Asian Americans Will Protest Peacefully at Hasty Pudding

Members of the Asian American Association (AAA) will demonstrate tonight and tomorrow night at performances of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals musical, "A Little Knife Music," because they object to the character Edgar Foo Young as an Asian stereotype.

Michael T. Hsieh '80, a member of the AAA, said yesterday that the group originally had planned to try to prevent people from entering the Hasty Pudding building on the nights of the performances, but that after meeting with the producers of the show Wednesday decided just to hold a "peaceful demonstration."

At the Wednesday meeting the Pudding agreed to include a letter of protest from the AAA in the program for the production.

Hsieh said the AAA intends to inform people going to the show that it "actively resists this sort of racial stereotyping." He added that the goal of the demonstrations is to have the character removed from the script.

W. Lloyd Thrower '80, co-producer of the musical, said yesterday he does not object to the demonstrations because he expects just "a few people handing out leaflets."

Hsieh said other groups of Third World students support the AAA and will participate in the demonstrations.

Members of the Black Students Association, La Organizacion, and La Raza confirmed yesterday that their groups support the efforts of the AAA, but would not speculate on how many other Third World students would demonstrate at the performances.

"We condemn Hasty Pudding for its racist portrayal of Asians," Susan Morales '82, a member of La Organizacion, said yesterday.