 Food says so much about where you’ve come from, where you’ve decided to go, and the lessons you’ve learned. It’s geography, politics, tradition, belief and so much more. World-renowned chef, author and Emmy winning television personality Anthony Bourdain visits Los Angeles' Koreatown in the next episode of "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," airing Sunday, April 21, at 9 p.m. ET. Follow the show on Twitter and Facebook. This story ran in 2011, and we're sharing it again as Bourdain explores the role of food in Asian-American identity. Eddie Huang is the chef of Baohaus in New York City and is working on a memoir which will be published by Random House. Follow him on Twitter @MrEddieHuang Sundays are for Dim Sum. While the rest of America goes to church, Sunday School, or NFL games, you can find Chinese people eating Cantonese food. As a kid, there were a lot of Chinese traditions I couldn’t get into, but Dim Sum and Johnnie Walker were okay in my book. We’d wake up, put on our hand-me-down Polo shirts, and as Dad did his best Bee Gees on the Karaoke machine, we got ready for Dim Sum. Although we ate Chinese and spoke Chinese on the weekdays, we were Americans for all intents and purposes. We couldn’t help it. Between work, school, and the three major sports, there wasn’t much time for Chinese culture. Despite my parents’ best efforts, we strayed from our core. It wasn’t conscious or intentional, but it was definitely sad. Every once in a while, my Mom would say something to me in Chinese and I’d have to ask what it meant. I could see her face turn. Sometimes she’d yell at me and other times, she’d just internalize her disappointment. I looked like her, I sounded like her, I had a temper like her, but there was a chasm. I’m an ABC, American Born Chinese. Even after being here over 15 years, they’d talk about moving home to Taiwan. “It’s not too late, Louis. They can still learn to read and write.” “Ahh, what’s the difference? They still speak Chinese, eat Chinese, what’s done is done. Nothing wrong with being American.” “But they are Chinese! They don’t look American. They’ll never be equal here. In Taiwan, their kids can be politicians or CEO! Here, no matter what, they don’t look American!” The issue becomes: are we Americans with a full deck of cards? The question seems to have a very obvious answer: “Yes, of course! You have all the same rights and freedoms.” But, any astute and honest American knows my Mom is posing a very real question here. Yes, I can vote and I have the right to bring suit if I feel someone is infringing on my freedoms, but am I an American in the Jerry Maguire sense? Can a Chinese brother obtain “the kwan”? Furthermore, how do we deal with duality? Are we Americans in the way that other people are? First, my mother’s question about the bamboo ceiling and “kwan” is irrelevant to me individually, but extremely important to Asian America as it was to Italian and Jewish America before us. I mean, what was the Godfather Trilogy about? There may never be a Senator Corleone or Honorable Eddie Huang, but the world has enough politicians. It could use a few more opera singers and pork buns. Fighting the ceiling is something we face as a community, but not something that bothers me as an individual. I live within it and don’t deny its existence. This experience is something America has seen the Kennedys, Corleones, and now Huangs face: a social salary cap. Then, the more personal question, can I be Chinese and American? As immigrants in the DMV (that's D.C., Maryland and Virginia) and then Orlando, we literally led two lives: there was the society and culture that awaited us outside the home in classrooms or after school programs, but there was another world too. There was the community at Dim Sum, the Chinese School we went to on Sundays after lunch, and the bi-weekly pot lucks and karaoke parties. My parents and their friends tried hard. Just through grassroots organization, they rented space at the University of Central Florida and hosted Chinese School every Sunday. We’d have speech practice, writing, reading, and even some cultural lessons. Our parents fought hard so that we could maintain our culture and identity. They never let us forget where we came from and I thank them for that. I’ll always be Chinese first. It probably isn’t politically correct to say or something that the majority understands; I can change my shoes, I can swap my passport, but, I’ll always have this face. I’m proud to say I’m Chinese, and I’ll always be Chinese in the sense that I prefer soy over dairy and beer makes me fart. This is who I am; I can’t change it nor would I want to. It’s been a strange experience growing up in a place where you’re constantly reminded that you’re different, but I’ve accepted it. No matter what, at least in my lifetime, I will always be the “other” in this country. When I go back to China/Taiwan, I’m different there as well and realize that it’s an immigrant, not American, thing to be this aware of self. But, with all pain comes progress and I’m thankful for this awareness. Maybe in a few generations when we’re all mixed up like Cuban-Jamaican-Chinese house special fried rice, we won’t be able to tell the difference. I’ll always be American in my world view and allegiance. American in the naïve way I go to other countries and tell them how they should treat their poor or clean their water. American in the way I prefer goopy, thickly breaded, deep fried General Tso’s over the watery, authentic, Taiwanese version. But most importantly, I’m American in my choice to be around “difference”. Whether you realize it or not, we choose to be here and it says something about us. We choose to live in a country of immigrants and beside a few out-to-lunch people who still want an official language, we choose to have a country that doesn’t technically belong to one “peoples.” Economically, politically, and in reality, it’s a different story, but at least on paper and in theory, it belongs to all of us. We just hope that one day we live up to that piece of paper called the Constitution because it’s still just an empty promise for now. I firmly believe we’ve made progress the last 3 years and I hope it continues. I choose to be American, I choose to live in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, I choose to have Puerto Rican/Jewish neighbors, and I choose to maintain my Chinese identity. As much as my parents love Taipei or China, I’d never meet people like Rafael Martinez, Jonathan Marks, Captain Jason Morgan, or Kenzo Digital across the water. Arbitrary lines demarcating cities, states, countries and continents aside, I love America for the people. These are my homies, this is my country, but Sundays? Sundays are for Dim Sum. Read all Eddie Huang coverage on Eatocracy Read more: |
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Is this worth moderating?
Totally with you on that. Way out of line username and comments.
You can tell that kids are out of school for the summer...
Out of school and no jobs, so they are making horses azzes out of themselves on the internets.
School's out and unemployment is up. Got it. BEWT and that crowd posting childish comments out of boredom is easy to ignore. This, as Jerv said, is way out of line.
Shock value's over. The more you post, the more you make yourself look stupid. Good job!
Spot on!
We were all having such a great time until you showed up. Totally not cool username and comments.
Go away Troll.
