Japanese American Identity & Self-Image | Asian American Poll

JAPANESE AMERICAN IDENTITY & SELF-IMAGE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:57 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

In relating with other Asian American groups, Japanese Americans most exhibit which of the following attitudes?
More Americanized than thou | 51%
More rooted in ancestral heritage | 0%
More anxious to be low key | 49%
More embracing of other AA | 0%

Which of the following has the most impact on the Japanese American identity?
Smallest percentage of recent immigrants | 36%
World War II internment | 51%
Japan's economic success | 6%
Smaller population than other AA groups | 7%

This poll is closed to new input.
Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

re: MLK's reply

LOL!!

(sorry for wasting space)
CM Tuesday, July 16, 2002 at 07:08:50 (PDT)

to Navy LCDR airdale & curious girl

I smell sexual tension here. Why don't you two try to hash it out and see if things don't improve with some verbal rough-housing? You two seem soooo compatible! :)
MLK Monday, July 08, 2002 at 23:50:05 (PDT)

Curious girl,

Like I said before, your people just have to have the last word (before you say to "just drop" (the subject).

Is this example of telling us what to do part of your historic feeling of superiority?

You also said "at least have to nerve to speak to your face". How is that possible? I don't know your name. If you want that that's fine. Identity yourself and I shall do likewise and give my personal e-mail to converse with you. (However, I would suspect that others enjoy seeing your panties get wadded up in a knot so don't rob them of that opportunity!)

It's too bad that I can speak German and you cannot. I wasn't born in a German speaking household. I learned it from scratch. I earned the right to boast of that ability. This free country allows you to do to the very same damn thing!

Do you think I learned it on one of those "15 min" language books just to piss you off?

I know German, but am not of German ancestry. You do not know German but you are of German ancestry.

Whos fault is that? You do not feel that the language ability is important, yet, you show how pissed off you are of your lack of ability in comparasion to mine.

Why don't you take the time and effort that you have in your ridiculous attempt in proteting your self-esteem on this website and LEARN THE FREEKING LANGUAGE the hard way, like I did?

Then you would not feel so inadequate.

Navy LCDR airdale Monday, July 08, 2002 at 18:13:40 (PDT)

Nacy LCDR Airdale,

Don't give me that. The way that you described it in your post was directed straight at me. At least have the nerve to speak to my face.

And don't try to tell me what to do. I will ignore you if you will stop making backhanded remarks like that. Let's just drop this.
curious girl Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 18:55:09 (PDT)

I am a Japanese-American, and would identify myself both Japanese and American although my parents are both Japanese. Being raised and born in America makes me feel more American but at the same time, my culture is important to me.
A Japanese-American Sunday, July 07, 2002 at 07:39:06 (PDT)

MLK,

To go from MBA to JD is really not a "jump".

For instance, to go to medical school, a "pre-med" major is appropriate.

However, there is no such thing as a "pre-law" major. One can take whatever undergrad or graduate study they want and as long as the grades are good and the LSAT score is high enough, you'll get into law school.
Navy LCDR airdale Friday, July 05, 2002 at 15:21:21 (PDT)

Curious girl,

I mention that I speak German has nothing to do with you.

That is, unless you want it to be.

I thought you said you were going to ignore me from now on?

Keep your promise and do it.

Navy LCDR airdale Friday, July 05, 2002 at 15:17:49 (PDT)

to Navy LCDR airdale

Jeez, you really are tall. Is that a requirement to be in the Navy? And can you fly airplanes?

Speaking of which, when I was 17, I took the ASVAB because I wanted to join the Air Force (I fell in love with the F-16 and wanted to fly it). But they said I was too short to fit the suit and wouldn't be able to reach all the controls in the cockpit (I'm not quite 5'5). And I was a female to boot (still am, last I checked). However, I scored very high on the test (it was not that difficult, I think because it's purposely made for any high school graduate to be able to pass with decent scores so they won't feel so bad about going to boot camp) and especially so in the spatial areas, which I was told, made me a great candidate to be a mechanical or design engineer (in other words, I could draw the plane, I could fix the plane, but let's forget about flying the plane, shall we). Well, needless to say, I was pretty bummed, and decided I didn't want to go that route. Still, it's always bothered me why they don't make smaller planes for the smaller-boned woman to fit into? I'm sure I would have been a good pilot, given half the chance.

Why did you jump from MBA to JD? Isn't that somewhat of a stretch?

To the Editors

I know, I know...I'm supposed to stick to the subject, but since I'm not Japanese, it's really hard to talk about my mongrel self-image and still be relevant, you know.
MLK Monday, July 01, 2002 at 22:26:16 (PDT)

"I think that because I am a 3rd generation AJA who can speak, read and write Japanese, I have a self image that is greater than someone who is of German Ancestry that cannot speak German, since I speak German as well."

You know, I wasn't going to bother coming on this site to respond to you, I was going to respect the editors' wishes to get back to the topic. But why do you feel the need to keep trying to antagonize me like this? You must like the fight. My self image is JUST FINE buddy. So what if I don't speak German? That doesn't make me any less of a worthwhile and great person. And how would you feel if I made generalized statements about "your people"? I would sound like a racist, just like you.

curious girl Monday, July 01, 2002 at 12:53:23 (PDT)

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