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ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
The White Stuff: Whiting Wongs & Wonging Whites
hey're our neighbors, buddies, allies, enemies, clients, bosses, employees, lovers and spouses. Many of us have more daily contact with Whites than with other Asians. Consequently, we often feel we know them better than they can ever know us. Maybe that's at the heart of our frustration as Asian Americans. They are as ubiquitous and pervasive as the air we breath while to them it seems we are eternal curiosities, outsiders, exotics.
Bridging the gap?
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And so we sometimes find ourselves lashing out with nasty generalizations about the people we blame for all that seems wrong with American society and, more specifically, our place in it. They are ignorant, shallow, boorish, smelly, sneaky, treacherous, malicious, dumb, weird -- in short, all the labels we feel have been so unfairly slapped on us.
But even as we hurl such epithets we cannot forget the countless acts of kindness, warmth, generosity, friendship, passion and love that we have enjoyed from these very same people. As our anger and frustration subside, we recognize that our fates are inextricably intertwined, not merely in sharing a world, a nation, a society, an economy, a culture -- but often in sharing even our most intimate lives. One in five of today's Asian American marriages are to Whites. And contrary to the imbalance of the past, the ratio of new AM/WF marriages to new AF/WM marriages is steadily approaching unity.
So we naturally have a strong interest in decoding the other side of the equation. Understanding is a two-way street. Fortunately, there are Whites who have enough interest in us as individuals to share their perspectives on us and on their interactions with us. This page is for those who -- as corny as it may sound -- have chosen to serve as bridges.
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Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025, 06:38:55 AM)
What do Asians--both AA and those not born here-- really think about white people?
Also, how many of you would be open to a serious relationship with a white person? Many of you, or just a few? What would keep you from considering a non Asian as a mate? I'm curious to know the truth about how we are seen through Asian eyes.
Outside Looking In
Monday, April 15, 2002 at 17:50:44 (PDT)
B.E.Verins,
Never heard of the guy. Did a quite web search and found him as a footnote in someone's research paper. Did he coin the term "Orientalism" or something.
AC Dropout
Monday, April 15, 2002 at 15:11:17 (PDT)
AC Dropout -
You should read Edward Said's "Orientalism" if you haven't done so already. You basically restated his thesis. :-)
B.E.Verins
beverins@aol.com
Friday, April 12, 2002 at 07:15:17 (PDT)
T.H. Lien,
I once knew an Italian American teach Chinese in HS. Oh my what an accent. But totally understand where you are coming from.
AC Dropout
Monday, April 08, 2002 at 07:39:57 (PDT)
chica cubana:
"As a hispanic girl, I have to ask why do aa care so much what white people think of them?? get over it"
maybe insecurity? many AAs find respect isn't forthcoming from real Asians. Besides this country is still 70% white, probably a good idea to give the issue at least some passing thought since it is difficult to go through life in the US without depending on white people for your income, at least indirectly.
AAM:
"Vermont and North Dakota are as good as any in Asia."
Actually, probably better, if the high school completion rate is as you claim. 90% of the people emigrating from S. Korea last year put "Children's education" as the reason for getting OUT. In a lot of Asia, high school is for the talented, not the general population, which also screws up a lot of comparisons between US and Asia. Also no one bothers to account for greater diversity in parent's educational attainment in the US (especially when comparing with Japan).
AC:
Having a funny perspective on Asian Studies is one thing. But some white professors of Asian languages at my university (back in the US) have the handwriting of a third-grader ... I had a Japanese professor who constantly made writing errors and on two occasions actually taught the wrong character to the whole class.
T.H. Lien
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 11:59:41 (PST)
Poo,
I met a black preacher who lived in China for 12 years and had his kids born and raised there. His kids were fluent in Chinese and more chinese than most ABC kids I met.
Perhaps one day this black preacher or his kids could be labelled as "authority" on asian subjects.
However, most people that I met label as authority on asian subjects have fallen very short of the type commitment necessary to understand a culture or people they are authorities on. Yet they exist in Asian study department all over the USA. Trying to define the issues. Some are correct, some really do have a white spin on the matter.
Culture and language is one of those complex matter which no simple model can define fully and requires full emersion for mastery and understanding. Anything short of this type of brainwashing, create some distinctly foriegn.
AC Dropout
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 09:31:22 (PST)
"As a hispanic girl, I have to ask why do aa care so much what white people think of them?? get over it."
In most parts of the country whites are a majority. This country has had a history of racism and bigotry, only broken after the Cubans entered Miami and immigration began to increase in the Post Civil Rights Era. Until no one is a majority in this country, I believe it is a legitimate question,
Asian American Male
Friday, April 05, 2002 at 07:32:59 (PST)
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