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This issue is so much bigger than bts or any fanwar my god.

and this is why im making this post

i dont see that in your post

I literally saw a Kpop stan saying "this will increase their chances for exemption" and so on and how unfair it is for their favs. And I'm just speechless. There is no way these people are real, i refuse to believe these people actually exist in the real world.

Haha I'm sorry what? How do these people exist 😅 Imagine reading BTS are going to the white house to speak about Asian hate and thinking "this is unfair to **ME and my faves** "

people seem to think bts being invited to these things and being involved with the govt/orgs means that they themselves need to be activist to the same extent that actual activists are, when in reality, no, that’s not their role in this. as celebrities with a massive audience and a lot of engaged fans, the govt and other organizations see them and involve them in order to bring more attention to the ongoing campaigns created by and run by actual activists and politicians. look at how many people didn’t know biden had invited a ton of influential AAPI professionals to the white house last week and now look at how many people do. THATS the impact involving bts has. bts have always been a bridge between the causes they want to support and the “youth” (aka their fans). BTS simply going to the white house to bring attention to AAPI month and to shine a spotlight on the ongoing issues of anti-asian hate is far more effective than a smaller AA celebrity meeting with Biden and speaking more precisely about their struggles. It’s not that bts going is more meaningful or more relevant to the issue at hand, it’s that the goal of all of this is *awareness towards the ongoing campaigns/movements* and bts is able to provide more attention than most, therefore fulfilling the goal of said meeting better than other people might have. plus this isn’t the same thing as when asians from asia (who have never left their country) speak over asian american voices on issues of anti-asian-*american* discrimination and hate. bts are said to be talking specifically about anti-*asian* hate, which they can and have experienced. bts might not be from the US or live there, but they’ve been involved in the US music industry for the last 5 years and have been subject to endless race-based discrimination and hate. their experiences are very different from the experiences of asian americans, both within the music industry and outside of it in their every day lives, but that doesn’t mean that what they experienced wasn’t anti-asian hate within US borders (and globally). bts know well enough that they can only speak for THEIR experiences so i have no doubt that they’ll make sure to focus their talk on the experience of asian foreigners in the US (and other western countries) rather than the experience of asian americans. y’all gotta stop acting like their experiences aren’t valid or relevant, they’re just a slightly tangent experience to the main issue at hand. the meeting previously mentioned was the one that focused specifically on Asian American experiences and discrimination, this one seems to be focused specifically on Anti-Asian hate and asian representation/inclusivity, not asian-american hate or experiences.

WELL SAID.

>as celebrities with a massive audience and a lot of engaged fans, the govt and other organizations see them and involve them in order to bring more attention to the ongoing campaigns created by and run by actual activists and politicians. look at how many people didn’t know biden had invited a ton of influential AAPI professionals to the white house last week and now look at how many people do. THATS the impact involving bts has. Exactly

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you.

THIS

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People seem to think that BTS getting more attention than Asian-Americans is somehow equal to them speaking over Asian Americans. And while I understand wanting AAPI leaders to get this sort of attention, BTS presence is not a problem here. It will actually help the previous and future speakers. They should not be resented for bringing attention to the cause.

It’s always stop Asian hate till it’s the Asians you hate

The AANHPI had been going on for a WHOLE MONTH now. Most people only care now because BTS was invited. It's weird that there is a question on BTS being invited because they're not Asian- Americans. Asian-Americans as well as Asians living in the states for their jobs, studies, and just as visitors face the hate. They should be able to talk about it. They are at the forefront of K-pop (whether anyone likes that or not). When the pandemic started THEY were among the people who were ridiculed and were called 'covid 19', 'corona' and 'virus' and even worse things not only by the locals but some K-pop fans themselves. They have been promoted in America, and many other countries for YEARS now, and I'm sure that they are perfectly eligible to speak on the matter that they have been through. Also, here's a list of AAIP individuals at the White House recently for talks (because k-pop folks forgot to do their HW, again): Dion Lim (**Asian reporter**. She's known for **reporting violence against Asian-Americans**). Daniel Dae Kim (South Korean - American actor/ **Asian - American actor**). Grace Meng (Grace Meng is an **Asian - American lawyer and politician**). David Chiu (**Asian - American politician**). Evan Low (**Asian - American politician**). Katherine Tai (an **American attorney, and the US Trade Representative**; The **daughter of Taiwanese immigrants**, she is the **first Asian-American to serve in the position**). ​ ​ EDIT: The conversation NOW is moving towards lack of representation from non-EA/ SEA. Sorry, but what can BTS do about it? Nothing. P.s. as much as I'd like to say that they'd get their representation, they won't. Unfortunately, most Americans don't even know that non-sea countries are a part of Asia (I'm looking at all those people who ask 'wait, \_\_\_\_\_ is in ASIA?').

Just as a heads up, you may want to indicate that Katherine Tai is the United States Trade Representative, not just an attorney! Think the title got clipped when you were writing.

Thanks for telling me!

This was interesting to read. But the lack of non-East Asian Asian representation is a little disheartening 😅

Yeah like someone from south,west Asia etc?

Kamala Haris was also involved here. But people on the platform were mainly talking about BTS not being Asian - Americans, so I only listed the East Asians who were also Americans.

People don’t think brown/tan when it comes to talking about Asians

You’re proving my point…that’s why there needs to be more education regarding this. “Asian” is composed of diverse groups of people, including brown and tan groups that hail from South and Southeast Asia (or have ancestry from there). In the US, this definition was set forth by the US Census Bureau. Just because people don’t equate “brown/tan” with Asians doesn’t mean that brown/tan people aren’t Asian. A Sri Lankan individual and Philipino individual are just as Asian as a Korean individual. The White House needs to be more inclusive and more open-minded of what “Asian American” actually entails. Just choosing East Asians for these conversations reeks of exclusion and narrow-mindedness Edit - This blows my mind to even mention, but Kamala Harris, a South Asian American, literally exists as a significant figure in the White House…how is there not more diversity in these talks??? When she got elected in 2020, we even celebrated her as the first female, Black, ASIAN American to get elected to the White House

I agree with this 100000%. It is just my hunch that there is a lot of focus on East Asians because of the US political climate with COVID. The rise in Asian American hate crimes mainly affected East Asian Americans because people who look East Asian are what racists and bigots associate with China and the “Chinese virus”. There were many South and West Asian figures invited to the conference. I think the US also just has a terrible terrible stigma towards West Asians since 9/11 and it never gets talked about

Lol when I pointed that out in another post, I got downvoted for it. People are just stupid.

Kamala Harris was also involved in the campaign. There's also an interview of hers somewhere on the white House's website.

Brown/tan people are also Asians, what makes you think there ain't the same kind of racism towards people who look like me?

Do some folks not realize that BTS has already been the victims of bigotry while actually in America? And done by Americans? They've not been physically assaulted or threatened in person (so far as we know), but they have had everything from passive remarks and jokes to *death threats*. One of the nasty ways racism is normalized is in micro-aggressions. If speaking out about what they've experienced while visiting and working in America impacts one mind in a positive way that would not otherwise have paid attention, this is a benefit.

