3 ms·

If you're not already familiar with the history of labeling immigrants (particularly non-European immigrants) as unclean or dirty, I'd urge you to read up. This

If you're not already familiar with the history of labeling immigrants (particularly non-European immigrants) as unclean or dirty, I'd urge you to read up. This article seems to be a good start: https://journals.openedition.org/transtexts/1011 https://journals.openedition.org/transtexts/1011 In short, calling this a "clean" network continues a long history of racist and xenophobic language in the U.S.

thaumasiotes 6y ago
Step 1: immigrants who are viewed negatively are described in negative terms. Step 2: describing anything in negative terms is racist?
- cardamomo 6y ago
  No. First of all, attitudes toward Chinese and other immigrants to the U.S. in the 20th century were formed, in part, by the language that was used by those in power. That Chinese immigrants were "dirty" was not fact, it was a racist stereotype. Second, I do not contend that describing anything in negative terms is racist. I am linking the specific history of describing Chinese immigrants as dirty with the Clean Network's choice of names. It behooves us not to think of it as a benign coincidence but rather an intentional act to signal the Trump administration's commitment to xenophobia.
  - sukilot 6y ago
    "dirty" isn't a racialized work like "chink". It's a word applied to anything we don't like and want to keep out. China already has a similar system also called (the Chinese word for) "Clean". Is the Chinese government racist against Chinese?
    - cardamomo 6y ago
      Please don't use that racial slur. The article I linked above shows ways in which "dirty" was used as a racialized term in the 20th century in the U.S.
      - Funes- 6y ago
        >Please don't use that racial slur. He's using it metalinguistically, for God's sake.
    - coliveira 6y ago
      The Chinese cannot be racist against Chinese. But the US can, and it shows.
    - thaumasiotes 6y ago
      > Is the Chinese government racist against Chinese? How would we characterize the law under the one-child policy specifying that minorities are free to have two children, but Chinese are limited to one?
    - rtkwe 6y ago
      It's not but it does have a long history of being applied to vilify any immigrant group. In the early 20th century the US was forcing all crossers from Mexico to go through a delousing with Zyklon-B because they were 'dirty' and threatened to bring in vague disease. OP wasn't saying clean is exclusively a bigoted phrase against Chinese people, it's more broadly problematic and directed at any group considered undesirable. https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bath-riots https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bath-riots
artificial 6y ago
Europeans got it too, Irish, Italians, Germans (post WW1 and 2), pretty much the "last ones" to the party get crapped on.
- cardamomo 6y ago
  Yes. I don't think its repeated usage in this way diminishes my point, however. In all of these contexts it's been used to put down foreigners or immigrants.
k33n 6y ago
Diagnosis: TDS

thaumasiotes 6y ago

Step 1: immigrants who are viewed negatively are described in negative terms. Step 2: describing anything in negative terms is racist?

cardamomo 6y ago
No. First of all, attitudes toward Chinese and other immigrants to the U.S. in the 20th century were formed, in part, by the language that was used by those in power. That Chinese immigrants were "dirty" was not fact, it was a racist stereotype. Second, I do not contend that describing anything in negative terms is racist. I am linking the specific history of describing Chinese immigrants as dirty with the Clean Network's choice of names. It behooves us not to think of it as a benign coincidence but rather an intentional act to signal the Trump administration's commitment to xenophobia.
- sukilot 6y ago
  "dirty" isn't a racialized work like "chink". It's a word applied to anything we don't like and want to keep out. China already has a similar system also called (the Chinese word for) "Clean". Is the Chinese government racist against Chinese?
  - cardamomo 6y ago
    Please don't use that racial slur. The article I linked above shows ways in which "dirty" was used as a racialized term in the 20th century in the U.S.
    - Funes- 6y ago
      >Please don't use that racial slur. He's using it metalinguistically, for God's sake.
  - coliveira 6y ago
    The Chinese cannot be racist against Chinese. But the US can, and it shows.
  - thaumasiotes 6y ago
    > Is the Chinese government racist against Chinese? How would we characterize the law under the one-child policy specifying that minorities are free to have two children, but Chinese are limited to one?
  - rtkwe 6y ago
    It's not but it does have a long history of being applied to vilify any immigrant group. In the early 20th century the US was forcing all crossers from Mexico to go through a delousing with Zyklon-B because they were 'dirty' and threatened to bring in vague disease. OP wasn't saying clean is exclusively a bigoted phrase against Chinese people, it's more broadly problematic and directed at any group considered undesirable. https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bath-riots https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/bath-riots

artificial 6y ago

Europeans got it too, Irish, Italians, Germans (post WW1 and 2), pretty much the "last ones" to the party get crapped on.

cardamomo 6y ago
Yes. I don't think its repeated usage in this way diminishes my point, however. In all of these contexts it's been used to put down foreigners or immigrants.

k33n 6y ago

Diagnosis: TDS