Some one replied on here that they "hate dim sum food fried in disgusting oil". My uncle created Cape Cod potatoe chips. McDonald's changes their oil through out shifts, so that it is always clean. vegitableoil, canola oil, olive oil, hemp oil, sesame oil, eccetaera are not bad for you. Cape Cod Chips are fresh potaoes fried in canola oil or another equally ok oil and were immediately considered a health food because they are thick maybe take a little more conscieciousness to prepare. There is not reason to hate food fried in oil, it just depends on whether or not you can keep your frier clean and always use clean oil is how I look at it.
Pretty damn talented writer for being unemployed...
Thanks. You don't know how flattering that comment is to me. That's like crack for my ego, I know I shouldn't indulge though... I'm just a failed student turned restaurant-and-warehouse worker-bee... WAS a worker-bee, now a workless-bee... only WISH I could get something published...
Jim's right.
I am deeply offended by the "empty promises" remark regarding the Consitution. Isnt it those "empty promises" that gives you the right to write articles like this and post them to world?!? Did I miss something here??
I thought this article was going to teach me something new about dim-sum, because I LOVE dim-sum! Instead I got one minute of dim-sum and and four minutes of what I interperated as an asian guy's story of his 'struggles' with being a Asian guy in America.
Weak article Huang.
Im team Jim.
by the way Jim, whats with the 3a.m. 4a.m. posts?! Get some sleep man!
haha... I'm unemployed... been catching up on some reading, and then ran across this ridiculous article...
Deeply offended? Gives me the right? The Constitution doesn't "give" me the right to write articles. We give governments the right to infringe on our freedom through the social contract, not vice versa... #Locke. This is the primary problem with a lot of the people reading this article. We are so far removed from understanding the social contract that you guys are now blindly sucking on the teet of the boob you created through the exchange of ultimate freedom for group protection. Now, for proof of a broken constitution, look no further than Bush v. Gore and the inability to pass laws like the banning of Blue Fin Tuna simply because of lobbyists and private interests. I'm glad we banned shark fin, but you're telling me there is sound legal reasoning for banning shark's fin and not blue fin? #Politrix
And Jim, hilarious. You contradict yourself. You say, "People aren't born free. It's an active pursuit of freedom that allows people to remain free." That's exactly what this article is. An exercise and pursuit of freedom, it just doesn't coincide with your snow globe vision of a global utopia spawned by the American Revolution. LOL. I'm bringing up a lot of issues in America that immigrants feel may infringe on their lives, but you don't want to hear it because you feel it is "pro-race". We have the right to come here, maintain our identity, and live within American society. You don't want to accept that, you want us to bow our heads and leave our culture at the door and be "American" in your way. That's not the only way and that's what the article is about. Maintaining identity and culture in a society where people like you constantly try to chip away at it because you see foreign culture as threatening.
You may read a lot of history but clearly you haven't read the ones you should. As Will Hunting said, peep that Howard Zinn...
Eddie,
I’m glad you responded, not that I somehow warrant a response from you b/c I’m special or something like that; but if there’s anyone I was hoping to hear from, it was you, as you’re the author of this material. It’s why I kept checking back. So, firstly, after re-reading my posts, I would like to apologize for ridiculing your “talent” and “substance.” I concede that that’s beside the point. And you refer to me as “hilarious” and you toss one of your ridiculing “lols” in there, and that quip about ‘not having reading the history I should.’ But my guess is that you’d like to say worse, but you can’t b/c you’re on record, and CNN would probably monitor you... vs... me being anonymous. So if what I write here will make you angry, I’ll use my imagination when reading your insults about me. Fair? But if you’re not the kind of angry person that I am, you’re the better man for it... as far as the anger part goes.
Okay. However, without the smallest doubt in my mind, I genuinely think you’re as biased and racist as any of the other prejudiced groups out there (maybe not violent like the KKK or anything like that, but definitely ideologically). In fact, I think you’re so biased that you truly won’t be able to see it, even if it’s pointed out to you; and that the only way you might see it is if people constantly tell you that you’re biased... because the bias has been a part of your life for so long. I feel like you may have convinced yourself that the bias (the bias that I see in you) is actually only a cultural perspective/activism/etc. Moreover, I think you’ve indulged in the classic “victim” school of thought. So I hope that you continue to write on the topic, and I hope you will read all the feedback after each article. And I mean this matter-of-factly, without any intent of insulting you- even if it does. And here’s why I say that you’re prejudiced:
(By the way, have you read all of my previous responses? Just to catch up on background, b/c I feel like you may have just sped through some of it, or read only some of the comments. Would you re-read them all, I know it’s a lot, but I’d like us to be on the same page for this dialogue to move forward- so you know my background info which I’ve stated several times... not to mention some of the other interesting posts which I will refer to later. If you won’t re-read it, or you don’t want a dialogue with me, oh well, no hard feelings).
1. I think we can both agree that the central thesis of your article is summarized in this quote:
"...are we Americans with a full deck of cards? The question seems to have a very obvious answer... but, any astute and honest American knows my Mom is posing a very real question here... but am I an American... Can a Chinese brother obtain “the kwan”?... deal with duality? Are we Americans in the way that other people are?"
So. Let me point out some of the bias in even this central premise. By “seems to have a very obvious answer” you are implying that the obvious answer (which you imply is ‘yes, you are an American’), has less significance or is just flat out wrong. You’re statement is weighted to infer that there is a more important answer. A different answer, maybe/maybe not... but more significant? There’s a real bias there. And again, by “any astute and honest American,” you’ve built into that statement a conclusion, inextricably. You assume that “if you are astute and honest, you will see my dilemma/ if not, you’re not astute and honest.” It’s not an open question you’ve put to your audience. Again, you’ve weighted your statement with bias. And lastly, you say, “Are we Americans in the way that other people are?” The bias here is very subtle, and this is why I feel that you need it pointed out to you, so if you haven’t caught the bias in that statement... here it is... your statement comes prepackaged with at least two ideas of “Americanness.” It doesn’t question what “Americanness” is, or the nature of Americanness, and it doesn’t allow the reader the option of asking is there only one “Americanness.” Rather it EMPHASIZES that there ARE different versions of American, and that there is a premium and an economy tier. “... American in the way...” is a way of STATING that there are already differences in Americanness. Again, it’s not an open question you’re posing; you’re feeding your readership an idea that you’ve already cooked with your bias... which is that as a person of Chinese ethnicity, you’re a victim (solely b/c of your “Chineseness.”). The fundamental conflict here, is that you have already interpreted your experiences in the form of a victim(b/c of your ethnicity)- and then you pose these questions as if your perspective is unbiased.
