From: sieh@panix.com (Lui Sieh)
Subject: Re: What is Asian ?
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 08:35:20 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC
Keywords: Typical

In article <1992Nov13.140536.5517@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> 
webihara@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Wataru Ebihara) writes:
>jpak@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Jim Pak) responding to
>pmfisher@milton.u.washington.edu (Patrick Fisher):
>> [some flamage deleted]
>> But tell you what, given the choice, I'd *still* prefer that
>> little sliver of "Asian culture," as opposed to "white culture"
>> in this country, which from what I can glean is nothing more than
>> a bunch of loud-mouthed drunks scream- ing in a hot-tub at two in
>> the morning and tossing their half-empty beer cans in front of my
>> apartment.

Granted what Patrick Fisher said was gross, this is just as gross.  This
comment is a negative reflection of how little Jim Pak knows "(white) 
America".  

>I personally don't see a reason for white people to stick
>together or to identify with each other -- just for the status of
>being white (?).  

I can conceive of some plausible reasons for white people to "stick together"
in today's hostile society.  For starters, we can start with the open
animosity that many "minorities" have for white people and what they perceive
as "white culture".  I think that's a good enough reason for them to group
together.  If they are being grouped, then why should "whites" fight it?  It's
futile to struggle against the "majority" isn't it?

>Asian Americans and minorities have more "reasons".
>
>I would like to see all Asian Americans "united" and "strong".

Why the quotations?  Are you qualifying something here?

>Not because we share the same ethnic nationality, not because we
>all look the same, not because we speak the same ethnic language,
>not because we're the same "People", but because we share the
>same visionary goal of eliminating the racism and injustices in
>the society -- stereotypes, discrimination, prejudice, and
>anti-Asian violence.

Certainly if people have common goal, cause, philosophy etc, joining together
is a natural and positive development.  A question arises from this, "Where
do all the "whites" or non-Asian Americans fit in this scheme of yours?"  If
they have common cause in "eliminating the racism and injustices in [today's]
society" do you not also feel that they should be welcomed in this "Asian
American Solidarity movement"?  I think so.  But, if opening "our arms" out
to other ethnic groups, "our group" is no longer "Asian American".   Is 
this a problem?  For the most part, I don't think so.

>If a person doesn't believe in this, I
>don't think Asian Americans have good reasons for sticking 
>together either -- we're all unique multi-dimensional human
>individuals.

Each individual is a unique and multi-dimensional human being regardless of
the person's creed.

>We're motivated toward unity due to sharing a common personal
>experience with racism -- mostly because we're a visible minority
>in a white majority.  We seek an environment of peace, free of
>racial bias, where we can all be confident in our identity, and
>free of the minority hangups of inferiority.  I think this is
>the "Asian American culture" that we're talking about.  I feel
>it's a very noble goal and a noble cause for unity, and we should
>feel special that these ideas brings us together.

I know many non-Asian Americans who express the same sentiments as you do.
What you've stated here is not particular to "Asian American culture".

>Being against racism doesn't mean being being "anti-white", but
>rather anti-ignorance, pro-compassion, and pro-individual.  

Being against racism does mean being "anti-white".  Why you may ask?  It
does mean "anti-white" because many people express racism in terms of what
"whites" have done to us "minorities".  By couching the argument in such
terms, one is saying (explicitly and implicitly) that the root of racism
lies in the unfair social institutions of today's society.  These social
institutions are concrete manifestations of "white America's" dominance over
non-Whites.  Most of the arguments in this newsgroup against today's racist
society subsume this notion.  It's a circular notion in that every problem
"minorities" face can be eventually traced to "whiteness".  

>If
>non-Asians want to join Asian American for the same reasons, I
>don't see any reason why not (but sometimes you need the 
>experience of being a minority to really relate).

You don't but yet you speak for "Asian American" solidarity which is an
explicit statement against non-Asian Americans.  For many people, "being
a minority" is pre-determined by one's skin color/ethnicity.  To some
extent this is true, however, "whites" can also be a "minority" and 
experience the same "minority experiences" that have been discussed on
this newsgroup by many of us.  Non-whites do not have a monopoly on these
experiences.  To believe so is the first step toward less tolerance and
understanding.  

>I hope that one
>day in the future, Asian Americans also will have no reasons for
>unity, because racism will be eliminated, ...


There are many reasons for socializing or organizing.  Hoyt Sze's
recent diatribe in Asian Week against apolitical Asian American
organizations misses the point (not surprising) in why people associate.
There are cultural and economic reasons as well as political ones.  They
are just as "legitimate".  And these organizations serve as useful a purpose 
as political organizations.

>and we'll all be part of the same world community. 

And what "world community" are you thinking of?  Every individual has a
different concept of what that is.  

>(Is this too idealistic?)

Unlike some people, I'm more pessimitic than ever before concerning better
social conditions in America.

-- 
//Lui Sieh
Dum loquimur, fugerit invida Aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum postero.  
Horace, Odes, I.xi.7;	<-- "Why post to USENET?" -Brian O.  Indeed.
What about my opinions?   ====>>   /dev/null     or    sieh@panix.com 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american