Asian Outlook Spring 2015 Issue #2

ASIAN OUTLOOK volume XXVIII, issue 4

Volume XXVIII, Issue 4

contents ASIAN OUTLOOK 2

featured 4 | Remembering Yuri Kochiyama | Calvin Chan 6 | What’s Up Doc: Getting to Know Vivek Murthy | Dale Gao 8 | Young Entrepeneur Invents Lego Braille Printer | Russell Tobias 10 | Shooting in Retribution for the Garner and Brown Verdicts | Rudy Kuang 12 | SAE & the Denigration of Blackness in America, Asia and the World | Kahlil Stultz

ASIAN OUTLOOK

editorials 14 | What is LiNK? | Anastacia Zander 16 | “Hey Guys” | Ting Lin 17 | India: Inching More Towards Capitalism? | Srinath Mithra 20 | Scbool Closing for Lunar New Year | Ciel Koo 22 | Steps Across London | Sharon Lau 24 | Sights of Singapore | Ashley Lau

arts & entertainment 15 | Think for Yourself: The Interview | Sungwon Kim 26 | Digimon Grows up | Sophia Kim 28 | It’s Okay, That’s Love Drama Review | Anna Lin

conscience 32 | Angela Wu 33 | Star Gould 34 | Shelly Shin 35 | Anonymous 36 | Ellie Ono 37 | Kimberly Yeung 38 | John Paul M Randrup 39 | Jason Cruz

letter from the editor...

Happy Spring! More than half the semester has already gone by and we’re coming down the home stretch heading into summer break! I hope everyone enjoyed their spring break because it’s been a while since we actually had a chance to relax. It definitely energized me because I spent most of my time getting rid of my sleep deficit, watching Batman, and catching up with friends – not the most exciting but pretty enjoyable.

A lot has happened these past few months such as the appointment of Dr. Vivek Murthy to U.S. Surgeon General, the death of Yuri Kochiyama, and the introduction of a Lego printer created by a 13-year-old boy.

Often times, apathy gets the best of us, which is why it’s so important to learn and understand what’s going on in the world while pursuing our passions. Murthy is the youngest and first ever Asian American to be appointed to Surgeon General of the United States because his parents inspired him. Kochiyama has experienced and seen many injustices and prejudice in her life which led her to play a huge role in many noble causes such as the civil rights movement, Asian American movement and the struggle for Puerto Rican independence. For Shubham Banerjee, a simple question led the 13-year-old to create an inexpensive and lightweight Braille printer out of Legos: “How do blind people read?”

On a different note, I want to give a shout-out for the new season of “Digimon.” Growing up, I watched every episode of the show and it’ll be extremely nostalgic to see the Chosen Children continue on with their next adventures.

Check out our current issue and be on the lookout for the third and final issue of the semester!

Dale Gao Editor-in-Chief, Spring 2015

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

-Mother Theresa “When you drop a pebble in a pond you get ripples, soon that ripple fills the whole pond.”

-Bruce Lee

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2015 editors-in-chief conscience editor copy editors

layout editors

secretary business manager publicity manager historian blogger staff writers

Dale Gao Anna Lin Alex Ching Angela Wu Eric Liang Siu Lam Koo Amanda Lau Ashley Lau Rudy Kuang Sophia Kim Ting Lin Calvin Chan Sungwon Kim Sharon Lau Shelley Shin Kahlil Stultz Russell Tobias

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter contained within these beautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submissions.

Articles may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com. All artistic and literary pieces may be submitted to aoconscience@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is forbidden under punishment of pain. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com. interested in contributing?

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@gmail.com

Or come to our weekly meetings held in the Asian Student Union office (UUW-329) every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m.

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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Remembering Yuri Kochiyama

By Calvin Chan

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Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese American human rights activist, passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 1, 2014 at the age of 93. Over the years, she has dedicated herself to many noble causes, such as advocating for the reparations of Japanese Americans wrongfully placed in internment camps as well as supporting the struggle for Puerto Rican independence.

ASIAN OUTLOOK

}

Y

Kochiyama was born as Mary Yuriko Nakahara on May 19, 1921 in San Pedro, CA to Japanese immigrants. Her father, Seiichi Nakahara, was a successful fish merchant and her mother, Tsuyako Nakahara, was a piano teacher. A normal student in high school, she participated in the school newspaper, but was not too involved in politics.

However, like most Japanese Americans at the time, her life changed drastically when the Japanese Empire attacked Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. Hours after the attack, the FBI apprehended Yuri Kochiyama's father for interrogation, detaining him for several weeks even though he was ill. He was only let out on Jan. 20, 1942 and died the very next day. Kochiyama has said in interviews that she was unaware of political issues up until that point.

Executive Order 9066, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Feb. 19, 1942, forced the relocation of over 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps. Kochiyama spent two years in an internment camp in Arkansas, where she was exposed to the racism in the Jim Crow South. While in the camp, she met her future husband, Bill Kochiyama, a second generation Japanese American fighting for the United States in the famous 442nd regimental combat team.

After being released from camp, she and her husband moved to New York City, where she became involved in various human rights movements. Because of her firsthand experience with the racism of the Jim Crow South, she became very involved with the civil rights movement. She befriended Malcolm X in a Brooklyn Courtroom and was a member of his Organization of Afro-American Unity. She was present in the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated. She recalls running to the stage when she heard the gunfire. “I just went straight to Malcolm, and I put his head on my lap,” she recalled. “He just lay there. He had difficulty breathing, and he didn’t utter a word.”

After the death of Malcolm X, she became involved in other various movements. In the ’60s and ’70s, Kochiyama helped organize protests and campaigns for activists, whom she believed were wrongfully imprisoned, such as the former Black Panther member Mumia Abu-Jamal. In 1977, she joined a group of Puerto Rican protestors and took over the Statue of Liberty to draw attention to the struggle of Puerto Rican independence and to free five Puerto Rican nationalists, who had been wrongly imprisoned in the United States for 20 years.

As a result of her experience in the civil rights movements, she was the mentor for the Asian American uri

Yuri Kochiyama speaking at an anti-war demonstration in 1968.

movement that grew during the Vietnam War protests.

The movement was rooted in their shared history of oppression and their present struggle for liberation.

One of the biggest accomplishments of the movement was getting the United States to apologize for the wrongful internment of Japanese Americans. Ronald Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which acknowledged and apologized for the injustice of the evacuation, relocation, and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Additionally, any remaining survivors were to be repaid $20,000.

Kochiyama was an inspiring figure to many Asian Americans, including myself. She had a wonderful life and was surrounded by her daughter, three sons, nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren. For her efforts as a human rights activist, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. She will always be remembered.

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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What’s Up DOC: Getting to Know Vivek Murthy

A

Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States in 2004, Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy has made history on counts of being the first person of Indian descent – as well as being the youngest person ever – to be Surgeon General of the United States 2014. At the age of 37, Murthy has earned one of the most important roles in the nation; as Surgeon General, he is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal and national health.

Originally born in England, Murthy spent most of his childhood in Miami, where his father worked as a primary care doctor and his mother helped set up and run his practice. As a kid, Murthy knew he wanted to go into the medical field after seeing how hard his parents worked and the dedication they put into caring for their patients. From then on, the aspiring doctor-to-be has worked hard to be where he is today. An extremely smart individual, his merits in his education include graduating as valedictorian from his high school, graduating magna cum laude in three years’ time with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemical Sciences from Harvard University, and earning his M.D. from Yale School of Medicine and an MBA from Yale School of Management.

