“ Miss Saigon is filled with a myriad of racist and sexist depictions of APAs…. It is unacceptable that racism against the APA community continues to be defended as artistic freedom when equally racist caricatures of other racial groups, such as mammies, are avoided.
Similarly, a musical about a transcontinental slave trade where the female slave falls in love with the slave master would be impermissible, and rightfully so. Though stories such as those may have occurred, they are racist and offensive, such is the problem with Miss Saigon and the argument for its historical accuracy.
Cultivating dialogue about race and educating an audience does not have to come at the continued expense of Asian Pacific Americans…In conclusion, Miss Saigon is an affront to the Asian Pacific American community. It further perpetuates negative portrayals of APA men and women and trivializes the experiences and narratives of Vietnamese individuals during that time. We ask that the Ordway Center for Performing Arts comply with the requests from the Don’t Buy Miss Saigon Coalition.”
— Tom L. Hayashi
Executive Director, OCA
Full statement here
Oct092013
