Annoyances of Asian American Life | Asian American Poll

ANNOYANCES OF
ASIAN AMERICAN LIFE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:25:45 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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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.]

"For whites it is still the question: "Christian, Jew, Buddhist, atheist or mentally disturbed?" (-I risk it to be "mentally disturbed.")"

You forgot paganism...it is making a comeback in Lithuania, Latvia and Germany. I mean traditional religion such as Wotanvolk, Druidism and even human sacrifice!

Anti-Pagan Thursday, June 27, 2002 at 11:09:58 (PDT)

Asian Dominatrix,

have you any cue for Asians interested in Asian religion?-Something for Asians like voodoo for Africans. Secret societies have been well-tried in the history of resistence against white-washing.
For whites it is still the question: "Christian, Jew, Buddhist, atheist or mentally disturbed?" (-I risk it to be "mentally disturbed.")
rare stuff Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 12:40:29 (PDT)

rare stuff,

I know what you're talking about. Goldsea is the only predominantly Asian community I know. I guess unless you live on the West Coast, it's pretty difficult to find an alternative Asian culture.

And unlike blacks, Asians do tend to suffer from an elitist complex, a leftover authoritarian Confucian complex, if you will: many are taught that you have to hang with the "best"--and in America, that has come to mean white society.

But I am an optimist: I think as Asians attend college and university here in the US, participating in AA activities, they will begin to find bonds between the experiences of being Chinese American, Korean-American, Japanese- American, Vietnamese-American, Filipino-American, etc. I also believe that there will be a class of Asians who can be both "upscale" and yet openly embrace their racial identity--just like upscale blacks who are beginning to create their own upscale black communities.

For now, we're just going to have to hope that those who participate in Asian websites will begin to forge a deeper sense of Asian identity and connect up with Asians they meet in real life.
Asian Dominatrix Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 08:43:37 (PDT)

Asian Dom,

I came across this website because I was interested in learning more about Asian Americans in general, and also about other people's experiences with interracial relationships. No my b/f doesn't post here.

rare stuff,

I think we come from very different viewpoints. I can agree that we live in a society in which self-gratification and happiness are prized most, but lots of kids still grow up just fine. I can respect that you would want to be raised, or raise your kids in a more traditional manner, but I still think everyone has a right to enjoy their life.

Some psychologists might think that way, but I don't think, or I hope that all of them don't. I'm sure there are some pyschologists that have studied or work with Asian-American kids and the difficulties they face in trying to live with two different cultures.
curious girl Sunday, June 23, 2002 at 08:15:10 (PDT)

I don't know if I'm breaking a taboo, now.--However,I was always deeply disappointed whenever I heard that there's another Asian who has become rich but doesn't invest his money in restoring Asian culture.--I know that culture is process but this process has turned out to be a white-washing process. Everybody says, Asians belong now to the world's elite. But that is going to a superficial Asianness because it's far away from the common people who get white-washed. Should they all convert to Islam if they want to stay Asians if they are too much in between the cultures to be accepted again? Half a year ago I met some other non-whites standing in between the cultures (or better: in between the Western and the Eastern WORLD).There atmosphere was anti-Western, there were even some sympathies for the Talibans. Why?-Because because Islamic fanatics need everybody they can get for their purposes,even some whites are attracted to them.

It's no longer the whites who annoy me, I'm used to their rudeness. It's the upper class of Asian descent.They don't support those Asian people of lower class and reject them because people who show anger "are too primitive" for those snobs!
rare stuff Friday, June 21, 2002 at 16:44:35 (PDT)

Asian Dominatrix,

reffering to the "Asian unity" you mentioned: As far as I know it is a fact that if somebody is once excluded the same person/family will never be accepted again in the Asian community in a broader sense. (Or is that just a Cantonese speciality?) -So I think that we have Asian people who are outcasts among both whites and Asians -at least when I see into my mirror this seems to be the case.Africans have their secret societies,their cults which are of remarkable livelyness.Are you sure that the non-white-washed Asians (if there weren't FOBs) would not become a decreasing minority.I've done researches over years,found out that I'm basically Asian but not able to find proper contacts because I'm traditionally seen as an uncultivated bastard.

You say you're "powerful enough to reject the media" --maybe if have the opportunity to learn East Asian characters,those people I are of Chinese descent, speak neither a Chinese word and nor can they read. I'm very critical of my opportunities to live an Asian life as long as there isn't a kind of shelter state for Asians like there's Israel for all the different kinds of Jews.
As you can see there are people who have even the last tie to their heritage but these people may be very angry about the whites but should build up an alternative Asian culture for themselves.The annoying thing is that nobody gives the money to those who can use it for the new and needful Asian alternative culture.
rare stuff Friday, June 21, 2002 at 16:16:05 (PDT)

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