After talking to some friends and my sister and my mom last night, I was racked by homesickness as I lay in bed, trying to go to sleep. Minnesota is alright, and I love my family here, but it’s just not the same.
Oh, and speaking of my family over here… I really do love them, and I love spending time with them, but sometimes when talks turn to political or social issues at dinner, I get really uncomfortable. The adults can be hypocritical, sometimes even racist, and I don’t think they even realize it.
Take immigration for example.
The adults seem to share the opinion that African-Americans don’t appreciate America. Ong Ngoai has been going on and on about how Obama’s pastor supposedly says, “God bless America? No! God damn America!” over and over in his sermons. I don’t even know if that’s an accurate quote. But the other adults hear it, and they all say something like, “If you don’t love it, then leave it,” or “Just go home.” They don’t seem to realize that most African-Americans have been in America for so long, they don’t have any memory of the old country.
Then it will turn to illegal immigrants from Mexico, and they’ll say things like how Mexicans are good-for-nothings who steal all our jobs and cause accidents by driving illegally, and that we should kick them all out. Obviously, “love it or leave it” doesn’t apply here. They can just leave, regardless of their feelings for America.
When this comes up, I bite my tongue at the dinner table. Partly because I know I won’t be able to change their minds. Partly out of respect for them, and respect for their right to say what they want. I just worry about what the kids are internalizing.
Hi Dinh good to see you’re doing well.
In ASA 110 (citizenship.. I think) we read an article about how many Asian Americans self-identify their politics as aligning with white Americans, specifically middle and upper-middle class white Americans. On average, Asian Americans’ salaries are closer to white Americans than Americans of other ethnicities (except when we hit the glass ceiling, but I’ll get into that another day). This group of Asians don’t feel that they relate to or identify with other ethnic groups in the U.S. There was even a survey (if I can recall correctly, which I may not) in which college-aged Asian Americans claimed they’d rather be friends with white people than with other ethnicities because they’re “more like” white people.
Anyway, I hate to generalize because obviously Asians have different views, but I think that some Asians who have attained a degree of financial success in the U.S. (and thus have “lived the American dream”) tend to share similar beliefs about other ethnic groups as the relatives you mentioned. It’s the whole “if I can pull myself up by my own bootstraps, why can’t you?” notion that a lot of (but not ALL, obviously) middle and upper-middle class America believes in. I think a lot of Americans who believe in this also tend to internalize stereotypes of certain ethnic groups as lazy, good for nothing job-thieves.
I totally understand feeling torn about relatives’ notions. There’s also the generation gap, too. Of course I want to respect my elders and remain out of conflict (it’s basically.. never my right to argue with one of my relatives.. haha.. I’m the youngest of my grandparents’ youngest) but it’s hard cause I’m also so opinionated.
Posted by Thupac on March 20th, 2008.
Sorry to write again haha. About Obama’s pastor— yes, it’s an accurate quote, but we gotta think about the context in which he said. He was expressing anger over how the U.S. government and society still doesn’t provide equality for Blacks. I think what people need to remember is that there’s a big generation gap here; people like Wright come from times that were much less tolerant than they are now, and thus tend to feel more radical than people in our generation do. What Obama was trying to say in his speech is that although he firmly disagrees with his pastor’s statement (otherwise he’d lose to Clinton for sure haha) he needs to consider that point of view also.
And honestly, I just disagree with “well if you don’t like this country, leave!!” What, are we only allowed in this country if we follow and worship it blindly? Please. No nation is perfect but the first step to improving it is recognizing its flaws. I love this country, but I just think it needs some work— all nations do. I definitely don’t agree with “damn America!” but I don’t agree with “if you don’t love it, go home” either. Whose home is this, anyway? The Native Americans lived here before any of us did..
/soapbox, haha
Posted by Thupac on March 20th, 2008.