Top Dog, Black Threat and Japanese Cats

Locke, B. 1998. “Top Dog,” “Black Threat,” and “Japanese Cats”: The
Impact of the White-Black Binary on Asian-American Identity. Radical
Philosophy Review 1(2): 98-125.

“There is no such thing as an Asian-American man in post-World War II U.S. popular culture.”

“… [East] Asian male figures must be coded as foreign, acting as a solvent that dissolves differences between white and black so that the pair might forge a tighter bond.”

“Rising Sun’s narrative cannot admit of any sort of masculine figure that is both Asian and American.”

COMMENTARY: Due to a large section of Communist propaganda about the poor treatment of Afropeans, the US government was forced to implement positive social policies in an attempt to preserve its worldwide exceptionalism narrative of a freedom promoting democracy. Afropean-European brotherhood (as shown in buddy films e.g. Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, Lethal Weapon 3, Lethal Weapon 4, The Defiant Ones, Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop II, Casablanca, Silver Streak, Stir Crazy, 48 Hrs, Another 48 Hrs, Running Scared, Blazing Saddles, Trading Places, White Nights, Firewalker, Silverado, Enemy Mine, Cop Out, Training Day, Men in Black, Men in Black II, Die Hard, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Miami Vice, Cop and a Half, The Last Boy Scout, In the Heat of the Night, Silver Streak, The Shawshank Redemption, The Money Train, Rocky series, Nighthawks, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, White Nights, Cry Freedom, Grand Canyon, White Men Can’t Jump, An Officer and a Gentleman, Green Book) is then seen as the primary constituents of US national identity. This is a re-working to the earlier subservient sidekick propaganda used to control indigenous Americans (Tonto), Afropeans (Stepin Fetchit, Eddie Anderson, Tom caricature, Mammy caricature) and East Asians (Hop Sing, Kato, houseboy/manservant). The indigenous American is dismissed from the US national narrative as a primitive isolationist and the East Asian is used to cement the Afro-Euro(pean) bond of unity and stability as Afropeans represent the largest, anti-European antagonistic group i.e. the most dangerous to a stable prosperous Euro-US nation.

The US Afropean’s destiny is now mystically chained to the US European’s destiny so that the Afropean is best served by working with the European in nation building. To aid this, a common enemy is conveniently provided in the East Asian and further exploited by media fear-mongering of an imminent foreign economic Japan and China peril. In other words, the problem is not domestic racism but foreign economic aggression which Locke argues is embodied “as [East] Asian, male and foreign” as depicted in the movie Rising Sun (1993). To this end, East Asian males represent the social glue that binds US Afro-Euro(peans) in a common purpose and necessitates an ‘othering’ narrative. This media ‘othering’ narrative is perpetuated through Euro-Semitic ‘disgust theology’ such as culinary stereotypes (eating rats, cats, dogs, MSG scare), physical stereotypes (short stature, yellow skinned, skinny, buck-teeth, small genitalia, low testosterone, hairless body, slant eyes), cultural stereotypes (dirty, hard working, scheming, automatons, patriarchal, intelligent, hive-minded), and functional stereotypes (bad drivers, repulsive lovers, poor sportsmen, non-complainers, non-confrontational, good servicemen [technologists, engineers, scientists, doctors]).

In Rising Sun (1993), the Japanese stand-in for all East Asians are:

1. A sexual threat to European females
2. An economic threat to Afropeans
3. A national threat to US Afro-Euro(peans)

Locke argues that the film presents the logic that “… those who are hurt most by the Japanese corporation’s dirty dealings are America’s black citizens.”

Recent and present day US anti-Chinese hysteria is part and parcel of US state demonization of East Asian masculinity to remedy its home-grown Afropean slavery-Jim Crow issues. This temporary ‘remedy’ will result in increased Afro-Euro(pean) hatred of East Asian masculinity and US East Asian males will continue their cycle of extreme self-hate with simultaneous model-minority over-achievement. Affirmative action against East Asians in tertiary education access and media representation to primarily favour Afro-Euro(peans) is yet another example of ethno-pacification just as internment was used to pacify Europeans who could not compete with superior Japanese agricultural prowess and the Chinese Exclusion Act pacified Europeans who could not compete with a superior Chinese work ethic.

Locke argues that Rising Sun (1993) presents the Afropean ghetto as “the last line of defense against the Japanese.” This can be taken to mean that Afropeans are primarily tasked with defending the US nation against aggressive foreigners (i.e. East Asian males). Given that wealth is coded as “white” and poverty as “black”, East Asians are portrayed as not ‘black’ but as the only type of ‘white’ towards which US Afropeans can validly vent repressed ethnic rage, leaving the European unscathed. Furthermore, Latinos are coded as ‘black’ due to their poverty and loose ‘alliance’ with Afropeans so that East Asian males are the ‘pacifying glue’ to securely bond Afro-Euro-Latino(peans) in US nation building. Locke gives examples of assimilated East Asian female media characters but East Asian males are depicted as those for which assimilation is impossible.