In college, Murthy co-founded a non-profit organization, called VISIONS, which engaged young people to work on HIV/AIDS prevention and education in the United States and India. For eight years under his leadership, the organization has grown to ten chapters with hundreds of volunteers in both countries.

Murthy also co-founded the Swasthya (“health” and kin to how

Dr. Murthy at February’s hearing on his nomiation

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

By: Dale Gao

“well-being” in Sanskrit) project, which trained women to be health providers and educators in rural India, and TrialNetworks, a software technology company which improves research collaboration, enhances the efficiency of clinical trials, and accelerates discovery of cures around the world.

With all that experience under his belt, on Nov. 2013, Murthy was nominated by President Barack Obama to be Surgeon General of the United States. Despite his merits, Murthy had been under fire on whether he was qualified to hold the position. His nomination was heavily opposed by the Republican Party due to his youth and alleged inexperience. After revealing his views on gun control, Murthy faced intense opposition from the National Rifle Association (NRA) for tweeting, “Guns are a health care issue.”

Nonetheless, more than 100 national organizations demonstrated strong support for the doctor as the next Surgeon General, some of which included the American Public Health Association (APHA) and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH). A group letter was sent to the members of the Senate, urging them to confirm Murthy as the next Surgeon General. In the letter, they stated, “Dr. Murthy is a well-qualified, forward thinking and innovative leader with a strong commitment to public health. We are confident that he will play an important and leading role in improving the health of the American public, and we urge you to support his nomination.” Dr. David Satcher, the 16th Surgeon General of the United States who served under President Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, also supported Murthy’s nomination.

On Dec. 18, 2014, Dr. Vivek Murthy was sworn as the 19th

Interview with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy

“I have seen the power of people to change themselves and the world around them. That is what keeps me going and what I hope to bring to the big public health challenges we face as a nation – obesity, substance abuse, mental health, and vaccine-preventable illness.”

Surgeon General of the United States. The Senate finally voted 51-43 to confirm Murthy as “America’s doctor” after the position had been vacant for a year. During the election, only one Republican showed support for his confirmation.

We currently live in a time where our generation is the most racially diverse in American history. Being the first Asian American to serve as Surgeon General, Murthy represents the diverse background of our millennial generation to promote, protect, and advance the health and safety of our nation. In a world where our technology is continuing to advance, Murthy plans to use it to his advantage to modernize his role and improve communications from his office to all sectors of the public so that everyone can receive the best possible information about health.

Some of the efforts that he plans to focus on include: - Addressing the epidemics of obesity and tobacco-related disease.

- Reducing the stigma associated with mental illness.

- Improving vaccination rates.

- Making prevention and health promotion the backbone of our communities.

In an interview with Angry Asian Man, he stated, “I have seen the power of people to change themselves and the world around them. That is what keeps me going and what I hope to bring to the big public health challenges we face as a nation – obesity, substance abuse, mental health, and vaccinepreventable illness.” It’s inspiring to see someone so young accomplish so much and I look forward to seeing the development of our nation’s public health during his tenure.

Fun fact: Dr. Vivek Murthy is a “serious mango aficionado.” http://healthyamericans.org/newsroom/releases/?releaseid=317 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/surgeon-general-nominee-finally-has-confirmation-vote/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/02/24/qa-surgeon-general-vivek-murthy-community-health-measles-and-teleportation http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/meet-vivek-murthy-controversial-surgeon-general/story?id=27612422 http://blog.angryasianman.com/2015/02/angry-readerof-week-vivek-murthy.html#more http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/about/biographies/ biosg.html

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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Young Entrepreneur Invents Lego Braille Printer

By Russell Tobias

Example of a traditional Braille printer

“I know that there is a simpler way to do this.”

H

ow do blind people read?” A curious child might ask this question upon seeing a pedestrian sport “ a pair of dark shades and a white cane, or perhaps after observing someone cross an intersection with the assistance of a guide dog. For more traditional parents who are receptive to their children’s curiosity, a wholesome and educational discussion on the Braille language may follow. If, however, those parents are simply worn out from a grueling day at work or are busy preparing dinner, a common response may be simply, “google it.”

This is the reply that 13-year-old Shubham Banerjee, of Santa Clara, California received from his parents when he asked that very question. However, rather than getting discouraged and going to play with his Xbox, he decided to do some research on the subject. One discovery that seemed to resonate with him was the excessive cost of purchasing a Braille printer – on the order of $2,000 – which is outside the budget of much of the blind population, particularly in developing nations. Also known as embossers, commercial Braille printers are not only pricy, but also quite bulky. Typical ones could weigh

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up to 20 pounds.

“I just thought that price should not be there. I know that there is a simpler way to do this,” Shubham commented to reporters from the New York Post as he provided them with a live demonstration of his design. During a month of major trial-and-error, Shubham spent tireless nights at his kitchen table modifying a Lego Mindstorm EV3 kit, provided by his father, Niloy Banerjee. The resulting model weighed only a few pounds, cost approximately $350, and could successfully print Braille as a series of punched dots on paper from a computer or electronic device. Shubham presented his design online in “open source” format, so anyone could see how it was done. Soon, newspapers picked up the story, and Shubham began to receive much acclaim from the blind community. He took first place at the county fair with his successful design, called the “Braigo” – a combination of the word “braille” and the word “Lego.”

Shubham’s father Niloy, an engineer at Intel, helped his son to found his own startup company titled Braigo Labs. Since Shubham is still too young to serve as CEO,

Shubham Banerjee, 13, of Santa Clara, CA with his innovative printing solution for the blind.

his mother, Malini, assumed the role, with Niloy elected as a board member. Shortly after Niloy made the initial investment, he and Shubham presented to Intel, who a few months later invested an undisclosed amount of funding in Braigo Labs. Shubham may be the youngest entrepreneur to receive venture capital – an investment in exchange for equity in a company. He used the funding from his dad to develop an enhanced concept, the Braigo 2.0, which combines an Intel computer chip with a commercial desktop printer to convert electronic text to Braille prior to printing. The Intel investment is funding a team of appointed professional engineers to develop new designs based on Shubham’s creative vision.

Shubham’s company is attracting many prolific researchers and engineers throughout the blind community. “This Braille printer is a great way for people around the world who really don’t have many resources at all to learn Braille and to use it practically,” said Henry Wedler, who is blind and working toward a PhD in chemistry at the University of California, Davis.

Wedler has since joined the team as an adviser to Braigo Labs. Also expressing interest is Lisamaria Martinez,

community services director at the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, a nonprofit center for the visually impaired that prints Braille materials for public agencies.

“I love the fact that a young person is thinking about a community that is often not thought about,” said Martinez, who is visually impaired.

Shubham’s mother, current CEO of Braigo Labs, is very proud of her son’s accomplishments. “I’m really proud of Shubham. What he has thought, I think most adults should have thought about it,” Malini Banerjee said in an article for the New York Post. “And coming out of my 13-year-old, I do feel very proud.”

“He’s solving a real problem, and he wants to go off and disrupt an existing industry. And that’s really what it’s all about,” said Edward Ross, director of Inventor Platforms at Intel. After a series of tests planned with several blind organizations, Braigo Labs intends to begin marketing its products near the end of 2015.

