@GoWithTheMoney
Americans are far too vested in media entertainment. Whether it's applying "war paint" for a football team, or dressing up as a stormtrooper for a "Star Wars" convention, we've become a society unwilling to cope with reality. Casual viewership is starting to go out of style. Much like politics, you are pushed to be all-in, or else...
Normally, I wouldn't spend so much time on ultimately inane amusement. But I must admit that I have been caught up in the "who-gets-it" drama surrounding the season six denouement of "The Walking Dead."
For those that don't know, "The Walking Dead" is a post-apocalyptic tale of various groups of survivors struggling to live amongst a zombie herd. Towards the tail end of the cliffhanger-episode, a dreaded villain named Negan is introduced. Based on an infamous scene from a comic book with the same name, Negan will bash one unlucky character's brains out.
More Than Just a Name
The beauty of "The Walking Dead" is that viewers are never too sure which fan favorite might end up as zombie meat. That suspense keeps the story going, and ultimately garners increased viewership. Somebody has to die. It would be wholly unrealistic if every main character were given an indefinite pass.
But one character has caught the attention of virtually every audience member, whether consciously or subconsciously. Glenn Rhee, from the first season onwards, has become a quick favorite among the Walking faithful for his cool-under-fire demeanor and steady moral compass. But for Asian Americans, Glenn is more than just a name. He embodies the true diversity and strength of the Asian spirit.
For decades, liberal Hollywood has demeaned, denigrated, and castrated Asian masculinity. For all the talk about inclusivity and sensitivity, Hollywood has willing ears to all but Asian concerns. We don't need to pull up statistics. Just think of any one Asian actor currently on either the big or small screen that isn't a karate-chopping caricature or some bucktoothed buffoon.
Can't think of anyone? My point exactly.
Breaking Bad Stereotypes
In Steven Yeun's Glenn, we Asians finally -- finally! -- saw both a character and a characterization of whom we could be proud, and one we could call our own. Glenn was a refreshing twist, breaking bad stereotypes of Asians faster than he could unload a 30-round clip of his trusty AR-15. Yes, he was smart and kind in the face of tragedy, yet he was relied upon as a man willing and able to do whatever was necessary for the greater good.
Most shocking of all, Walking producers allowed Glenn to explore the one area of the heart that is considered nearly sacrosanct for other races or ethnicities -- eros. Not only did he court a white woman -- just the thought of it is jarring to many -- Glenn ultimately slept with, and impregnated, Maggie. Played by Lauren Cohan, she is largely considered the hottest woman on the show.
This was groundbreaking for a host of reasons. Of the infinitesimally few portrayals of Asian characters in entertainment media, they are often tasked with a functional -- and perhaps mundane -- role within the storyline. Many times, Asian characters are expected to sacrifice themselves so that good-looking white characters can be the heroes. Never are they allowed to have excessive attention, and to have a love life is an unacceptable taboo, save for the seductive Asian woman servicing the white male messiah.
More of the Same
Unfortunately, the tremendous goodwill that Walking producers gave to the Asian American community appears to be a mirage. In the comic book, Negan viciously smashes Glenn's cranium to pieces with a barbed-wire baseball bat named "Lucille." It is considered by a large consensus of readers and critics that this was the most shocking and brutal death in the series. However, I don't think it is any accident that Glenn received this dubious honor.
Liberal society has always had a unique hatred of Asian Americans. Whether it's concentration camps or deduction of points in standardized testing for college admissions, the tolerance preached by Democrats somehow always misses the Asian pew. It's not much of a stretch to assume that the graphic way in which Glenn meets his fate is a result of this all too familiar hatred of Asians.
I thought that Walking producers were courageous, and they still might be. The television series doesn't always follow the comic book's arc. But if it really is the end of Glenn, and the only positive light in the Asian dearth, then this is not a revolution -- it's more of the same. Once again, Asians are forced to take a backseat, being the perennial butt of Hollywood's jokes.
Honestly, it is high time that we Asians stop being nice. Only by fighting fire with fire will racist, liberal Hollywood get the message. Instead of silently and submissively accepting the centuries long stereotype of the "exotic other," we must actively punish and humiliate the peddlers of mass-marketed racism.
This is not to say that "The Walking Dead" producers should pick a "white guy" in place of Glenn. But let's send a strong message to Hollywood:
If Glenn dies, we vote for Trump!
