[Leica] IMG: Protesting "The Mikado"

[pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)]

I'm don't want to get into a debate here. Frankly, after following the 
Internet sh*tstorm around this all week, I'm tired.  :-)  Here's my POV, 
and then y'all can discuss whatever you like.

Here's the article that started it:
<http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2024050056_mikadosharonpianchancolumn14xml.html>

Here's what I posted on the Seattle Times' comments to Ms. Chan's 
article. It's the middle of the three featured comments:
<http://discussions.seattletimes.com/comments/2024050056/#lf_comment=188372882>

We all can have problems with how our group identities are portrayed. I 
don't particularly care for the way Jews are often portrayed--the 
characterizations are often cliche-ridden and skin-deep. But I don't 
sweat the small stuff. I was very uncomfortable with the fact that an 
Evangelical Christian church in suburban Seattle recently mounted a 
production of "Fiddler on the Roof." Their theology includes being 
"called" to witness to and convert everybody else, including Jews. If we 
don't agree, we're going to Hell. However, I didn't try to shut them 
down and create a national scandal. I simply didn't attend.

A lot of the current in-your-face identity politics is rooted in 
Postmodernist literary Theory.  Which uses obscure language (that is 
ripe for parody) to basically say that what you say is not what you 
mean, it only means what I say it means, your intent is irrelevant, and 
if you don't agree with me you're a racist. Sorry, I think that intent 
and context is very important. I also don't think the world should be 
run by people who have had their senses of humor surgically removed and 
replaced by perpetual outrage.

Y'see, part of my "ethnic" identity is photographer, classical musician, 
writer, composer. In other words, "artist."  And speaking from that 
marginalized, much-oppressed outgroup, which is historically 
economically disadvantaged and under constant oppression and degradation 
from the hegemonic privileged jerk-o-normative corporate paradigm (big 
grin), I don't like censorship.

And I don't like a powerful editorial columnist attacking a conveniently 
soft target with confrontational interview questions which she used to 
construct a straw man to knock down.  She was strangely silent when 
Seattle Opera did "Turandot" and "Madama Butterfly."  And even when 
Seattle G&S did "Mikado" in 2008. The show was announced a year ago. 
Auditions were half a year ago. If she, or someone else in the 
Asian-American community had come to them and said, "We have a problem 
with this show, can we work together on a solution?" I think there would 
have been at least a discussion about it. But it was more useful to 
wait, pounce on them (without having see the show), and create a furor 
that went national. Which I'll bet will enhance the columnist's career.

--Peter, contemplating his deconstructed Postmoderist pupik(*)
* "Pupik is Yiddish for "belly button."  What? You didn't know? What are 
you, some kinda racist?  :-)
------


 > And thank you, Doug. I certainly do not speak for anyone other than 
myself.
 > I realize that my experience as an Asian man living in the US may not 
fit
 > the victimhood that certain "activists" would like to perpetuate.
 >
 > There are certainly many who earn their living or at least infamy 
through
 > perpetuating the myth of victimhood. They get their need for validation
 > satisfied through convincing others to feel victimized.
 >
 > The writer of the said article is merely a trivial example of this. At a
 > grandeur scale, a lot of news media selling their propaganda, religious
 > organizations, and and "political activism" depend on victimization for
 > their financial gains.
 >
 > While I do think G&S is entertaining, and I have seen several 
productions,
 > my taste runs more towards Austro-German expressionist opera. If I 
went out
 > protesting every "offensive" thing out there, we will have no art, no
 > dialogue, and certainly no history left in our world.
 >
 > At the end of the day, I think the writer helped the production by 
giving it
 > much publicity, resulting in greater ticket sales. I wish I were in 
Seattle.
 >
 > Sent from my iPhone
 >
 > > On Jul 19, 2014, at 9:38 AM, Doug Herr <wildlightphoto at 
earthlink.net>
 > > wrote:
 > >
 > > I can't (and won't) speak for anyone else but I'd rather be though 
of as
 > > an individual than as a bearded male anglo/austrian.
 > >
 > > Doug Herr
 > > Sacramento
 > > http://www.wildlightphoto.com
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > > -----Original Message-----
 > >> From: Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com>
 > >> Sent: Jul 19, 2014 5:40 AM
 > >> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
 > >> Subject: Re: [Leica] IMG:  Protesting "The Mikado"
 > >>
 > >> I'm writing about how how the silent majority here in the US would 
presume
 > >> to say what's ok for Asians. And other minorities as well.  "They 
should
 > >> not
 > >> be so over sensitive. They should let us define them."  What would or
 > >> should
 > >> be insulting to them and what should not. And what people call 
themselves.
 > >> I am pretty clearly writing a pro diversity and individuality message
 > >> build