From: sedayao@sousa.intel.com (Jeff Sedayao)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american
Subject: Re: Law of diminishing returns?
Date: 1 Apr 92 18:04:14 GMT
Reply-To: sedayao@chopin.intel.com
Organization: Intel - Information Technologies

In article <11589@tamsun.tamu.edu>, achin@math.tamu.edu (Andrew Chin) writes:
> I'd like to get some views on the following propositions from around
> the country.

> Proposition 1.  When there are too few AA's in a community, they have
> to face racial ignorance.  When there are too many AA's in a community,
> they are perceived as "taking over" and face racial intolerance.
> Therefore, there is an optimal percentage of the population at which
> AA's enjoy the best prospects of living without racism.

I agree some of this, but not with all of it.  The part about having very
few AA's in a community seems to mesh with my experiences.  The "too many"
part should be qualified.  As Toshi Takeuchi points out in a later article,
the rate of influx is probably more important than sheer numbers.  He notes
that he felt more comfortable in places where Asians have been around for
years.  

I agree with this. I grew up in the Bay Area.  In the places I lived, 
AA's had been around for years in significant numbers.  The influx rate was 
significant but not massive.  I never felt that I was treated like a 
foreigner, and I did not hear everyday that "my English is so good!"
Only when I went to college on the East Coast did I feel that I was treated
like a foreigner.  Driving through the Midwest, I felt the same.  It
was a relief to get back home.

I can really sympathize with Kristi Yamaguchi.  She is proud of her heritage
and has done things with her ethnic community, and she wants to be thought of
as an American, not any hyphenated American.  She just feels that she is
like anyone else.  She was raised in the same city (same district even) as
I was.  Most AA's growing up there learn to think they are just like
everyone else.  This is attributable to the fact that AA's have been 
around for some time.

Is there an optimal percentage?  I would agree, but not for the reasons
that you think.  If the percentage is really high (80%-90%), I would
dislike the community because it lacked variety.  I don't want to live
where everyone is the same (and where all the restaurants are the same).
One problem with a small community is that it becomes very tight and
everyone knows your business.  I have seen this happen, and it can very
annoying.  When Filipinos first started moving to my town, it was like
that.  Now that the Filipino community is bigger, it is less of a problem.

> Proposition 2.  With the advent of Japan-bashing, this percentage
> has dropped sharply (to perhaps 2-3 percent).

Too low.  You can also look at it this way - the more Asian Americans
there are, the lower probability that you will be selected as a target.

I currently live in an area of San Jose that is 35%-40% Asian American.
There is a variety of ethnicities - Filipinos, Chinese, and Vietnamese -
with a wide distribution of incomes and professions.  I don't feel
like there is a massive backlash against the people there.  Skinheads
don't go charging through beating up people.  It is a very comfortable 
place to live.  Great Asian food and supermarkets, plus it's only 10 
minutes away from good trail running.

> Given these propositions, is the Bay Area really such a great place
> for AA's?  College Station, Texas is not so good because of the first
> problem, but if I moved, I'd hate to be seen as part of an "Asian
> invasion."  Where are the best places for AA's to live now?

To me, the biggest problem with living in the Bay Area is the cost of
living and degradation of the environment from uncontrolled growth, not 
"too many Asian Americans generating racism."  While there definitely are 
racial incidents, it is generally a tolerant place, and I like living here.

AA's should live where they feel most comfortable.
> -- 
> Andrew Chin    Dept. of Math.    Texas A&M U.    College Station, TX 77843
> achin@math.tamu.edu   Probably not TAMU's exact opinions.   (409) 845-1924
>                 * Fighting racism is not a special interest *

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