Americans are far too vested in media entertainment. Whether it's applying "war paint" for a football team, or dressing up as a stormtrooper for a "Star Wars" convention, we've become a society unwilling to cope with reality. Casual viewership is starting to go out of style. Much like politics, you are pushed to be all-in, or else...
Normally, I wouldn't spend so much time on ultimately inane amusement. But I must admit that I have been caught up in the "who-gets-it" drama surrounding the season six denouement of "The Walking Dead."
For those that don't know, "The Walking Dead" is a post-apocalyptic tale of various groups of survivors struggling to live amongst a zombie herd. Towards the tail end of the cliffhanger-episode, a dreaded villain named Negan is introduced. Based on an infamous scene from a comic book with the same name, Negan will bash one unlucky character's brains out.
More Than Just a Name
The beauty of "The Walking Dead" is that viewers are never too sure which fan favorite might end up as zombie meat. That suspense keeps the story going, and ultimately garners increased viewership. Somebody has to die. It would be wholly unrealistic if every main character were given an indefinite pass.
But one character has caught the attention of virtually every audience member, whether consciously or subconsciously. Glenn Rhee, from the first season onwards, has become a quick favorite among the Walking faithful for his cool-under-fire demeanor and steady moral compass. But for Asian Americans, Glenn is more than just a name. He embodies the true diversity and strength of the Asian spirit.
For decades, liberal Hollywood has demeaned, denigrated, and castrated Asian masculinity. For all the talk about inclusivity and sensitivity, Hollywood has willing ears to all but Asian concerns. We don't need to pull up statistics. Just think of any one Asian actor currently on either the big or small screen that isn't a karate-chopping caricature or some bucktoothed buffoon.
Can't think of anyone? My point exactly.
Breaking Bad Stereotypes
In Steven Yeun's Glenn, we Asians finally -- finally! -- saw both a character and a characterization of whom we could be proud, and one we could call our own. Glenn was a refreshing twist, breaking bad stereotypes of Asians faster than he could unload a 30-round clip of his trusty AR-15. Yes, he was smart and kind in the face of tragedy, yet he was relied upon as a man willing and able to do whatever was necessary for the greater good.
Most shocking of all, Walking producers allowed Glenn to explore the one area of the heart that is considered nearly sacrosanct for other races or ethnicities -- eros. Not only did he court a white woman -- just the thought of it is jarring to many -- Glenn ultimately slept with, and impregnated, Maggie. Played by Lauren Cohan, she is largely considered the hottest woman on the show.
This was groundbreaking for a host of reasons. Of the infinitesimally few portrayals of Asian characters in entertainment media, they are often tasked with a functional -- and perhaps mundane -- role within the storyline. Many times, Asian characters are expected to sacrifice themselves so that good-looking white characters can be the heroes. Never are they allowed to have excessive attention, and to have a love life is an unacceptable taboo, save for the seductive Asian woman servicing the white male messiah.
More of the Same
Unfortunately, the tremendous goodwill that Walking producers gave to the Asian American community appears to be a mirage. In the comic book, Negan viciously smashes Glenn's cranium to pieces with a barbed-wire baseball bat named "Lucille." It is considered by a large consensus of readers and critics that this was the most shocking and brutal death in the series. However, I don't think it is any accident that Glenn received this dubious honor.
Liberal society has always had a unique hatred of Asian Americans. Whether it's concentration camps or deduction of points in standardized testing for college admissions, the tolerance preached by Democrats somehow always misses the Asian pew. It's not much of a stretch to assume that the graphic way in which Glenn meets his fate is a result of this all too familiar hatred of Asians.
I thought that Walking producers were courageous, and they still might be. The television series doesn't always follow the comic book's arc. But if it really is the end of Glenn, and the only positive light in the Asian dearth, then this is not a revolution -- it's more of the same. Once again, Asians are forced to take a backseat, being the perennial butt of Hollywood's jokes.
Honestly, it is high time that we Asians stop being nice. Only by fighting fire with fire will racist, liberal Hollywood get the message. Instead of silently and submissively accepting the centuries long stereotype of the "exotic other," we must actively punish and humiliate the peddlers of mass-marketed racism.
This is not to say that "The Walking Dead" producers should pick a "white guy" in place of Glenn. But let's send a strong message to Hollywood:
If Glenn dies, we vote for Trump!
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