Sources: http://www.braigolabs.com/ http://www.businessinsider.com/eighth-grader-invents-braille-printer-2015-1 http://nypost.com/2015/01/20/boy-uses-legos-to-make-braille-printer-save-the-blind-big-bucks/ http://sociotechnocrat.kinja.com/12-year-old-develops-low-cost-braille-printer-with-lego-1515215252 http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/01/20/braille-lego-printer/22055135/

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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Shooting in Retribution for the

Garner and Brown Verdicts

By Rudy Kuang

Ismaaiyl Brinsley vowed to kill police officers in retribution for the grand jury’s verdicts of the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases. NYPD officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos were the victims.

A makeshift memorial for the officers was made at the site of the shooting in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant intersection.

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T

he date is

NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos and Wnjian Liu were shot dead execution style in their patrol cars.

Dec. 20, 2014. Two NYPD

officers are

sitting in their patrol car near Myrtle and Tompkins

Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Across the street from them is Tompkins, a housing project, and due to an increase in violence throughout the year, the two officers have been assigned to patrol the area. The night has been relatively routine, nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. A man walks up to the passenger window, and the police officers think he has a question to ask.

Suddenly, he pulls out a gun and assumes a firing stance.

Before the two officers have time to react, they are shot several times. Witnesses of the event call the police, and the assailant is chased into the subway before he commits suicide with his handgun.

The two NYPD officers were Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. Liu was a seven-year veteran officer who married two months prior to the tragedy. Ramos was a married man with two kids who was promoted to officer two years ago. Their assailant was Ismaaiyl Brinsley, a New Yorker who had traveled to Brooklyn from Baltimore, vowing to kill police officers. Brinsley had posted statements on social media that suggested he was planning to kill police officers prior to the murders, as retribution for the grand jury’s verdicts of the Eric Garner and Michael Brown cases. A police department in Baltimore had sent a message warning the NYPD about the threats made by the assailant. Unfortunately, the warning got through to the NYPD too late – around the same time as the report of Officer Liu’s and Officer Ramos’ deaths.

Before his murders, Brinsley has had an evident history of running into trouble with the law. According to records, he had been arrested several times in Georgia on accusations of carrying a concealed weapon and stealing, and had been arrested in Ohio for several other offenses.

Prior to his killing, on Dec. 20, Brinsley shot his exgirlfriend in the stomach near Baltimore. Thankfully, she survived. After this shooting, he uploaded an image onto Instagram implying that he was going to take down two cops for taking down two of his people – Garner and Brown.

The murders of the two police officers occurred during

civilian protests over police tactics in New York City, as well as other parts of the nation. Protests began when the grand jury decided not to indict the officer involved in the case of Eric Garner, a black Staten Island man who died after receiving a chokehold from the police in July 2014.

The protests grew more violent when another officer in Ferguson, Mo. was set free of charges for shooting Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, in August of that same year.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has spoken out against the murders, stating that the shootings were “an attack on all of us; it’s an attack on everything we hold dear.” However, de Blasio has been criticized by police unions for being too sympathetic to the protesters, and encouraging an anti-NYPD environment that led to the murder of the two officers. The funeral service for Rafael Ramos was held on Dec. 27, 2014, in Queens, and the service for Liu took place on Jan. 4, 2015 in Brooklyn. At both funerals, hundreds of NYPD police officers silently protested de Blasio’s perceived lack of support by turning their backs on him during his eulogies.

Both officers were promoted to the rank of detective after their deaths. New York City has decided to honor Officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos by renaming streets near their homes in their honor. There is now a street named “Detective Rafael Ramos Way” on Ridgewood Avenue, and one named “Detective Wenjian Liu Way” on West Sixth Street in Brooklyn.

With the recent cases regarding Eric Garner and Michael Brown, it’s unfortunate to see that the vilification of police has led to cop killing within NYC. As cliché as this may sound, a few bad apples should not spoil the bunch, and the deaths of Liu and Ramos were unjust. I would like to express my condolences to the families of the two fallen NYPD officers.

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/nyregion/two-police-officersshot-in-their-patrol-car-in-brooklyn.html?_r=0 http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/NYPD-Officer-Death-ShotBrooklyn-Ramos-Liu-Streets-Renamed-Brinsley-287221751.html?hootPostID=31a10b9225876883a7d0c7088897a178

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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Sigma Alpha Epsilon & the Denigration of “ “You can hang him from a tree, but he can never sign with me – there will never be a n****r in SAE!””

T

his isn’t a taunt from backcountry

racists, neither is it a recorded or transcribed stanza from a Ku Klux Klan rally in some remote subsection of the Deep South. This limerick is far more troubling due to the unlikely source of those who sang it.

Adapted to the playful tone of “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” this derisive parody was crooned by a bus full of dapper, tuxedo-garbed students from the University of Oklahoma. The video, featuring a local chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon singing the tune as they prepared for a formal, surfaced in early March and has sent shock waves around American college campuses and international media. Matched with the cruel brutality of the lyrics was the impish glee on the song leaders’ faces, and the unwavering cadence of his fraternity brothers.

Rather than an impish joke, the OU SAE chapter made it clear in their song that their sense of pride in their fraternity was based upon the exclusion of black men. So utterly worthless were “n****rs” to the boys of SAE, that the life or death of these people were resoundingly unimportant.

I could continue and describe the multitude of other racist events involving Greek life on college campuses. To be honest I don’t want to go on; it’s not necessary and even worse – it overshadows the far more important discussion of the attitudes which lead young college students to commit such

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insidious acts and to think in such as twisted manner.

We live in a society that is struggling to redefine itself after nearly three centuries of white supremacy and black inferiority being the norms of the racial dialogue. I’d like to look at what the implications the SAE chant has in society, the reality in which it was born from, and the things I feel we need to look at and talk about when we want to discuss race and racism in America.

The idea of blacks being less than or inherently inferior to whites has been an idea as old as the United States itself. From the earliest days of the U.S. , blacks were judged as being less than human. The ThreeFifths Compromise of 1787, was a telling example of how dimly many of the Founding Fathers viewed black slaves. Seventy years later in Dred Scott v.

Sandford, the Supreme Court of the United States was far Students at OU reacted to their peers’ racist chant by marching to the now less polite, bluntly ruling that “Persons of African descent of lynching in the black experience of cannot be, nor were ever intended to be, America shows that they were quite aware citizens under the U.S. Constitution.” of the dehumanization of blacks and that Simply ask any elderly African American this was something which, rather than with roots in the Southern United States, horrifying them, amused them. Their about life between the Civil War and lack of empathy has nothing to do with Civil Rights movement; you will learn ignorance of the past, their membership of the horrific history of castrations, in the fraternity, or a failure on the part lynching, mob violence and the daily of the school system. It comes from a embarrassment of segregation. culture and an individual choice to treat When the boys of Sigma Alpha people of a different color as undeserving Epsilon sung about hanging “n****rs” of a common humanity. from a tree, they sang it out of a proud The idea of black being bad, black remembrance of this deleterious epoch being ugly, and blackness implying in American history. Their education up subhumaness is something which to the university level endowed them continues to plague our country and with textbooks and special classes geared which has been a scourge on the lives of towards describing America’s racial people all over this planet. As a young boy past. Their clear knowledge of the role growing up in colonial Jamaica during

Blackness in America, Asia and the World

all share a common consensus that people with darker skin are more prone to field work and manual labor. Tragedy is seen in Japan and South Korea among black orphans – the product of sexual dalliances between black soldiers and Asian women – and the opposition on the part of the latter’s families to marrying into America’s lowest caste or the rearing of half black children. For the last 300 years, the world has been fed a narrative that black is undesirable and black is ugly – the less black, the better.