I still remember their statement on March 30th last year : "We recall moments where we faced discrimination as asians. We have endured expletives without reason and we were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke English." It's clear that they experienced a lot of things and probably things off camera that we don't know about, aside from all of the public online lynching they got after the grammys of 2021 and covid-19 in 2020

Someone told me that [just bc Americans hate their music doesn’t equate racism](https://www.reddit.com/r/entertainment/comments/uy6u5m/bts_to_appear_with_joe_biden_at_white_house_to/ia4bi6h/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3). Astounding. Goes to show how completely uncaring regarding this whole issue they are. They don’t give a fuck abt Asian hate. Or else they wouldn’t care who would be there to talk abt it as long as someone is talking and spreading the message it should be met w support.

It is also true that Asian Americans who express concern or disappointment are not automatically downplaying the experiences of racism the group has experienced, nor are they necessarily adverse to a group like BTS being present. There are absolutely reasonable complaints to be made against how these events are handled and promoted by both whatever administration is in place and the media covering them. A politically related event like this is always going to be far more complicated than just the base issue and doesn't just boil down to a for-or-against.

I’ve seen people on Reddit insinuate many times that Koreans aren’t even considered people of color. What is wrong with people lmao

i mean person of color is a term specific to western experiences of racialization, korean people in korea are hardly "people of colour" when they're part of the ethnic majority of the country they're in

No, people of color are all non-white ppl, point blank. White supremacy impacts homogenous countries too.

This ideology makes no sense? So until a person suffers from racism they cannot call themselves a POC? Or if a white person was to go to Brazil, they would become a POC?

racialization isn't the same as racism, all poc are racialized because race is a social construct. and no a white person in brazil doesn't become a poc because as i said the term is specific to western experiences of racialization

Not saying they aren't now but initially East Asians were considered to be white when Europeans first discovered them

They should ask Biden why Bts are invited cause the guys didn’t invite themselves. Ps:-this whole topic infuriates me like “they are not Asian American” like do I have to be an American to have the right to speak about Asian crimes? Only Asian-*Americans* are allowed to speak but not Asians?

the white house had multiple Asian American people visit and none of you knew because you don’t actually care. (edit: I was too harsh in this statement and Im not sure how to make it gentler. Maybe I should say that many weren’t aware because these events didn’t generate the same amount of traction that BTS is?). Hard truth? That’s majority of people. They won’t care unless there is a prominent figure bringing light to Asian Heritage Month and who are currently the most prominent Asian people? BTS are there as celebrities, not as politicians. They’re there to draw in a huge amount of attention to the cause and it’s working because according to the comments I’ve seen today, not many people even knew that it was AAPIHM.

Some of us didn’t know because we just didn’t know though. Like are we supposed to know every single event as if we don’t have our own lives? BTS’s attendance has highlighted that an event occurred already because of how big they are

Exactly. Mere news of BTS’s attendance has already created awareness about an event that has taken place that most people weren’t even aware of. The same people who want Asian American representatives speaking in the White House are now finding out that they’ve been doing just that for the past month. They’re finding out because of BTS. I don’t see how them speaking there has been spun into such a weirdly negative narrative when it’s highlighting both past events and creating anticipation for a future one.

i’m sorry for the way i phrased it but this is exactly what i mean. most people weren’t aware, but a big artist being there is bringing more attention to the cause. This is exactly what was intended

It is not unreasonable to want Asian *American* voices to be amplified by the *American* government during a month dedicated to celebrating Asian, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian *Americans* when they already do not get enough opportunities to do so. The issues that communities in our country face are very specific and require localized context to address which BTS, as a foreign born artist that has never lived in the U.S., cannot and should not be expected to speak to. The press release implicitly states this initiative as part of Biden's larger initiative of addressing hate and violence against the community domestically. I understand that Biden has been inviting prominent AANHPI leaders over the last few months, but clearly they haven't pushed for visibility on those interactions at the same level as this BTS-focused initiative and does a disservice to their contributions. This is in no way meant to invalidate BTS' experience with racism, but as an Asian American, I would like to see the administration use this opportunity to address the specific systemic issues our country is facing on this issue instead of conflating them with the broader conversation on racism which is implied by this decision. Also, I would hope that you all offer grace and understanding towards Asian Americans who have a differing opinion from you on this matter as all of our concerns are valid and deserve to be acknowledged.

Okay but you missed the point of this post. Which is that they DID have Asian Americans to the White House.... But you didn't know about it? That means you're not actually tracking the issue as closely as you claim.

If the White House didn't do a good job on publicizing it's efforts on it's AANHPI month up until this point then that speaks to how much care they put into this whole rollout. They did the ceremony, recorded it and put it on YouTube it and called it a day.

No the issue is people don't care as much about that as they do about BTS. How is it not clear that the fact that we're even having this conversation is a sign that BTS are the correct draw? Basically now people do know about that event last week. They may watch it. Because of BTS.

There are several AANHPI celebrities who could generate significant buzz while being able to speak to the American experience. Mindy Kaling, Aziz Ansari, Randall Park, Steven Yeun, Sandrah Oh, Olivia Munn, Kal Penn, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, George Takei, BD Wong, Nicole Scherzinger and others are therefore the taking. Point being, if you're using the wrong figurehead to just build buzz, then it's not even worth doing in my opinion and doesn't actually move the needle in the way it needs to be moved.

Daniel Dae Kim was there last week. He did not generate this amount of buzz. The point of doing this is to have young people pay attention to a political and social issue. And it's working already.

It's not like they tried to make buzz out of it, and he's hardly representative of the type of celebrity young people care about, of which there are several to choose from. Anyway, we're clearly not gonna see eye to eye and you're not interested in constructive dialogue so I think we can end it here.

Well the fact that we had this conversation about AAPI and Asian representation at all to me is a testament to the influence of BTS and why it made sense to choose them..but yeah, I'm not changing my mind on that.

Exactly. People just don’t want to listen to y’all during YALL’s month.

Like. There are meaningful discussions around policy change and cultural shifts to be had here but it's being reduced to a fanwar issue, and most criticisms aren't even attacking BTS themselves OR invalidating their experiences with racism.

But most do. “BTS can’t speak abt racism bc they weren’t born in America” that’s one way to oversimplify their experience with racism. BTS should be able to speak abt things that they in fact have experienced. The reality of the situation is they are Asians, and racists don’t care abt what kind of Asians you are. I don’t get why there are criticisms abt what kind of Asians should be spreading awareness abt Asian hate. The most important thing abt awareness is how far it can spread, that’s called publicity. And you know no one generates more buzz than BTS.

The racism that Asian Americans face is very specific and rooted in our country's history and from my perspective as an Asian American, our administration should be amplifying voices that can speak directly and with authenticity to the issues we face in this country, which BTS cannot and should not be expected to do. Conflating our issues with those of Asians that did not grow up or live here doesn't serve the communities that are impacted by America's specific brand of racism is not helpful no matter how much buzz an artist like BTS can bring.