**I will write more, b/c I want to get to the bias I see even in your most recent response. But I have to take a break. I’ll post a continuation later.**
**I hope you read this and keep the dialogue open with me**
2. You spoke of a “ceiling.” You wrote, “Fighting the ceiling is something we face as a community...I live within it and don’t deny its existence.” You don’t deny it, means you accept it as true right? Well, here are some stats from Wikipedia regarding per capita earning as it correlates to race:
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States#Over_time_-_by_Race_.26_Sex)
Before you knock the statistic for being from Wikipedia, please note that it comes from the U.S. Census Bureau. If you look at the chart and compare the average white American vs Asian male income:
2004
White- $31,335
Asian-$32,419
2000
White-$29,797
Asian-$30,833
1990
White-$21,170
Asian-$19,394
So according to those stats, the last time Asians were recorded to have made less than Whites by Census Bureau was in 1990. How old were you in 1990, did you even have an income to claim that there was a “ceiling?” Moreover, Asians made more, albeit marginally, in 2000 and 2004. I bet if you do a statistical test the difference in income over those three data sets will be marginal. And EVEN MORE interesting, is the HUGE income gap between women and men... not between Whites and Asians. So where’s your ceiling? Can I refer you even to a previous post by Bruce? He says about your ceiling thesis:
Bruce posted, “You've told your story, and it is interesting, but to imply that ABCs face and fight the ceiling as a community is an overly broad statement. As I said, you are certainly speaking for some, but not all.”
Bruce is another person pointing out your unaware bias. Don’t listen to the people who pat your back in passing... they don’t care enough to analyze what you’ve written b/c they don’t know the real issues or your background the way Bruce or I do. And if you extrapolate Bruce’s statement... many people face such a ceiling (ie: women and their income gap as demonstrated above)... but it’s not about a “bamboo ceiling.” What’s even more interesting about that income chart, is that Blacks DO show a statistically significant income gap- by $THOUSANDS. And why is that? Do you still think it’s about race? Here’s the low down... When the Whites came from Europe, they brought with them infrastructure (ie: culture, technology, social order, money). In ADDITION to those things, they never cut ties with Europe. They always had access to foreign markets and trade. Money and infrastructure. So the comparison here is that Asians coming to America in late 20th century and onward, brought that infrastructure with them, too. But when the Chinese came to America practically as slaves to build railroads in the 19th century, they did not have that infrastructure... therefore, they DID have an income gap vs Whites. The Blacks faced the same challenge. As freed slaves, they had no infrastructure, AND they had NO TIES to any other society except for the poor society that they grew into... assimilated into... and that TOTAL cut off of infrastructure resounds till today in poorer, inner city Black communities. Money and infrastructure.
The Whites, arriving in America when they did, have more than a two hundred year head start on the Blacks in terms of building infrastructure. The Blacks, even after Emancipation Proclamation, did not have an infrastructure (not that they couldn't be a part of the White infrastructure by virtue of race, but to be a farmer you have to have farm equipment, or money to buy a farm in the first place. *I'll mention this again shortly). Blacks didn’t SUDDENLY have money... as hard as the Freedmans’ Bureau tried... not until more recent times has the Black community begun building such an infrastructure. So where is your ceiling? No where. The ceiling isn’t about race, as you suggest by “bamboo”-ceiling. The ceiling is about socio-economic structures being built out of the very history our predecessors lived through. That’s your ceiling, exclusive of race. Looking at the income disparity in the Black community vs the Whites, and suggesting that Blacks are poor b/c they’re Black or b/c Whites are keeping them down... is a correlation, not a causality. It’s the superficial answer. The underlying causality of the “ceiling” isn’t race, Eddie. It’s not. Immigrants will always have to catch up in terms of money and infrastructure, b/c that’s what they’re leaving behind when they emigrate- BUT that doesn’t mean they have to catch up in racial terms... they have to integrate into the existing infrastructure... that simply takes time the way it takes a drop of ink in a bathtub of water to dissolve homogeneously. As for discriminatory racism in the workplace, ie promotions... does it happen? I bet money it does. It happens to women, why not ethnics? But to hold an ENTIRE demographic down by their race... do you realize how many people would have to be racist, then? You’re talking about an ENTIRE social order, united with the singular purpose of keeping a certain minority down... how much money do you think that costs in terms of turning away talent b/c they’re of a certain race? In the end, in a market capital system, MONEY DECIDES THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME. Corporations, companies, money-makers of any business structure, can’t resist people on the basis of race if it’s business they’re after. *now back to Blacks after being freed in 1863... they were still part of a country were there was a population set against them... so arguably there was a "Black" ceiling at that time... but when is the last time the entire American population has set out to arrest a population at an income tier? There's no ceiling, Eddie, at least not based on race.
** there's more I will post... need another break...**
To clarify on the infrastructure comment I made... there is no “Black” or “White” or “Asian” infrastructure. There is only one infrastructure defined by commerce and the laws of the land. When I wrote “black” infrastructure, etc, the idea I was trying to convey was that infrastructure is something that you integrate into, not that Blacks had built a separate infrastructure apart from the White infrastructure. So... I should have said that Blacks didn’t have the materials and means to integrate into the American infrastructure after the Emancipation Proclamation... ditto for the Asian immigrants coming over. And in addition to that, for the Asian immigrants, there is now a larger Asian demographic in the USA (not as huge as the Mexican base)... and that those Asians arrive in America with access to Asian communities that have already been established... and of course that gives them opportunity to earn the materials and means to integrate into the American infrastructure. That does not mean that by virtue of their “Asianness” they have a harder time integrating... should they face difficulty in integrated into American, it’s not b/c they’re Asian. It’s b/c they’re immigrants. Materials and means gives someone the ability to integrate into the American infrastructure, regardless of race/sex/etc. There are rich White, Black, and Asian people... and there are poor White, Black, and Asian people... What separates the rich and poor is not race, it’s money, which gives access to infrastructure.
**more to come**
Eddie,
More on what I view as your unconscious prejudice... (sorry for the delay, if you've been waiting)
In your article, you express how you identify with being American. And you also show how you identify with being Chinese. I want to put into context your statements of "American" and "Chinese." I will demonstrate that you're actually promoting a divisive comparison between the two cultures; a contrast, not a convergence of culture and acceptance.
