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ASIAN LIFE IN LOS ANGELES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:13:26 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

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WHAT YOU SAY

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Kanaka sansei,

I think you are trying to assert superiority of JAs over other ethnic groups. Please note the Chinese have made significant contributions to America. JAs were not the only AA group who fought for the US in WWII. Both Chinese men and women made tremendous sacrifices for the US beginning with the Civil War. I'm not going to get into a tit-for-tat argument about which group has made more significant contributions because I am comfortable knowing that America would not be the same if it were not for the tremendous contributions our Chinese ancestors made to this country.

Anyways, this whole stupid argument started because some guy doesn't like being spoken to in Chinese because he is Japanese. Oooh, big deal. I live in Torrance and I have people speaking to me in Japanese often. I don't really mind because I live in a heavily Japanese-populated area where there are a lot of Japanese ex-pats. Why does it not bother me? Because I understand that these Japanese immigrants and families of ex-pats do not mean any disrespect by assuming I'm Japanese. Keyword here is understanding. THe stupid guy who started this needs to understand that the Chinese do not mean any disrespect by assuming he is Chinese.

That clown just needs to move to a different area if he can't stand the Chinese part of town that much. It's not like he's being bullied by the Chinese and he needs to stand his ground. It's one thing if an AA was being threatened by some group of people, but doesn't want to leave to make a statement, but it's another to not like the area and keep living there.

Lastly, don't try to make others believe you are just as patriotic as the people who fought in the 442nd. You weren't there so you have no basis to say you are more patriotic than TSJ or anyone else. If you think you are more patriotic, then go join the army and really serve your country!! Otherwise, you're just all talk and no action!
5gen CA Friday, July 19, 2002 at 14:15:49 (PDT)

kanaka sansei:

"You are Chinese. Can the Chinese proclaim the same stellar record of sacrifice to the United States as that of the Japanese Americans even when the government held their people in prison?"

are you kidding me? chinese people were enslaved decades prior to the japanese internment.

anyhow, i stated earlier that the japanese person was attempting to assert his authority. assertions of ethnocentrism can be, and most often are, covert.
in addition, for an asian to assume that another fellow asian in San Gabriel Valley speaks Chinese is not a big deal nor is it ignorant or racist. for the latter to be annoyed by the former and to insist that he speak English, however, is racist.
penelope Friday, July 19, 2002 at 10:40:26 (PDT)

"You are Chinese. Can the Chinese proclaim the same stellar record of sacrifice to the United States as that of the Japanese Americans even when the government held their people in prison?"

First of all, Toi San people (my ancestry) were the very first Asians (not including Native Americans) to come over to America. WE paved the way for all other Asians. WE built the railroads. WE helped build many west coast cities. WE faced rampant racism from all other people trying to get their share of the gold. But guess what? WE held strong, and carved the path for all other Asians to come to America.

Also, you never addressed the fact that it is not that much of an stretch to assume that any Asian hanging out in a predominantly Chinese area would be Chinese.

And which stance are you taking? Is it so offensive that other Asian races are moving into your neighborhood? That you would rather be around all white people? Or maybe you are feeling an inferiority complex because unlike other Asians (Chinese, Viet, Filipino), whose numbers are increasing exponentially, Japanese are decreasing. It can't be a cultural thing, since you just mentioned that most Japanese Americans don't even know any Japanese, hence are not well immersed in the culture.
TSJ Eric@KristinKreuk.net Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 22:31:29 (PDT)

TSJ said
"Talking with a funny accent only makes you look as bad as those old Hollywood movies with yellowface white actors."

Really? Why don't you address the ASSUMPTION that these FOB Asians have that because of their face, they must be Chinese-born (or Vietnamese-born)???!!!
When whites make that assumption that because of our faces, we are foreign and that real foreigners with white faces are "American", we call them RACISTS. The same label applies to these Asians who make the same assumption.

Surely, if these Asians were not guilty of making this assumption, there would be no problem, right? Address this wrongful RACIST assumption FIRST and foremost.

TSJ said
"but mocking each others' language is just plain wrong.

Correct. It is. But it is a greater wrong that because of ones face, they are assumed to be foreign born, even if the person guilty of making this assumption is also Asian.

TSJ Said
It's not like people don't make fun of the Japanese language either... that is, if most Japanese born here even speak it.

Correst. Most Japanese Americans don't speak it because they are fully assimilated. It was their ancestors that gave their blood on the battlefields in France and Italy that won equality for all Asians (including you). It was their heroic ancestors who won Purple Hearts and Medal of Honors. It was their ancestors who lost their limbs in battle while their families were being held in internment camps.

You are Chinese. Can the Chinese proclaim the same stellar record of sacrifice to the United States as that of the Japanese Americans even when the government held their people in prison?

Or is their display of loyalty and patriotism limited only to hanging a Made-in-China US flag in front of their house?

I would bet the latter.
Kanaka sansei Thursday, July 18, 2002 at 11:11:12 (PDT)

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