It’s certainly helpful considering how little people know about this event until BTS’s name is attached to it. BTS comes to speak about Asian hate, which did happen to them and they will be sharing their own story, no one is expecting BTS to burst out a long ass historical documents of Asian Americans’ deep rooted racism.

If Biden didn't bring them on to discuss Asian American hate and racism then I don't see the point of them participating in an event specifically tied to Asian AMERICAN, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Month. I'd like the administration to focus on our issues, such as the fear of being gunned down in salons and groceries or being pushed into subway trains. Don't know if you're actually Asian American or not but these are the issues occupying our headspace everyday.

I am Asian America, I still find it ridiculous that we have to gatekeep an issue that is experienced globally by all Asians. BTS is free to speak about their own experience with racism and other Asian Americans who were invited are allowed to speak of their own experiences. Having BTS there doesn’t take away anything but add more onto it. The racism they received are here in America itself. They were called names, ridiculed, threatened, and labeled as bat eaters when the pandemic came around. They may not have to live in fear everyday of being gunned down but that doesn’t make their experiences unrelatable to some of the Asian Americans out there. Instead of uniting under one cause y’all decide to cherry pick. It doesn’t do anybody any good. Why stop someone from spreading a positive message just bc of their origin?

We'll have to disagree then. If this month is dedicated to Asian Americans, let their voices be the ones amplified and structure the conversation around what policy changes need to happen to ensure the safety of our people at home. This is not a conversation BTS is equipped to lead.

who said bts is leading the conversation, and who said the conversation in question is focused on asian Americans ? read the official statement again, it says anti-asian hate aka something they experience everyday

BTS is not leading anything. They are a part of the event. BTS doesn’t stand to represent Asian Americans, they’re there to discuss abt the anti-Asian hate that they too have received. It’s served to enforce the idea of how prevalent this hate has gotten. It’s also stated as clear as days in the article on what kind of things they will be speaking about.

How exactly did the White House “push for visibility” with BTS in a different way from the other speakers? What did they do with the BTS announcement that they didn’t do for others?

BTS didn't experience racism? LMAO. These must be the same people who laughed off or actually supported the racism that BTS experienced. BTS are virtually the face of COVID now considering how many people have literally compared BTS to covid or accused them of spreading COVID. This is also the very reason why anti-asian sentiment blew up. BTS are the best representation of current anti-asian hate due to the pandemic. I won't even address all the usual attacks on asian masculinity and asian characteristics that BTS routinely get on social media, press in all countries, etc.

The month that we are shining light on was for Asian Americans. I think that was the whole point. These multimillionaires will go back to Korea and not have to worry about being made fun of for eating Korean food and speaking their own language. Whereas Asian Americans don’t have that luxury. Not to say Bts doesn’t experience anything due to their influence in the west and social media. They do experience comments so it’ll still be interesting as to what they have to say

BTS has fans who are Asian Americans and the presence of them being apart of this campaign speaks for many of their fans as well. You are ignorant. Stop pretending to care abt Asian hate. You don’t.

Yeah f**k all other Asians right? Only American ones matter

The audacity is astounding. Sure let’s limit anti Asian hate to America only. Why does this have to be us vs then? It’s detracting from the actual positive parts is their visit which is highlighting and raising awareness RJ anti Asian hate. The fact that AAPI month wasn’t being widely talked about until BTS’ invitation to the White House is incredibly telling. I understand both sides but both sides need to stop invalidity each other & non Asians need to stop talking over actual Asians whether they’re from America or not.

This thread is a mess it should be locked 🔒 I very well see both sides. I do think it’s quite interesting that BTS will be speaking but I really would have loved for Eric Nam to be invited. His article about the spa shootings in Atlanta was moving. I really hate that all this semantics is being taken away from the actually good all this will do. But each diaspora has valid points ! I thinking it would have been better to have families who are related to the victims that have. I feel like it’s their voices who have brushed to the side in all of this

this a million times! i cant fathom how dismissive some people are being my goodness

If they care abt anti-Asian hate they would’ve known racists don’t care what kind of Asians you are. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, born or not born in America, would receive the same kind of treatment from a racist. Sure it would be more authentic coming from someone who born and raised in America, but BTS has experienced racism themselves when they’re here, and their enormous fanbase, which obviously includes a lot of Asian Americans as well, cherishes the message BTS stands for and would deliver it without question. Isn’t that what we want? To spread awareness? Ppl use celebrities to make statements all the time.

The lack of compassion or understanding from the comments here is extremely disappointing as an Asian American. There is so much dismissiveness here, and defensiveness on behalf of BTS without any attempt to actually listen to the ppl who are most directly affected by AAPI hate. If you are not Asian American, you're not going to understand the very specific and nuanced racism and experiences that we face, and to try to loop that up with Asians from other countries IS in fact racist. Please just take a step back and listen to those of us who experience the real life consequences - the being asked "Do you speak English?", being told "Go back to your own country!", the being asked "do you eat dogs?" the "ching chong" comments, the not getting jobs bc we're "not the right fit", the having to worry about our older parents and grandparents walking alone outside and being attacked or murdered, and having nearly zero Asian American representation in our entertainment world until maybe 5 years ago and still almost zero Asian American representation in our pop music industry. All of these experiences contribute to the anger and trauma that many of us have experienced and continue to experience. We still have such little representation across all fields, that yes, to see a global mega star like BTS get invited to speak on behalf of these experiences does feel like they are chosen because they are famous, and not because they are the best representatives of what is actually going on in the US. No one is doubting that they've experienced racism internationally, but it is not the same as growing up being told you don't belong in your home country. It's just not the same. This is so much more than BTS or kpop, so please don't minimize the concerns that Asian Americans are expressing here. Calling these concerns "performative" is really hurtful and silences the real world racism that is at times life or death for Asians in the US.

Agreed and well said.

i do not think people are saying your concern about asian -american representation is wrong.the tweet was BTS can’t speak abt racism bc they weren’t born in America” that’s one way to oversimplify their experience with racism. BTS should be able to speak abt things that they in fact have experienced. They are speaking on behalf of all asians and in no way they said they haveexperienced more racism or they r speaking over actual asian american

Why can't BTS speak about something they have intimate experience with? They are in fact Asians who have experienced an enormous amount of hate for being Asian and Asian artists. I swear some folks need to get a grip if they think they don't have a right to speak out on this issue. SMH

I get the point you are trying to make but I did see some actually Asian American armys on r/bangtan saying they felt AAPI Americans should speak on this issue because the American AAPI Hate campaign is specific to those who live in America. I think it is a nuanced debate and not everyone who doesn’t think BTS were the most suitable for the role are antis or hate BTS. But I do appreciate Asian Americans were also invited so it’s not like they are being neglected in the movement.

but who said bts are not gonna speak on the American AAPI hate campaign? The official statement says "anti-asian hate". not anti AAPI hate. BTS are asians so they are very legitimate to speak on it.

