Status of Asian Americans | Asian American Poll

STATUS OF ASIAN AMERICANS
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:08:36 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

What is the status of Asians in America?
Lower third of society | 2%
Middle third of society | 33%
Upper third of society | 55%
Top tenth of society | 10%

Which factor most undermines the status of Asians in America?
Media portrayal of Asians | 34%
Problems of recent immigrants | 19%
Racial prejudice & resentment | 38%
U.S. conflict with Asian nations | 9%

Which factor most enhances the status of Asians in America?
AA educational levels | 51%
AA economic success | 27%
Respected AA public figures | 8%
Success of Asian nations | 14%

How will the status of Asian Americans change during the first decade of the new milennium?
Improve somewhat | 38%
Improve dramatically | 35%
Stay about the same | 22%
Worsen somewhat | 5%

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

CONTACT US | ADVERTISING INFO

© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.

WHAT YOU SAY

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

Don't worry about it
Happy Saturday, September 01, 2001 at 19:59:21 (PDT)

I see MLK,

So it's like this... mudslinging while keeping the back of your head that you are doing what you do to help your people. Kinda like the inner city whore who reminds herself everyday that the only reason she is selling her body is to feed and clothe her children. Very noble indeed. Maybe I am too idealistic to be a politician, but yeah, I suppose doing all the dirty work behind closed doors is what makes a real politician. Good luck -- I will vote for you in the future.
Optimistic Tuesday, July 17, 2001 at 17:22:58 (PDT)

To Optimist:
Who says we have to show all our cards at the end? To be a true politician, you say one thing, and do another. Everything you do must further your own agenda, but outward appearances must be kept. Insider twisting-of-the-arm to get a handsome Asian males on high-profile movies is just as (if not better) achievement than picketing the local movie theatre with signs and bullhorns. The anonymous sponsor of an Asian charity/social-improvement XXXX (fill-in-the-blank) is just as worthy of respect as one who is very vocal and has a big presence withing his/her community. Doing is just as (if not more) important than saying. It's just a matter of being able to handle the misunderstanding at large, but if you, your spouse, and your conscience (of which many religions consider GOD) know, then it should be enough of a reward.

I guess I'm really reaching in this thought-process and I don't expect you to understand.
Regards.
MLK Monday, July 16, 2001 at 15:00:26 (PDT)

MLK,

You've come up with some great points. However, I question whether it is really necessary to "sellout" in order to achieve ultimate success. Even if you were going to take that path, how would you justify doing that to your own people, when you can't explicitly tell them so? Let's say that as a fledgling young AA politician you spent two decades brown-nosing upperclass whites in order to get elected into the office of President of the United States. Obviously, during those two decades, a lot of Asian Americans would have built up their resentment towards you for exclusively schmoozing with whites, because you never got the chance to explain to them of your ULTIMATE goals. So upon being elected president, would you finally break the news to the AA community that you were only brown-nosing to further the AA community? Sure, that would validate yours truly with the AA commmunity, but at the same time, wouldn't that risk losing the support of the rich upperclass whites that will undoubtedly fund your administration? I follow your train of thought, and I am not against it, but I doubt whether your theory is feasible.
Optimist Thursday, July 12, 2001 at 17:45:22 (PDT)

I was once asked why I only had Asian friends. This is why. Asians get along with Asians. It's a natural process of social selection. Girls make friends with girls. That's social too. You're first friend in elementary school is usually a member of your gender and race. Usually. You have more in common and less conflict could result. If you're Asian and you could care less, good for you. But as an Asian who has absolutely NOTHING against whites or blacks, etc., I can tell you for a fact that I am not in a bubble hiding my yellow face from the white and brown ones.
Dave Friday, June 29, 2001 at 21:17:18 (PDT)

To Optimist, Engaged Asian Male, and Morgs:
I think the main issue has been clouded by some side issues, all of which I will address.

First, Engaged Male thinks the answer is to participate in community activities, confront racists, and to talk to folks on the street. In short, be socially proactive instead of reactive.
Optimist echoes the same sentiments, only in kindlier terms, and also questions the idea that achieving status and success has anything to do with upper-class whites.
Morgs considers this from the angle that to attract the attentions of "self respecting whitey(s)", one must associate with whites.

I agree, to a certain extent, the idea of extending beyond the comfort zone and making contacts, but the subject is not to further your karmic interests (doing good deeds or helping to bring other Asians up to a higher level) or to make more friends (talking to just any "whitey" on the street). The subject is to raise the status of Asian Americans and to do that, the contacts that you make must be relevant contacts, ie. affluent white communities with ties to powerful figures able to make things happen. The community participation that you do engage in must be high-profile ones (the types that Princess Di works on, not Mother Theresa's). It is all in the INTENTION of your action. If you are interested in furthering humanity (Asian Humanity in particular), do the community participation and "...give back to the community that you came from". If you want to raise the status of Asian Americans in general, you must target your "whitey" contacts to those that count. If it takes years of SELLING OUT just so you can be in the position to "...help bring your own people up to the level of those in control" then I feel that the intention has justified the action.
MLK Thursday, June 28, 2001 at 22:40:02 (PDT)

I think the people with whom you hang out would have be a big factor. If you only have Asian friends why would you expect any self respecting whitey to give you the time of day (unless you're cute and female!). To me it just says that you took in all the shite your parents told you about not trusting other races. Admittedly they may have copped some rough treatment but times change. I'm with "the only asian....to engage all of society" when he says to step outside your comfort zone.
Yeah hellooo...engagement.....ya know..like talking to different people.
Morgs morgan_woods@yahoo.com Tuesday, June 26, 2001 at 00:50:20 (PDT)

Interesting points there, MLK.
Although I think that you make some sense, I want to ask you this: why should achieving status and success have anything to do with whites? You said that to achieve status Asians would have to associate exclusively with upper-class whites and exclude other minorities. You also called that "sad", and I must say that I agree. Where I'm from that is called SELLING OUT. If you were born into an already bourgeois family, fine. But if you're from a working class family that made it big, why not give back to the community that you came from, instead of posing with a bunch of snobs at a polo game like a psedo-high-class socialitee? I believe that the morally righteous thing to do would be to help bring your own people upto the level of those in control. We Asians can ALL succeed and achieve status. It will just take time, that's all. There is no need to play 'loyal sidekick' to white people.
Optimist

You're all a bunch of idiots. The survey itself is idiotic!!! Don't you people get it at all?! Education level and economic success do NOTHING to change white, black, and latino perceptions of asians in america. When you're all cooped up in your ivory tower making your wads of cash, do you think you will have in any way shape or form an idea of how people perceive of you?!! Of course not!!! Do you want to know how people's perceptions of you change? Engagement!! Community participation!!! I'm willing to bet that more than half of you have NEVER done any volunteer work or any kind of community service! I'm willing to bet that more than half of you don't have the guts to engage a totally random off the person off the street in some light conversation. And I'm willing to bet that more than 95% of you are afraid to actually go and talk to someone who's upfront and racist. NOW DO YOU FOOLS WONDER WHY OUR OWN COUNTRY HAS TROUBLE PERCEIVING US POSITIVELY?!! GET OUT OF YOUR BUBBLES!!! Until you actually get out there and PARTICIPATE, don't bitch and moan about society's ignorance about our ethnic group!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND WE'RE NOT ASIAN AMERICANS!!! DAMMIT!!! WE'RE AMERICANS!!!!!! Sheesh. Liberal twits.
The only asian male who's curious and brave enough to engage all of society.

NEWEST COMMENTS | EARLIER COMMENTS