PREDICTION: An increase of anti-East Asian sentiment mainly from US Afro-Latino(peans) with reactionary push-back inclusive of racism and legal action as well as increasing mental health issues affecting US East Asian males and rampant US East Asian female miscegenation. Societies with similar US-oriented cultures (Australia, Canada, the Caribbean, New Zealand, Western Europe) will most likely follow this pattern adapted to their local context.

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Hollywood Roundup LIII

New Amsterdam (2018) S01E01: European male heterosexualization (pregnant European wife), affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x7], European female doctor wants to sex Afropean male doctor, South Asian male medical doctor, East Asian female medical doctor [x2], S01E02: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x3], S01E03: Affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x10], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], token East Asian male medical doctors [x2], female Latina doctor [x1], S01E04: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity), affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x7], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x1], token East Asian male medical doctors [x1], Latino medical doctor, token female East Asian medical doctor, S01E05: Affirmative action male medical doctors [x9], Afro/Latino SJW episode, S01E06: Affirmative action male medical doctors [x3], token Japanese male billionaire, pro-LGBT SJW episode, S01E07: Afropean male heterosexualization (dating Afropean female), affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x6], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor [x1], token East Asian male medical doctor, S01E08: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, Afropean female looks at European males as sperm donors), male protagonist may have Hebrew ancestry, affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x5], Chinese mother refuses to accept that her daughter is a depressive suicidal, affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], token East male medical doctors [x2], token East Asian female medical doctor, Hebrewpean rabbi peddling positive story of child sacrifice,

S01E09: Affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x5], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor [x1], heterosexualized South Asian male medical doctor (invites Afropean female on a date), token East Asian male medical doctor.

The Resident S02E01: European male and female kissing in shower, Afropean male says that a “half-Asian girl” has a “thing for him”, affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], European male and female have sex, S01E02: Token East Asian female medical doctor, affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x4], token East Asian male medical doctor, S02E03: Affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x4], S02E04: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x4], European male heterosexualization (billionaire “most eligible bachelor”), S02E05: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x6], S02E06: Affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors, affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor, European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity dressed as Tarzan, instantly attracts European female, kissing European female, sexing European female, in bed with European female), Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, kissing European female),

S02E07: Token East Asian female medical doctor, Afropean male with Korean wife and kids, affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor, South Asian male kisses European female, S02E08: Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, in bed with Afropean female, attracted to Afropean female), defective imported Chinese products, affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x5], affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], S02E09: Affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor, token Eurasian male medical doctor.

Hollywood Roundup LII

The Rookie S01E05: Afropean male firefighter romantically interested in Eurasian policewoman, European male heterosexualization (elderly male with two European prostitutes), East Asian male lawyer for Russian mafia.

Single Parents S01E01: Flamboyant Afropean boy, East Asian male single parent, Iranian female wants to sex pathetic European male.

The Resident S01E01: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x2], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x3], South Asian male heterosexualization (in bed with South Asian female, naked), European male heterosexualization (non-conformist, cocky, extremely intelligent, kisses European female, upper chest nudity), Nigerian female surgeon, European male ridiculously insinuates that a South Asian male is an affirmative action hire, S01E02: Nine affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors, three affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors, token East Asian male doctor, S01E03: European male heterosexualization (was in the marines), eight affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors, four affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors, affirmative action Latina medical student, S01E04: Affirmative action male Afropean medical doctor, five affirmative action female Afropean medical doctor, South Asian male and female couple in bed, S01E05: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], token Eurasian male medical doctor (actor has European surname but is named Dr. Chu), affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x1], token East Asian male medical doctor (no speaking lines), S01E06: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x4], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x6], South Asian male medical doctor, token Eurasian(?) male medical doctor, S01E07: South Asian couple in bed, European male heterosexualization (couple in bed, with two European females, kissing European female), affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x3], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x7], token East Asian male in executive meeting, S01E08: African female medical doctor claims to have been invited to a fundraising meeting because she’s “black” and “apparently diversity matters” even though the though the TV serial engages in extreme Afropean affirmative action at the expense of East and South Asians, Latino gigolo, affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor [x5], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor [x3], S01E09: European male with former European female fiance, affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor [x2], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor, S01E10: Affirmative action Afropean female medical doctors [x2], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctors [x10], filthy rich Chinese businessman goes to US hospital instead of Chinese one, European female treats older Chinese multi-billionaire as a child (infantilization), elderly European male kisses European female, European male sexes European female, S01E11: Affirmative action male medical doctors [x3], affirmative action female medical doctors [x5], token Eurasian male medical doctor, two token East Asian males in executive meeting, token Eurasian medical doctor is bullied into lying by another doctor, S01E12: Shirtless European male exercising, elderly European male sexes younger European female, European male wants to date European female, token East Asian male medical doctor, affirmative action female medical doctors [x1], affirmative action male medical doctors [x2], one of the best cardio-thoracic surgeons is an Afropean male, S01E14: European male and female have sex, Afropean male and female have sex twice, affirmative action Afropean female medical doctor [x4], affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor [x2], European and Afropean female homosexual couple, South Asian male medical doctor, European male and female kissing.

