1/Let's talk a little about this paper, and about things like racism, nation-states, and America...
2/This is not the first piece of evidence I've seen that when people feel like America rejects them because of their race, they identify less with America.
Not a surprising finding, of course, but still important and powerful.
Not a surprising finding, of course, but still important and powerful.
3/But it's interesting that experiences of discrimination in America could spur Chinese people to increase their support the Chinese government -- a regime that has killed and oppressed many more Chinese people than America ever has (and still does).
4/I always think of this scene from the 1977 animated Hobbit movie.
amazon.com/Hobbit-Orson-B…
The humans and elves are about to take away the gold from the 12 dwarves, when suddenly an army of dwarves comes over the horizon...
amazon.com/Hobbit-Orson-B…
The humans and elves are about to take away the gold from the 12 dwarves, when suddenly an army of dwarves comes over the horizon...
5/And Thorin, the leader of the dwarves, points and says "My cousin Dain from the Iron Hills! ...Now, WE have an army!!"
I think everyone wants that feeling that somewhere, there's an army backing them up, ready to fight for them.
I think everyone wants that feeling that somewhere, there's an army backing them up, ready to fight for them.
6/Personally, I've always believed that America was the army that was on my side.
Why? Because I'm white? No.
Because in the 1940s, America proved it was on my side, when it attacked and beat the Nazis.
Why? Because I'm white? No.
Because in the 1940s, America proved it was on my side, when it attacked and beat the Nazis.
7/America has always had a bit of antisemitism. (It still does: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburg…)
And in 1939, America turned away a ship full of Jewish refugees that, according to my grandmother, included a couple of my own relatives. They died.
history.com/news/wwii-jewi…
And in 1939, America turned away a ship full of Jewish refugees that, according to my grandmother, included a couple of my own relatives. They died.
history.com/news/wwii-jewi…
8/But when push came to shove, America stood up and whupped the Nazis.
America gave my grandfather one of these, with which he killed hundreds of Nazis:
America gave my grandfather one of these, with which he killed hundreds of Nazis:
9/It wasn't that WW2 proved that America was on the side of Jews in general.
It was that WW2 proved that America was on my side because I was an American, and my being Jewish would never cancel out or abrogate that protection and support.
It was that WW2 proved that America was on my side because I was an American, and my being Jewish would never cancel out or abrogate that protection and support.
10/(As an aside, America had the chance to do something similar for Black Americans during and after the Civil War, if we had given Black Americans property and full and equal rights after the end of slavery. We passed up that chance and catered to ex-Confederates instead.)
11/But now ask yourself: Can an Asian American say in 2020, with full confidence, that America is an army that is on their side?
12/As shown above, discrimination leads Chinese exchange students to reject America and embrace the Chinese government. And it makes Asian Americans identify more with their racial group than with America as a nation.
How are we doing on that front?
How are we doing on that front?
13/Asian Americans know about past episodes like the Japanese internment, the Chinese Exclusion Act, etc.
But I believe those past offenses could be overcome, if America could prove to Asian Americans that it's on their side NOW.
But we're just not doing it.
But I believe those past offenses could be overcome, if America could prove to Asian Americans that it's on their side NOW.
But we're just not doing it.
14/This doesn't mean Asian Americans are going to become tankies and support the People's Republic of China. A few will, but not most.
But it DOES mean that Asian Americans, who comprise an increasingly large portion of our nation's elite, will feel alienated from the nation.
But it DOES mean that Asian Americans, who comprise an increasingly large portion of our nation's elite, will feel alienated from the nation.
15/A very large number of Asian Americans will feel trapped between worlds. Like 12 dwarves facing down hostile armies with no army anywhere to back them up.
16/And this feeling will only intensify as the U.S. is drawn into more direct conflict with the People's Republic of China. Unless the government takes drastic steps against anti-Asian racism, such racism will undoubtedly surge in response to such a conflict.
17/Of course a similar thing has been happening to Middle Eastern Americans since 9/11 and the "War on Terror". Asian Americans aren't alone in this predicament by any means. I'm just bringing this up because of the incipient conflict with China, and Trump's racist remarks.
18/The U.S. government needs to crack down hard on anti-Asian racism, and it needs to do it ASAP.
But more than that, it needs to take concrete steps to PROVE to Asian Americans that the oppression of the past is truly past, and that America is unshakably on their side.
But more than that, it needs to take concrete steps to PROVE to Asian Americans that the oppression of the past is truly past, and that America is unshakably on their side.
19/I don't exactly know how to do that, or what proof that form will take.
But it's something that we, as a nation, absolutely need to do.
(end)
But it's something that we, as a nation, absolutely need to do.
(end)