We can condemn SAE for their violent racism, but we cannot totally claim the moral high ground when we live out the lingering elements of antiblack beliefs in our own lives The stereotypes of Sambo, the representations of blacks as sex-mad savages and buffoonish or soulless thugs are ones which we all must w-closed Sigma Alpha Epilson house during a rally on Tuesday, March 10. come to grips with if we desire the 1950s, my father was called a “dumb an end to racism. n****r” by lighter Jamaicans of European Even I, a middle-class black American, descent, who often refused to allow know that I have be the change I want children (including his own cousins) to see in the world. Like many recent to play with him out of a fear that his immigrants from the Carribean, my blackness was contagious. Despite being family tacitly looked at assimilation as a gifted student in mathematics and not being black, but being with whites. It a decorated soldier, his emigration to was only after I experienced racism and America was driven by his inability to learned my place in the racial pecking find work with a bank, mostly due to his order that I began to change my mind. complexion.

Living in a cushy middle class life It’s something which is reflected in insulated me from racism. I was shocked the negrophobic attitudes of many in that after asking a crush in high school Latin American and South America, who out, she confessed to me that she wouldn’t despite having ample African heritage, date me until I came back “handsome deny and often cover up that element of and white.” Even then, I only became their family history. The high sales of gradually aware of my race, accepting my skin lightening cream in China, South status with a sort of ambivalence as the Korea, Nigeria, India and the West Indies “good one,” the “novelty,” or the “token”

By Kahlil Stultz among my white friends. It wasn’t until my university years that my skin color, nappy hair, deep voice and inherent blackness made me realize my difference.

Skepticism about my ability to write A+

...we cannot totally claim the moral high ground when we live out the lingering elements of anti-black beliefs in our own lives. papers and jokes revolving around black people led me to question my self-worth.

I gradually began to realize that there was something really wrong.

Of course one could harp on about how the University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter was just rich white males in a fraternity. However, to simply look at things in terms of class and race without looking at the global and national culture, they have been molded by a culture that makes being black the subject to caricature and derision. Like it or not, there is an SAE member inside all of us – a product of white supremacy and eurocentrism throughout much of the past.

Sources: Rondilla, Joanne L, and Spickard, Paul (2007). Is Lighter Better?: Skin-tone Discrimination Among Asian Americans. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 9780742554948.

Racial Identities in China: Context and Meaning,

by Frank Dikötter Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo. (2009). “The Latin Americanization of US Race Relations: A New Pigmentocracy”, in Shades of Difference, edited by Evelyn Nakano Glenn, Stanford University Press.

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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What is

LiNK?

By Anastasia Zander Faces of North Korean refugees

“Binghamton University has its own LiNK Rescue Team, an SA-chartered club that is dedicated to raising awareness about North Korean refugees and fundraising money for Liberty in North Korea to assist refugees with.”

P

erhaps you’ve heard about North Korean missiles in the news or judged Kim Jong-Un for his appearance, but most people don’t give a second thought to what the lives of North Koreans are like.

Far less attention is given to the North Korean refugees in China, compared to the amount of coverage the North Korean leader receives. Though it is illegal to leave North Korea, many North Koreans have fled their country in search of better opportunities. Since the demilitarized zone that divides the Koreas is nearly impossible to cross, most North Koreans leave the country in the north by crossing into China, which is a long and dangerous journey. In China, however, they are not safe, for North Korean refugees in China are at risk of being sent back to North Korea should the Chinese authorities catch them.

Punishment awaits them in North Korea. This of course is an undesirable outcome, and furthermore makes North Koreans vulnerable to exploitation in China. As many as 30,000-50,000 North Korean refugees are thought to be living in China, and most of them are women. Sex trafficking is a major problem for North Korean women in China, and many of these women are sold into prostitution or forced into a marriage with a Chinese husband. The Korean Chinese children, who have a Chinese father and a North Korean mother, face a disadvantage as well. These

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

children are stateless due to their mother’s illegal status, and therefore, don’t receive access to an education. Though numerous North Koreans successfully leave North Korea by entering into China, their struggle is not over, and they usually find themselves in dismal situations.

Liberty in North Korea, also known as LiNK, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping North Korean defectors. They rescue refugees by guiding them out of China, through Southeast Asia, and then helping them resettle in a country where they will be safe. LiNK provides resettlement assistance and also has the goal of changing the narrative when it comes to North Korea in the mass media. Binghamton University has its own LiNK Rescue Team, an SA-chartered club that is dedicated to raising awareness about North Korean refugees and fundraising money for Liberty in North Korea to assist refugees with.

LiNK at BU (which was formerly known as Tomorrow’s Hope in North Korea, or THiNK), meets on every other Friday this semester and welcomes any students who are interested in North Korea or want to help our cause. Issues regarding North Korean defectors go largely unnoticed in our society, but the plight of these people is worthy of our attention. http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/learn-nk-challenges/ http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/

Think For Yourself:

The Interview

By Sungwon Kim (spoiler alert)

T

“The Interview” is rather simple. Two television show hosts are presented with the chance to meet the leader of the most enigmatic nation in the world. However, their mission is to assassinate the leader by exposing his skin to ricin via handshake that would facilitate a coup d’état. Although the duo initially fails, through a series of unpredictable, happy go-lucky, and unrealistic turn of events, the main characters are able to assassinate the leader and establish a foundation for the coup to take place against the oppressive regime. This feel-good, rather seemingly harmless movie was the subject of so much controversy in international politics. The movie was aimed at North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-Un. The movie has been part of a very sensitive international relations crisis between the United States and North Korea.

In June 2014, the North Korean government threatened the U.S. , warning violent action if Columbia Pictures released the movie. Columbia Pictures reportedly edited the movie to make it more acceptable to the North Korean Government and delayed the release by two months to Christmas of 2014. However, in November, Sony Pictures Entertainment was apparently hacked by the “Guardians of Peace,” who are believed to have connections to North Korea. The group leaked sensitive internal information about Sony and demanded that Sony pull “The Interview.”

Ten days before the release, the Guardians of Peace again threatened terrorist attacks against cinemas that played the movie. Sony cancelled the theatrical release and resorted to online rental and purchases on Dec. 24, and a limited release at select cinemas on Christmas day. In the end, all went well for Sony. The film earned $40 million in digital rentals and over $11 million at the box office, making it Sony’s most successful digital release.

This movie was pretty much what everyone expected it to be: vulgar, goofy, and a silly male-centered adventure. From satirically trying to conceal a top-secret message from the CIA, to various jokes regarding Asian/Korean culture, this movie bordered on the extreme. It attempted to conceal the rude jokes with absurdity and a blasé attitude. It was just another silly Hollywood movie about bromance, getting laid, and having an emotional existential crisis in the middle of it all. However it made splashes because it was directed towards North Korea and also fed fire to America’s notion that the regime has got to go. This movie will forever receive mixed opinions – one side saying it was a brave satire that stood up against tyranny and oppression, the other saying it was a childish, tasteless and unnecessary attempt for attention and profit. However, “The Interview” was a good piece of work in that it brought necessary attention to the violation of human rights and the harsh oppression that goes on in North Korea. he plot of

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

15

“HEY GUYS”

By Ting Lin

The phrase is so commonly used that it is deemed gender neutral; “Hey guys” can be used to refer to both men and women, but it shouldn’t.

T

here is one thing that everyone says,

no matter the skin color, gender or political orientation, and I’ve lost count of how many times I hear this phrase every day. I hear it from my professors, my friends, strangers, and even highly publicized figures – it’s the term, “hey guys.” A form of friendly greeting, this term has been deeply ingrained in our everyday lives, but we are not aware of the oppression that lies underneath these two simple words.

