| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Edwina Lee
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: High Wycombe, UK
|
 Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:30 pm Post subject: Racism in Hong Kong? |
 |
|
Is racism in Hong Kong serious?
Please cite articles on the internet or describe your personal encounters, so that there is something concrete to discuss.
There is plentiful of subjective personal opinions on this board, but rather short of concrete specifics.
(There are loads of articles if you search for "racism in Hong Kong", but please cite each article and discuss their validity.) |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
zombiehellmonkey
Joined: 27 Sep 2008
Posts: 195
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 4:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
This is from a newspaper.
Racially Motivated Attack in Wan Chai
Arthur Jones was walking home late one night when he was attacked by a gang of Chinese youths. They followed him to outside his Wan Chai appartment building then beat him with baseball bats while calling him a 'White bastard'. Mr. Jones describes the thugs as Chinese skinheads with swastika tattoos in nazi uniforms.
_________________
Coming to Hong Kong? Join my expat group for fun and networking! http://www.meetup.com/expats-HK/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chunxueping
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Posts: 763
Location: Beijing, PRC
|
| Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2009 10:37 am Post subject: |
|
|
No we been over this in the other thread. Swaztika is Buddhist Good Luck symbol.
Mr Jones merely misjudge traditional Buddhist welcome ceremony. Baseball bats were courtesy detail. What he thought were racist insults was his misunderstand of their Tibetan dialect. Is common for western people who always use the fourth tone in speaking Mandarin. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Jeanette
Joined: 16 Feb 2009
Posts: 32
Location: Hong Kong
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:39 am Post subject: |
|
|
http://www.cns.hk:89/ga/zqmd/news/2008/07-11/1309311.shtml
Hong Kong passed racial discrimination law. Using terms like “gwailo”, “Bun Mui” (Philippina), or “Hak gwai” (Black person) is unlawful behaviour.
http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/OtherProject/rdo/rdo-e.html
Equal opportunities Commission
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/080817/3/7quo.html
Sing Tao Daily on racial discrimination law
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2004/12/31/WW0412310008.htm
Wen Wei Po on racial discrimination law
It is not easy to find articles relating to racism in Hong Kong because it does not really exist. We are such a realistic society the only people who are discriminated are the ones who are poor regardless of race. There is a sprinkling of racial crimes every now and then involving Pakistanis and Hindus, usually over their women. The only frequent incidents involving local Chinese are between the foreign domestic helpers and their employers. These are very violent cases and usually end up with the perpetrator going to prison. Even these are not considered to be racially related because if the employer is racist, she would not have hired a Philipino, Indonesian or Thai helper in the first place. The English newspapers rarely if ever cover these cases, they are so whitewashed that if one does not read Chinese, one will not know what is really going on in the real Hong Kong.
http://www.appleactionews.com/site/art_main.php?iss_id=20080715&sec_id =6996647&art_id=11350969&dis_type=text
This court case involves a Philipina helper kissing her charge’s penis whenever she changes his clothes or gives him a bath. She claims that this is common practice in her hometown. The court sentenced her to four months imprisonment.
http://news.szonline.net/Channel/content/2007/200705/20070510/23030.ht ml
Indonesian helper adds urine and menstrual blood in employer’s food. A common witchcraft practice in Indonesia to help improve relationship with the drinker.
http://news.nen.com.cn/72344609522450432/20070712/2266054.shtml
Indonesian helper broke two month old baby’s limbs due to stress caused by communication problem with employer.
And a lot of cases involving the employer throwing a punch in the direction of the helper when they found out some common foreign practices cannot be tolerated in Hong Kong. Is this racism? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Kong
Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 103
Location: Sheffield
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 3:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
To Zombiehellmonkey are you serious? Probably not, lol!
These sounds like employment issues, which are even common to the problems to the UK ethnic minorities. Well at least china doesnt have organisations like BNP, Combat 18, Neonazi, Skinheads, 88, and brainwashed whites, etc, or even white superacy orgnisation, these organsation deliberately cause trouble for ethnic minorities. Somes of these organisation are even violent. There is only a exception in china and that are the triads, but even they dont get in the way of business. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zombiehellmonkey
Joined: 27 Sep 2008
Posts: 195
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
Kong, the Triads in Hong Kong do business with the Afghans, they allow them to sell hashish and weed over here, paying the Hong Kong police to turn a blind eye to their activities. You can buy good Afghanistan Black here while a police officer walks straight by! So no racism from the Triads.
_________________
Coming to Hong Kong? Join my expat group for fun and networking! http://www.meetup.com/expats-HK/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Adee
Joined: 28 Jan 2008
Posts: 47
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Jeanette wrote: | http://www.cns.hk:89/ga/zqmd/news/2008/07-11/1309311.shtml
Hong Kong passed racial discrimination law. Using terms like “gwailo”, “Bun Mui” (Philippina), or “Hak gwai” (Black person) is unlawful behaviour.
http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/OtherProject/rdo/rdo-e.html
Equal opportunities Commission
http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/080817/3/7quo.html
Sing Tao Daily on racial discrimination law
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2004/12/31/WW0412310008.htm
Wen Wei Po on racial discrimination law
It is not easy to find articles relating to racism in Hong Kong because it does not really exist. We are such a realistic society the only people who are discriminated are the ones who are poor regardless of race. There is a sprinkling of racial crimes every now and then involving Pakistanis and Hindus, usually over their women. The only frequent incidents involving local Chinese are between the foreign domestic helpers and their employers. These are very violent cases and usually end up with the perpetrator going to prison. Even these are not considered to be racially related because if the employer is racist, she would not have hired a Philipino, Indonesian or Thai helper in the first place. The English newspapers rarely if ever cover these cases, they are so whitewashed that if one does not read Chinese, one will not know what is really going on in the real Hong Kong.
