Today in class, one of my fellow students made a rather... ignorant comment during class. Oooh I sound smart. I probably just ruined it by saying that. The comment was that India is not in Asia. Therefore saying that you, Mr. Kannan, are not Asian. Being Chinese, I am considered a stereotypical Asian human being. You being Indian, are not. We then spent the rest of class trying to show that you are Asian. It didn't really work that well. The student than began to think that India was part of China. Much hope for the future generations I think not. All I can say is that I am sorry for the ignorance of my classmate... and GO ASIAN PEOPLE!!!!
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Greetings-
ReplyDeleteI hope this message finds you well. In the final analysis, I think that I have little else to say and you have said it all. I think that the idea of being told what "Asian" is supposed to be is probably what pushed me over the edge. In the final analysis, no individual or institution has the right to infringe on another's conception of self. As someone born in America, of Indian Ancestry, and one who broadens his conception of self as "Asian," I refuse to be typecast by anyone. I will say that you hit on a major point about the stereotypical nature of what others consider to be "Asian." We live in a world of polarities- either one has to be "This" or "That." Such a binary dualism eliminates any concept of thought or reflection and individual definition. In a nation as diverse as America, I think that the Asian- American has to walk a rather challenging path because we don't seem to fall into one of two categories. We are "the other," and the "model minority," or perceived as "silent successes." Such distinctions remove complexity and in the process, remove individual dignity. My outburst in class today- a departure from my role as facilitator- was a reflection of that. I think you are right when you say, "Go Asian People" because in a globalized world, binary and oppositional dualities must be shed for a paradigm that is more inclusive, more introspective, and more tolerant.
One other element to be raised: The idea of being told what constitutes "being American" helped to launch much of the nationalism/ jingoism and misguided zeal that helped to overtake many a nation, some of which, surprisingly, were located in Asia.
ReplyDeleteMakes one think, eh?