Received this through email and it makes a whole lot of sense. While I can’t say I completely agree with the boycott since there are two Asian American actors casted (Aaron Yoo & Liza Lapira) …and that’s not fair to them. Plus, Jeff Ma makes a cameo…so it probably has his endorsement. I do agree that Hollywood should stop being a-holes and stick to the script….but Hollywood is about the money and dumbing down everything.
Hi SDAP,
You might be curious why as an organization we are boycotting the Movie “21″ which is based on MIT Students who mastered the art of Counting Cards and wreaked havoc on Vegas Casinos, sounds like a great plot and a lot of fun right? I thought so too, but then I dove deeper into the issue and realized that the Real-life Students that pulled this amazing plot/stunt were none other than Asian-Americans.
However Hollywood decided to pull out of the “Asian” casting and put in Non-Asians in a role tailor-written for Asians. From the Professor Mickey Rosa (Kevin Spacey) to the Main Character (Jim Sturgess) all these actors were substituted for the actual Players in real life (John Chang and Jeff Ma). The Non-fiction Novel written even highlighted the fact that the students utilized the biases that Casinos had with Asians (and how they gambled with large amounts of cash) to get away with Counting Cards (Not an illegal activity). On the team there were even African-Americans who were top card counters as well. However stereotypes still reign in National Mainstream Media. This is completely reprehensible, and we need to take a stand as an ethnic minority organization.
As an Organization SDAP has decided to draw the line, no longer are “Asian” characters stereotyped to Martial Artists and “Geeks who can’t get with the Ladies”, but that we are full Three Dimensional Characters that should be showcased in the National Media.
You can read articles of rhetoric online to further learn about this issue out there. Knowledge will be the only way to accomplish what we yearn for, that is just awareness. Although this movie really does not represent all Asian-Americans, but where does it stop? Lets let our wallets do the talking and Boycott this movie, we need to bring awareness about this issue.
I am proposing that you inform and enlighten your friends/family about what I have brought up and only through Knowledge can we as a society change. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope that if you are passionate about any issues that you come to our Board Meetings every Tuesday Night (USD Library) 9pm and express it as well. Lets share our information and discuss the issues!
Michael Nguyen
President/Chair of San Diego Asian Professionals
You know Hollywood, maybe next time you should make a movie about counting cards rather than base it on true events…then you wouldn’t look like a bunch of liars. 
Even Wired Magazine sniffed out the BS.
Wired Magazine: Hacking Las Vegas: “The MIT team thrived by choosing BPs [Big Players] who fit the casino mold of the young, foolish, and wealthy. Primarily nonwhite, either Asian or Middle Eastern, these were the kids the casinos were accustomed to seeing bet a thousand bucks a hand. Like many on the team, Kevin Lewis was part Asian, and could pass as the child of a rich Chinese or Japanese executive. “When you’re recruiting, you don’t recruit white kids. They look conspicuous. Asian kids, Greek kids, dark skin fits in better with lots of money in the casinos. White 20-year-olds with $2 million bankrolls stand out,” explains Andrew Tay, one of Lewis’ teammates. “A geeky Asian kid with $100,000 in his wallet didn’t raise any eyebrows.”
