Nestled between pizza advertisements slipped under doors in Wonders Hall last week was a flier promoting the movie “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist.”
Despite the fliers’ professional appearance, they actually were a parody of the film that some students say is discriminatory against Asian Americans. The flier featured a makeshift Chinese restaurant menu with specials such as “sweet and sour poodle” and combination plates that include dog meat.
But concerned students from the Asian Pacific American Student Organization have responded to the fliers by deciding to boycott the film, which they say depicts negative stereotypes about Asian Americans.
The fliers also were found at the Wonders Hall front desk Jan. 25 - the day the film was released by 20th Century Fox.
Representatives from 20th Century Fox refused to comment about the issue.
Rodolfo-Jose Quiambao, a no-preference freshman, said he wrote an anti-discrimination bill after the incident to be discussed at tonight’s ASMSU meeting.
“I thought it was pretty disturbing that something of such bad taste was handed out,” said Quiambao, the group’s representative for the undergraduate government’s Student Assembly. “I thought people would be more sensitive to materials depicting those types of images, like exaggerated Asian features. That is unacceptable advertising.”
Quiambao said he thought the movie was an open invitation to stereotype Asian Americans.
“I hope the university doesn’t condone this activity and blow it off like it’s a spoof or us being oversensitive,” he said. “I hope the university is more sensitive in their programming.”
Tom Nishi, coordinator for Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Affairs in the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs, said he sent an e-mail with an attachment of the flier to the Department of Police and Public Safety about the incident.
“I thought it was really sad,” he said. “It shows that on this campus, there is a great need for education in regard to racism.”
Amy Radford, Wonders Hall complex director, said hall staff did a walk-through in the hall to find the fliers and removed them from the front desk.
“This was nothing that has been approved,” she said. “This is not something that should be at the desks. If we see anyone bringing them in, we are to be notified.”
But Radford said she would like to facilitate discussion with the Racial Ethnic Student Aides in her complex about the incident.
“I want to work with the Asian Pacific American aides for a follow-up program,” she said. “It would be a great opportunity to discuss any racially discriminating movies. I am glad to know APASO has taken a stand and is educating students. The mock nature of the movie is disconcerting. They are not taking the time to recognize people as individuals.”
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said a person is guilty of ethnic intimidation if there is malicious intimidation, harassment or harm to another person because of race, gender or national origin. The crime is a felony that is punishable with imprisonment.
“If a person does feel as though they have been harassed and it falls under ethnic intimidation, they should file a police report,” she said.
Sarah Wahab, a communication senior and member of APASO, said she was disturbed and upset when she saw the flier. Group members contacted other universities, but nobody had heard of similar incidents.
“I was more concerned if it was an isolated incident or on a national basis,” she said. “If it’s on a national basis, it’s the norm.”
Wahab said she fears people will see the fliers and begin to believe the myths about Asian Americans are true.
“If they see any form of truth in them, they will believe them,” she said. “The point with us boycotting is to show there is no proof in the flier. We think Fox is distributing it. It looks official with the picture, so I think it was professionally done.”