The Dragon Prince S01E01: African human king married to European female, S01E04: Female European human general (feminism).

Hollywood Roundup LI

Sister Act (1992): Written by Paul Rudnick. Afropean female sexes married Italian male (played by a Hebrewpean).

The Rookie S01E01: Eurasian policewoman with East Asian surname (actress has Irish father), female police captain, European male heterosexualization (sexing Eurasian female, European waitress wants to sex him, European wife), East Asian male drug dealer, S01E02: Male East Asian car thief, female East Asian nurse, European male heterosexualization (in bed with Eurasian lover, upper chest nudity [x2] ),

 

S01E03: East Asian male medical doctor, European male heterosexualization (instigated violence, upper chest nudity), affirmative action Afropean male medical doctor, S01E04: European male heterosexualization (makes pun about penile length and then sexes Eurasian girlfriend).

The Good Wife (2009-2016): Created by Michelle King, main actress Julianna Margulies. South Asian female bisexual, previously married to European male, sexes European males and females, European male with East African girlfriend, male Hebrewpean character with an ex-wife, daughter and Latina romantic interest.

FBI S01E01: Model-minority East Asian male police technician, African and Latino gangs, social justice warrior Arab detective, S01E02: Arab/Islamic terrorism episode with pro-Arab and pro-Islamic narratives, S01E03: Ukrainian sex-trafficking episode.

Charmed S01E01: Latina with past European boyfriend, Latina in bed with Eurasian girlfriend, European male professor accused of harassment by East Asian female, Afro-Latina PhD scientist (with African father), Afropean male scientist, faux feminism, S01E02: Latina assault kisses and sexes European male, Eurasian female homosexual confessed to having twice slept with her ex-fiance, S01E03: European male heterosexualization (likes Latina but is with an European female, rescues Latina from angry male customer), S01E04: Latina kisses European male, S01E05: Afropean male heterosexualization (sexing Afropean female, upper chest nudity), token East Asian male scientist.

A Discovery of Witches (UK) S01E01: European and Afropean female homosexual couple, S01E02: European male sees Afropean female (European father) and immediately pursues her for sex, Afropean female previously sexed another European male, S01E03: Afropean male impregnates European female.

Titans S01E01: Heterosexualized European male (cocky, lone wolf vigilante, upper chest nudity), African female dressed as a prostitute, African couple kissing in Austria, S01E02: European male heterosexualization (violence, upper chest nudity [x3], cocky attitude, sexing European female, memory of European male and female having sex), European male and female super-hero couple beat up multiple East Asian male goons who are afforded no backstory, South Asian male medical doctor.

Hollywood Roundup L

The Good Cop (2018): Based on an Israeli serial, executive producers Andy Breckman, Randy Zisk, Howard Klein, Ron Eilon, Yoav Gross, actor Josh Groban. Incessant European male heterosexualization, sexualized Latina played by an European, S01E04: European male lies that another European male impregnated an “Asian girl”, S01E07: European male with East Asian female love interest, S01E08: Latina dates Latino who is also dating an European female, said Latino kills his European male room-mate and then tries to kill Latina wife to inherit her fortune, S01E09: East Asian female on a date with European male, S01E10: Two Hebrewpean characters, elderly Italian male sexually attracted to younger Chinese female acupuncturist, East Asian boy playing video game.

The Good Doctor S02E01: Afropean male medical doctor in background.

Lodge 49 S01E01: European male upper chest nudity, meets past girlfriend who recalls giving him a blowjob, S01E02: Afropean male medical doctor in background, S01E04: Implied sexing of European female by European male, S01E05: Sexing of European female by European male, European female recalls her possible sexing by East Asian male, S01E07: East Asian male sexes European female, S01E08: East Asian male sexes European female.

The Originals S05E11: Elderly Afropean male and European female couple, S05E12: European male heterosexualization [x2]

The 100 S01E01: European male heterosexualization (non-conformist, interested in one European female, described as “cute” by another European female who also desires him, saves Afropean male from being beaten up in an unfair fight, takes charge), cliched feministic take charge European females, European female medical doctor, East Asian male commander is first to want to kill humans crowding the satellite station, East Asian female (played by Eurasian) with European male, S01E02: African male kissing female, European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, kisses European female, implied sexing, kisses European female), East Asian male is the model-minority sent to aid in engineering endeavours, insinuated that Afropean male is in love with European female.