Many would question the seriousness of this issue and say that one should target more severe problems such as the gender wage gap, sexual harassment and the portrayal of women in media. However, this is alarming because we use the phrase so often and it’s something that can be easily omitted from our everyday language.

How would males feel if they were to be addressed with the term “hey gals” in a room of both males and women?

Probably not so great, because not everyone in the group is female. The phrase reinforces a culture where men are more important and more privileged than women because “men” is a part of everyday language. It allows women to internalize and accept this oppression because “hey guys” is so common and considered part of the cultural norm. It’s like saying that a “one size fits all” shirt fits everybody. It doesn’t. People are built differently and the same shirt that might be suitable for person A wouldn’t fit person B. This case is no different.

Sherryl Kleinman, a Sociology professor at the University of North Carolina, addresses this issue in her essay, “Why Sexist Language Matters.” Kleinman notes that “male-based generics are another indicator – and, more importantly, a reinforce – of a system in which ‘man’ in the abstract and men in the flesh are privileged over women.” Words such as “chairman” and “fireman” are not inclusive of both men and women, yet we still cling on to it. Some might argue that the term “you guys” make women feel more inclusive and part of the larger group, but that is only the appearance, not the reality.

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

That is obviously not the case if we have to hide behind the mask of the word, “guys.” It is not different than the terms “chairman,” “fireman,” and “councilmen.” If we don’t use these words due to its sexist nature, then the same rule should be applied to “you guys.”

I have been guilty of saying this phrase too and I’m not trying to call out anyone who says this, or ignore you because you are addressing me this way. This is to remember that we need to be gender-inclusive in our everyday speech because the smallest things like this contributes to a patriarchal society and one in which only men are important. Some universities have even utilized “first-year students” instead of the malebased generic “freshmen.” The American Psychological Association (APA) has a policy for non-sexist language in their publication, which can be found on their website.

APA comments that the generic use of “man” and “he” is problematic because it often leads us to “omit the distinctive elements of female experience and behavior.”

Instead of saying “you guys,” one could use the term “you all,” “y’all” or “folks.” If you are referring to two people, you could directly say “you two” or address them by their names. It’s small things like this that would cause reform and create the kind of change in the society we want to live in.

So folks, it is time we become more cognizant of what we are saying. Stop saying “you guys.” To all the women out there, we should be included. This is a small step we could all work on to bring social change.

Sources: http://bitchmagazine.org/article/the-common-guy http://uncadvocatesformdphdwomeninscience.web.unc.edu/ files/2014/03/Kleinman_QualitativeSociology_2002.pdf http://subfictional.com/2012/07/02/language-matters-stop-usingguys-to-address-mix-gender-groups/ http://www.tolerance.org/blog/you-guys http://feminspire.com/so-numb-to-what-were-saying-the-problemwith-you-guys/ http://www.apaonline.org/?page=nonsexist

india: inching more

towards capitalism

By Srinath Mithra

?

I

ndia started her new life at a time when the world was meticulously weighing the benefits of capitalism and socialism. Indian economists

and leaders like Mahadev Govind Ranade, Brij Narain, B.R Ambedkar, Ram Mohan Roy and of course Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru laid out a new style of economic government by amalgamating the two.

This new mixed economy suited India well during the ‘70s and ’80s.

Many industries, especially in the service sector, were held under the direct governance of central Indian government. However, this idea eventually brought stagnation in India’s economic growth rate.

Though she achieved self-sustainability, especially in agricultural production, unemployment and underemployment grew as major problems for India. This led to the opening up of the economy by the then-Prime Minister, often referred to as the “father of Indian economic reforms,” Dr. P.V Narasimha Rao. India’s turn from socialism to capitalism, which culminated in 1991, wasn’t voluntary; it was a consequence of severe economic and financial pressures. In the 1980s, persistent budget deficits forced the enactment of austerity policies. In 1991, a foreign-exchange crisis pushed the government to align spending with revenue and move away from fixed exchange rates. The rupee, which was overvalued and discouraged foreign investment, fell in strength. After the 1991 reforms, a huge inflow of foreign direct investments pushed India to lean towards “restricted” or “controlled” capitalism. As a matter of fact, India has operated under an agrarian capitalist system for quite some time; the agriculture sector, on which about 70% of the Indian population directly or indirectly dependent, has been totally privatized.

Interestingly, each state in India has different policies with regards to their economic orientation. The economic success of Kerala, a southern state, is likely the result of many years of rapid economic growth and private endeavors (with the highest private spending on education and health in all of India). On the other

Ex-Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao is known as the “Father of Indian economic reforms.”

The meaning of capitalism has changed over the last decade

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

17

India’s Sector contribution to GDP over the years.

hand, Gujarat is a typical example of a capitalist state in India. Every year, Gujarat’s ”Vibrant Gujarat” summit attracts thousands of crores (ten millions) of rupees, which has helped the state’s high economic standing in most parameters of growth, despite its unfriendly climate to agriculture. Many corporate giants like Anil Ambani and Ratan Tata used to refer to the the thenchief minister of Gujarat as “CEO of the state.” This trend is now followed by present chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Chandra Babu. The government of Andhra Pradesh has moved to make agreements with private individuals in Japan and Singapore to start their business in Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Babu is also consistent in demanding special incentives from the central government for private investors, which would boost investments in the state. In contrast to that, states like West Bengal, which was under communist rule for the last 30 years, hold strong stances against corporate activities.

Starting from the past few months, especially after the induction of the new National Democratic Government, India has accelerated its march towards capitalism. The decisions taken by the new government, especially in its budget statements, proves this. Here are some examples of bold decisions taken by current Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government: -Corporate tax will be reduced from 30% to 25% through the next 5 years.

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

-The FDI cap was lifted in key fields like railways, insurance and defense.

-The “Make in India” campaign intends to attract more investments, especially in manufacturing sector.

-Amendments to the controversial 2015 land acquisition bill will help in easy allotment of lands for private industries.

-A decision to de-invest in public sector industries like SAIL, Coal India Ltd, Hindustan Zinc, Bharat Aluminum Company, etc. was made.

Unfortunately, the meaning of capitalism has changed over the last decade. Capitalism no longer indicates a strong focus on industry. Although agriculture is neither a good income generator for the people nor the government, one should remember that it is still the backbone of the Indian economy.

During the great economic depression of 2007, India’s economy stood strong compared other so-called developed countries. By capitalizing the economy, we are only promoting industrialization. This “growth” is at the cost of agriculture. The Indian economy is an agrarian economy. India is a home to millions of villages which provide an economic base to our prosperity, as food production happens in these places. Lamentably, agriculture’s contribution to the Indian GDP has steadily declined from 1951 (about 50%) to 2011 (14%).

Land used for agriculture decreased, day by day.

I personally feel that this is the result of capitalism

• Corporate tax has been reduced from 30% to 25% through the next 5 years.

• The FDI cap was lifted in key fields like railways, insurance and defense.

• The “Make in India” campaign intends to attract more investments, especially in the manufacturing sector.

• Amendments to the controversial 2015 land acquisition bill will help in easy allotment of lands for private industries. without proper technical and logistic advancements.