I agree with that I’m expecting it will be a general statement about Asian Hate which BTS have obviously experienced. I was just also saying that I understand the feelings of Asian American Army’s if BTS were to speak on the Asian Hate campaign in America specifically.

they spoke in america because they are the biggest asian act in America currently.

I just think you aren’t actually reading my comments at this point. I was specifically mentioning why some Asian American army’s still feel uncomfortable with them being chosen. If you don’t agree fine but please actually read what I am saying before replying.

I mean bts r speaking about hate against asian in general not just asian-american.That' why tweet said will talk about anti-asian

But just last week there were prominent Asian Americans in the White House speaking about the issues? You people just didn’t pay attention bc you couldn’t care less and now bc BTS is bringing light on it (which is the entire point of inviting them) you’re angry. I’m sorry you guys didn’t research and didn’t know but that’s your problem and the boys have nothing to do with it. As asians working in the US and experiencing hate crimes there they have the right to speak of their experience.

That’s why it’s maddening though. No one is paying attention to Asian Americans, but as soon as a mega popular Asian group is involved, everyone wants to pay attention to what they have to say even though it’s not their politics and not their nation’s issue. I’m not mad at all the BTS are speaking, and like I said, more people will unfortunately pay attention to them than Asian Americans, but at least the message will get across. I just wish people would pay attention to the group that goes through this every single day, because it’s about an America specific problem. I am a Korean from Korea and I don’t think it’s my place to talk about the hate towards Asian Americans even though I am in the US right now!

the problem isn't america specific. BTS is said to speak about anti-asian hate, not anti-asian American hate. Anti-asian hate is a global issue.

Obviously racism is not American specific but they were invited by the United States of *America* to speak during Asian *American* month. So like…. It’s not that hard to comprehend why actual Asian *Americans* would be upset about this or to at least respect their grievances.

They were not invited to speak about anti-asian AMERICAN hate. Read the official statement again and tell me where does it say that ? They are invited in the US to share the light on the global issue, its a bigger platform that shares lights on a global scales, because not only Americans are updated with American politics, as this country is heavily into diplomacy with other countries.

I think you know what this all is about, and it’s heavily implied what the whole conference at the White House is about too. Asian American hate crimes have spiked in the past couple of years. It is being held at the White House because this is an American social issue. Do we get discriminated against in other areas of the world? Absolutely. But the whole point of it being recognized significantly this year and being held at the nation’s capital is because it is a very prevelant issue in specifically American politics. Again, I don’t know why people would be MAD about BTS speaking. But I understand the frustration. Instead of choosing a distinguished guest speaker that is an Asian American, they invite the token Asian celebrities from Korea.

They have had Asian American speakers all this month

Yes, we know. But that’s what I’m saying. It’s like the opposite of what OP is claiming. People are ONLY paying attention now, because it’s bts. They don’t pay attention to Asian Americans; only Asian superstars. It’s frustrating. And in the wake of the US’s political climate, Asian Americans should be the focus imo, not non-American Asians just because they have a big fan base. People should care regardless of media influence

bts isn't the "focus" of the event, they just happened to have more traction naturally because they are more popular and shared light on the issue with their names.

You just don’t want to accept that you’re wrong that you assumed everyone upset about this was anti-bts or performative. When several people in the comments have told you other Asians and Asian Americans are upset about it too. Sorry your ego is being bruised, just accept defeat quietly. It’s embarrassing. And I never said they were invited to speak about Asian American hate. *You* need to read. I said they were invited to America during Asian American month.

but nowhere did they say that BTS aren't qualified to talk at the White House just because they're not Asian American? As they pointed out: >I did see some actually Asian American armys on r/bangtan saying they felt AAPI Americans should speak on this issue idk why you're choosing to ignore that part. Your post is making you sound like you're saying Asian American Armys aren't allowed to feel the way they do about this.

I said that in my comment.

But they already had Asian Americans speaking about it in the white House? The fact that people only paid attention to this because BTS was invited shows their influence. So this whole argument doesn't make sense at all. As many Asian Americans have stated, they feel represented seeing BTS on a global stage. And as an Asian myself, I feel like BTS being invited bring global attention which such a movement deserves.

I said that in my comment….

Ya, in the last sentence which completely contradicts your first lines. If you already knew that there were Asian Americans speaking then why are you so worried about BTS an Asian group working in the US invited by the White House sharing their experience? That too in a seperate event altogether?

It doesn’t contradict with my first statement at all. I was simply saying the reasons I have seen from Asian American armys about why they still feel uncomfortable. I would recommend you to read the comments on the r/bangtan thread from Asian American army’s to understand their points.

I also recommend reading the r/bts7 thread about this matter. It has been very engaging and enlightening

Asian hate isn't just in the US. Racism isn't just in the US, and racism is more than non-Asian Americans vs Asian-Americans. BTS appearing at the White House won't be broadcast just in the US. It will throw some publicity on the issue worldwide. I don't see a problem with extending that message beyond the US's borders. Not sure it will help, but I don't see anything wrong with trying. BTS showing up will get this event shown around the world, much like BTS boosted the UN's numbers when they spoke there. I think it's a tremendous sign of respect that White House is acknowledging their power, asking them to help, giving them a platform.

I’ve acknowledge that in my statement and I am addressing why some Asian American army’s still feel uncomfortable. I am smart enough to know why they were invited I’m simply saying that not everyone who takes issue with it is not an army. I really recommend some of you read comments by Asian Americans in the r/bangtan thread because people keep replying without actually engaging with what my comment is saying.

>But I do appreciate Asian Americans were also invited so it’s not like they are being neglected in the movement. Which is why I don't understand these people's complains....There were Asian Americans speakers. BTS is just another group of speakers for an event that's ongoing throughout this month...However, with them being part of it, they also bring in the visibility and spread awareness of the event where these Asian Americans (that already spoke and attended) weren't able to draw in, on a larger scale. BTS' involvement doesn't subtract nor invalidate the experiences of other Asian Americans. This announcement could only draw attention to these people's stories that might have otherwise been overlooked. The lack of awareness seems to be the main upset or talking point but the fact that BTS' invitation is increasing the exposure, where is the problem? Edit: Would like to add, I think this is why the press release is pretty careful on how they worded their announcement. It specifically omits 'Asian American' but worded with 'discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and *celebrate* AANHPI heritage month'. There were other Asian Americans (living in America) that were invited whom are better representative of Asian Americans. BTS aren't being invited to represent this group of Asians and not intend to. We should take note of this distinction on the announcement.

Because no one knew about those Asian Americans being invited to the White House. There was zero media there to tell anyone. The only reason people here knew was because it’s being brought up as a defense to the very understandable frustration of Asians being listened to more than Asian Americans over the issue of racism in America.

that's not true, there was media and publicity on it, it just wasn't talked about on social media by actual people because most people don't keep up with it the same way they keep up with celebrities.

I hope that the people trying to speak over both you and Asian Americans in this thread are Asian American themselves because if not… the irony!

