korean. Big difference when arguing how it plays a role in discrimination. The article should have plainly said that she was from South Korea and that all of this took place in South Korea. It was misleading.

Seriously? You're gonna pull

Submitted by jcsoccer12 on November 12, 2009 - 03:33.

Seriously? You're gonna pull the race card on this? The woman was from SOUTH KOREA. She passed the driver's test in SOUTH KOREA. Mentioning that she is from South Korea does not confirm negative stereotypes, it tells you where the story is happening, to give some context. Go pull the race card where there's actual racism and stereotyping involved.

whatever. it's true

Submitted by uncjr on November 11, 2009 - 23:33.

whatever. it's true