Take, for example, the agriculture industry – specifically, wheat. India currently produces 95 metric tons of wheat per year, but due to lack of proper storage facilities and poor transport systems administered by the governmentrun Food Corporation of India, almost 22% of the wheat is lost to spoilage. This not only creates a supply-demand imbalance and increases food prices for locals, but it also prevents India from being able to export more of its produce. And with rainfall forecast to be lower than usual this year, spoilage and mismanagement could put even more pressure on India’s farming sector. If supply chain management were handled more efficiently, it would have improved the food distribution system and stopped the current food inflation of more than 9%. However, such action would require heavy financial investment and the involvement of private sector solutions, including from companies in more technologically advanced nations like the U.S. The new land acquisition bill may also affect the agricultural interests of India unfavorably; the bill in its present form allows the government to claim any land whatsoever for the development of industrial corridors, social infrastructure (such as education), rural infrastructure (roads and power), housing for the poor, and/or the country’s defense capabilities. Of course, one cannot compromise on defense activities; the ultimate fig leaf for any government is national security. But

the problem comes with other sectors like industrial corridors and social infrastructural facilities. The bill in present form, if approved, means that the most fertile lands can be used for non-agricultural purposes. Such practices have already begun, with the pro-capitalist state of Andhra, which is planning to build its new capital by destroying the most fertile land in the southern part of India. This land could potentially yield a harvest of at least three crops a year.

As such, to negotiate land disputes with agriculture versus industries, I feel that the astute way would be a comprehensive survey of lands and ranking the soil with the scale of potential agricultural productivity. The land with highest productivity index should be given to agriculture, taking into account other factors. With proper prioritization of the productive land, one can satisfy the interests of farmers as well as the nation.

Finally, despite some aberrations in its newest way of capitalism, India is moving ahead with her new acceleration to stand amongst the elite group of so-called developed countries. Of course, this may take a decade or two, but the future looks bright for this “youngest” country!

References: http://www.bloomberg.com/ http://theviewspaper.net/ http://fortune.com/

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

19

School Closing for

Lunar New Year

By Ciel Koo

F

irecrackers popping in the air, lion dancers weaving their way through the crowd, excited clamoring as auspicious greetings, and red envelopes being exchanged;

these are some of the things one can experience during Lunar New Year. As a holiday dedicated to the celebration of the new year according to the lunar calendar, it is practiced by many Asian cultures. In a city as diverse as New York City, Lunar New Year is a big deal every year.

Children and adults rush to the streets to enjoy the festivities, follow the famous Lion Dance parade through Canal Street into the backstreets of Chinatown, and end the day with intimate family bonding time.

Such a culturally significant event should, in theory, warrant some form of recognition in terms of our national holidays, but Lunar New Year has been absent in calendars and mentioned offhandedly as something Asian

Lunar New Year traditional Lion Dance.

ASIAN OUTLOOK 20

Such a culturally significant event should, in theory, warrant some form of recognition in terms of our national holidays, but Lunar New Year has been absent in calendars.

students and adults celebrate, nothing more. Students who were absent during Lunar New Year would generally be marked “absent” in their attendance, and it would be their responsibility to make up for lost classroom and homework time, as if they skipped class. Many are thus, forced to choose between celebrating their heritage and staying on top of their education, a choice that no one should have to make. Some students are actually punished for being absent, although most are given an “excused absence.”

Recently, changes were made regarding this holiday. A new bill, that was proposed and pushed forward by many Assembly members of the Asian community, was passed by Governor Cuomo just before Christmas, allowing all New York City public schools to close for Lunar New Year if they so desire. Schools would have to put closing into mind if a “considerable proportion” of the school population would be absent. Given the high percentage of Asian students in New York City schools, the proportion seems quite high.

Although it’s encouraging that schools are allowed the freedom of making Lunar New Year an official holiday, many schools can still refuse the implementation of the holiday just because of internal policies. The ideal outcome would be a required holiday that gives no repercussions to students celebrating their cultures. Just recently, Mayor de Blasio approved two Muslim holidays, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, officially recognizing them to be days for which schools will be closed. Now, many are urging the mayor to pay the same respects to Lunar New Year. With absentee rates of up to 80% in some schools, it would be wise to close most of the public schools.

Lunar New Year is a tradition that means a lot to many people, and recognizing it as a school holiday would allow students to celebrate their cultures without compromise. I remain optimistic and this is something we can expect in the future.

Traditional costumes worn during Chinese New Year celebration.

Sources: http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/us/2014-12/19/content_19130084.htm http://www.voicesofny.org/2014/05/nys-bill-paves-way-lunar-school-holiday/ http://nypost.com/2015/03/10/de-blasio-urged-to-add-lunar-new-year-to-school-holidays/

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

21

A

djusting to another area is not always an easy task,

but for me, adjusting to London took only a matter of days. Comparing New York and London, I feel they are truly too similar. People who live here are just as fast-paced as the people in New York – if anything Londoners are even quicker. If you try tapping out from the tube (London Subway), you must be quick or else you’ll be scolded at for causing delays. Just earlier, I witnessed a middle-aged man swaying back and forth to find an exit where tourists were constantly trying to tap their Oyster card and failing. Having no luck in finding a tourist-free exit, he started to yell out profanity.

Despite that experience, Londoners are nice! Do not lose faith in them just because of that one story I shared with you. The people are very friendly when you ask them for directions to a tourist attraction or if you need their assistance in snapping a picture of you and your friends.

The most complicated adjustment I had to make was the change in currency – the U.K. uses pounds (£) instead of dollars ($) and one pound is the equivalent to $1.50 with the current exchange rate. This means that when I purchase a dinner for 20 pounds, I must divide that value by two and add that amount to the original price in order to get the value in dollars. If there is one thing anyone should know about London, it would be that it is EXPENSIVE relative to most parts of the world. Learning how to manage my budget and making sure that I do not overspend are skills that I am still trying to master.

London is full of historical buildings which include popular attraction sites like the Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the London Eye. When I first stepped foot out of the coach that took us to our flats, I was so mesmerized by the beauty in which the buildings were preserved. I was clicking the shutter button of my DSLR like there was no tomorrow. When comparing the buildings in London to the ones back in New York, my friends and I were conversing about what’s so good about New York.

After staying for more than a week, we started to venture out of the typical tourist attractions and went to

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

n o d n o L

By: Sha ro n u La

sA cros s

p

S te

the markets (which are still attractions, but not as typical).

There is an endless list of markets here: Camden, Borough, Brick Lane, and so much more. Get your bibs ready because believe it or not, London has good food. For those of you who were like me and heard that London has the “crappiest food,” that myth is wrong. I have to say, British food is not the best, but London has the most amazing international food. Oh, and did you know that the U.K. has really strict food regulations? That means no preservatives, additives, chemicals, etc. in food items that’s commonly seen in the U.S. The produce in the U.K. is so fresh that it will expire in a matter of days. Yes, that means more trips to the supermarket, but more importantly, great tasting food.

So how do people dress here? Before walking out the door, be sure to check your hair, see if your outfit matches, and check to see if you are wearing proper shoes. Does any of this sound foreign as a Binghamton student? Many of us are so used to seeing students wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt to class, but here in London, you may have to make an effort to find someone that isn’t well-dressed.

You were probably waiting for me to talk about this and wondering why I haven’t mentioned it yet – the British accent. For those of you who adore the accent, you will never get enough of it here. For others, there will be a need in getting used to it. You may even come across someone who doesn’t understand you at all and will give you an annoyed look because you are speaking American English and not British English. When you are trying to get the check at a restaurant you must ask for the “bill” or else they will give you a funny look and ask you to repeat yourself. While it is the same language, there are just so many differences.

