April 16, 2003

What's Your Daddy?

A quick response to something Ms. Seo Hee Koh, the editor of Asian Diversity Magazine, said at a panel yesterday: More and more, I'm taking the "American-ness" of people for granted. So, when I look at someone of East Asian descent, I wonder what their ethnicity is, not their nationality (which I assume is American).

I no longer get offended when someone asks, "Where are you from?" and my answer of "Texas" doesn't satisfy them. "No, no, where are you really from?" is perfectly legitimate to me; when I say Bangladesh or others say Korea, a different level of camaraderie ensues. When you know someone's ethnicity, it's easier to find commonalities between them and yourself.

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Love the layout. It's so damn slick, and the tacobell nap... err that was a secret huh? never mind ;)

There's a whole class on that shit. History of South Asian Diaspora it's called. I'm in it now.

There's something completely adrobale about Koreans taking South Asian Diaspora classes.

Han, although true, it's a starting point nonetheless. I think after you get to know someone, by "their words and deeds," then the ethnicity is no longer an issue. But sometimes it helps because you can engage in some sort of small that may or may not lead somewhere else. I guess all I'm saying is that it's better than nothing.

'"Where are you from?" and my answer of "Texas" doesn't satisfy them.'

you won't believe how much that happens to me...except i say 'canada' and then the person says 'where are you REALLY from?' then i say pakistan and that helps them mold a stereotypical image of me without knowing anything about ME. i guess it gives them a false sense of understanding

perhaps it is the wording that offends me the most. i 'really' am from america - as were my parents, my grandparents, and their parents before.

asking where i am 'really' from isn't equivalent to asking about my ethnicity. it's assuming i'm an immigrant to the only country i know. you 'really are' from bangladesh. i'm 'really not' from china.

if someone wants to learn more about me, awkward questions are not the way to go.