First off, in your article you go as far as to say that, "I'll always be Chinese first. It probably isn't politically correct..." Well, if you knew that it was an intrusive statement, then why did you write it? There can be only one reason... b/c that's the way that you truly feel, unredacted. "I'll always be Chinese first..." doesn't sound like a search for identity, Eddie, it sounds like a conclusion. You've put your Chineseness on one platform... and by the direct comparison, "FIRST" set Americanness on a separate one... a lesser one, AKA "not first." So can you "be Americans in the way that other people are?" According to you, no, you can't. B/c other Americans aren't Chinese first. In fact, NO ONE can say that except the ethnic Chinese. Do you see the biased polarity? What if, instead, you posed the question along the lines of "can Chineseness be reconciled with Americanness?" It's a question that doesn't point to a divergence. It points to a convergence. When you say things like 'being American in the way "OTHER" people are'... You've just lumped all Americans outside of the ethnic Chinese into one group. More on that?
Let's take another quote for example:
"...we literally led two lives: there was the society and culture that awaited us outside the home... but there was another world too. There was the community at Dim Sum, the Chinese School we went to..."
You say that you "led two lives," that there was a "society and culture that awaited [you] outside the home," and that you also had "another world," the 'Chinese world.' You're expressing the plurality in your own life b/c of your cultural background, and by comparison, it sounds like you're painting the "American" life as singular. America has a culture, too! A multi-dimensional culture, even without any other world cultures! The American west, the south, the New Englanders, even Texans emphasize their uniqueness within the American culture... and the midwest vs either coasts... there are lifestyles, and customs and traditions, fashions, foods, and even dialects that are all indigenous to those regional demographics of Americans. That sounds plural to me. And now add to that the additional diversity that the world cultures bring. Just because Americans don't "come" from somewhere doesn't mean they don't have a cultural heritage. But you don't see that diversity, in the same exact way that you accuse "Americans" of not seeing yours, at least not favorably. If you do see that diversity, you certainly didn't acknowledge it in your article. You grouped the Americans into one collective bucket... "those Americans." There's a lot more going on in everyone's life than "seeing" Chinese people. Everyone's got that stuff going on in their lives, not just the ethnic Chinese (as I said earlier about women in the corporate world, and the blind, and the little people, and the obese people, etc). Your perspective is centered around "I'm not like any of the other Americans b/c I have a cultural history that reaches back thousands of years... and those Americans set me apart b/c of that." What I'm saying is, even white Americans aren't like other white Americans... that's not a Chinese-ethic-immigrant thing. It's not even a race thing. And YOUR article hammers on how race decides your fate for you in this country. It's so UTTERLY, UTTERLY one dimensional... and before you say you didn't say it... "Economically, politically, and in reality, it's a different story." Remember that?
Of course racism happens, and there are racial stereotypes. I'm not being diminutive about that. Just to show how one dimensional your "struggle for Americanness" is, let's take a look at some crude stereotypes...
-the near-east/Indian cabbie in New York who decorates his cab a certain way, and always smells a certain way
-the Mexican guy whose only expertise is landscaping and playing loud mariachi music as he drives by in his 80's smoky Toyota
-the short eastern Asian guy who also smells a certain way, who wears his pants above his belly button and plays chess and does math for fun
-the European guy who runs a secret brothel, trafficking under-aged girls in the sex trade, not to mention his name is always "Yuri"
-the inner city black guy who peddles drugs and whores, and has a list of felonies longer than the east coast
That's what I feel like you see when you look out into the world of discrimination. What I feel like you're missing is...
-the fat guy in the cafeteria that everyone stares at as he eats his lunch
-the woman who expresses emotion, and all the men who tie that to her gender's weakness or her always-hilarious "time of the month" (doesn't that ever get old?)
-the white guy whose dating an ethnic, who gets comments like "he's got jungle fever" or "yellow fever" or "he's slummin'"
-the old man driving on the highway, who everyone assumes is senile and shouldn't be allowed to sit far from the bathroom on a plane b/c he has incontinence
and so on and so forth. In other words... Think of every dimension of discrimination... but for some reason, discriminating against an ethnic minority is unholier than discriminating against a fat guy?... and that SOMEHOW that has something to do with "Americanness?" What's more, all of these prejudices, race or otherwise, occur in EVERY country... doesn't that say something bigger about the human race as a whole? Bigger than race? Your perspective is tiny. You're looking through a sheet of paper that's been pricked with a pin.
You're not discriminated against b/c you're ethnic Chinese. And it sure as hell isn't about Americanness. Connecting that to Americanness is like saying, "Obama's constituency and Clinton's sure went at it during the 2008 primary. Must've been b/c Obama's black. And only black people support Obama." ??? there are other factors.
If you're discriminated against (and you haven't substantiated that you have been), then it's because human beings discriminate. That's it. For whatever reason. If you wear a Sox jersey to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, I promise you... you will taste some flavor of discrimination. If a man with mittens meets a group of men with gloves, the mitten-man will be discriminated against. Nazis vs Jews... Poles vs Russians... Sunni vs Shiite... Islam vs Christianity... Roman Catholic vs Eastern Orthodox... East hip-hop vs West coast hip-hop...
The thing about discrimination is, it can take the form of anything, even as ridiculous as "are you a Backstreet boy fan or N'sync?" I remember reading something about how their respective fans were starting hate blogs about the other... But what's the motivation behind it, then? I can't remember what movie it's from, but it was about discrimination... and at the dramatic, emotional climax... the protagonist asks the antagonist something like, "Why do you hate us so much?" And the antagonist answered with something so anticlimactic and hollow as, "I don't know! We just do!".. That screenwriter pawned off that scene as some profound revelation, like he had solved racism...
the but answer should have been something like this... (maybe more cinematically said, though)
People are social creatures. To survive in nature, they require a specialization of functions, whereby a society is formed. That society is synonymous with a system, and it takes on a momentum. Any threat to that system (even to its momentum) in the form of security or in securing resources (ie: threat by an outside system), creates conflict (between the two systems). The caveat, though?... once that conflict passes, the prevailing system doesn't lose that prejudice for the defeated system. Instead they keep that prejudice in the way that our immune systems keep a memory of antibodies for the different pathogens we've been exposed to (ie: the whole point of inoculation)... b/c the prevailing system expects that their first solution to the threat, will be a solution to the next threat. So the momentum carries them through to the next prejudice, and the next generation... (ie: circa 30C.E. the Jewish and Christian systems butted heads... fast forward to medieval Europe... the Christians remember that they're not supposed to like the Jews... but don't remember why... and that mutates, until it turns into the HIV of regimes, the Nazis (HIV b/c they self destructed)... then the Nazis are told to hate the Jews but they don't know why!!! They gave all sorts of reasons, but that's because they forgot what the original ones were... if they had remembered, then they would have realized that that prejudice was anachronistic.. the Jewish "threat" had passed during those formative years of Christianity, centuries earlier... there was no Jewish "threat.").
