Annoyances of Asian American Life | Asian American Poll

ANNOYANCES OF
ASIAN AMERICAN LIFE
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:25:42 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%

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

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WHAT YOU SAY

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I am Korean-American and I am SOOOOOO tired of being stereotyped. I wish I could just wear a shirt around that says "YES, I'm Asian. NO, that doesn't mean I'm Chinese. So STOP STARING."
Kyleen firstchairKO@aol.com Friday, August 02, 2002 at 21:30:17 (PDT)

"The only upper-middle class people I have found decent were either European immigrants or half Jewish/half Wasp types who are still aware of what their parents and grandparents faced."

You mean recent immigrants and descendants of recent immigrants (from 1900s). Yes, I do find the descendants of DAR very cocky...proud of their skin color and sharp features (particularly the women)...which they think gives them the status of royalty...the WASPs if you will. In fact, the DAR still controls the US Presidential election process....that is why all US Presidents except JFK was and is DAR. They fought the 1965 immigration bill that allowed skilled workers to take up employment in this country and legitimized children born to white Americans and non-white foreigners..not very different from what the German Conservative Party (neither Christian nor Demcorat, perhaps dumb, only committing financial suicide as their corporations close shop and move abroad in search of skilled labor) is doing at present. The Italians, Greek and other immigrants tried to get themselves included as "white" but the DAR would not let them. Hence, we have never had an Italian or a Greek American President.

"It's often said that education and prejudice are conversely related; the better-educated a person is the less likely he or she is to be prejudiced.

"Wasps don't express their prejudice by overt attacks or vilification. Rather it's expressed in the typical upper-class WASP mamnner of veiled contempt and shunning...accompanied by a knowing smile and a wink. In the most general way, though, it works through exclusion--by not letting minority people into their neighborhood or club.""

Very True.

"There's also a good discussion on "sellout-itis" and self-hatred in Jews and Eastern Europeans who've tried to move into WASP circles. Very sad."

The biggest Jewish sellout trying to be WASP is Ann Coulter....hardly ever wants to acknowledge that she is Jewish...until it became evident from her anti-Arabic tirades I never thought that she was Jewish...Madelline Albright...I am not sure but a possible sell out until it was shown that she is of Jewish Heritage by the media. However, the book doesn't mention the southern Europeans who fit into this category. Let us face it...Mayor Gulliani would never be WASP...he would never be US President..and would not be chosen by the GOP as a running mate either. The same applies for Pataki and Armenian Americans such as Deukmajian, the former Governor of California....yes, George Gekas and Tom Tancredo, who try to fit into the WASP mold by their anti-immigrant, anti-Asian and anti-Hispanic bigotry. Many folks in Colorado tell me that Tancredo would not win in a predominantly WASP Protestant Colorado Sixth District (Evergreen and Littleton are full of these bigots who say that they were sick of Asian "girls" chasing their "good Christian white boys") without selling his soul to the anti-immigrant and anti-Asian bigots who have settled there from California. The only reason WASPs (back in 1982 when CA was mostly WASP) voted for Deukmajian was because he was running against a "less desirable" a black mayor of LA by the name of Tom Bradley. And Oh! there are several Arab Americans who try to deny their heritage..among them is Mitch Daniels the current OMB Budget Director, John "I want to be white" Sununu who is running for US Senate from New Hampshire..to some extent even Governor Shaheen of NH, Darrell Isa (until someone ranted that he was an Arab to an Airline Security agent in October 2001 and was not allowed to board), Rep. Rahall from West Virginia, Rep. Chris John of Louisiana, Susan Haik Terrell of Louisiana who is running for the Senate and Richard Ieyoub the AG of Louisiana who tries hard to fit in with the "Law enforcement boys." And, Deng Ai in the whiting wongs forum has as his examples of anti-Asian liberal bias..such sell outs as Dinesh D'Souza. Deng Ai himself suffers from "Sellout-itis" defending incompetent whites in the Bush Administration.

Which brings me to the final point...unless whites become a minority in the US like the rest of us, racism would not diminish..it diminished here in Northern Virginia (especially Arlington) because whites are now a minority like the rest of us. I have seen big changes over the past twenty five years. When I say whites becoming minority...I mean Asians, blacks and non-white looking Hispanics who possibly would not be allowed to integrated or assimilate. Other white looking characters ranging from Ann Coulter to model Windy Haddad (of Arabic origin) are always susceptible to "sellout-itis".
Sociologist Friday, August 02, 2002 at 07:35:54 (PDT)

Asian Dominatrix,

I don't think white people with money all aspire to be Donald Trump. We all know why he a major principle in the Miss Universe pagents. Russia recent win may have some corrolation with his fetish for Eastern Bloc women.

As for members of old money activity keeping out the uncivilized new money. To be honest from my experience I don't think they are actively keeping people out. As with any social group it is more like people who have common backgrounds and experiences going who's the new guy. If your an outgoing and tactful person, it is really not much of a challenge to be accepted.

Of course if its really old money social circles, where their looking for connection with families like Chiang, Cong, Soong, Fitzgerald, or Yamamoto...That has more to do with luck of birth, and even an introduction from a upstanding member from the circle is kind of useless. Unless you're an individual that is ready to change the world, where these people will seek your attention, but at that point these circles become meaningless anyway.

The problem that a sterotypical new money person comes across is that sometimes they accidentally burns all the bridges on their way up. Hence, by the time they get to their final destination they find themselve socially stranded. The worst cast of course would be if the individual was not an affable person to begin with.