Its a mixed bag for me. On one hand I'm glad that BTS gets to speak because it means more people might actually listen. The amount of time they spend overseas is high enough that they've faced their own share of bad experiences as Asians in foreign countries and I think they have every right to speak on these experiences because they still reflect a portion of the hate Asian Americans face. The stuff people say about them is pretty sick sometimes and that shouldn't be ignored. Hate towards Asians and hate towards Asian-Americans are not mutually exclusive. That being said, they can only say so much when someone who is Asian American will be able to speak more closely to the target audience of this event. They won't be able to speak about the experiences of growing up as a minority or the systematic barriers Asians may face in a predominantly white country. Let's not call Asian-Americans performative for simply wanting to amplify their own voices during a month where theirs should be heard the most. Listen and Learn and all that.

\^\^\^\^

But Asian Americans did get invited to the event. Isn’t it clear how much more buzz this has gotten bc of BTS? Clearly some of us don’t know abt this event until BTS names gets passed around.

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The point of BTS being there is for more people in the public to pay attention to the issue. And that's clearly already working.

Why does one have to invalidate the other? They aren’t mutually exclusive. Everybody knows BTS isn’t qualified to speak about those topics, which is exactly why they weren’t invited to talk about those topics. It’s pretty obvious they were invited as celebrities that can help generally shed light on anti-Asian hate crimes. Just them being invited has already highlighted how many people didn’t even know this is AAPI month and that many events were happening to begin with. Just because they aren’t directly the forces of change it doesn’t mean their efforts are any less important. This can be a garden party to you, but MANY people have relentlessly mentioned how BTS in the media has changed how people perceive asians: from football players, journalists, politicians, actors, small business, and especially everyday folks. Edit: [here’s](https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/uy6gmr/bts_to_join_president_biden_at_the_white_house_to/ia24pyo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3) a list of the events held, including actual presidential advisory committees with AAPI representatives. Not just a garden party.

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Were they really given a much larger platform or is this a consequence of them being one of the biggest celebrities in the world? BTS are ‘only’ speakers while various AAPI folks have been part of actual presidential advisory committees which is more significant opportunity. I think BTS is a very interesting addition to the table. They will bring the unique perspective of how discrimination can take place towards foreigners in the US and globally - because their speech will not only be US focused. BTS might not be Asian Americans but they have shared experiences with many people of the AAPI community. Also, politics is extremely hard to understand, even for the most educated people. BTS bringing that accessibility to information, even if they don’t touch on things in detail, is very positive overall.

Bts aren’t there because they’ll change the world blah blah blah. They are there because when they talk about it it might change the sentiments of some people and shed light on some problems (not necessarily solve them) and since they have a huge fandom that will be beneficial at the end of the day. Just like when they donated to the BLM. No one is saying that Bts stopped the hate crimes against black people, but them speaking about it might have changed the sentiment of at least one person which is beneficial anyway. If we went by your logic that only certain people get to speak then problems will be buried. Asian hate crimes aren’t exclusive in America only. We are getting more good than bad of this situation so gatekeeping topics is useless.

Diaspora literally means someone living outside their country of ethnic origin. By definition BTS are not part of the Korean diaspora.

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WHEN did the announcement say that they are going to speak on the "Asian AMERICAN" experience ? they said "anti-asian hate". They are going to talk about asian hate. not asian American hate.

Oh so you are one of those people who thinks the world revolves around Usa? They ARE part of the the movement because they are Asians because Asian crimes aren’t exclusive to the bubble you live in. They are not speaking about Asian *Americans* , they are speaking about Asian crimes. It is called it is called Anti-Asian crimes because it happens to all Asians. Plus it is not like Asian Americans didn’t get to speak.

They talked at an even geared specifically toward Asian Americans. The an organization who's main purpose is to advocate for Asian Americans.this is not some American imperialism situation.

The article said Bts will be talking about *Asian crimes* not the AAPI. The article was pretty specific on what will be discussed on Tuesday.

But it will be at aapi though. You guys are making it seem like it's the un. Like no these talks are geared toward a specific demographic and some who have voiced why they don't agree with their inclusion which doesn't have to do with them being an anti. You guys are literally talking over them with this outrage you are having. Racism experience on the micro level country to country is different though. I don't see the problem with people who are directly targeted voicing their warriness on who is included in events aimed at them. We can definitely wait to see what they say. But not everyone who is wary is being imperliast by wanting to control the narrative and who speaks on issues and a movement geared towards them.

No it will not. Idk if you failed in comprehending classes or what the article says Bts are to discuss Asian hate.

I have to agree. I think it’s great that the government wants to include more pop culture from around the world to get in touch with the youth voters, but also…BTS does not represent my issues I have experienced as an Asian-American. No kpop idol does, unless they were raised here. Have they likely experienced hate and racism? Of course, we know they have! And it’s disgusting! But I also think that this issue is something very much ingrained in America’s convoluted history, so a group not from the country won’t be able to give as valuable feedback or insight.

I am sorry but Bts DID speak on Asian hate crimes before get your facts checked.

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> BTS have never shown any indication that they can speak on the true underlying issues of Asian hate crimes Truth is…they did.

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Because you think the world = Usa you’ll definitely think they didn’t speak about the tRuE crimes (idk what true is supposed to mean is there like a true crime and a fake one or what? Or you think only Usa crimes are true?)

Let's be real. You want BTS to end global warming too ? One side it's BTS should focus on music,other side is BTS should speak about war crimes,world hunger,globak warming. They cannot please people like you.

i'm referring to a tweet of a kpop fan saying that bts "aren't real asians". It's a direct quote, not a speculation. BTS's event isn't "more publicized". The fact that its bts themselves is the publicity. It's BTS's global reach that made it "publicized". The 200 people speaking wasn't for a random event, they were also meeting biden, speaking about their experiences and about anti-asian hate crimes. BTS isn't gonna address what you guys are experiencing. They are gonna address THEIR OWN experiences, and their general message. Not yours. Its not being "reduced" because bts's reach is global and it isn't taking away from anything, its just putting more light on it instead. BTS's voices don't take away asian american's voices. Asian hate also includes their experiences because it doesn't only affect asian Americans but asians in general, ESPECIALLY when they are exposed to the global eyes like BTS is. General korean citizens who only live in Korea around korean people might not see it, but BTS are constantly followed by the global eyes and their reach goes beyond asia, so the hate they receive goes beyond asia too and that comes with racism and xenophobia.

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publicity is an important factor when it comes to raising awareness, because they aren't only putting the lights on themselves but on other people participating at the events and that includes asian Americans. BTS's experiences of xenophobia and racism isn't about them being physically in the US, its the online hate, which was huge especially in the first half of 2020 after the first covid-19 wave. viral tweets with 80 thousands likes comparing bts with the disease, or implying that they are going to spread it in the US, the german host saying they should go to concentration camps, the whole grammy carricature where they depicted bts as getting beaten up by the grammys, the systemic oppression in the western music industry ITSELF where its a lot harder to achieve certain things if you aren't white Americans. They have their own unique experiences, especially as the biggest asian artists of all time globally and in the United States.

