Annoyances of Asian American Life | Asian American Poll

ANNOYANCES OF
ASIAN AMERICAN LIFE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:25:54 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Which of the following is the most annoying occurrence to which Asian Americans are routinely subjected?
Being told you speak English well | 21%
Being asked where you're from, originally | 28%
Having (non-Asian) strangers address you with phrases in Asian languages | 23%
Being subjected to offensive media portrayals of Asians | 28%

Which of the following is the most common way in which racial hostility has been expressed toward you?
Hostile words spoken to your face | 9%
Hostile remarks to others within earshot | 41%
Slurs or taunts shouted from a distance | 17%
Spreading of malicious gossip about you | 6%
Pointedly excluding you from a conversation or event | 27%

In your experience what types of persons are most likely to show hostility toward Asians?
People with low educational levels | 24%
People from social backwaters | 17%
People insecure about their own places in society | 28%
People envious of Asian success | 11%
People with little contact with other ethnicities | 19%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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

Hi MLK,

I just replied to your post on another poll asking where the Misfits convene. Oh, you mean here! ok, that's good for me too. I just was thinking more like "live" people rather than internet. But hey, that's still good!

eeyore-ette (eeyore-girl) Wednesday, April 10, 2002 at 23:48:26 (PDT)

spantabulous -

I know it's hard but just try to ignore those people. They are ignorant and their "opinions" are not worth worrying about and they are not worth knowing.
Me Wednesday, April 10, 2002 at 05:14:30 (PDT)

to sad eeyore-ette & Viet guy in Houston

Welcome to the club folks. You're now a part of a small group of us on this board who don't belong to either group. We should call ourselves the Misfits.
MLK Tuesday, April 09, 2002 at 21:29:43 (PDT)

Hey Viet Guy in Houston:

Post some comments about what you like/don't like about our hometown on the Houston Board!
Andrew Xiaoliang Campbell Monday, April 08, 2002 at 05:53:19 (PDT)

To MLK:
I know what you're talking about, about feeling somewhat out of place. I too don't think or act "Asian" enough but yet still hold onto strong asian values and some traditions. I do wish there were alot more of us. One thing is for sure though, I do know who I am. After many years of being confused about, sometimes even ashamed of, being an Asian American, I finally know who I am. I am an INDIVIDUAL.
Viet guy in Houston Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 21:26:38 (PST)

it happens quite abit in my area where ppl [even children!!!] walk past me and kinda 'imitate' the chinese language...i.e basically takin the piss. wtf is up with that? i mean first off im not even chinese. Which brings me onto the second point that it seems a lot of white ppl [or at least where i live]always assume all asian ppl are chinese. Lots of ppl knw im vietnamese yet still refer to me as bein chinese. WhyY????! dammit.
spantabulous Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 14:14:39 (PST)

Wow, so there really are lots of folks like me. And I thought that I was the only one who had some problems with certain areas of normal life, like what to wear at a funeral (black/white), and what to wear at a wedding(red/white).

penelope
If you live in HK, it's simple, you do what everyone else does. But if you live in the US, what everyone else does depends on what race you happen to be hanging out with at the time. I'd go to a bar mitzva (sp?) in the afternoon and then go to a death anniversary that evening, and the two clash like you wouldn't believe.

WF's thoughts
It's not uncommon to think in terms of "You Americans" and "Us Asians", but that just depends on who you hang out with at the time. If I'm with Asian friends, it's "You Americans", but if I'm with American friends, it's "Us Americans". See what I mean?

AC Dropout
I can think in both languages at the same time. I translate (in my mind) between the two at lightning speed and can utilize both languages with ease...but it's not often that I can speak a mixture at the same time, because the person I'm talking with must be well-versed in both languages to be able to follow me well. Misunderstanding abound at this stage, and I'm much better just sticking to one or the other, so I've trained myself to think in only one language at a time, so I don't confuse people.
MLK Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 00:22:26 (PST)

"But when you speak with both eyes openned. And present views on equal footing. No one really get it, or there is some misunderstanding about your personal alliance.
AC Dropout Wednesday, April 03, 2002 at 13:55:05 (PST) "

-you got that right!!

-the only thing is, I am not able to close one eye at a time, and people are always thinking that there's something fishy about me ... which is totally painful!
sad eeyore-ette Saturday, April 06, 2002 at 00:01:19 (PST)

Hi, nice web site!
AM from NYC Friday, April 05, 2002 at 14:02:39 (PST)

"I can totally relate, even though I"m a WF. I look "ethnic", dark hair, skin, unusual features, I'm mixed Eastern/Western European American, and all my life I"ve been asked "Are you Jewish? Mexican? Russian? French?" on and on and on. I get so tired of explaining my nationality! I feel like saying "It's none of your freakin business!" I feel almost like a minority sometimes because I don't look traditionally "white"."

Precisely the point. In Illinois the Democratic Candidate for Governor is not considered real white...he has a very long name and ancestry is Polish and Ukrainian. What a shame?

Asian American Male Friday, April 05, 2002 at 10:14:38 (PST)

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