I went back and read the original posts, and Ethan, you shouldn’t apologize for a damn thing. You nailed it, right on the head. I’m actualy very impressed with your articulation and the way you presented your viewpoints.

I also agree completely. In fact, next time I’m involved in a discussion on this topic I might just borrow some of your points, because I definitely could not say it better.

P.S. - I know many “South Asians”, having lived in Asia, been all over Asia, and worked in a very multi-cultural environment for several years, and of the ones I know that have seen Scott Pilgrim (a few in fact), none of them have any issues or were “offended” by it. I’ve never even heard them mention being offended because something. Hopefully Keisha learns to stop being offended and enjoy life.

P.P.S. - Not sure why she brought up her sexual orientation or what the hell it has to do with anything. If Scott Pilgrim had a Southern Asian heroine, but she wasn’t bi-sexual, would Keisha still get offended? Do they have to meet all of Keisha’s personal criteria to meet her satisfaction, or just some of them?

Thanks Dave,
my point wasn’t to take back anything I said, only to apologize for the way I did it to Keisha.  If I was simply writing an essay on the subject I may use similar wording.  I still agree with what I said.  But I felt it was wrong for me to direct it all at her.  As someone with strong opinions, I need to bring my debate to people who want to debate.  I do think Keisha will enjoy like a lot more if she is not getting hung up on people’s skin colors and sexual orientations, but I think there is a way to talk to her on that subject with a little more tact than I did.  Some people can handle that kind of argument and argue right back without hurt feelings.  Some people are hurt by it.  I’m learning you have to form your approach based on the person and their sensitivities unless you want to just scare people off.

Ethan, I don’t want to derail your blog, so I’ll respond once to the peeps here. After that, if you guys really want to continue discussion, my e-mail is clickable. Click on my name to send me your thoughts.

Dave, if you read the entry I commented on, I said I wanted to like the Scott Pilgrim movie, but was disappointed at some of the racial an sexual stereotypes used for humor. While I don’t think they were done intentionally to hurt anyone, I was caught by surprise, and a bit frustrated. There are stereotypes I have to deal with every day as an asian girl and as someone who’s bi, and seeming some of the weird, problematic humor ruined much of the movie for me. I mentioned my general ethnicity and my orientation to show where I was coming from with my thoughts on how a bi woman, a gay woman, and asian characters were portrayed in the film.

Trotting out your frinds is sneaky way of discounting diversity of experience while trying to seem like you support it. As I tried to point out before, we’re not a monolithic group. Your unnamed friends prove that there are different opinions among a marginalized group but you are using the fact they agree with you to duck the idea of considering ideas alternative to your own, and this ideas different from your own also happen to come from me- a south asian american who has to live with these ideas and how I’m treated every day.
If you copypasta anything of Ethan’s I really hope that you take something else he wrote to heart:“I do need to be more sensitive to people when they are sensitive about things that I am not sensitive about.” IE try realizing that just because something doesn’t affect or bother you does not mean that it won’t affect or bother someone else and work on empathy a little more.
OK I am done here. I invite anyone to continue discussion with me at my email. Ethan, thank you for the apology, for the awesome gesture, and for doing what you can to make as many different heroes as there are people!

Some guy,
Your point is rendered invalid by your implication that “texan” is an ethnicity.
Even if it’s a joke, it’s a dangerous idea to be throwing out there.

Also my favorite touch in this page is that one doody soldier who looks like he’s read to get into a fistifhgt! XD

What makes it even better is that the one who’s ready to get in a fist fight is Dr. Doo Doo himself.

I too was disappointed by the Scott Pilgrim movie, because I felt the second half was condensed so heavily that many important subplots from the comic that were set up in the film’s first half weren’t adequately resolved. Also, I felt several parts were miscast. Michael Cera lacked the manic energy that defines Scott in the comic, and Kieran Culkin, while nailing Wallace’s sardonic wit, missed the sage-like wisdom at the character’s core.

That said, I believe the film is to be lauded for its progressive portrayal of my people, the proud citizens of Canada. We are usually portrayed in pop culture as beer-swilling hockey-obsessed flannel-wearing rubes whose speech is peppered with a steady stream of ehs and aboots. In actuality, our country is also filled with millions of clever, sensitive indie kids, and it was nice to see a film that accurately reflected this segment of our population. While there may have been some missteps in the adaptation from 6-part comic book to film, it was refreshing to see such a realistic and thoughtful portrayal of the Canadian people.

Thank god for Keisha! I used to think all heroes were white, but now I can see they can be South Asian too! Hooray for diversity and for educating the white man!

Wow… just Wow…!

What I find interesting is that “Activism” never seems to see the other side. Ethan was “huge” enough to acknowledge that he offended someone that is sensitive.  The sensitive party goes about in the same manner and never acknowledges that Ethan was just trying to get her to not view her self as a victim.  Graciousness doesn’t seem to go both ways.

‘Canuck’ (as an American, hee hee! seconded on the miscasting…with the additional note that book Ramona is nicer. I do wish the single South Asian in the movie (and graphic novel) had been less of a complete fruitcake, but well what can you do.

It’s just been a bad year for racial equality in movies: Last Airbender (ironically directed by an Indian), Prince of Persia (he’d have been a janissary if they’d had any kind of historical accuracy)...people seem to already be slightly on edge, and it’s exacerbated easily.

Ethan, I’m starting to wonder if Malachai reads these comments and finds them horribly confusing. :D

Um… Axe Cop is holding his axe the wrong way in this panel… looks very clumsy and I doubt he’d be able to chop anything off holding it like that…

Cool and interesting.