I can’t find links to the magazine “Asia week” online, but I subscribe to it in print. If you dont subscribe to it yet, please don’t even think of it. If you do, cancel it, which is what I am going to do. This magazine is as racist as it gets and purports to represent the whole of the “APA” (Asian-Pacific American) community. Not in my name! The first article in the magazine written by a certain “Emil Amok” is a major rehash of of the tired, old argument of “Why do they hate us” about 9/11. Predictably, he thinks America deserved what she got and shoould listen to him if she wants to avoid getting hurt in the future.
I have one question to ask of all these people - Why are you here?
Let me explain - I am an Indian citizen living in America since 1996. I am neither a US citizen nor a permanent resident. But I do feel a bond, respect and love for this country that took me in and gave me an opportunity to be all I can be. I did not make this country great - neither did most of the people complaining (atleast, most of the Asian population - especially people from the sub-continent). America is and has been a great country before we all got in - heck, that was the reason why we came here in the first place. Now, we forget the hell-hole countries we left behind and try to turn this one into a replica of our home countries. That makes me mad. These people put on such “holier-than-thou” attitudes when they are lecturing the US should be doing and should not be doing. Then they slander the culture of america and finally they say racist things about the white men (I will post the cartoon they had in the magazine as soon as I can get it scanned in).
Grow up people! stop biting the hand that feeds you. Ask not what America has done for you - ask what you have done for America lately!
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You first of all seem like you don’t know a lot of history of how Asian Americans were treated in this country and don’t understand that trying to assimilate into the mainstream is just going to let you down. You think people complain for no reason? Trust me, your thinking is just like a white person’s opinion, but sadly to hear you say this is even worse because you are just deluding yourself thinking the dominant culture is better than your own. All I can say is that when I read this I feel pretty sad.
Posted by: Monica Der at July 22, 2004 5:47 AM
Monica, those who live in the past and refuse to move on into the future are not people I can look up to. I have dealt with all kinds of different nationalities of people in here from multiple generations - they have all assimilated pretty well into the mainstream and are very well-adjusted for it instead of harboring age-old resentments that will not get you anywhere.
I am in immigrant and I challenge all imigrants to explain why they are here if they think the culture they left behind is so great. It doesn’t mean the old culture is bad. It DOES mean that there was something wrong there that you hoped to fix by moving here.
Please don’t feel so sad for me - your condescension towards me is a lot more insulting than any white person could treat me.
Posted by: Shanti at July 22, 2004 8:31 AM