Asian America

It’s said that Asians are considered the most privileged minority in America.  To some extent that may be true (or not), but it has contributed to some people considering Asian Americans to be “white”.  In addition to that, many Asian Americans, whether they care about their cultural identity or not are instantly identified as “Twinkies”—yellow on the outside and white on the inside.

But is all this true?  Are Asian Americans so un-unique that they might as well just be whites with a few quarks here and there?

In my opinion, I think American society tends to see it that way.  But at the same time, I can sympathize with this view.  As much as I can look around me and within myself, I can’t think of any one thing that makes Asian Americans stand out distinctly from white society and even black society (since there are Asians who attribute themselves to the hip hop culture).   Yes, Asian Americans tend to be attributed with gaming, car racing, and “techno” (back in the day), but beyond those things there doesn’t seem to be anything unique.

Hispanic Americans have a strong American-Latina culture with their own unique music and style.  African Americans have the association of rap, jazz, and hip hop culture.  Caucasian Americans…well…they have almost everything else attributed to them.  But for Asian Americans, nothing eye-catching seems stand out.  Is this our fault?  I don’t think so, but at the same time, I think Asian Americans could try harder to distinguish themselves as a culture on their own.  Is this America’s fault?  I don’t think so either, but then again American society could still learn to ease off the stereotypes.   

What say you out there?

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