Hollywood Roundup XLIX

Dave Allen at Large (UK, 1971-1979), S01E01: Anglo-Irishman Dave Allen plays a stereotypical Japanese soldier, news story of Chinese invasion of Australia, heterosexualization of Latinos (sexing female [x2]), heterosexualization of European males (kissing/sexing European female, in bathtub with European female, European wife), S01E02: Allen jokingly claims he left Ireland because of the “Japs and Germans” (not “Japs and Krauts”). He then proceeds to mock the Japanese language to roaring audience laughter. No stereotyping of the Germans though.

The Boondock Saints (1999): Effeminate East Asian homosexual who wants to cuddle with the more masculine and older European male

Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967): Features a faithful, flamboyant Filipino houseboy (Anacleto) played by an Italian.

The Originals S05E04: Afropean male attracted to South Asian female who flirts back, European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity [x3]), S05E08: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity [x2], married to European female, sexing European female), S05E09: Afropean male kisses South Asian female.

Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger S01E01: European male heterosexualization (wants to sex European female, kisses European girlfriend, sexes European girlfriend, wants to rape European female), Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity [x5], sports violence, Afropean female likes him), S01E02: European male dating European female, East Asian male dry cleaning worker engaging in illegal activity, S01E03: Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity [x2], kisses Afropean female), S01E04: Afropean male heterosexualization (kisses Afropean female, upper chest nudity).

Hong Kong ’97 (1994): European male is so skilled that even with a bullet wound to his left hand he is able to shoot multiple East Asian males.

Reilly, Ace of Spies (UK, 1983), S01E01: Hebrewpean male heterosexualization (backside nudity, sexing European girlfriend).

Queer As Folk (2000-2005): European male shows off his new Japanese boyfriend/sex worker Katsuo. Katsuo doesn’t speak a word of English, which provides plenty of opportunities for puns (“he gives new meaning to Pacific Rim!”). Series created by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman, both Hebrewpeans.

The Expanse S03E01: European male heterosexualization (focus on muscled arms [x2]), S03E02: European male heterosexualization (focus on muscled arms), S03E07: European male heterosexualization (muscled arms [x3], sexing European female, propositioned by European female, European male insinuates that European female reporter sexing another European male, propositioned by European male), S03E10: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, full body nudity), East Asian male is molecularly dismembered by alien technology, S03E13: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity [x2]).

Hollywood Roundup XLVIII

Station 19 S01E01: European male heterosexualization (former European girlfriend, present European girlfriend, kisses and wants to propose to Latina girlfriend, went to prom with Latina, upper chest nudity), Afropean male heterosexualization (females ogle after him after he ‘saves’ a dog, has sex with European female), homosexualized Eurasian male with European surname, Afropean male medical doctor, female Afropean medical doctor, S01E02: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, about to sex East Asian girlfriend who states she wants “a mind blowing orgasm with you and all your handsome nakedness”), Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, claims to be sized “extra large”, flirts with East Asian female who reciprocates), homosexual Eurasian was formerly married, S01E04: European male heterosexualization (sexes Latina twice, Latina wants to sex him again, upper chest nudity [x2]), Afropean male heterosexualization (wants to sex East Asian female, talks about how easy his previous sex affairs were), homosexual Eurasian lusts after Afropean male, S01E05: East Asian female asks Afropean male out for a date, initiates kissing and sexes him, S01E06: Aggressive East Asian female firefighter with European surname, S01E07: Afropean male homosexual initiates relationship with Eurasian male homosexual, European male sexes Latina. S01E08: European male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, formerly sexing Latina), Afropean male heterosexualization (upper chest nudity, female East Asian wants him to stay and sex some more instead of go to work).

The Originals S05E01: Afropean male heterosexulization (upper chest nudity, wants to marry European girlfriend), European male heterosexualization (homosexual European male wants to date him, dating European female), S05E03: European male finds new European female sexmate.

Ferdinand (2017): Animal cartoon that tackled Spain’s atrocious bull fighting culture but does not stereotype or blame the Spaniards.

The Magicians S03E08: European male heterosexualization (sexing European female, upper chest nudity), S03E11: European female states that older Afropean male is not bad in bed.

The Good Doctor S01E16: Two Afropean male medical doctor in background, S01E17: Three Afropean male medical doctor in background, S01E18: Two Afropean male medical doctors.

Young Sheldon S01E15: Vietnamese boy lusts after Afropean female, gets rejected.

AP Bio S01E01: European male heterosexualization (high IQ, wants to fuck as many females in California, thinks his European female ex-girlfriend is going to sex him, upper chest nudity, rampant non-conformism), sexually desperate East Asian female.