LOL dumb question by a fellow student in my class

[AcousticDoc]

Lol some student in my ethnic studies cless asked, "Can Asians be Americans without being foreigners?" The professor stuttered for a bit because of how ridiculous it was. This is at Cal. I just found it funny.

[Apollyon]

Thats a good question.

[RebelAzn]

Nothing wrong with that question. It is the American Media that constantly try to make Asian "foreigners". Some Asian Americans have been here 6 generations and they still have to deal with this crap.

Take the Seung Cho's Virginia Tech incident as an example, the media went out of their way to focus on the guy's race and ethnicity and several articles starting with "South Korean Cho Seung-Hui ...." as the title of several articles. In addition, several articles said "Cho was at Virginia Tech studying English" basically implying he was like a foreign student even though he is an English major. Also, most newspapers used Cho Seung-Hui as his name when it is Seung Cho in America. People in Asia like to put their last name first and then their name so here is another thing to try to make him foreign. Seung Cho spoke perfect English and has been in the USA since he was 8 years old. Seung Cho was educated here and he was an English major. Of course, there are many other incidents of insensitivity by the US media. This incident just happens to be the latest one.

Until American media show some Asian Americans on TV that speak perfect English without constantly focusing on their ethnicities, this foreign stereotype will continue to thrive.

[JjampongMania]

Lol some student in my ethnic studies cless asked, "Can Asians be Americans without being foreigners?" The professor stuttered for a bit because of how ridiculous it was. This is at Cal. I just found it funny.

Damn, you should have given him or her the dirty looks. Probably an ignorant non-Asian student trying to act cool in class.

I hate it when americuns think that us Asians are simply foreigners, even if we were born and raised in the US.

[Lum]

The answer is no.

[theme]

Asian women yes. Asian men no.

[Lum]

Yea but...if Asian American women are no longer foreign they're not exotic. And then where does the gweilo go to quench his thirst for the mysterious? How ever will he stand out in a crowd? Hmmm??

[sab]

Lol some student in my ethnic studies cless asked, "Can Asians be Americans without being foreigners?" The professor stuttered for a bit because of how ridiculous it was. This is at Cal. I just found it funny.

I think it is decent question and I would have to say in the majority case that the answer would be 'no'. In my limited experience of life it always seems that anyone of Asian background has always been labeled 'foreigner' despite the fact that their ancestry may go back into America much further than my own. I'm not saying this is 100% but still from my experience it is true. After hanging out in this forum for awhile I would hesitantly even suggest that these are the type of attitudes that are commonplace in the states that the Asian Americans on this board are trying to diminish. However I don't want to guess as to what other people are thinking, I have a difficult enough time keeping my three brain cells marching to the same tune.

[sab]

Damn, you should have given him or her the dirty looks. Probably an ignorant non-Asian student trying to act cool in class.

I hate it when americuns think that us Asians are simply foreigners, even if we were born and raised in the US.

Jjampongmania, just because you hate something doesn't make it anyless true. You could be right, it may be an ignorant non-Asian or than again it could be a person attempting to open up a discussion on how people are labeled and stereotyped in American society. The real point to me on this question is that many Americans do feel this way, if a person is Asian they are foriegn. It doesn't matter how long the person has been living in America.

Another thing, even in your response "I hate it when americuns think that us Asians are simply foreigners" you are showing how you put people into different boxes without realizing it. You have made a different category for Americans and Asians. So now you fell into the same situation, separating Americans into different types. It seems to me that you actually believe this theory without knowing you do.

Go ahead and bash away.

[kimtae]

Actually, that's a very pertinent and relevant question. Even Asians who have been in America 5 generations run into the inevitable "where are you from" question. If you answer Seattle or Virginia there will always be the inevitable followup of "where are you REALLY from."

[atlasien]

The funniest time I had with that was at a salon several years ago.

"Where are you from?"
"Florida."
"I mean where are you from?"
"Florida."
"I mean where are you FROM?"
"Florida."

Usually people give up after two or three repetitions and ask a different question. But this woman KEPT ON DOING IT. She repeated the exact same question about six more times, got the same answer, and each time her face got a little redder. I never went back to that salon... it was a hilarious encounter but also extremely irritating.

I never ask that question to anyone, I say "Are you from around here?" instead.

[lycheng]

In general, I don't mind the where are you from questions. It probably depends on the tone and attitude used.

Perhaps it's because I see it as an opportunity to tell people about Guam.

lycheng

[Lum]

Lycheng you're from Guam? I wish I was from Guam. Or Beijing. Really anywhere that might stop people from asking the same question over and over and over..

Since I already gave you guys my snappy answer to the "where are you really from" question I'll tell you what I also hate. I hate having to answer a gazillion questions before I get to ask one:

"Where are you from?"

"New York."

"Where are you really from?"

"Queens."

"You were born in the US?"

"Yes."

"Where are your parents from?"

"China."

"What part?"

"Hong Kong."

"When did they come here?"

"In the fifties."

"Did they speak Chinese at home?"

"Yes."

"Do you speak your language?"

"Yes."

"Are you fluent?"

"No."

"Do you ever go back to China?"

"Back?"

"Do you have relatives there?"

"Some."

"Do you know your history?"

"Yes, and now so do you."

"Um..."

"So what's your story?"

"There's not much to tell."

"Great. Bye."

[lycheng]

Lycheng you're from Guam? I wish I was from Guam.

Yes, I'm from Guam. My family immigrated there when I was seven. Left Guam when I was 19. People has such a misunderstanding about Guam that I try to educate people about the island when asked.

Of course last week's Amazing Race episode (http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race11/shows/ep11/) didn't help perpetuate the notion that Guam is just one big military base. [/end rant]

lycheng

[theme]

In general, I don't mind the where are you from questions. It probably depends on the tone and attitude used.

Perhaps it's because I see it as an opportunity to tell people about Guam.

lycheng

Come on lycheng, where are you REALLY from?

[Scowl]

Come on, guys, I'm really trying to get the "Hojiminy" thing to catch on. Everyone give the same answer to those questions - I am Hojiminese, from Hojiminy. It is an island nation off the coast of Fuji. I was born in the city of Chuttup, where the martial art known as Fisting was created.