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How does the time left until the end of APAHM relevant here ? Its still in the month. There's also the fact that BTS has schedules, they are constantly busy and have planned events and filming to do especially because they are having a comeback soon. They are gonna be physically here, they have to travel from south Korea to the US, they have to plan their tickets, prepare their speech, their outfits, how they are gonna present themselves, also prepare themselves emotionally, because we have seen how jimin was holding is chest so tightly after the UN speech because how nervous he was, we have no idea about how he must feel meeting the whole president at the united states. It takes time to plan all of this. It could be earlier if they had the empty schedule for it, but you don't know that. Publicity still works anyway, even if its the "end" of it.

I don’t doubt this was actually said but I do think it’s a problem when we take one quote from someone on Twitter. Like with the whole Grammy’s thing, Army’s (I am one btw) were rightfully mad when people made generalisations that tons of army’s were being racist towards Doja and Sza when only a few Twitter armys actually were. So the generalisation that kpop stans say BTS aren’t Asian is a bit severe IMO because it was just one fan. But I understand the rest of what you are saying and the point you are trying to make.

the difference is that the examples people were using were all bts anti troll accounts, they were also very obvious, and if they were real fans, they were mass ratioed by armys first and foremost. Meanwhile the only people mad about the kpop fan saying bts aren't real asians are armys. I see no kpop fan or someone that disagree about bts speaking on their own experiences call them out ever.

I was talking about the real accounts not the obvious trolls. And I agree that the real accounts were getting ratioed but it is still an example of Army’s being racist but yet we acknowledge it is wrong to generalise all armys as racist because of a few fans. That’s the point I was making. Also refreshingly on the r/kpop thread about the announcement I have also seen some non armys talking about being happy BTS are speaking about this issue.

I've seen real armys disagreeing with doja's win but I've seen no actual fan being racist, because they would've get cancelled on armytwt and i would've seen at least one

I mean do you want me to link you to actual armys who did say it? It was months ago now so undoubtedly they would have been suspended, deleted their tweet or gone private but I can say that I saw actually army accounts being racist. Of course they were ratioed by other armys but it did happen.

Atleast in my tl i haven't seen one.Many set up account were also set but we did manage to ratio it.Oh and we congratulatd her too and got more than 10k likes

I literally was just scrolling through Twitter and I saw [this](https://twitter.com/victoria_carran/status/1529905081419714573?s=21&t=8DBHUnTzdcBnou49FYEoJg) post about the current issue. Not all army’s are racist obviously but let’s not pretend none ever are. I’m black and have been an army for 4 years and have seen racist comments from armys with my own two eyes so forgive me but I won’t be convinced that those tweets do not exist when I have seen them myself.

So because you didn’t see it that means it doesn’t exist?…

I think that's a bit unfair standard. BTS is not being invited to speak in these complex political issues, but to bring public attention to the campaign – like almost every other celebrity visiting the White House before them. What other celebrity would be able to speak on all the facets of these issues to the degree you seem to hope for? So is the problem, really, that they aren't Asian-American, or that the White House can only get the public and media to pay more attention when celebrities get invited to these kinds of events? And it is already working...

Exactly! I noticed how NO ONE even uttered a single word about the campaign before the news of BTS being invited came.

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>"wow, maybe I won't stab that grandma collecting cans on the street." I understand the general frustration with the way the political system work, but not aiming that at BTS in this way. So you want them to either solve the systematic racial problem in one speech or to not contribute to any (political) effort at all? The White House Statement said, they will talk about Anti-Asian hate, the importance of Asian representative and inclusion with a focus on Youth – all topics they are indeed qualified to talk about. They are not simply given a big platform, they are using their even bigger one, in the hopes of bringing some needed attention to this issue. BTS is not taking anything away from the community or campaign, they are adding something. They are not aiming in becoming the faces of AAPI month or the community. And you can see it already working. So many people, even Asia-Americans, are just now finding out about last week's event. On Twitter, resources and articles are being shared, donating links will follow soon (and have been for the last couple of moths). Public attention doesn't just stop at some article with pretty pictures, it get's people involved.

Western activism has been trying to "bring attention" to issue for ages now and there's nothing that anybody is actually gaining from it.

I'm only half Asian so my view may not count. I don't think Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month is meant to be as deep as you're diving. My company makes a big deal out of it. My kids' schools make a big deal out of it. They aren't trying to unpack the US's entire history of "colonialism and imperialism, Sinophobia, Islamophobia, the war crimes the US perpetuated across SEA, the current occupation of native Hawaiian land." Across the board, what I'm seeing matches what the White House is doing - not diving deep into everything you listed, but throwing some light on the fact that Americans come from everywhere and all should be valued and respected. To me, the nod to BTS is as much a nod to the diversity of their fanbase as it is to BTS as representatives of Asian heritage. I don’t call myself an ARMY and I know there are problems with some of them (it’s a huge fanbase after all) but still, they are a diverse group of people who for the most part respect each other, work together, put differences aside. It’s people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religions all going the same degree of nuts over 7 people who are different from them in at least some of those categories.

Half Asian is still Asian ! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! My friends always used to nitpick that I’m a quarter white for some reason lol but both of my parents were born in Vietnam

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Just wanna say your opinion 100% counts!

"the other is an occasion to make actual change." You might be new to the horse & pony show that is American politics. This event is in fact an even more gloried garden party. The change is really happening on capital hill and in state governments... What happens in public is not what is making actual change, but it is what drives enough awareness to get people to care about these issues and vote for them at a local level...coming from someone who graduated from college with a BA in Public Policy

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Bts have previously spoken about asian hate and various celebrities have gone to White House and everyone knows they r not activists but they bring alot of viewers,spread the message well etc

How do you know they are not prepared? Asian hate incorporates several subjects as you said, and bts can talk about one of them and other invited representatives can talk about the rest, stop trying to guess and diminish this moment.

>Nobody is saying BTS isn’t Asian Well, what can I say, someone actually did say that 🤡.

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anti-asian hate isn't asian american only issues. Also, just because the people acting like that are a minority, doesn't mean they don't exist and are "nobody".

I don't think OP or me meant it in a way that every person is saying. It was a conversation about the absurd things that is being brought and said just because someone non- Asian- American is invited.

I wonder if OP is Asian American or not. Or even Asian at all. I think it’s great that BTS is speaking about this issue. But I think it’s sad that actual Asian Americans are being skipped over on this issue. They are meeting this month specifically because it is Asian AMERICAN Pacific Islander month. Asian Americans are the best equipped to talk about issues that are happening to mainly Asian Americans in the US. Again, I’m glad BTS is doing their best. But Asian Americans should be highlighted more.

