Asian Americans

Throughout the history of Asian Americans, they have faced many hardships and trials while trying to get accustomed to their new lives in America. In the history book and the literature, it is evident that the Asian Americans struggled to assimilate but were faced with discrimination throughout all aspects of their lives. In my life there have been friends who have dealt with this and I have also had to face these problems sometimes.

All the Asian Americans have faced discrimination in one way or another. For the Filipinos, they were antagonized because the white Americans were insecure about their women and their job opportunities. In Takaki it says “White-nativist reactions against Filipinos were fueled by intensifying economic competition between white workers and Filipinos. Frequently this ethnic antagonism erupted into racial violence and riots” (Takaki 326). Just because they were seen as a minority and inferior to the white Americans, they were targeted especially since the white males got jealous that the Filipinos were taking their females. In my personal life, I have witnessed many of my Asian friends be restricted because their parents thought that they shouldn't cross the lines that have developed between the Asian Americans and the white Americans. For example, one of my friend’s parents told her she shouldn’t think about marrying a white man because an Asian man is better. This is purely based on skin color. I think that this course has taught me to not only be aware of the discrimination towards the Asian Americans, but also the stereotypes that the Asian Americans put onto the white Americans.

The Japanese Americans also faced discrimination when trying to live peacefully in this new country. In the poem “Recipe” in Bold Words, it says “Paint black eyeliner on tape and entire lid. Do not cry” (Mirikitani 85). Many of the Asian Americans felt that to blend in and be accepted they needed to do what the white Americans considered acceptable. In the case of this poem, the girl puts on makeup and eyelid tape so that she will appear more like the American ideal. One of my friends was talking about her struggle to fit in with the American society. She was adopted from China, and she says that sometimes she feels like she was judged based on her appearance. The responses she got were based on how she looked. She says she has adjusted to the American lifestyle by trying to appear more American. I definitely have become more aware of this issue after taking this class and it has affected how I will think and respond to it in the future.