For the last few years, every time I hang out with my crew its like “what’s up Macaca?” Or “Macaca puleez.” If one of them is acting ignorant I have to bust out with this derogatory term that we have appropriated from the Man and made our own. The distinction is clear: I love me my South Asian people. But I hate macacas.
Ok ok, I’m just kidding…and ripping off Chris Rock’s material a bit.
A few days ago one of our commenters made the following observation: “slumdog” is the new “macaca.” Bobby Jindal’s primetime response to Obama was given about 48 hours after Slumdog Millionaire mopped up at the Oscars. The most watched speech ever given by an Indian American occurred only two days after a huge audience watched a large cast of Indians take centerstage at an event embodying American culture. I think the combined effect of the two is greater than many people realize. Over the span of 48 hours desis literally dominated the airways. And, of course, that can be a double edged sword when you are a minority
On many websites and blogs, liberal commenters, who immediately pounced on Jindal’s poor performance to discredit his “rising star” hype, used the term “slumdog” to describe him. It wasn’t limited to liberals though. Conservative commenters and bloggers did the same exact thing. After Allen used it in Virginia, the term “Macaca” was denounced almost immediately, and to the best of my knowledge was never widely used by non-desis again. I get the feeling “slumdog” is going to have some legs, however. See this exchange today between the new Chairman of the RNC and a Guardian Angels founder turned conservative radio host Curtis Sliwa:
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Did Steele say “friggin’ awesome?” The Republicans have publicly stated that part of their strategy to come back from the wilderness has to be to aggressively court the urban youth vote:
Newly elected Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele plans an “off the hook” public relations offensive to attract younger voters, especially blacks and Hispanics, by applying the party’s principles to “urban-suburban hip-hop settings.”
The RNC’s first black chairman will “surprise everyone” when updating the party’s image using the Internet and advertisements on radio, on television and in print, he told The Washington Times. [Link]
If this is part of his strategy I think he should fire whoever is advising him. Is it just me or does Steele come across like an old white guy trying to sound like he can speak like a young black guy?
Mainly I would like to hear from our readers. Have any of you been called “Slumdog,” even jokingly, in the past few days? Were you okay with it or did it bother you?
With regard Gran Torino, cc, maybe liberals should have complained. I didn’t see that movie so I cannot comment on what words were used.
Yeah Mountaindreamer. Too few in the South Asian community supported the people in the slums when “slumdog” was a derogatory word for them. Perhaps it is poetic justice for them that now all South Asians even somebody like Jindal so far from the slums are referred to as “slumdogs” just like them. The larger South Asian community did not hear the voices of those of us most vulnerable in society, now we all get to be called “slumdogs” by liberals and conservatives and others.
To be clear the following question that I asked was more in reference to Slumdog versus Macaca: “When a liberal makes up a derogatory word for art is that more acceptable than when a conservative makes up a derogatory word?” Not only about liberal versus conservative but also art versus politics or non-art spheres. Tying to figure out why Macaca did not stick but Slumdog did.
“…did not say anything about the questions that I asked about when a liberal makes up a derogatory word versus a conservative. Which is fine.” I wrote that in error. CC I re-read your comment after my first response and re-saw your Gran Torino comment. Hence my later brief address on that. You upset me and my focus in my initial response was on addressing those other points, and blanked out on your other movie reference.
I don’t think the problem is liberal vs. conservative. With the macaca slur Allen was called out immediately and shamed for the use of the word in a derogatory sense. So after that there was no ambiguity – it was not OK to use the word, everyone got it. The slumdog phenomenon, on the other hand, has been trickling through, people using it half in jest. So right now the appropriate reaction is not clear – if you take offense are you over-reacting ? Can the person using the word say – ha ha I was joking, chill – and get away with it ? Going by the blogosphere, the word is quickly losing its innocence and taking on some ugly undertones.
I would not blame Danny Boyle for this – people can twist any word to suit their purpose.
Just had a boss who was merely mildly irritated throw out the “slumdog” word, thought it was extremely funny that the prize in the movie was not worth much because, “it was worth, what? probably fifty cents?,” then proceeded to hint that if I was upset with this comment that he might ding me on my evaluation.
So in a word, um, yes. (actually that was two words).
And frankly, as much as I may disagree with Jindal’s politics, it’s comments like my boss made, that suggest it’s high time we Indians (and those of Indian origin) stopped shooting ourselves in the foot.
Office trivia game.
When a white person says “whats up, slumdog” to me, I respond “not much, Milk”. Then I remind him that I won, and that he is a homosexual.