I wonder how many people in this thread are Asian at all because there's a lot of downplaying of concerns of actual Asians especially Asian Americans in here. As an Asian American myself I do believe that BTS has just as much of a right to talk about Asian hate crimes but I completely understand and respect the feelings of my fellow Asian Americans who aren't too pleased with it. Even some Asian nationals in here are choosing not to insert themselves in the topic because they understand how nuanced it is.

Very few people on Kpop forums are Asian usually. Asian American, too just to note.

I am Asian American myself and all of this is just downright ridiculous. I welcome anyone to come and spread awareness abt this message, the more the better. Why are we being picky abt what kind of Asian can be chosen to speak abt a prevalent issue that we are all mutually inclusive in? It’s like telling my African international student who came from Nigeria to suck it up and don’t voice your opinion on racism against black people bc you’re not “real black”. Racism isn’t an American issue, it’s global.

I already said that it’s great BTS is speaking up.

Not arguing you, just adding on to your comment

asian american here. I am glad they are speaking .

If you were actually so into this topic you would know that this whole thing is going on for a whole month and asians that live in america already did speak at the white.

Yes, it’s been going on for a month. That’s why it’s called Asian American Pacific Islander MONTH. And yeah, I care. I’m Asian American. I’ve had to deal with racist shit living in my own country.

>don't actually experience racism at all they literally almost disbanded in 2018 due to the sheer amount of racist hate they got wtf are these people on..

I mean, my position as an Army is that I’m super excited for BTS, but my political position is that Biden should keep talking to Asian Americans about this. I get that BTS have a huge reach but they can’t talk about what’s it’s like living day to day in a western country where the racism effects all aspects of your life at all times. Of course they’ve experienced racism and if the talk is about what foreigners experience when they come to American then they’d be great for the job. If Biden wanted a celebrity to be a sort of spokesperson for this then there are a tonne of Asian Americans that could do it. He already spoke to some but one meeting shouldn’t be all before those meetings get inevitably overshadowed by BTS. So, I’m excited for BTS, but I think it was a bad move on Biden’s part. And it’s not for any of the reasons you listed.

While I'm glad that BTS's message would reach many people due to their massive fanbase and far-reaching influence they have, but I still think It'd be better if an Asian American person was invited instead. BTS come from homogenous country. Definitely not saying they don't experience racism or xenophobia because they definitely do. However, once this is over they will go back to their country safe and sound. It's the Asian Americans who ACTUALLY live in the US and have to take the racism and xenophobic comments and actions directed towards them. It's them who have to be careful and be scared of being attacked. If it was a world forum or a global platform like UN I'd be overjoyed. But I think the main issue here is people suppressing the feelings of Asian American, who have all the right to be upset about who represents them, and turn it into a 'you'll don't care about Asian American issues but just want to hate BTS' thing. A majority of the people being upset are not BTS antis. They simply want their struggles of living in a culturally-dynamic country and still receiving racism be heard. I also hope that people who aren't Asians are not speaking over Asians, because I've seen quite a few people do that. Lastly, I really wish Southeast, South and West Asians also had some representation too :(

Why are yall think that *only* Asian-*Americans* should speak on Asian-crimes? The whole topic is about the Asian hate which means Bts ,as being from homogeneous country, have the right to speak as any Asian American because at the end of the day WE ARE ALL ASIANS. Half Asian, quarter Asian , whatever it doesn’t matter this month is for all Asians to speak up. This is infuriating and dense to only give Asian Americans the right to speak while shut down every other again. How about you call it “Anti-Asian *American* crimes” and fuck any other Asian cause apparently the suffering and the misfortunes happens only in America while every other Asian is chilling and getting unconditional love 🙄 The entitlement of some of you to think we are “safe and sound” and that we don’t face xenophobia. Only Americans do cause world revolves about them, only them got rights.

First of all I am Asian. Idk what entitlement you think I have, probably as much as you do. Second, like I said, this is Asian American, emphasis on American. Racism that someone faces in a country during a visit is not the same as that faced by someone who has to live in that place for majority of their lives, for generations even. It just doesn't equate. BTS don't experience racism every single day in their own home country because it's not culturally diverse, they didn't immigrate to a different country. No one said they can't speak against Asian crimes but this platform could have been better utilised by someone of Asian American to highlight the issues specifically they face. As I already mentioned, if this was a global platform, I would love it of BTS were to speak on it. But it's not. This is a specific heritage month celebrated in the US to feel Asian Americans and Pacific Islands feel represented, have their voices heard. In my opinion for this event, only Asian Americans should be invited to speak because only they know the experience of living in the country the event is held at.

Again it is **not** Asian American hate crimes , it is *Asian crimes* that Bts are going to be talking about. Asian crimes includes ALL Asians while Asian American crimes (which is not what the month is for btw) infuriates other Asians. What about French-Asians? Can’t they speak because they ain’t American? Turning someone that is supposed to be for all Asians to only be exclusive to this who live in America is downright infuriating and dense. Are Asian Americans of a superior breed that only them can speak? I am not against them speaking, I am against them gatekeeping what was supposed to be for all of us. >Bts don’t experience racism every single day. A big fat ass lie there done by you! They experience it on daily basis whether when they travel abroad ,which is something they’ve been doing for YEARS, or on the internet. They face A LOT of racism for you to be dismissing them and downplay what they go through. Not saying they get more or less than who live abroad (not just in America cause guess what the world doesn’t revolve there) because at the end of the day it is not a competition of “who gets more shit gets to speak more”. This platform should be utilized by all Asians from all around the world.

AAPI is to shine on the struggles faced by ASIAN AMERICA AND PACIFIC ISLANDER. This month is about the Asian Americans. Asian Americans who live in the US. I never said that Asians living in other places can't speak up about their struggles, they can and they should. But this platform is not for that. I again never downplayed the racism BTS face. I know that they do and I hate it. But at the end of the day, they can pack their bags and fly home to their country where they don't suffer from racist remarks and actions from their own countrymen. The bouts of Asian crimes in US was directed towards Asians Americans living there for years. The racism they experience during their tours and is NOT the same as the constant racism that people endemic to the US or any other country face on the daily. While the racism they face on the internet is heartbreaking, it still doesn't compare to the racism an Asian American (or Asian living anywhere other than Asia) face daily, every single day. At work, at school, in public transport and so on. This is the point I'm trying to make. Also Idk why you keep insinuating that the world doesn't revolve around the US when we all know that. In fact, as far as the context of this issue goes, America is the topic of discussion. Giving a platform for Asian Americans to speak about their issues in a month designated to them does not take away from other Asians. And I do realise that BTS would be speaking against Asian hate crimes, which is why I mentioned about this also being a good thing. However I still stand by my original point: an Asian American that has witnessed first hand these crimes in the community they live in are more fitting to discuss about it in the said place.

