I was listening to NPR this morning and they interviewed a Chinese American journalist who described having a "Jackie Robinson" moment when watching Lakers rookie phenom Jeremy Lin play. The fact that Jeremy, a Taiwanese American, hasn't really been noticed until now is pretty amazing and the journalist thought that maybe it is because he's Asian. Even in the age of Yao Ming. How I understand this ethnic pride in the midst of living as the "other."
How do any of us, as Americans, reconcile the weirdness of a third world racism in a first world country? I can't really be anything but bemused by the stares and looks I got in China--it's like the staring I did when Shaq came to the Symphony. It's so outside of my experience to see someone that big (in a white tux, no less) that I found myself open mouthed. I hope he didn't notice, or that I was one of many who were agog.
And so we come to Samuel L. Jackson's recent comment that he voted for Obama because he was Black. I understand this, too--the deliciousness of having someone with whom I can really identify as an educated Black person who truly cares about those less fortunate--and I'll never forget the election night I spent with some of you, where I could feel the understanding and triumph in the room because we as a country had surpassed an inculcated evil. And even though it's resulted in some back-sliding and a lot of turmoil, because all great change does, we still have and will always have that triumph.
So, play on, Jeremy Lin. Fly, my brother.
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