Asian slurs and blurs

In 2012, NY tv commentators make derisive comments about the shape of Jeremy Lin's eyes in an attempt at humor. Really? Asian faces have endured the most ridiculous comments and slurs. But the people using them see nothing wrong. Partly because Asians don't complain and mostly because non-Asians still feel they can dominate Asians. How many times have I met a surprised business guest who clearly was not expecting an Asian with my title? How many times have people told me how well I speak English? I recall a speech I gave to 500 university administrators gathered at a conference in Atlanta. I was the only Asian in the room. The day before the association president and I were playing tennis and he won a few points by lobbing over my head. He proclaimed, "....found the chink in his armor."  I said nothing. The next morning it was a bit chilly and a conference goes said to me, ..."there is a nip in the air." When I opened the conference as the keynote speaker I retold these stories as a tongue in cheek, how I was welcomed to the south story. I said, "This chink has no armor and this nip is not in the air." I know the comments wereinnocent. But I also knew most of the people there had little contact with Asians. I use humor to help us laugh at ourselves and maybe raise their consciousness about ignorance. We all are prejudiced, but can we confront it and change?