By Jamilah Bellinger
Back in September, SNL announced their newest cast including Bowen Yang as their first Asian American member. At this same time SNL also hired Shane Gillis a “comedian” that thanks to Twitter user Seth Simons, was exposed for mocking Asian accents and using the slur ch*nk, in an episode of his podcast back in 2018. Gillis even called the democratic candidate, Andrew Yang, a “Jew ch*nk.” Due to the backlash, SNL swiftly fired Gillis after his failed attempt at salvaging his “career” through a non-apology.
Amid all this, Andrew Yang stated in a Twitter thread that he forgave Gillis and that he shouldn’t be fired, claiming society has a problem with being too punitive to people with opposing or offensive viewpoints. Within his kumbaya attitude, he also asserted that had Gillis used the n-word, “treatment would likely be immediate and clear,” since anti-Asian racism is deemed more “acceptable.”
His statements don’t add up. He doesn’t want Gillis to be fired because society is too vindictive but at the same time says had Gillis said the n-word action would have been clear. Likewise, he believes the slur ch*nk should be held to the same degree as the n-word, wouldn’t that mean Gillis deserved “immediate and clear” action? Which is exactly what happened. For one, Seth Simons, a freelance comedy journalist, brought these videos to people’s attention almost as soon as the news got out that Gillis was a new cast member. Two, the vast majority of Twitter—save for conservatives and/or comedian apologists—demanded Gillis be removed from SNL cast. Three, he was fired.
Andrew Yang’s comment is a perfect example of what I like to call the “oppression olympics.” This occurs when non-Black people of color measure their form of racial oppression to anti-Black racism in an attempt to elevate their own oppression. This perspective harbors on the notion that their issues are not at the forefront, and somehow it’s the fault of Black people; conflating oppression getting media coverage with privilege.
The classic argument that “if this happened to a Black person” to illustrate how the violence done to Black people is always closely catered to is played out and to put it simply, inaccurate. For instance, Louis C.K. recently announced that he’s going on a world tour and sold out in Italy, Switzerland, and Israel, despite being caught saying the n-word multiple times (and that’s with the hard r). Bill Maher comment saying that he was a “house n-word” (again with the hard r), didn’t prevent him from keeping his show on HBO. Many times all that results from these controversies is exposure—not accountability.
It is paradoxical to gain privilege from one’s oppression, it does not make sense. The broadcasting of Black issues doesn’t make Black people any less oppressed. The constant media cycle of Black bodies suffering, only adds on to the stress of constant discrimination leading Black people to have a higher health vulerability. If anything the constant exposure to police brutality, criminal injustice, and a multitude of other issues impacting Black bodies can contribute to racial weathering. Exposure doesn’t negate racism.
The need to measure up to anti-Black racism—in the case of Asian Americans—comes from the racial triangulation of Asian Americans that perpetuates the model minority myth. The theory of the triangulation of Asian Americans maintains that Asian Americans are kept perpetually foreign while simultaneously being above Black people and never able to reach whiteness. This is to maintain white supremacy as they are kept out from being insiders and used as a weapon against Black people through this model minority myth.
The model minority myth is then a tool of anti-Black subordination as it has been historically used to justify the plight of Black folks and pit Asian Americans and Black people against each other due to Asian Americans racial positioning. The ultimate goal of the model minority stereotype is to reinforce white supremacy by using Asian Americans as pawns to divert attention away from the real perpetrators and maintain the myth that Asians are docile and apolitical people.
On the flip side, the model minority myth is also used against Asian Americans as it erases the struggles they face by perpetuating the image of Asians being non-confrontational people, completely disengaged from politics. Yang acknowledged that Asian issues don’t get brought up because they don’t fit the stereotype, but he did it at the expense of Black people. This is where Yang used the model minority stereotype as a tool of anti-Blackness. Instead of focusing on the actual perpetrators who control the narrative, he places the blame on Black people.
Yang’s unnecessary comment is an example of veiled anti-Blackness in the guise of liberalism. Black people are not your mule and are not responsible for the visibility of your issues. Using Black oppression in an attempt to uplift yours, does nothing but further subjugate Black people. Hinging your liberation on the subjugation of Black people, isn’t freedom, it’s only maintaining a proximity to whiteness.
Participating in anti-blackness maintains the power of white supremacy, and this includes non-black people of color. To truly dismantle white supremacy the full liberation of Black people is imperative. This requires non-Black people of color to check their anti-Blackness and make certain that their social movements are free from anti-Blackness. Throwing Black people under the bus in order to garner attention will do nothing to actually solve the issue of racism.
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Womanist. Nerd. Opinionated. Non-binary womxn. Jamilah Bellinger is a political science major who despises (most) politicians. Jamilah enjoys anime, novelas, cartoons, and other forms of escapism.