And the thing is, the little people caught up in the prejudice, they never get an overhead understanding of why the system behaves in the manner that it does... they're just too small, in the way that you can't see how big the Pyramids of Giza are if you put your face to the stone. So, one man who sees "this" much stone says to the other who sees "that" much stone, "Hey, what're we looking?" and the other responds, "I don't know, but the last guy told me it was a mountain." What needs to be done is... people need to stop answering with what they "think," and start taking a step back to see the entire system for what it really is... And how do you take that figurative step back? Learn history. Learn culture. Learn math. Learn science. Don't learn religion (history of? yes. Indoctrination of? No.). then you WILL widen your perspective, and progress as a society, instead of swimming in the same ol' same ol'. So Eddie, take a step back...
Wowgetalife.
@Dr. Phil:
Get a life? You're the one who read my posts... back at you.
And tell you what... I'll start clubbing and going to keg parties... if you'll start reading non-fiction books. Deal?
I hate dim sum. Food deep-fried in disgusting oil.
What dim sum are you eating? Most of it is steamed.
I am guessing because I did not read the article, but if he is talking about food being a comfort for him that he is just coping right now.
Oh.My.God. It sounds like he is complaining about not being completely equal to white folks. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COLOR YOUR SKIN IS. If you can serve in the military, vote, have kids, get insurance, have credit and be on the ballet for President (and last time I looked, Chinese Americans CAN) then guess what?! YOU ARE AMERICAN.
Micheal; wasn't this just an editorial type piece?
This is America.....what makes us great as a nation is that we are able to "cherry pick" the best parts of certain ethnicities and backgrounds to create ONE CULTURE .....THE AMERICAN CULTURE!
Do you really think that Anglo-Americans, African Americans, Chinese-Americans, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, or Latino-American care about America?...NOOOOO! Only Americans care about America. ..so drop the hypens already. Either your an American or you're not.
Pretty pathetic article. You can achieve whatever you want..... in all of the so called western countries. Now if you have low intellect or skills. You won't make it anywhere. Don't blame anyone or anything else for your own lack of whatever.
But what I don't understand is why this article is featured. Since a google search turned up that this restaurant has been shut down. Did it re-open?
The Constitution an empty promise? Pretty harsh. I'd say we are still striving to live up the the documents full potential.
PS: I love beef fried rice, 70s blacksplotation Kung-Fu movies, and Asian chicks (<– sooooo hot)
Born and raised in America, then your American... Parents came to America and became American. I'm a black man, but no matter the stereotypes, the regional/cultural differences, I AM AMERICAN FIRST! Always was, always will be. Help kill the hyphen y'all.
I'm the daughter of an immigrant mother, who came from Trinidad but her family's roots were in India. My father's family has been in America for generations, but were originally Austrian. I was raised with no real traditions from either side of my family other than utterly delicious food – and as I've gotten older it's led me into discovering more of my past and my mixed cultural heritage. Unfortunately as someone that appears 'white' I look like a dopey tourist wearing a sari in an Indian neighborhood, and maybe those of us who are American born need to realize that just as there are those who have a tough time assimilating into "American" culture, there are just as many who feel like they cannot get back to their roots. I know I'll be feeding my kids curry and sauerkraut (though not in the same dish!) and giving them the freedom to explore their history.
As many people here have hinted through their comments, you don't need to have the bloodline to enjoy the food or the culture! Those who continue to come to the US for education, opportunity, and a better life offer in return a rainbow of traditions and tastes just waiting to be explored by neighbors and friends. Thanks for the article – it's just one way of opening doors and making sure people don't keep their traditions only to themselves.
PS dim sum is awesome! I wish we had a place for it where I'm living now. Whenever I go home to visit, a trip down towards NYC for dim sum is in order. Looking forward to trying some chicken feet next time :)
Eddie, I get what you're saying and appreciate your personal story... a bit politically charged though.
"Economically, politically, and in reality, it’s a different story, but at least on paper and in theory, it belongs to all of us."
You're certainly speaking for some ABCs with regards to this "bamboo ceiling", but definitely not for others. I too am an ABC who grew up in VA in the 70's and 80's in a town where I could almost count all those in the Chinese community. My schools were dominated by whites and blacks, and yes, I was picked on now and then by those who were ignorant (oh, how many times have I run into a kid who pulls the corners of their eyes and begin to imitate a Chinese accent); however, I learned to see myself as an individual who straddled two cultures and appreciated it for what it was. Regarding personal ambitions, my dreams were high and I never felt this ceiling. Rather, my career goal was to find something that I really loved and excelled in. If I wanted to be a politician (heaven forbid!), I'd be one. If I wanted to be a doctor or lawyer, I certainly could. I'm an engineer, and I love it.
My point being, you gotta have dreams and pursue them with diligence and fervor. You are an individual, first and foremost and you go as high as you want and as far as your capabilities will take you. I have ABC friends who span the spectrum, from those in the food industry to those who are lawyers and doctors, so I don't see or have the same feeling as you regarding the ceiling. Every person has certain intellects, personal ambitions, and unique environmental circumstances. Every person has a story to tell.
You've told your story, and it is interesting, but to imply that ABCs face and fight the ceiling as a community is an overly broad statement. As I said, you are certainly speaking for some, but not all.
I love Chinese food, just had it yesterday. Bami, all kind of vedgetables, ham, egg and saté.. with shrimp crackers.. and a cold beer.
Man, this article bothered me so much that I just re-read it... and another BLATANTLY IGNORANT quote caught my eye:
"We just hope that one day we live up to that piece of paper called the Constitution because it’s still just an empty promise for now."
You really just called the constitution an EMPTY PROMISE?!?! Wow! On the account of what? Because you have a salary cap as an Asian-American? By the constitution being an empty promise, I assume you also believe that the separation of powers is empty too?.. .and the rest of what the constitution upholds in the country is an empty promise? Never mind how insulting that is to the people who live in this country, what about the generations of people for whom the USA has provided aid and support?... I don't know, let's say, the Monroe doctrine? And USAID projects all around the world? Those are all empty promises, too? Sure this country's not perfect, but surely it's not empty either, buddy.