Being an American is probably not such a big deal here, but being from the state of New York definitely is.

After having my ID checked so many times, whether it is for making purchases or going to a bar, many people say “OOOO!!! New York City?!” It’s not only me who gets these reactions because other people in my study abroad program get the same response. It’s as if being from New

York City makes us a lot better. This is just a snapshot of what I have experienced in London, but there is so much more. If you are wondering whether I miss Binghamton at all, the answer would be no. I am enjoying the weather where it is 45+ degrees Fahrenheit most of the time. Surprisingly, London is not raining profusely like it is infamously known for. Furthermore, there is no snow here. But yes, if you wanted to know if London is worth your time in visiting despite how expensive it is, then the answer is YES! This concludes my steps across London, for now.

Check out Asian Outlook’s blog for more stories on my travels in London: https://asianoutlook.wordpress.com/

“if you wanted to know if London is worth your time in visiting despite how expensive it is, then the answer is YES!” Houses of Parliament and Elizabeth Tower, otherwise known as the Big Ben

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

23

e r o p a g n i S f o Sights By: Ashley Lau

L

ocated at the edge of the Malay Peninsula, the city of Singapore is a melting pot that fuses Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian, and English culture and tradition. An economic giant, it is one of the world’s most successful economies with a GDP per capita accelerating from $516 to $81,345 in just a 50-year time period. The city exhibits a mix of old and new venues, where you can experience a flashback to the past at the National Museum of Singapore or shop and dine around the iconic Orchard Road. The city’s signature feature would probably be the merlion: a mascot that comprises a lion’s head and a fish’s body.

This winter I was blessed with the opportunity to go sightseeing in this city. Throughout my four-night trip, I was able to eat a lot of deliciously good food — including the famous chili crab, satay, and laksa — and tour several of Singapore’s attractions, including Sentosa, a nearby island resort. A famous tourist attraction, Sentosa offers amusement parks such as Universal Studios Singapore, 4D Adventureland, and Megazip Adventure Park. Additionally, there are many zoos, aquariums, shopping centers, food courts, and condominiums and hotels. Sentosa means “peace and tranquility” in Malay, referring to the resort’s role as a place of peace and relaxation for the people of Singapore when they want to take a break from work or school.

During my day at Sentosa, I visited the famous Merlion statue. This representative sculpture of Singapore’s culture is 37 meters tall (over 120 feet) and is a symbol of prosperity and protection for the people of Singapore. Singapore is an important seaport, so the merlion is said to ensure the safety of all products and goods that come in and out of the city.

Once I received entrance to the merlion, I was welcomed with a video clip talking about the history of the merlion and how it came to be an icon of Singapore. Folklore states that a lion was guarding the island when Prince Sang Nila Utama first arrived at Singapore. After successfully developing a colony of people on the island, the merlion was created to keep guard of the island, land and sea, with the head of a lion and body of a fish. After watching the video, my family and I were able to take an elevator that took you up to the merlion’s mouth and head. Standing on top of the merlion’s head made me feel like I was positioned at the top of a mountain. You could see the whole island with all of its attractions around you. Although I am typically scared of heights, I have to say that going to the top of the merlion was definitely an experience like no other on a hot, sunny day.

While on Sentosa, we also visited the S.E.A. Aquarium Marine Life Park. I had not visited an aquarium in many years, so being able to see all the marine animals in splendid water tanks was amazing. I took many photos of all the fish, coral, and other marine animals. The aquarium holds over 100,000 marine life, so there was so much to explore. My favorite part of walking through the aquarium would definitely have to be the sharks that swam above me in the Open Ocean water tank. I saw many hammerhead, leopard, and great white sharks and had great fun trying to capture the images on my camera.

A recent attraction that has been newly established is the Garden by the Bay. Garden by the Bay is a 101-acre park in central Singapore featuring a botanical garden; its vision is the commemoration of the spirit and beauty of the natural environment and the preservation of its essence in the greenhouse garden.

Claypot Crab Bee Hoon Soup @ Mellben Seafood restaurant

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

Merlion statue, symbol of prosperity and protection for the people of Singapore

This conservatory practices environmental sustainability with the thoughtful implementation of cutting-edge technology to regulate the amount of heat, light, and water that sustains all of the plant life in the garden. The park is a huge maze with several attractions that span throughout, such as the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest, Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lake, etc.

Each attraction and venue has its own special characteristic that is extremely beautiful and marvelous to see.

It would take several days to see every part of the 101-acre park, but I was able to explore the Cloud Forest. The theme of the man-made mountain is a “lost world,” where you follow a lengthy trail to the top of the misty, plant-filled jungle. The forest is six floors high, and each floor has a different feature: for example, Earth Check showcases the self-sustainability that Garden by the Bay operates by and Crystal Mountain displays real stalactites and stalagmites that are commonly found in caves in mountains. By exploring each part of the Cloud Forest, I was able to learn more about the significance of our environment. In a virtual presentation I watched in the Cloud Forest, I was surprised to hear that our planet will get five degrees hotter by the year 2100. Overall, going to Garden by the Bay was a life-enriching adventure and educated me on the importance of going green. I hope to go back in the future to see more of this extraordinary park.

The small country of Singapore is definitely a city worth exploring. I wasn’t able to see much, but it was definitely a fantastic cultural and learning experience for me. I highly recommend visiting this metropolis to view all of its magnificence and beauty.

Sources: http://www.singaporeexpats.com/about-singapore/about-singapore.htm http://geography.about.com/od/economic-geography/a/Singapore-Economic-Development.htm http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/home.html

Sentosa means “peace and tranquility” in Malay, referring to the resort’s role as a place of peace and relaxation for the people of Singapore when they want to take a break from work or school.

Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay

Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

25

Digimon Grows Up

By Sophia Kim

M

any to

claim be

the

“Pokémon” single

most

influential anime of their

childhood,

Digimon tri promotional poster, showing more mature versions of the original characters with their Digimon.

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

but there is another production which has gained an even stronger cult following over the years: “Digimon.” Digimon, short for “Digital Monsters,” are creatures that inhabit the Digital World, a technofantasy manifestation of Earth’s communication network. In the earlier series of the “Digimon” chronicle, “Chosen Children” from Earth were transported to the Digital World to save it from various forces of evil. These young heroes and heroines each partnered up with a Digimon, who had the ability to metamorphose, or “digivolve,” a process in which they changed appearances and became much stronger.

“Digimon” spawned an entire franchise, branching off into popular video games, trading cards, and toys, but there is no argument that the anime series was the primary focus.

There was a new set of “Chosen Children” in each season, and while newer series had cooler gadgets, the original series, “Digimon Adventure,” along with its sequel, “Digimon Adventure 02,” proved to be the most popular, with its fastpaced adventure and heartfelt storyline. Last year marked the 15th anniversary since “Digimon Adventure” first aired in 1999, and in celebration, the “Digimon” franchise announced a new sequel to “Adventure,” “Digimon

The return of Digimon Adventures has sparked excitement and nostalgia within many fans, but deep down, like the Digimon who were separated from their human partners, many knew that “they would meet again.”

Adventure tri. ,” set to air in Japan this spring.

