Merion Barry Breaking My Heart B!

View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.

I thought about this Merion Barry thing all night yesterday and didn't initially post cause I fux with Mayor-for-life. I shouted the mother fucker out in Cheap Bites for chrissakes! I'm also smart enough to realize, this is a situation where barbarians are fighting over scraps. I mean, what are we talking about here? This ain't Georgetown! This ain't Dupont! This ain't Jack Evan's Ward 2... It's Merion Barry's 8th Ward. Why are there "dirty Asian businesses" by Barry's description? Because Asians love Too Short and we GET IN WHERE WE FIT IN FOOL.



Look at the numbers from the 8th Ward. For the last 20 years and probably more, the 8th Ward represents the highest poverty rate in all of D.C. Most people don't want to serve this neighborhood, but Asians are willing. Yet despite owning many of the businesses in the neighborhood, Asians have not integrated. We only represent .5% of the population in the 8th so in many ways, we're carpetbaggers there.

This is what Barry had to say today via Columbus Telegram:

"We need businesspeople who'll be a part of the community, not exploit the community, give jobs to those of us in the community, and to contribute to the well-being of our community, have fresh vegetables and fruits and et cetera," Barry said.
Barry, however, did not back away from his claim that some Asian-owned convenience stores and carryout restaurants don't "respect" the residents in his ward.
"Ward 8 residents are spending their hard-earned dollars in these stores because they are the only stores in the immediate neighborhoods; my constituents want respect, too," he said in a statement. "It is to these less-than-stellar Asian-American businessmen in Ward 8 that my remarks were directed."

I'm sure a lot of Asians want to feed Barry to Red Pandas right now, but I'm not with that. I feel the man. If the tables were turned and we were being served by Black businesses who didn't live with us, break bread with us, and just dumped their combo no5 on us, I would be pissed too. We don't even eat this shit at home yall! I also liked that Barry pointed out the "plexi glass". It's interesting. The Plexi Glass isn't necessarily "dirty", it's symbolic. What bothers Barry isn't Asian businesses being "dirty" or even "Asian"... It's that a lot of Asian shop owners don't respect Black customers. The blame goes both ways. Neither side really tries to reach out and get to know the other, but I will say this. As the retailer SERVING the customer, I think this one is on Asians.

It would be entirely wrong for us to write off Barry's comments. He MUST be condemned for projecting stereotypes on us and the way in which he approached this problem. But, there is definitely a problem. The 99% percent needs to understand that we have power in solidarity. This is not a race thing. It starts with ameliorating a race thing (i.e. Asians-Blacks not getting along), but the real issue is that we are reduced to fighting over scraps in the 8th Ward. Asians need to understand that the 8th Ward isn't an impersonal port for us to fling our goods on. Yes, our prices our cheap and our service is fast, but we need to change the business model. It's a good thing we're getting called out. Let's take it and come back better, faster, stronger.



I'm telling you now, not just cause it's my joint, but if you want to see a prototype solution to Blasian relations, look no further than Baohaus. Counting Evan and myself, we employ 5 Asians, 9 Black People, 4 Latino (Chris is the light skinned ciroc boy that look like Montana), and 2 White People. Evan and I obviously are the owners but our Head Chef and 3 Shift Leaders are all Black and Chris. It's important to have different ethnicities in leadership positions.

This isn't by design, it's organic. We all just get along, but if you need a design, think but this and all is mended. Adopt the Bruce Lee method. Don't treat cooking like it's some exotic ancient secret art form. You give people a little and they'll give back. Teach the people in your neighborhood how to cook, hire other ethnicities, and integrate them into your business. If not because it's the RIGHT thing to do, it's the smart thing to do. They'll increase business, serve as a buffer, and in many ways replace that bullshit bullet proof glass that has been the extent of our outreach in Black communities.

The bullet proof glass is despicable. It's not non-violent, it's defensive. It's rude. It's crass and it says nothing about who we are. If we want to be mad at Barry for stereotypes, we should be mad at ourselves for perpetuating them... From the people who brought you the Great Wall, comes take-out bullet proof glass. We need to do more... And Merion Barry, work with us on a personal level. This is gonna take a village.

P.S. - Please read the comments, especially Canela's. This is a multi-faceted issue with lots of valid points. Looking back at this post, if I sat with this longer I would have edited 3 things.

1) That this isn't "on Asians". Clearly, Marion Barry stands alone in the wrong with his comments. I thought that was more obvious than it is. This article is not self-hating, it's about understanding why someone like Barry takes issue with the Asian community in Ward 8. I saw lots of people pissed off at Marion Barry writing responses that themselves seemed racist and inflammatory so the point of this article was to set Barry aside and angry commenters aside to look at the conflict itself. I still believe the main issue is that people are fighting over scraps in Ward 8. It's a difficult situation for both parties.

2) Both sides are ill equipped to deal with this issue. I think that is the big miscalculation in this post. I used a personal example and was too quick to provide a "solution". I know there is a huge language and cultural barrier for a lot of these owners. My parents had to overcome it themselves when they came to this country, but it's hard and every one deals with it in a different way. The important thing though is to realize that we need help, ask for it, and try to improve. There's a reason that there is so much tension in the neighborhood and we should recognize that.

3) The bullet proof glass. I still feel the bullet proof glass is something that is very symbolic of the situation. I know the glass is there as a defense measure and it can't come down until people are safe, but eventually, that's where you want to be. I think every one involved would love to live or work in a neighborhood where you don't need bulletproof glass at take out joints and liquor stores. There is blame to go around on both sides, but we need honest conversation about these things.