After having read this article a second time, I realize that this author is just riding the wave of "race-related" books... "so-and-so's kitchen." If this guy has a memoir coming out on Random House, it can only mean one thing... that Random House did a focus study on whether or not there was a market for an Asian-American spin on cooking... and apparently there was... As far as I can glean from this article, I think this author exists in print solely because he fits a demographic and a market... I don't see any writing talent or substance in his material.
And one more ridiculous quote, after his quip about the constitution being an EMPTY PROMISE:
"I firmly believe we’ve made progress the last 3 years and I hope it continues."
Clearly he's referring to the election of President Obama. So because a black man made it into the White House, that's progress? Simply because he's black? Never mind that he's a Columbia University and Harvard Law graduate, that he chaired the Harvard Law Review, and that he taught constitutional law at UofC, or that he was elected senator in Illinois, or that he was a civil rights attorney?... never mind any achievements Obama had, except that he was black? That was his crowning achievement, right, Mr. Author? If it's alright with you, I won't turn to a restauranteur who thinks the constitution is an EMPTY PROMISE when looking for an opinion on the progress of this nation. I can't write anymore, my head hurts.
***TO EDDIE HUANG: ***
If ANYTHING, how about an apology for at least calling the constitution an EMPTY PROMISE? Talk about insults.... and in the future, put some thought into what you write, because nowadays works in print and internet tend to stick around for a while.
This is exactly why you don't understand this article. He has as much right to that constitution as you do and owes no apologies. That is the main problem, because you see him as different, all of a sudden, he should be thankful to a fellow American for allowing him to subscribe to a constitution he has as much right to as you do. Then you speak of one human race.
T T,
1. You wrote, "This is exactly why you don't understand this article. He has as much right to that constitution as you do and owes no apologies."
Owes no apologies to who? What you said sounds like this to me, "Nothing he said offended ME, so he doesn't owe an apology." Is that far off? Because I think calling the constitution an "empty promise" is probably pretty darn offensive to many Americans. Unless you mean that offensive statements don't requisite an apology. In which case, I'm sure that's a fantastic way to build relationships, especially with a readership. In case it wasn't obvious... I am offended. I'm really bothered by someone saying that the constitution is an "empty promise." I don't assume to know your background in American history, but I do read a lot of history, not just American. And as creepy and nationalistic as this may sound (and it doesn't come from that place), the foundation of this country resounded through the world. The American revolution spawned many revolutions immediately following that period. And to this day, it inspires more. Is it the source of EVERY revolution for freedom? Of course not. I don't presume that America owns the world. But if you'r a history buff, you will find the American revolution has a direct vein to many revolutions. That means something special to me. Freedoms that we enjoy range from little to big, some seem so trivial... and then you visit a country like China and then it hits you... People aren't born free. It's an active pursuit of freedom that allows people to remain free. The American constitution isn't just an American doctrine. You'll find other constitutions resonate with the same ideals. I mean it. Look through some European constitutions, see if you don't hear the same music.
2. You wrote, "That is the main problem, because you see him as different..."
He is different. He's ethnically Chinese. That's a fact. He said so himself, many times. Is he different as an American? I don't know, b/c I don't know him. What I do know of him is that he's proudly Chinese, and that he's always Chinese first. His words, not mine. Let's be clear, I haven't criticized his "Americanness." I criticized his pro-"race"-ness. As I wrote in an earlier post, I'm not a white American either, and that I share many of the experiences that he went through. But the similarity ends there. I am a HUMAN BEING first, not Chinese or any other race, or nationality for that matter. That fact that he goes out of his way to say that he's Chinese first... do I have to list the quotes again? And then he goes on to differentiate in what ways he remains Chinese, and in what ways he remains American.... "I’ll always be American in my world view and allegiance..." etc... and how he's Chinese, and so on. American is American. Enough said. Why add to that and say 'but I'm Chinese first?' He wants to keep his cultural heritage and remain American without the discrimination, great, I get it. But then why go out there after saying that you wished you weren't distinguished from Joe Smith, and then say in what ways you're different, moreover willfully, proudly different?
I think I know why you're upset. Because someone like me wrote a harsh criticism of something that maybe you enjoyed reading, or maybe because you felt sympathy for someone receiving harsh criticism, or maybe b/c you thought I was a racist who hated Chinese (Chinese, no; their government, yes). But the truth is, everything I've criticized him about comes from his own words, it's in the article. Look, you'll see it. I'm not putting a spin on anything. Please read those quotes, and tell what other meaning they might have.
3. You wrote, " all of a sudden, he should be thankful to a fellow American for allowing him to subscribe to a constitution he has as much right to as you do. Then you speak of one human race."
I didn't say he should be "thankful to a fellow American..." etc. You wrote that. Factually, you actually wrote that. But then you said that I said that. Can you see the problem there? What I wrote is printed on that post. Please find for me where I said "thankful to fellow American...".. I think the problem here is that you thought I was some white American guy from Arizona who hates ethnic minorities. Which is not true. Because I am an ethnic minority who enjoys many cultures, across the globe and history... you have to really read history to understand the dangers of nationalism, racial supremacy, religious intolerance, etc to get a grip on how dangerous it is to say the things he did. I'm not just talking about the Nazis and Jews, but please, read Asian history... ie: the Koreans vs the Japanese 1592 and onward... ie: Poland and Russia in the 1760s and onward (even before that)... ie: England and France for as long as they've both existed... ie: Catholics vs Protestants from Martin Luther onward... you'll find that Eddie Huang's story constantly reappears. It's not unique. But the flip side of the persecution exists too. And the opposing sides shared equally in ill will towards each other.
As it relates to what Eddie Huang wrote, here are some quotes... yes you my cry "selection bias" but please recognize that they actually exist in the article, and tell me that these quotes don't paint a picture... I'm thinking that maybe they were spaced too far apart for you too see what I saw. So let me group them for you to show you the picture I see:
X"I’m an ABC, American Born Chinese"
X"...are we Americans with a full deck of cards? The question seems to have a very obvious answer... but, any astute and honest American knows my Mom is posing a very real question here... but am I an American... Can a Chinese brother obtain X“the kwan”?... deal with duality? Are we Americans in the way that other people are?"
So there's the central conflict he presents, now let's look at the answers he gives to that central conflict:
X"Fighting the ceiling is something we face as a community...I live within it and don’t deny its existence"
X"we literally led two lives: there was the society and culture that awaited us outside the home... but there was another world too. There was the community at Dim Sum, the Chinese School we went to..."
