Montana Syndrome: Or, the Popularization of Not Giving a Shit About Asian America

Confession: The same thought I usually have when I see this poor girl's name in the news crossed my mind when I read this headline: "Ignore it. She is a child. Who goes by Miley. Because that is an improvement on her actual name. Which is Destiny Hope (not kidding). She is nothing to you." But how could you resist a header like "Miley Cyrus Denies She's Racist" and just move along with the rest of the drivel about the latest butthurt Republican salt lick? Really, I'd like to know, because I couldn't. And I'm not sure if I'm a better person for reading the article or not.

There's a problem with the photo in question - one that kills me every time I try to discuss the topic of racism in a multiethnic America, particularly with regards to "Asian-Americans" - namely, the second kid (from left) in the photo.

I'd be interested to hear his thoughts on this whole situation, because I imagine it's all to do with his being there in the first place. Because the fundamental question that needs to be asked in this kind of a situation is: would you pull something like this if a person of East Asian descent was in the room?

Now in a normal, educated setting, the answer would of course be a resolute "no." But that's not what we're talking about here. I would not endure friends like these for very long, and because of my own personal experiences, I read a slight measure of discomfort in that poor guy's face. But I could be totally mistaken. The boy could be fine with it. He's friends with Miley Cyrus, after all.

Which is the crux of the matter, when it comes down to it. That a pop starlet (regardless of what you think of her talent, that is her objective position in society) could so blithely and earnestly deny the inherently offensive nature of that gesture speaks more to the environment she comes from than her character - again, she's a child. Read part of the statement she made earlier today:

I definitely feel like the press is trying to make me out as the new `BAD GIRL'!

To this I say: think a little more carefully, Destiny. You cannot deflect this, or place it amongst the sundry misbehaviors of your teenage-pop-star predecessors. When the press singles out a "bad girl" (take any example you prefer), it's generally because she provides a recurring string of incidents involving profound substance abuse that are fun to photograph. However, at the end of the day none of those photos reveal much of anything in particular about the person in question. Even in the dawn of show business, it was rare for celebrities to be seen en masse as moral compasses, and especially now, women in their 20's who don't like to party are pretty hard to come by. Being a "bad girl" never did and still does not have a thing to do with, to provide another example, hanging out with your One Black Friend and deciding it'd be fun to take pictures of you sitting next to him/her with shoe polish and lipstick on your face.

Why, Destiny, is that "goofy" face you and your friends are putting on not so goofy to your one East Asian friend? Is he just not as funny as you are? Is that it? Just to provide some 101, this is the sort of thing that goofy face originated from:































I could honestly talk about this issue for hours. I have. I hope for a day when the term "Asian" isn't even part of the culture, because it's as meaningless as calling Miley Cyrus "North American." But stories like this remind me that the 20th century is going to be tough to shake, and all I can do for now is declare my objections and then hunt for another glass of wine to cherish and hold close.

Good night.