Just like it is easier to be accept when you are white in the USA. The same is also true in asia, it is generally easier to be accepted in the old money crowd if you are asian. But that goes back to the issue of having similar background and experiences in corolation to social acceptance.
AC Dropout Friday, August 02, 2002 at 07:03:26 (PDT)

AC Dropout,

It's easier today for New Money to move to Old Money retreats: as long as that New Money person is WHITE. BTW, Trump himself is 2nd generation wealthy. Yet V-U-L-G-A-R on all counts!

Sociologist,

I'm trying to cut down on my posts because I'll be considerably busier in the next few months. But I'll still be around.

Northwest Girl,

I think it's because lower-middle and middle class people are generally not as ambitious: which means they can see things/people for what they really are!

The only upper-middle class people I have found decent were either European immigrants or half Jewish/half Wasp types who are still aware of what their parents and grandparents faced.

Everyone,

There is an old book that I happened to get my hands on, "The Wasp Mystique," by Richard C. Robertiello and Diana Hoguet, published in 1987. Get this (p. 180):

"It's often said that education and prejudice are conversely related; the better-educated a person is the less likely he or she is to be prejudiced.

Wasps don't express their prejudice by overt attacks or vilification. Rather it's expressed in the typical upper-class WASP mamnner of veiled contempt and shunning...accompanied by a knowing smile and a wink. In the most general way, though, it works through exclusion--by not letting minority people into their neighborhood or club."

There's also a good discussion on "sellout-itis" and self-hatred in Jews and Eastern Europeans who've tried to move into WASP circles. Very sad.
Asian Dominatrix Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 15:03:41 (PDT)

JASONY79,

If you really wanna have fun, why not say, ' wow, I really love your women, they are so hot!'
GOOD IDEA? Thursday, August 01, 2002 at 09:57:37 (PDT)

"I blame it on environment. Since I never lived in TX I don't know the cause. But I interacted with the products of those environment and I tell you they are totally unrealistic at time."

Runs across all races. Essentially an inbred environment. That is why we had Enron and that is why the Texas Justice system (unlike Singapore's) is not something to write home about. The elected judiciary virtually guarantees that out of staters have little or no chance.
Sociologist Wednesday, July 31, 2002 at 18:03:08 (PDT)

Asian Dominatrix:

Excellent points as usual. You should go back and take a look at the Whiting Wongs board, where Deng Ai claims that GOP loves the Asians, and the party does everything on merit rather than on diversity. It would be great to have your input.
Sociologist Tuesday, July 30, 2002 at 14:58:41 (PDT)

Under "Which of the following is the most annoying occurrence to which Asian Americans are routinely subjected?", I think 'Telling you that they have a Chinese/Korean/Japanese friend' should be an option. Should I respond by saying 'Oh, so you're not anti-asian?! Whew!' or 'Oh cool. I have one white friend.'

Has this topic been covered already? I haven't read the posts yet.
JasonY79 yeo@purdue.edu Tuesday, July 30, 2002 at 01:54:24 (PDT)

Regarding racism and the role of socio-economic backgrounds: While I hate to generalize, my experience is that people from working-class families appear more accepting of diverse ethnic groups. I wonder if it's because people from these backgrounds are more concerned with putting food on the table and getting their kids clothed and educated than they are with social hierarchies. When I first graduated from college, I lived in a lower-income, predominantly white, neighborhood that had a reputation as a "white-trash" area full of pick-up trucks, chewing tobacco, taverns, etc. I was apprehensive at first, but in my daily interactions at the grocery store, post office, etc., I found most people to be friendly and open. I had a feeling that, by my living there, they assumed that I was struggling, too, and therefore was "one of them." (I'm an AF.) I also noticed that the other people of color (male and female) who lived in the area were treated well, too.

As I later traveled for business, I noticed this was true no matter what part of the country I was in. It was quite an eye-opener.
Northwest Girl Monday, July 29, 2002 at 19:51:18 (PDT)

I would love to be rich just like everyone else, but if I were to become rich I couldn't give a damn about social climbing. I would just drive to work in my fabulous car (the new Lexus that looks like the one in "Minority Report"), sit around my big comfy house with my husband, and take trips around the world with my husband, sans Louis Vuitton luggage. Yes, I would go shopping for nice things, don't get me wrong, but I would never want to try being something I'm not, and fitting into "society". I hate to generalize about people I don't know, but I can't imagine having anything worthwhile to discuss with "ladies who lunch", nor would I ever want to kiss up to someone to get into a country club.

As for Plan B, that involves 40 more years of workin' for the man.
curious girl Monday, July 29, 2002 at 18:23:15 (PDT)

Sociologist,

Not to burst your bubble. But some of the TX I had disagreement with were Asian. They had the same inflexiable attitude as the white Texans I met. Polite, but totally inflexiable.

I blame it on environment. Since I never lived in TX I don't know the cause. But I interacted with the products of those environment and I tell you they are totally unrealistic at time.

Is this the state that allows the people to vote their school system to teach alternatives to evolutionary theory. Which just goes to show the power of democracy can and will be abused by the uneducated masses.
AC Dropout Monday, July 29, 2002 at 15:58:40 (PDT)

Asian Dominatrix,

Old Money have their proper schools and summer retreats that they all go to.
Most smart New Money realize that they themselves will not be acceptable because of the lack of credentials. They're kids can be Old Money.
AC Dropout Monday, July 29, 2002 at 15:52:55 (PDT)

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