From: sedayao@sousa.intel.com (Jeff Sedayao)
Subject: Re: Keeping in mind that this is AmeriKKKa
Reply-To: sedayao@chopin.intel.com
Organization: Intel - Information Technologies
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 18:42:01 GMT

In article <14fq65INNj0p@agate.berkeley.edu>, judyy@ocf.berkeley.edu (Judy Y. Tseng) writes:

[Gary's part deleted]

> Gary, I'd like to reiterate my reasoning in claiming that marriages between
> two people of ethnic minority groups are better politically than marriages
> between a non-white and a white person.

Personally, I find it scary that marriages should be judged on a political 
basis.  While, marriage for political reasons is a very old practice, it 
is to me a demeaning one.

> 1. Asian Americans are not White.

I wouldn't be so sure.  Filipinos, for example, span the whole color spectrum.
There are some who could pass for white, others for chinese, some for black,
some for hispanic.  This is the result of centuries of intermarriages.  Maybe that's
why Filipinos are not often included in statistics of Asians (more political
reasons?).

> 2. The mainstream political, legal, and academic systems, as well as the
>     media, in the USA is heavily controlled by Whites.

Definitely true.

> 3. Most of the dominant society are oblivious to issues that concern 
>    non-Whites.
>    Even if they ARE aware of the racism that goes on, the majority of them
>    hold no personal ties to the struggle for racial equality.

Would intermarriages provide personal ties to the struggle for racial equality?
I think that in many cases (not all) they would.

> 4. There exists prejudice in the mainstream political, legal, academic systems
>     and the media, a prejudice often only White people can escape.

I would agree here.

> 5. There is power in numbers. With sheer numbers, we can turn the tide. For
>     example, the presidential candidates are much more sensitive to African
>     Americans because they, as a united group, can sway the election. In our
>     corner, Asian Americans make up 10% of California's population, but only
>     2% of the state's registered voters.

These are true statements, but you must also remember that Asian Americans are
a group almost in name only.  It's quite a big umbrella. 

> 6. Asian Americans, as well as non-Whites in general, do not have the
>     influence that comes with size and unity.

Well, Asian Americans don't have a lot of unity.  I remember discussions
about business grants that San Jose.  One guy said something like, "We Filipinos 
must get moving.  The Chinese have gotten their application in, the Vietnamese
have too."  So much for Asian American unity.  Also, this cheese thing.  I was
surprised that no one mentioned that Asian Indians used a lot of dairy products.
Maybe some Asian Americans are more Asian than others.  This doesn't mean that there
are not common issues (there are), but I don't see how sacrificing a personal
choice like marriage is going to help the unity problem very much.

> 7. Chances are that the children of Asian-White couples do not wholly identify
>      as being Asian American. Many can easily melt into the pot of White
>      America. Is this good? Yes, say the out-marrying Asian Americans. But it
>      means another step backwards for non-Whites, specifically Asian
>      Americans.

Some identify with being Asian American and some don't.

> 8. Spouse aside, you don't have kids with your friends and co-workers.

Let's hope not! :-)

> 9. Therefore, outmarrying spells political doom for non-White Americans, as if 
>     we aren't powerless enough already. 

This really doesn't follow.

First, there are Asian American activists who have married whites.  These are
people actively working with the Asian American community.  One I know runs an 
agency that helps Asian immigrants (and anyone else who comes in).  The agency 
helps them find jobs, deal with discrimination problems, and gives advice on 
immigration matters.  The San Jose Mercury News had a story on a Asian
American lawyer who spent a lot of her time working with Asian American workers,
explaining rights to those in sweat shops.  She is helping the community and
she has married "out".  I don't see how these people's marriages have hurt
Asian Americans politically.   

Second, I would argue that there are higher priority items for Asian Americans
than outmarriage.  Discrimination, glass ceilings, services for Asian American
elderly, non-english speaking, and poor all seem like far more important items.

Finally, I think that lack of participation (mainly voter registration)
hurts Asian Americans politically more than "dilution" from intermarriage.

>       I'm all for having friends and co-workers of different backgrounds/
> ethnicities/genders/etc. But until this society becomes truly equal, I think
> it is better to stay away from the rice-meets-bread fever. By doing these
> things, we are gradually gaining our rights as a group. 

Ah!  Group rights versus individual rights.  An age-old question.  There are many
reasons and common issues for Asian Americans to work on as a group.  But I can't
see how reducing intermarriages is going help with any of these issues.

>       Judy Y. Tseng
>       judyy@ocf.berkeley.edu
> 
> 
>  

-- 
Jeff Sedayao
Intel Corporation
sedayao@chopin.intel.com
..!uunet!intelhf!chopin!sedayao