|
Everyone has their own opinions, but not everyone knows how to express them. This section features three regulars who will express their point of views on issues dealing with Asian Americans along with a new guest for each question. All answers are no longer than a paragraph, so the opinions are condensed. As the reader, decide whose argument compells you the most.
Question of the Moment
as of March 1st, 2002
As an Asian American, did Michelle Kwan's failure to capture the gold medal in the winter olympics have any effect on you?
Do you think her loss can be taken up in a symbolic sense of Asian American progress or a lack of progress in America?
|
|
regular #1
Ken Chen
|
|
New York University
|
|
The day after the women's figure skating competition, a girl down the hall asked me if Michelle Kwan's loss bothered me-I replied no, it didn't. The more I consider the question, the more inappropriate it becomes. It shouldn't have been asked. Why should I be disappointed if an Asian loses to a Caucasian, especially if they're both American? Are white people happier because Sarah Hughes won? I am happy that a skater representing the United States won, regardless of her race. Though Kwan, like Yamaguchi before her, is the sole Asian-American Olympian for her sport, I would much rather the better skater win.
|
regular #2
Peter Kang
|
|
Columbia University
|
|
I didn't anticipate on cheering for Michelle Kwan when I tuned into the figure skating competition. I wanted to see just how cute this Sasha Cohen girl was because my friends had hyped her up a bit. But when I sat down to watch Michelle Kwan skate, along with my friend Harry, who hoped dearly that she would finally win the gold, I could not help but to feel some compassion. It was truly disappointing when she did lose, even though I wasn't much of a Michelle Kwan fan. Maybe subconsciously, I felt a prick because of the lost opportunity of having our minority group glorified on the podium. |
regular #3
Michelle Lee
|
|
Stanford University
|
|
To tie Michelle Kwan's bronze-medal performance at the 2002 Winter Olympics to a setback for Asian-Americans at large is, I feel, much too far a stretch. Even if the "success" of an entire ethnic group could legitimately hinge on one individual's achievements--and it can't, she has already led an ethnic stereotype-breaking career. While Asian-Americans have long been respected and sometimes aloof competitors in science and engineering, there still aren't many to be found in other fields. By becoming a bona fide superstar in a traditionally Caucasian arena--and especially by doing so in a fashion that eschews horrific scandals and one-time upsets for ten years of exemplary artistry on the ice and great sportsmanship off of it--, she and, before her, Kristi Yamaguchi, have already marked a commendable achievement. Sure, I do wish that she'd performed to the best of her abilities at this winter's Olympics. But although she is in the public limelight, her career, as is the case with any celebrity, is ultimately still a personal matter for which I'm sure she is well capable of setting her own goals, evaluating her own progress, and making her own decisions. |
guest
Sung-Min
|
|
Columbia University
|
|
Michelle Kwan's failure to capture the gold affected me not so much as an Asian American but as a person. I greatly respect people who dedicate their lives to certain goals, and it broke my heart to see someone so dedicated lose. If that person were white or black, I believe my feelings would be the same. As I saw the judging at the competition to be very fair, I see no reason why this would be a set back for any Asian American because simply put, Michelle's competitors outskated Michelle on that night. She lost as an individual not as an Asian American. Also, I believe in the public's eye no one thinks less of Asian Americans because of her and on top of that no one thinks less of her as a skater. |
|
