Sometimes I just gotta stop and just laugh at sh*t.
It was about this time last year when I was still in the USAF and stationed overseas, I was working Mid-shift (Graveyard) and I stopped by the BK Drive thru on base for quick bite before I had to work a Long rainy night on the Flightline... I ordered my combo meal and was told to pull up to the window, after I exchanged my money for the food the lady at the window asks me where I was from? I told her that I was from San Francisco, then she gives me a warm smile and asks me where I was really from? with a laugh I tell her that I was from San Francisco... the lady then laughs and then says I only meant what country were you from? So I tell here sarcastically Africa.. she laughs and tells me to have a nice night and I take off... Later on that night I just had to ask myself why would she draw such conclusions from someone who was in Uniform and spoke perfect English? Then I just had to laugh about it, no good getting all mad about that kind of sh*t especially since I went thru a lot worse as a civilian. Just had to put that out there cause it was just funny to me

I laugh whenever people go, "Hey, look at that Asian," or "I'm talking about that Asian girl".
Why do they do that? I never go, "Hey, check out that European girl" or "I helped that African mother lift her pram" or "That European guy in our class".
I was born here and raised here. Sure, my ancestors and parents came from another country, but so did theirs. So why is it when I call any random White person European, it's racist, but it's ok for them to call me Asian? Don't get me wrong, I love being Asian Australian, I just don't appreciate the double standard.

I have every right to be called Australian, just like you have every right to be called American, but we'll never be seen this way. We'll forever be called, "That Asian guy". On the news, it's always "Asian gangsters", "Asians stealing our jobs", "Asians dealing drugs"... they often "forget" to mention that these "Asians" are actually Australian/American. Maybe our grandkids will have better luck.

Sometimes I just laugh, because there's nothing I can do about it and it's not really important enough to complain about. I can make a big fuss, but it's not worth the trouble. People would just end up calling me over-sensitive... Or maybe one day, I could try dissing any non-Asian who calls me "Asian". "How dare you Europeans call me Asian!" I'd love to see their reactions!

icetea, actually, people do say 'that black guy' (usually not african, since all black folks in the western world are called 'black' on sight) and 'that white guy' (again, white folks are usually called 'white' , not 'european' on sight).

if someone said "that yellow guy", i'd think that there is a WHOLE lotta racist stuff behind that. perhaps i'm wrong, but i've yet to hear asian folks call themselves 'yellow' on a systematic basis. blacks have often said 'black and proud' and whites say, well, 'white'.

i don't know if you watch 'adult swim' on cartoon network, but theres a cartoon called 'sealab 2021', which mocks a 1970s cartoon called 'sealab'. in one episode, a white guy (who's kinda dumb) constantly refers to the black nurse on board as 'black debbie', yet refers to the white character called 'debbie' as just debbie. one of the other characters (a white character) even asks why he doesnt refer to the black debbie as just 'debbie' and the white debbie as 'white debbie', upon which he says 'that would be dumb'.

it just goes to show that the western world has always utilized race as a means of dividing people.

Speaking about cartoons Family guy is funny as hell But have you ever noticed that they always got some Asian type joke going on? especially with "Asian reporter Amy Takanawa" (or is it Trish?) that's the only thing I don't find funny about that show... Otherwise Stewie is Hilarious! Lmafao

yld629:

yeah, 'family guy' is hilarious. but they do that with black people (in many episodes, he's black in a black family) and homosexuals (the funniest is when he did a flashback to when he was on 'password', and his team mate was tony randall. he had to give hints to the 'secret word', which was 'flaming'. peter kept saying to tony randall 'youuuuuuuuuu...?'. tony would say 'actor?'. 'youuuuuuuuu...?'.

bwwahahahahaa...they dog EVERYBODY out, including white folks.

Be careful what you wish for. As soon as people stop taking an interest about your heritage, you may start chastizing them for lumping everybody into some bland Melting Pot Americana. I certainly wouldn't be offended if a stranger asked me where I (or more accurately, my family) was from. I don't think it's a racist gesture to ask a question like that; they're just curious about your background. At least they're trying to discern your exact ethnic identity, as there are too many people who automatically assume that all East Asians are Chinese.