Your tone is much softer in this response. That's a great thing. We shouldn't be too harsh to our own people, especially for something this trivial. I also understand your point a bit better. I will respond to your main points below
The myth is indeed that the US has more medals and if a few Asians pulled out of the US team, China would take top spot. So I blame them; I blame every negative perception of Asian athleticism on them. Because if it were not for them, one could proudly declare that China wins the most Gold medals of any nation at the Olympics and we use only Chinese people to do it. But because of these Asians that earned their medals for the US, now there's a myth and it looks like the US is on top because it's a majority Caucasian nation and that is more athletic than an Asian nation.
Gold and athleticism are really not the same thing. And most people knows that the Chinese sports system allows China take more gold than its overall level of development supports. That's why I am so proud of Beijing 2022 because China only spend a modest amount to boost its medaling capabilities but a huge amount to popularize snow/ice sport among the population. Wide participation in various sports and quantity and quality of venues are the things that will improve the perception of Chinese athleticism. Both requires huge investment but also gives handsome financial returns. a few medals won't do much. I really think we should chill about medals.
And if we really care about the 'negative perception of Asian athleticism,' I think the reasonable thing to do is be more athletic ourselves, and help our families and our fellow Chinese to participate in sports. I used to race bikes as an amateur. I am always in the back and never won anything. So am I hurting the Asian image because I never won or improving because I am at least out there riding? I never cared. I just loved riding and had tons of fun.
This is a funny fantasy. Who can be targeted by a hate crime in his own home by other family members? Whose words can be overruled by a majority in their own home? Asians are always guests in America, labor to work on someone else's home and those who don't see that can see no further than a purse and an easy life.
I for one applaud and support oversea Chinese people stay oversea and fight for their success (and rights) in foreign land. I am happy to see there are some modest successes. (to be clear I also applaud those who decide to pursue opportunities in China.) The last thing I want is for oversea Chinese to feel they were never accepted in their resident country, but also spitted on as traitors by people of their ancestral country. I once saw a video on bilibili (tried but couldn't find it) that as a PLAN ship departing a port of visit in the UK, the soldiers shouted "Motherland will always support you" to the oversea Chinese waving goodbye. I thought that was exceptionally enlightened policy.
My second point might be painful to accept. From the beginning of the opium trade to the end of cultural revolution, it's the Chinese that caused the most suffering to the Chinese people. While we fight for racial justice for Chinese around the world, we must keep that in the back of our mind and forever remind ourselves to treat our own people kindly first and foremost.
However, those who have maximized their value and have much to give, but have lost themselves finding it, remain a source of disappointment. It's like a person's body made it through but their mind got stuck and failed to grow properly. They failed to realize love and respect for their own blood and true identity.
I really don't think I care about, or have any say, about how other people choose to use their talent/money/success or how people should identify themselves. I also won't let others dictate my life. I will do what I think is right and hope my actions might inspire others.
BTW, by value I don't mean just money. Gu would rightly think being an inspiration to young Chinese is a much greater reward than money.
There is no guarantee for anything in life. Athletes can become injured any day and have to retire. But as far as reasonable calculations go, her mother and grandmother saw what she could become and decided to take that chance. It could not possibly have paid off better than it did. I said I appreciate what she did, but I don't believe she would have done it if it required sacrifice rather than entitle her to enrichment. I've said it all in the last post. She is not a hero but a
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Gu is an inspirational role model. Not a hero (not sure winning gold itself can quality anyone as a hero). definitely not a predator.