“Digimon Adventure tri.” marks the seventh installment of the “Digimon” anime series, bringing back the original “Chosen Children”: Taichi “Tai” Kamiya, Yamato “Matt” Ishida, Sora Takenouchi, Koushiro “Izzy” Isumi, Mimi Tachikawa, Joe Kido, Takeru “T.K.” Takaishi, and Hikari Kamiya. The new series serves as the third “Digimon Adventure,” chronicling their high school years. From the little information released, it is clear fans can expect another adventure from the first generation of “Chosen Children,” albeit they are no longer kids. As it is an homage

to the first “Digimon” series, “tri.” will retain some key production features from the first series, including some of the original voice actors for the Digimon, as well as the original soundtrack numbers “Butter-fly” and “brave heart.”

A point of concern for many fans, however, is the new art style of the latest “Digimon” production. The third “Digimon Adventure” has a completely different character design of the “Children” compared to its predecessors. From observing the promotional poster posted on the “tri.” Twitter account, the characters all have near identical facial features save for the hair designs. Although

this is no indication of the quality of the anime series or its storyline, fans can’t help but be disappointed at the unrecognizable characters who represented much of their childhood. Still, the tagline, “the adventure evolves once more,” signifies that fans can expect another exciting storyline with possibly new Digivolution sequences for each Digimon. Personally, I’m just excited at the prospect of “Digimon Adventure” characters returning to the TV, much like most “Digimon” fans. All along, like the Digimon who were separated from their human partners, we knew “we would meet again.”

Tai, the main antagonist of Digimon Adventure, reuniting with Agumon, his Digimon partner.

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27

Drama Review/

It’s Okay, That’s Love

By Anna Lin

Realistic and lacking the usual tackiness of Korean dramas, ™It's kOay, That's Love∫ is a comical series with a refreshing new take on mature relationships.

W

Noh Hee-Kyung, “It’s Okay, That’s Love” is a romantic melodrama starring Jo In-Sung (“That Winter, the Wind Blows”) as Jang Jae-Yeol and Gong Hyo-Jin (“Master’s Sun”) as Ji Hae-Soo. This drama focuses on the realistic, mature relationships between the characters.

Jae-Yeol is a writer who has schizophrenia due to his abusive past, whereas Hae-Soo is a psychiatrist who has relationship commitment issues because of her mother.

As the drama progresses, they become involved in a romantic relationship with each other. However, their relationship becomes complicated as Hae-Soo discovers that Jae-Yeol has schizophrenia and he remains in denial.

There was so much going on in the drama that it’s hard to say there was a clear, distinct storyline; however the scenes were well-written and drew viewers in with their realistic feel. There were many happy, painful, sad, and funny scenes. There was no car accident, memory loss, jealous second leads, or little misunderstandings that blew out of proportion. Instead, “It’s Okay, That’s Love” focused on character development. As the drama progresses, the audience watches how each character develops and deals with their situations. Each ritten by

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character is complex and has issues. There are many side relationships that are explored, too. These made it possible to connect with the other characters and like them more. However, a drawback to this drama was that some scenes really dragged on. This wasn’t a big issue for me but I did have to skip a few scenes.

One of things that I liked most about this drama was the soundtrack. The songs definitely enhanced the scenes to make them more touching. The timing of the sounds was also perfect. The sad songs seem to always play at the right moment. This, of course, made me cry buckets of tears. It was also interesting how there weren’t only Korean songs, but English songs as well such as “Ship and The Globe” by Kae Sun. The choice of actors for this drama could not have been better. Gong Hyo-Jin is a well-known Korean actress and usually plays quirky characters (like in “Master’s Sun”). Jo In-Sung is a veteran actor as well and portrayed his charismatic character very well. The main leads were interesting and fun to watch. They had good chemistry on screen. Actors such as Lee Kwang-Soo and Sung Dong-Il produced some good laughs, as well, due to their comical nature.

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AO CONSCIENCE

Photo by Jason Cruz

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Empty Palms

By Angela Wu Sitting on the damp grass, each strand of green poking through her uptight skin She could not face him Attempting to look at his wrinkled forehead and glistening eyes Through a hollow mask But sparks in her eyes could not resist She needed to turn around and feel the warmth of his eyes On this frost bitten night With only one reluctant whip around One wrong move She made contact Her wall of protection was slowly being peeled away A chill running down her back She quickly spun her head around to face away from him She could not admit the truth She swore it would never happen Could not make herself easy prey But the intensity of his eyes piercing the back of her head She couldn’t stand his look of mistrust One quick glance to end a wavering silence She opened her mouth and the truth escaped His eyes had the ability to lift the latch to set her free Her confession surprised him It was not what he expected But maybe it was what he wanted to hear She could see his hands moving towards her An empty palm waiting to be clasped Her hands moved closer to his Yearning to be accepted But just like curiosity kills the cat She made the wrong move Should have never asked Should have never found out The truth Her heart was forced to be hidden Trapped in a labyrinth Nobody would be close enough to finding it again Her hands slipped away

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“Freedom”

By Star Gould

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Neuschwanstein Castle Hohenschwangau, Germany Photo by Shelly Shin

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Privileged Dripping, dripping, Drip drip drip drop.

The pain feels so real, You feel so alive.

But why?

Why do you do this to yourself?

To feel the pain?

Or do you really want to die?

How about your parents? Your friends?

No, you got none?

Does that give you the right to let go?

Who am I to tell you?

Did you ever see the poor people in other nations?

Striving to live through, finding food to eat.

No freshwater, people around them dying of disease.

What do you think of them?

You’ve got no thoughts?

That’s the privileged first world nation for you.

Selfish, only thinking about yourself.

Living for yourself, Dying for yourself.

The impoverished, the poor, Hunger pangs every second.

I want to live. You hear their internal cries.

Hah, why don’t you trade with me?

I don’t want to live this privileged life.

My life sucks, I’m depressed, I’m bullied every day.

You want that life?

Take it, it’s yours to keep.

Laughing, I’m laughing, I’ll take that life of yours.

You can live to work 20 hours a day, Barely getting food to eat.

No freshwater to drink, let alone showering.

I’ll take your parents, your friends And your depressed life That’s way better than mine.

You’re dying on the inside, But I on the outside.

I’ll take that life of yours.

Let’s trade it up, I’ll take it any day.

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Late Night Thoughts

By Ellie Ono Why is it only when things are over do we learn to cherish them?

We’re so busy rushing, racing against time to do all the things we want to do, to stop and cherish these times, these precious moments.

Our lives so defined by time, our lives so busy, our days full of mundane schedules, it is not until now do I have a chance to think, to reflect.

As I look at old pictures of myself, reminiscing back to those memories I can’t help but wonder, this girl who looks so familiar but I can no longer recognize her.

She looks a lot like me but she is not me and I am not her‌ anymore.

I have changed so much to the extent that I would never have imagined.

Our lives so hectic, time waiting for no one, not even you and me, changing every second of every day; we are growing physically and mentally.

I am taking this moment to cherish everything and everyone in my life but a new chapter in my book awaits for me as I had rushed through my youth.

Time waits for nobody.

I became an adult.

Time waits for nobody.

Whether I like it or not.

I am graduating and going into the real world. I am not ready.

Why is it only when things are over do we learn to cherish them?

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“Mood” Drawing by Kimberly Yeung Vol. XXVIII, Issue 4

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“Nature” Bottom right photo by Jason Cruz

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“I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant; it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.”

Mewtwo Top left photo by John Paul M Randrup

ASIAN OUTLOOK needs

artists, writers, journalists, photographers,

graphic designers, articles, opinions, interviews, stories, photographs, recipes, poems, drawings, comics,

glow sticks, a projector, bubble tea, mad caffeine, a secret base, Chinese New Year holiday, a time machine, a disco ball, power, respect, etc.

maybe you can help?

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ao.editor@gmail.com