X"Our parents fought hard so that we could maintain our culture and identity. They never let us forget where we came from and I thank them for that."
X"I’ll always be Chinese first. It probably isn’t politically correct to say or something that the majority understands..."
X"This is who I am; I can’t change it nor would I want to."
X"and beside a few out-to-lunch people who still want an official language"
X"we choose to have a country that doesn’t technically belong to one “peoples.” Economically, politically, and in reality, it’s a different story..."
X"We just hope that one day we live up to that piece of paper called the Constitution because it’s still just an empty promise for now"
X"These are my homies, this is my country, but Sundays? Sundays are for Dim Sum."
The stress is on his Chinese identity. Some particular things he said that stand out to me:
1)"The ceiling"... unsubstantiated
2)"I'll always be Chinese first"... he doesn't say Chinese American, or American born Chinese, or American. There is no hesitation or compromise. In the context of the quote, he is directly contrasting being Chinese with being American. But he is stressing being Chinese.
3)"... a country that doesn't belong to one peoples..." and then he goes on to say that it's different in reality. Unsubstantiated.
4"... the Constitution... it's just an empty promise for now." The constitution is an empty promise? When you're describing a country and the governance of a country, one of the first things you look to is the constitution b/c it literally describes the framework of a country. So really, what he said very openly, with his guard down, was that the constitution was an empty promise. Either he really meant it, or as a writer he was exaggerating to make a starker contrast about his struggles being more visceral. Melodrama.
I don't hate him for being Chinese. I know some people read my criticism and the first thing that popped up in their heads was "Racist!" But that's b/c you're trained to think that way. It's an alarm that the media's built into you, where anytime someone criticizes someone else where race is involved, the race card is played %100 percent of the time (ie: in an election where the candidate is an ethnic minority... he panders to his racial constituents, and anyone criticizing that is immediately vilified as a racist.). This article is full of nationalistic pride and ignorance. Yes, ethnic peoples can be ignorant too. And if you really, truly can't see it in this article, then you're living in a painted world.
wow.. Jim , you're a total xenophobic. Many of us like our duality, Asian but also american, Indian but also american, American but also hispanic.. we're big and interesting enough to exist among different cultures. try it sometimes it can make you a happier person. YOu just sound really sour and negative and who always see the negative side of things. Did a co-workers merely comments on how good the sunday dimsum is and you automatically think she thinks chinese food is better than american food(though it prob. is... lol.it's hard to beat thousands of years of cooking experience with a mere 2 hundred years.)
anyway , i don't want to make your loose your more marbles.. jsut chill. when ppl praise aspects of their mother culture, doesn't mean they're discounting american culture. It's just part of their lives.. If you want to accept ppl you need to accept the parts that are not anglo saxon american too.
if you can do that you will be happier and a less angry person.
Deena,
Did you read what you wrote one last time before you posted it? In case you forgot...
1)"you're a total xenophobic." I'm not afraid of other races. I am an "other" race.
2)"Many of us like our duality." I like my duality, too. But my race and culture are not things that privilege me by virtue of being born to minorities. Liking duality is fine. But you don't appear to like people who don't like duality (not me, as I said, I like my duality). Why can't people not like this or that culture, it doesn't mean they have to burn a cross on their front lawns, but if they don't like a culture, there's no reason in the world that they have to go out of their way to experience that culture. Culture is culture. It's not some sacrament, or some doctrine that can't be judged. Judge a culture. Why not? There are cultures who practice things that are pretty disgusting, across the board. Why MUST I like eating monkey brains, or pre-arranged weddings, or honor-killings... as you think I only look at negative things, I might suggest that you only like positive things. Every culture has something ugly about it. EVERY. And for you to say, nope, I'm just going to take the good things and forget about the ugly... it takes your understanding about that culture out of context. That's dangerous. Dualities are fine. But my experience is that minorities (including people of my race) are less "dual" and more "one and a half" towards their culture. That "half" part is the part that bothers me, b/c that's the part where they try to live their lives according to things like sharia law and the honor killings like the few immigrants in Texas: one TV executive that severed his wife's head, and another that honor-killed his daughter for being too "westernized." Is that the only example of ugly parts of other cultures coming over? A resounding no. If you are a minority, please don't pretend that you haven't seen some ugly things about your people in this country, and the things they're comfortable saying when there's no other races around.
3)"big and interesting enough to exist among different cultures"... please... tell that to the Austrians in 1938. Tell that to the Pakistanis in UK, the immigrants in France (don't forget the riots that spring up every few years)... the undocumented African immigrants in Italy.... you and several others have tried to spin this like I'm a racist, and that's just not true. Take those examples I just listed. Giving you that info makes it sound like I hate immigrants... but what's the underlying issue with the immigrants in those aforementioned countries? Poverty. Immigrants are poor no matter what country you go to. You might say, "Whoa! So and so that I know was an engineer and a doctor" and so on and so forth, but the truth is that immigration laws ubiquitously stem the influx of lower-income immigrants. Look at the per capita earnings of countries like the Netherlands and Switzerland... to be an immigrant there you need to have a substantial income. The USA is no different. Uneducated, lower-income immigrants DO subject social systems to undue stress. That's a fact no matter what country you're in. I've had friends that were illegals. Following your perception of what I've said, you probably think I turned them in to INS. But no, I didn't. Please don't make this about race. There are larger issues at play here than something as trivial as race. My criticism of this article is exactly for that reason, because it EMPHASIZES race, race, race... the question isn't about race. It's about identity. Who are you? Do you answer with a nationality, or a race, or a name, or a political party? This author answers with "race" definitively. That's small thinking. The root of discrimination isn't race, it's identity, them vs us. That's something that this author doesn't write. He focuses on race, race, race, race this, Chinese that, American those... please... grow up... read a little...
4. You wrote, "You just sound really sour and negative and who always see the negative side of things." Are you suggesting that the negative side of things doesn't exist? Or that negative sides of things aren't worth a look at? You speak of seeing a "side" of things. Why not look at all sides? Negative is a part of that. But then you might quip that I didn't mention the positive things about this article. And I answer, the positive things don't threaten us. They're there. No one needs to point out the things that make us happy and content, b/c they're apparent. You know what's right with something b/c that industry will always advertise the good things(whether it's a company, or a nation, or a race, or a religion... do I have to provide an example of that too?). Positive things without the negative things are just disasters waiting to happen. And then when they do, everyone suddenly has the insight to ask "why didn't anyone tell us that CDOs could collapse a modern economy?"