|
I wouldn't say it doesn't exist, it's possible a lot of cases are under reported because a lot of immigrants doesn't speak the language and doesn't know where to get help. Due to this vulnerability they're most likely to be discriminated, that's why these laws are required to protect them. However I agree there're more discrimination in terms of social status than race. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zombiehellmonkey
Joined: 27 Sep 2008
Posts: 195
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Adee wrote: | | However I agree there're more discrimination in terms of social status than race. |
Yes, it's become typical Chinese belief to think that your opinion is not worth anything unless you drive a nice car and have a highly paid job. Snobby Hong Kongers suck up to those with a higher social status, and look down on the working class. Greed is rewarded in Hong Kong: racism doesn't pay!
_________________
Coming to Hong Kong? Join my expat group for fun and networking! http://www.meetup.com/expats-HK/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Edwina Lee
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: High Wycombe, UK
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 10:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| zombiehellmonkey wrote: | | Adee wrote: | | However I agree there're more discrimination in terms of social status than race. |
Yes, it's become typical Chinese belief to think that your opinion is not worth anything unless you drive a nice car and have a highly paid job. Snobby Hong Kongers suck up to those with a higher social status, and look down on the working class. Greed is rewarded in Hong Kong: racism doesn't pay! |
I don't think so. This isn't typical chinese belief.
Hong Kong has a very large proportion of residence who came from very humble backgrounds and climbed the economic ladder. These are people who really understand hardship, and they do respect others who have managed to climb.
Private cars are heavily penalised by government taxation, and there is hardly anywhere to park. It is clearly understood to be an environmental problem.
The car isn't a big status symbol in much of Hong Kong society. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Edwina Lee
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: High Wycombe, UK
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Jeanette wrote: | http://www.cns.hk:89/ga/zqmd/news/2008/07-11/1309311.shtml
Hong Kong passed racial discrimination law. Using terms like “gwailo”, “Bun Mui” (Philippina), or “Hak gwai” (Black person) is unlawful behaviour.
|
Oh dear, this is bureaucracy at its worse.
Chinese is a very condensed and picturesque language, and these terms have been in common conversational use ever since I grew up in Hong Kong. I have never heard these used in a derogatory context.
There are no other terms I am aware of that serves the same purpose in chinese conversational use.
Let me elaborate:-
'Bun Mui' (賓妹) Philippine Girl;
Philippine young girls were the 1st large group of foreign workers recruited mainly as domestic servants. As time goes by, lots of domestic problems occured such as extra-marital sex, or the wife became jealous or suspicious, or just paranoic. Furthermore, a significant proportion were very under skilled or merely using the domestic job as a stepping stone to get into more lucrative pursuits as bar girl, escort or prostitutes. This gradually created a lot of angry people.
In angry exchange, Bun Mui would be said with an angry tone. It doesn't mean Bun Mui is a term of insult.
'Gwailo' (鬼佬) Ghost Fellow;
This term was in such common use during the colonial era of Hong Kong, and no one took offense, so why now?
'Hak gwai' (黑鬼) Black Ghost;
Well, the same goes for Hak Gwai. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Edwina Lee
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: High Wycombe, UK
|
| Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 11:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| zombiehellmonkey wrote: | This is from a newspaper.
Racially Motivated Attack in Wan Chai
Arthur Jones was walking home late one night when he was attacked by a gang of Chinese youths. They followed him to outside his Wan Chai appartment building then beat him with baseball bats while calling him a 'White bastard'. Mr. Jones describes the thugs as Chinese skinheads with swastika tattoos in nazi uniforms.
|
Zombiehellmonkey,
I think you are not being serious.
This picture is a beautiful model specially dressed up in nazi uniform.
And 'white bastard' has no chinese equivalent as far as I know.
Libel is a prosecutable offense.
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Edwina Lee
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Oct 2006
Posts: 1319
Location: High Wycombe, UK
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
The article in Wen Wei Po has a description of Hong Kongers' behaviour in relation to discrimination. It is as I perceive in the Hong Kong I grew up in.
I consider this as accurate. It is consistent with how Jeannette described it, and she is a permanent resident there.
Basically, there is very little racial discrimination, and discrimination tends to be one of economic nature such as doubts whether the customer will be a good payer. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chunxueping
Joined: 24 Jun 2007
Posts: 763
Location: Beijing, PRC
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
I think to be honest most Europeans would find the picture offensive and there is nothing funny about dressing up as a nazi. look at the outcry when Prince Harry was caught doing it. The effect of the European war was deeply affecting to most Europeans and this should be respected. That said I find the newpaper account a little unbelieveable as I have rarely come across Chinese dressed as skinheads and never as nazis with swastika tattoo.
As for the term "White B******" You must have led a sheltered life Edwina. I have come across it and know how to say it. But I won't. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Medialies
Joined: 12 Jan 2009
Posts: 57
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:32 am Post subject: Bigotry in this post |
|
|
| [moderated for abuse & slander] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Medialies
Joined: 12 Jan 2009
Posts: 57
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:41 am Post subject: Beautiful model? |
|
|
| [moderated for abuse] |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
