AndrewKuker
Well-known member
This is a response to a “offensive comment..” thread. I realize it might not be good form to start a thread about one that was shut down but I just saw it, and it was about something I wrote so I wanted to respond.
My sincerest apologies for using an offensive term. I didn’t realize. I don’t want anyone to criticize the OP of that thread but is ironic how it was offensive when the idea was to deny a common notion in our country that something made in China is not as good as something made in America, and to point to the fact that if an instrument is good then it’s good, no matter where it was made or what race the craftsman is. China has a long history in the arts and high quality craftsmanship. But in more recent history companies around the world have commissioned them to make make cheap stuff. That’s changing a lot lately, but for years there was this idea that they didn’t make high quality products. Obviously someone of any race in any part of the world can potentially build great ukes and China has some great custom builders as well some factories making really good ukes, as many of you know. That was my point. I still have to remember exactly what article that was and change it. Must be a few years old. Nobody ever mentioned it to me. I don’t know why I wrote it that way but I guess saying China man more spoke to them being in China because we have a lot of Chinese people working in ukulele factories here building Hawaiian ukes. And it was sort of a literary reference, I think, I don’t know, I’m not a writer. I’ll find it and change it though. Hopefully there's no hard feelings and I apologize to whomever I offended.
I definitely have to keep learning. It’s a changing world. You know how many new gender pronouns I still don’t understand? As far as racism, we sort of make fun of all races and people here in Hawaii, especially whatever we are. It’s not racist. It’s nice being in such a melting pot of so many cultures and poking fun is not usually considered offensive here. Even when I was young and the kids in the neighborhood would call me haole boy I never got offended. I didn’t care, they were playing with me. They weren’t racist. Actually I don’t think I’ve ever been discriminated against here. I got sent in at V-land one time by Da Hui guys, but I dropped in on one of them, so it was my fault. But yeah, Hawaii has always been different because of how it happened with the sugar industry taking immigrants from around the world and all the cultures mixing. It’s a good thing. Plus doz Potageez brought ovah dakine, one machete. Remember that Keola Beamer song Mr Sun Cho Lee? Oh that reminds me, I just found out recently that my mom dated Rap Reiplinger when she was young. Lol! But yeah, Frank Delima and all those type comedians are really funny to me. Hopefully we don’t have to walk on eggshells too much when our actions are what really speak to our ethics. Corey does a killer Hong Kong accent but loves the people and has great friends there. And I can speak for everyone on our staff that we all have love for good people around the world that put food on our table daily. I know for a fact that all of us on our team think of racism as a seriously ugly character flaw passed down from generations of ignorance. I like the RSA videos and this is one of my favorite ones on this subject. It speaks to the fact that we are all one human family and hopefully that will continue to be more and more realized by all of us as we grow in our empathy for all fellow humans.
My sincerest apologies for using an offensive term. I didn’t realize. I don’t want anyone to criticize the OP of that thread but is ironic how it was offensive when the idea was to deny a common notion in our country that something made in China is not as good as something made in America, and to point to the fact that if an instrument is good then it’s good, no matter where it was made or what race the craftsman is. China has a long history in the arts and high quality craftsmanship. But in more recent history companies around the world have commissioned them to make make cheap stuff. That’s changing a lot lately, but for years there was this idea that they didn’t make high quality products. Obviously someone of any race in any part of the world can potentially build great ukes and China has some great custom builders as well some factories making really good ukes, as many of you know. That was my point. I still have to remember exactly what article that was and change it. Must be a few years old. Nobody ever mentioned it to me. I don’t know why I wrote it that way but I guess saying China man more spoke to them being in China because we have a lot of Chinese people working in ukulele factories here building Hawaiian ukes. And it was sort of a literary reference, I think, I don’t know, I’m not a writer. I’ll find it and change it though. Hopefully there's no hard feelings and I apologize to whomever I offended.
I definitely have to keep learning. It’s a changing world. You know how many new gender pronouns I still don’t understand? As far as racism, we sort of make fun of all races and people here in Hawaii, especially whatever we are. It’s not racist. It’s nice being in such a melting pot of so many cultures and poking fun is not usually considered offensive here. Even when I was young and the kids in the neighborhood would call me haole boy I never got offended. I didn’t care, they were playing with me. They weren’t racist. Actually I don’t think I’ve ever been discriminated against here. I got sent in at V-land one time by Da Hui guys, but I dropped in on one of them, so it was my fault. But yeah, Hawaii has always been different because of how it happened with the sugar industry taking immigrants from around the world and all the cultures mixing. It’s a good thing. Plus doz Potageez brought ovah dakine, one machete. Remember that Keola Beamer song Mr Sun Cho Lee? Oh that reminds me, I just found out recently that my mom dated Rap Reiplinger when she was young. Lol! But yeah, Frank Delima and all those type comedians are really funny to me. Hopefully we don’t have to walk on eggshells too much when our actions are what really speak to our ethics. Corey does a killer Hong Kong accent but loves the people and has great friends there. And I can speak for everyone on our staff that we all have love for good people around the world that put food on our table daily. I know for a fact that all of us on our team think of racism as a seriously ugly character flaw passed down from generations of ignorance. I like the RSA videos and this is one of my favorite ones on this subject. It speaks to the fact that we are all one human family and hopefully that will continue to be more and more realized by all of us as we grow in our empathy for all fellow humans.