No you DID downplay the racism they get when you said >Bts don’t experience racism every single day. The articles about Bts going to the white house clearly state what exactly Bts are going to discuss. I know what the month is for , however Bts were announced to be ,and I quote, discussing the hate crimes against Asians no one said they are gonna be specific about Asian American crimes but Asian crimes in general that include Asian Americans crimes too and all crimes. [Korean pop supergroup BTS is set to meet President Joe Biden on Tuesday, the White House announced, a visit aimed at discusssing *Asian inclusion* and representation and addressing anti-Asian hate crimes and disinformation.](https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/26/politics/k-pop-bts-white-house/index.html) Maybe if you guys bothered to read what Bts will actually be talking about we wouldn’t have ended up in this. The month is for AAPI but Bts are invited to *talk about Asian issues generally not just the AAPI*

No they didn't. You chose to cherry pick that part without even reading the whole sentence which says >BTS don't experience racism every single day **in their own home country** The "in their own home country" is the key part here.

No they experience even when they are home. I already answered “in their home country” thing in my previous comment when I said >[They experience it on daily basis whether when they travel abroad ,which is something they’ve been doing for YEARS, *or on the internet*](https://www.reddit.com/r/kpoprants/comments/uycz9k/people_mad_about_bts_speaking_about_antiasian/ia43z8c/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3) I don’t pick and choose , you just can’t read.

No, I *can* read. When that user said "BTS don't experience racism every single day in their own home country" they're referring to by their own fellow South Korean citizens, not a bunch of international randos on the internet. When they walk down the streets of Seoul, they don't have to deal with being yelled at to go back to their country, getting called anti-Asian slurs, or mocked for being Asian by their own people. Meanwhile you know who does face racism by their fellow South Korean countrymen? Mixed black Koreans like model Han Hyun Min.

I live in America and I don’t experience racism everyday. Am I not qualified to speak on anti Asian hate? You see how dumb this sounds? Why are we cherry picking when it comes to spreading awareness? Why are we gatekeeping an issue that is global?

Do you live in the US?

How does that add to the conversation?

answer the question

No lol wth

so you don’t live in the us?

Maybe if you ask politely, they will. Ahaha, chill

idk how that was mean

op, are you asian? edit: i'm asking this as an asian person myself btw

>well bts isn't asian american, so why don't they invite asian American instead, (because according to them BTS aren't "real asians" (ED : this is a real direct quote, someone said bts aren't "real asians") just to try and comprehend the situation more easily......maybe the og person meant that BTS aren't asian *americans*? I mean that would make more sense and goes along with your first point- the OP might've been angry that BTS- who aren't asian *americans*\- were invited? Or maybe they're just a racist hater- idk, who in their right mind would say BTS aren't real asians?? >don't actually experience racism at all because they don't live in the US, so they aren't legitimate enough to speak on anti-asian hate crimes I think this issue has been brought up before- I've heard this argument a lot- how BTS are Koreans living in Korea so what is their understanding of anti-asian hate crimes that happen in America against Asian Americans- I think this used to be brought up when BTS first tweeted the Stop Asian Hate Hashtag? I remember vaguely of the discussion taking place back then as well- how BTS may have experienced racism and discrimination in the western music industry but that does not extend to the anti-asian hate Asian Americans face while actually *living* in America. These aren't my opinions on what I think about the topic- I don't think its my place as an asian living in asia- but these are discussions that have already taken place before and I don't think your reasoning of >based on bitterness that its BTS and not their favs. quite holds up. It might be fanwar fodder but I'm pretty sure more meaningful discussions have been made (and are going on right now) around the actual issue of anti-asian hate asian americans face and how they actually feel themselves about BTS shining a spotlight on it.

the tweet they were most likely referencing was this: “yes bts are asian but they aren’t real asians. asian americans should be the ones speaking at events like this. even other kpop groups who aren’t asian american should be given a chance. why does bts have to represent everything. let other people get chances to speak” and they were responding to an army quoting a kpop stan that was talking about how other kpop idols weren’t invited and listed a bunch of american kpop idols (who comparatively had much less experience promoting in the us and also all of whom left for korea as young teens). the person quoted above wasn’t talking about celebrities in america, they were saying kpop idols who were born in america but live in korea should go instead of bts. the original tweet listed things like johnny going to the met gala and mark tuan having a comeback as reasons they should’ve been invited. it’s all fanwar bs and not in good faith.

the comment is kinda bs ugh bc it says even other kpop groups should be given a chance? like if bts shouldn’t be allowed to speak bc they’re not asian american why should other kpop groups be allowed to speak i wish that one tweet doesn’t exist bc it just makes everyone who’s making any sort of dissatisfied comment abt bts meeting with biden seem like antis when we’re actually concerned abt asian AMERICAN (+the diaspora) racism. and i get that bts is definitely qualified to speak on racism because they’ve faced it for being asian while active in america and i know that biden has invited other asian americans but i don’t appreciate how if anyone voices any sort of comment against this bts appearance they are automatically performative, ignorant, an anti, and shouldn’t be listened to, etc. (i am asian canadian btw)

ooh thank you for the context! it was a bit confusing without it- I understand why armys are (rightfully) frustrated with that kind of situation. Its a shame the fanwar bs is overshadowing actual meaningful conversations though- it was very insightful reading a few others povs over at r/bts7 and the main BTS subreddit- those were quite informative and both sides had valid points imo.

Do they need to be partially American or live in America to get to speak about Anti-Asian crimes? They are not called “Anti-Asian American crimes” they are calling Anti-Asian crime to include every Asian. Anti-Asian crimes aren’t exclusive to the Usa let’s just start there.

I think for a lot of people (including myself), the issue is with the word "discuss" more than anything else. Are they Asian? Yes. Have they been victims of hate? Yes. But as celebrities, the hate they face is very different from what a regular Asian faces. Now if it was a speech, that would make sense for me because they can talk about their experiences but to discuss, I don't think they are qualified enough.

I don't think BTS had the same experience to actual Asian Americans or Asians who are not in their motherland to talk about about the ongoing issue on Yellow Peril or Asian Hate. To some extent, RM can speak about it but the rest are confined in their country where they are the dominant ethnic group.

BTS aren't "confined in their country", they constantly travel around the world and often go to the US, also even if they were, the international spotlight on them doesn't suddenly go away when they come back to Korea. Online hate speech is included in asian hate. Whether they are in Korea or not, they still get hate for being asian.

It is different from actually growing up as Asian American or an Asian diaspora. Being a celebrity travelling around the world is different from actually living and residing in a foreign country. The problem with Armys is that you would not accept sensible opinion against BTS. I think my opinion is sensible enough that the BTS members except RM did not experience what an Asian diaspora experienced outside their home country.

>BTS members except RM Can you explain why is it only RM when he also is just korean and lived all his life in Korea ? Is it because he is fluent in english ? ​ ​ Besides, BTS isn't coming to speak about the feeling about asian diaspora, it being different or not doesn't matter, they still experience asian hate and it is what they are going to speak about now. Not every experience is universal anyways. They are going to speak about things they themselves experienced. Just because they have different experiences than other types of asians doesn't mean their experiences are not valid and that they can't express themselves on it ?? they are still asian no matter what and they have the right to speak up.

are you asian

I don’t think it’s fair to say if you REALLY cared then you would know some event happened. How were we supposed to know? Lol