[Vision2020] Hillary's slur on Indian-Americans
Sunil Ramalingam
sunilramalingam@hotmail.com
Thu, 08 Jan 2004 12:27:43 -0800
<html><div style='background-color:'><P>Frank,</P>
<DIV class=RTE>
<P>I guess we've had different experiences, or perhaps we view the ugly incidents differently. I am forced to conclude that the young man who called me a 'Sand Nigger' while traipsing around either high or drunk on my driveway, suggesting I fellate him, was doing so based upon my color and/or his mistaken identification of my ethnicity. I declined his invitation and suggested he leave, which he did, while repeating his statements, though I don't think he wished to engage in sexual acts with me any more than I did with him.</P>
<P>That was the first and only time that slur was used to my face in Idaho, though I'm not confident it will be the last, particularly given our current foreign policies. (When the first Gulf War started, my future wife was driving from Sonoma to Davis and observed that the driver of the truck in front of her had scrawled 'All Ragheads must Die' on a piece of cardboard and attached it to his bumper. Of course, he could have been predicting what must inevitably happen to us all, but I suspect he preferred that the schedule be bumped up for some people.) It was often directed my way in California, where I was also surprised to learn that I was first Iranian, then Iraqi. I may be Afghani too, I'm not sure. All those comments were also based upon my appearance and ignorance, not on any facts. </P>
<P>I would like to consider myself an American, just like any other citizen. My experience informs me that I shouldn't count on everyone treating me that way, and I should be concerned about those who won't. I'm not running around weeping about it, in case Mr. Schmidt wishes to call me a 'whiney-assed minority with nothing better to do but bitch', I'm just learning from the past.</P>
<P>Sunil</P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>>From: Frank Cheng <IFC_2000@YAHOO.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: vision2020@moscow.com
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Hillary's slur on Indian-Americans
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 14:17:24 -0800 (PST)
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>While the "model minority" ideal is somewhat of
<DIV></DIV>>innocuous generalization, the idea that
<DIV></DIV>>Asian-Americans find it difficult to blend in is
<DIV></DIV>>another over-simplification with I believe more
<DIV></DIV>>harmful effects. From my experience as an American
<DIV></DIV>>with Asian heritage, American society in general is
<DIV></DIV>>color neutral. I havent experienced the disbelief
<DIV></DIV>>that I am an American, and Ive lived all parts of
<DIV></DIV>>this country, from small towns to large cities. What
<DIV></DIV>>Asian-Americans want and value are simply what any
<DIV></DIV>>American would, no further explanation needed there.
<DIV></DIV>>Being over 40 I find that some of the younger
<DIV></DIV>>Asian-American crowd has been indoctrinated with
<DIV></DIV>>racial-identity ideas. Thus some perceive the bumps
<DIV></DIV>>and barriers anyone would experience in life as some
<DIV></DIV>>sort of racial discrimination episode. Unfortunately
<DIV></DIV>>many who consider themselves a member of minority
<DIV></DIV>>group fall into this trap and it becomes one that
<DIV></DIV>>holds them back.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Frank Cheng
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>--- Melynda Huskey <MGHUSKEY@MSN.COM>wrote:
<DIV></DIV>> > Dick writes:
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > "We never hear any complaints out of those from the
<DIV></DIV>> > Orient. They come here,
<DIV></DIV>> > work and study hard and blend in to our society and
<DIV></DIV>> > become model citizen
<DIV></DIV>> > Americans. That is the kind of immigrant they all
<DIV></DIV>> > should be."
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > You know, that idea of the Asian "model minority" is
<DIV></DIV>> > a really pernicious
<DIV></DIV>> > one. Few Asian-Americans experience themselves as
<DIV></DIV>> > fitting in or blending
<DIV></DIV>> > seamlessly with U.S. society: it's pretty common
<DIV></DIV>> > for fifth- and
<DIV></DIV>> > sixth-generation Asian-Americans to be asked, "Where
<DIV></DIV>> > are you from?" If they
<DIV></DIV>> > respond, "Des Moines, Iowa," they are asked
<DIV></DIV>> > again,"No, where are you
<DIV></DIV>> > *really* from?" The stereotypes of Asians are
<DIV></DIV>> > painfully alive--submissive
<DIV></DIV>> > mail-order bride, math whiz, restaurant owner,
<DIV></DIV>> > inscrutable "Oriental" . . .
<DIV></DIV>> > just think about the implications of generalizing
<DIV></DIV>> > about the cultural and
<DIV></DIV>> > behavioral contexts of people from places as far
<DIV></DIV>> > apart as from Japan to
<DIV></DIV>> > India, from Cambodia to Tibet.
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> > Melynda Huskey
<DIV></DIV>> >
<DIV></DIV>> >
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