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I.
OPINION
II. EDUCATION
by Douangdeuane Douangdara by Douangdeuane Douangdara by Douangdeuane Douangdara
by Montha Phavongxay by Check Kirivong by Douangchit Mounghane
by Anonymous by Von PhrakonKham by Check Kirivong by Douangdeuane Douangdara by Von PhrakonKham
by Douangdeuane Douangdara by Von PhrakonKham by Von PhrakonKham by Douangdeuane Douangdara by Sounantha Phoumarath
by Von PhrakonKham
by Douangchit Mounghane
by Montha Phavongxay by Douangchit Mounghane |
By Von Phrakonkham
"I know how you people like to come in here and change your names," she directed her racial slur at me. Upon hearing these words from the mouth of someone whose job is to assist the public with their needs, it sparked a flashback in the corner of my mind. All I wanted to do was to report that my driver's license had never arrived, but this woman was giving me such a hard time. I presented her with every form of identification: social security card, my business card, my expired license, and still she accused me of lying and continued talking to me as if I was an immigrant straight out of Laos.
When I first step foot in America, I was too young to realize racial discrimination or any other kind of discrimination. However, being raised in America for almost 25 years now, I've witnessed disturbing things that were said and done to my family and friends. Being discriminated and prejudged because of the color of your skin or the shape of your eyes is bad enough, but having the public, the whole country labeling it as a "black and white thing" really takes the cake. I know well that my people have suffered discrimination and prejudice due to the same ignorance imposed by others.
When it comes down to racism and discrimination, it is a highly controversial and very sensitive topic. There have been many cases where people have been brutally attacked or even murdered, and over what again-the colors of our skin, the sounds of our voices, the colors of our eyes, or maybe the envy and jealousy of one's own insecurity? Obviously, when it comes to racism, there are many factors involved such as a person's education, upbringing, decisions in life, the peers they hang out with, and of course stereotyping. These factors all have an important role.
Stereotyping, what exactly is stereotyping? Basically, it is the labeling of others. It leads people to believe and judge others based on what they've heard or seen. Stereotypes such as Asians are either submissive, nerdy, studious or even thug wannabes; Caucasians are racist or trailer park trash; Indians own 7-11's or are taxi drivers; African Americans are thugs, drug dealers, or straight out of the "ghetto" are just a few that exist today. These stereotypes are inflicted in our mind by the media and the community that we live in. Stereotypes such as these are never good; however, it can apply to any individual and not just the race it is specify to portray. These stereotypes alone tell us that there are more races affected by discrimination than just blacks and whites. And what causes these stereotypes to exist?
Ignorance is the main reason why stereotypes and discrimination exist. It is the lack of experience, the state of being uninformed. It is when someone does not have the knowledge of the actual facts and understanding of something. It is not common in only certain races. It affects everyone, especially those who are closed-minded and those who just refuse to accept the world as multi-cultural and not just their own. Don't think that because "I'm this race or I'm that race" that you can't be a racist or you can't discriminate against others. Like racism itself, ignorance also has no boundaries. It applies to Blacks, Whites, Asians, Latinos, Indians, etc.
Stereotypes and ignorance have caused a great deal of conflict among many people of different races and background. There have been numerous events involving Asians and Whites, Asians and Blacks, Asians and Latinos, and even Asians and Asians. Whether it has been broadcasted on the media or not, Asians are continuously experiencing racial humiliation and violence. Even in music videos or televisions, Asians are usually portrayed accordingly to stereotypes. If you really think about it, how many cases of racism have you heard on TV or read on the newspaper that mentioned Asians being discriminated against? Just a few, and this is why we, as Asians, have to bring it up to the public's attention.
Now, back to the first sentence of this article, the woman should have known better than to make a comment such as she did. After all, she is a minority herself, and she out of all people should have known how it feels to have her people discriminated against.
In early 2003, there was a news report about a 9-month pregnant woman who was brutally attacked while in the comfort and safety of her own home. The assailant was eventually caught and arraigned, but what was his motive behind the attack? He stated that he attacked the woman because he thought she was Asian.
Also, there was an incident regarding a registration form for an elementary school. A lady took her son to be enrolled for school; however, she was given a hard time because of "telling the truth." Since her son was biracial; under the race category, she checked both Asian and Black. As soon as she finished filling out the forms, she handed it to the secretary. The secretary looked over the form and advised her that she could check only one box. However, the lady refused and told the secretary that her son was neither Asian nor black and that he is both.
Take Tiger Woods for example, a professional golf player who has graced many magazine covers and won many tournaments. Yet, he still has a hard time with both Asians and Blacks in the community. Why is that? Is it because he refused to admit to only one side of his genes? Personally, I applaud Tiger for accepting his entire heritage. Call him by any other names, take his skills and talent away, but no matter what is given or taken from him, he will still be of Asian and Black descendents.
There was another incident involving two professional basketball players, two very talented and skilled individuals. During a game, one of the athletes had made a derogative comment towards the other player, who was Asian. Although, the athlete did apologize for his little divulgence at the end of the game, it was still an overwhelming moment for the public to witness such an inexcusable remark made by someone with such public presence.
These incidents are just to name a few. There are countless of other incidents and events that relate to Asians being discriminated against. We get called names when walking down the street. We get taunted and threatened when minding our own business. Although it doesn't physically hurt us, it makes you realize the kind of people that are out there, and it makes you wonder "why?" Why do people do the things they do, and why isn't it known that we, who are Asian, being considered a factor in the race war. Because we chose not to always express ourselves or expose ourselves, does that mean that our struggle and fight for the same equal rights doesn't exist?
By all means, I am not trying to take away the exposure of racism between blacks and whites, but trying to educate the public that there are other races that are affected by the same hatred and demeanors. As well as African American, Asians too, have a hard time when it comes to being considered "American." Whether it's walking down the street, driving in our cars, or waiting to pick up our children from school, we all have experienced the insults and abuse thrown at us by the same ignorant judgmental people.
Racism goes far beyond just blacks and whites. Asians, Latinos, Indians, etc. all go through the same events and struggle as blacks and whites. After all, we are living under the same sky. The next time when an issue or event occurs involving racism, don't assume that it's only between blacks and whites. You may see it in black and white, but don't forget the colors in between. Without those colors, it would just be gray.
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