Nike NFL Shizz

Nike invited a bunch of us out to Steiner Studios in BK today to peep the new NFL jerseys. It was dope until they brought out Roger Goodell's bitch ass. STOP FUCKIN WITH THE REDSKINS CAP SPACE B! You on some David Stern shit ROGER. Then Brian Orakpo came out and all was well. SKINS!!!

But back to the jerseys. Lots of famous Nike people like Mark Parker spoke about how the technology in the jerseys was gonna change the game. I kinda played around on my iphone cause all I want to know is whether jerseys are officially back and I can wear one backwards to Greenhouse this weekend like Nelly just dropped Country Grammar. #SHIMMYSHIMMYCOCOAPUFF

I saw ur boy Ray Rice in the cut like he was about to serve someone. "Whatchu need? Red tops, blue tops, purple tops, #27 got it." If they bring The Wire to Broadway, Ray Rice is ready.

So we had DC, Maryland, all we needed was VA in the house...

AW SHIT, MY BOY MIKE WAS IN THERE ... don't even start with me yall. Son did his time. We out. DMV all day.

PARTY PARTY

BE THERE

Skittles

Loved this article in the NY Times. In any situation, you gotta track the money. Where is it going and where's it coming from?

Skittles is in the cat bird seat and I like their response:

"For its part, Wrigley has chosen to make only a subdued statement about its product, saying the company is deeply saddened, respects the family’s privacy and feels 'it inappropriate to get involved or comment further as we would never wish for our actions to be perceived as an attempt of commercial gain following this tragedy.'"

You can't be mad at that and from a PR perspective, it's smart. That said, if leaders and activists are smart, they will understand that there is an opening here for dialogue and negotiation. Someone, whether it's the NAACP, the President of Spellman, etc. should contact Wrigleys and ask for this...

Skittles at cost. There should be a program instituted immediately where Wrigleys provides skittles at cost and then these activist groups could sell them at a profit to their organizations. What better way to support these organizations and promote your brand. Every one wins. It also eliminates the issue of needing to figure out how much business its brought to Wrigleys and what the exact impact is. To be honest, more companies and organizations should work together in this way. It saves the company money on advertising/promotion and the organizations benefit directly off what they promote. It's just like that world's famous chocolate bar hustle. Which makes me think... people should create healthier candies for fundraising purposes...

In the Hood like Chinese Wings...

I gave this speech at AAWW's "Are Asians Black?" Event at the Museum of Chinese in the Americas

My Aunts owned Chinese take-out spots and they unanimously hated black people.

Black customers frequented those take-out spots and they unanimously hated my Aunts.

Ice Cube did a song about Korean Deli owners and he hates them too.

Redman speaks Korean.

I speak black-a-nese. Don't axe me, axe the brother that told me that.

I think the first person to call me black was my Dad, and the last one was some commenter on Eater that didn't like my blog last week.

Ken Chen sent me an email asking me to present on the intersection of Blacks and Asians. I didn't even have to hit my Roor to come up with a response. My favorite quote all time about Chinese people is Al Qaeda Jada's line that you just heard: "Yea yea, I design these things and you know I'm in the hood like chinese wings."

Just like Jews who entered banking in Renaissance Italy because Christians wouldn't, Chinese people have served the hood because others won't. I grew up with cousins and Aunts who had really shitty things to say about Black people, but I saw both sides. I could see why people would be mad they had to buy food from "others" i.e. non-black people. If you were Black and lived in a neighborhood where you were served by Italians, then Jews, then Chinese and Koreans, you'd feel some sort of way too. As Buggin' Out once said, "Why there ain't no brothers on the wall?"

I understood at a young age that we were taking their business and that we had to make an effort to understand them, before they'd understand us. Asians are notorious for being isolationists. We fucking love walls. Whether it was the Great Wall, bullet proof glass in take out joints, or cubicles that arrest most of our people these days, our approach is to say "I won't bother you and you don't bother me." Easy for the seller to say, but what about the consumer? What about the black people who pay good money and still get the stink eye every time?

On the other side, who wants to own a take out joint in Brooklyn that ends up giving away 10 cups of ice and straws for every combo no. 3 they sell. When I lived in Ft. Greene, I used to post up at Hua Long and every five minutes someone came in asking for ice, cups, fried wonton strips, or duck sauce packets. Until Magic Johnson opens Magic Woks in the hood, there is going to be an uneasy tension with Asians selling Chinese takeout and the Black people buying it. But I will say this...

I don't think the problem is either Black people or Asians. The problem is the 1%. The 1% that holds power, owns property, and leaves us to fight over crumbs on Fulton St. The important thing is to realize that at this point in American history, the undesireables need a cartel mentality that funnels power for a unified cause. We have our differences, we come in different shades, but there is a shared lack of opportunity. Dr. Jennifer Henton once told me, "the point of Feminism or any movement for that matter is to get the same opportunity to make the same amount of money for the same amount of work." That is all for tonight. I'm Eddie Huang and I approve the use of MSG.

Discipline at the Haus

Lead Line Cook Chris "Ciroc Boy" DeLeon challenged our old head rasta head chef Mitch... This how it went down

WHATS GOIN DOWN RIGHT NOW IN BAOHAUS...island music playing...
Chris: You ain't never smoked before. I challenge you to a smoke off.
Mitch: (in a thick island accent) What you know about burning that ganja boy?! Let me fix you up right now boy. This bumbaclot boy comin here talking to me about smoking da ganja. We rasta, we BURN ganja all day ah ha ha! We pick da ganja right off da tree and burn it direct straight off da tree! You have NOO clue what dat means boy. You don't know!

Cool Dudes

Nicest guys... Marky Ramone, Tony Bourdain, Doug & Brian from Big Gay Ice Cream