5. "Chinese food is better than American." Suppose that depends on who you ask, right? I don't know, that sounds pretty negative, Deena. Are you an Anti-American? ... that's a joke. But what's not a joke is that you wrote, "thousands of years of cooking... a mere 2 hundred..." which even you must see is a really ignorant thing to say, right? America the country has existed about that long, but surely you know that the Americans all came from somewhere, places with history and culture, and yes... THOUSANDS of years of cooking experience... right?
6. "i don't want to make your{sic} loose{sic} more of your marbles.." Don't worry, Deena. You didn't.
7. "when ppl praise aspects of their mother culture, doesn't mean they're discounting american culture." Doesn't mean? Could mean, though? And in my experience, when a comparison is made, there is often an argument for one over the other. That's the nature of "duality." You make it sound like every single person in the world is some enlightened being that resists their ego when describing another culture... live a little more, and travel a little more, and tell me you feel the same...
8."If you want to accept ppl you need to accept the parts that are not anglo saxon american too." Thanks for that wonderful insight. But I think I'll continue to accept people based on merit, not race or culture... an individual is worth the understanding in h/er head, not "parts that are not anglo saxon american too."
9. "If you can do that you will be happier and a less angry person." If you read enough history, you should be angrier. If not, then you're one of two things. Ignorant... or unread.
everyone, this is not a race issue, this is an identity issue.
wow Jim. you have a planty of time to write all this! your life must have been so boring.
Fifi,
Way to stick to the issues, Fifi. Good job. And if you must know, I'm unemployed. And whether or not my life is boring, eh... but what I would like to stress is that social issues like this are important to me... important enough to start a dialogue...
I am SOOOO offended! This article is horrible!
Let me read it again so I can be offended some more...
LOL
Vi,
Hey, I'd do anything to make you laugh, right?... I'm glad you found a discussion on racial profiling, stereotyping, and counter cultures worth one of your amazing "Laugh Out Louds." And, yeah, I did read it a second time. Often times when something is not right, I like to look it over at least a second time... that way I can dissect a problem. I suppose I'm just not smart enough to get everything on a single pass.
You wrote, "This article is horrible!"
It lacked content and substance. That is pretty horrible. BUT that's not why I spent time posting. I posted b/c I thought the article was full of ignorance. Dangerous ignorance. The kind that people read and just pass over as uneventful (or worse, commending him for it), but in actuality letting people get away with this type of ignorance is how it builds into a bigger, meaner bigotry. I don't expect he will read my posts, or even change b/c of anything little ol' me said, but for the maybe 30 or so people who might flip through these comments... I just wanted them to hear a voice from a person of minority who shares a different view than the author's.
You know, from time to time I scroll down to comments on a news story and read a few and it never ceases to amaze me how dumb Americans are. Sometimes you should just keep your opinions to yourself if you dont have anything constructive to say. But no doubt these asinine comments will continue...
Michael, if by keeping "your opinions to yourself if you dont have anything constructive to say," you're referring to me, then what's the alternative? Only say nice things? Say only nice things about some of the disgusting things going on in this world? Say only nice things about terrible events? Why? For the sake of what? Politeness? What if the author said something as asinine as the constitution being an empty promise? Doesn't that warrant a rebuke? Or should that be commended? Or as you suggest, stay silent? The Jews in Europe were killed by silence. Saying only constructive things is good if you subscribe to Sycophant's Digest. Did we read the same article? Don't brandish the aphorisms like there's some universal truth to them... what was it someone said about foolish consistencies? Don't be nice. Be honest, be skeptical, look at facts. As an author, this man will have access to an audience. If someone's going to print, people have a right to be concerned about what information is being communicated.
Sundays are for Dim Sum? That sounds good to me.
Well, sure – Sundays are for dim sum. As an American with Cantonese heritage, I grew up going to Sunday school / church first, and then to Chinatown for Dim Sum. You CAN also find Chinese people all over the world worshiping God on Sundays also, Eddie....
I left a dim sum in the toilet.
Your mom likes it in the pooper and dim sum. ;)
The author lives in NY and with that haircut and clothes, he doesn't think he looks American in that city? I live in LA and he looks like just a regular American guy to me. It would never occur to ask him where he was from unless I was genuinely interested in his background as friends.
Some of you folks are racists and are not very Nice.
Wow, people seem to focus on specific comments made by the author, but I'm looking at the larger theme. Actually, this was a really well written article! He often touches on the duality of his life, while interjecting humor. The pace of the article flows well, pausing for digestion from the reader. Good to hear Random House picked him up because he has a promising literary future ahead of him.
If you're referring to my comment and the two quotes I pulled out of the article... You're looking at the larger theme? So the theme I looked at was less meaningful? You wrote, "Wow, people seem to focus on specific comments..." as if those comments aren't in the article. I didn't make up the quotes. He wrote them, he put them in the article, and not only that but those two quotes are the central thesis of his article. The rest of it is anecdotal this and that. Everyone has those anecdotal stories, not just people of different racial backgrounds. The author of this article wants a pat on the back for being Chinese. Why? Because he struggled with discrimination in getting to where he is in life today? So what? What about the women in the corporate world who fight to make it in the boardroom? What about the handicapped people who fight to get fair treatment and access to the same things we enjoy? What about gay men and women serving in the armed forces? What about this type and that type of person who's faced this and that discrimination to make it to where they are today? So what? Why do you have to pat him on the back for being Chinese? Like I said in my previous post, I'm an immigrant from a non-white country, and I've experienced some of the exact same things the author wrote about... but I don't expect a pat on the back. That's just ridiculous. Lots of people face lots of conflicts and obstacles in life. The problem is that when people like this author start writing things like this- articles that privilege them for the simple fact being of a certain race- it spawns nationalist sentimentality in some, or a counter reaction in others. If you think race should be a non-issue in the work place, in the social fabric of this country... then make it a non-issue. Don't put these people on a pedestal to highlight their differences that have no merit. There's no merit in being born a certain race. If he's a successful chef, then that's probably something he should have focused more on in the article... less about his race and his racial pride.
I was hoping this article would be about dim sum.
I too am an immigrant. However, I have respect for the country I immigrated to and traditions that existed in this country before me. THerefore, even though I try to "save" my herritage, I would never dispute that the official language in USA is English. It really bothers me when I walk into a restaurant and I don't get good service because I don't speak the language of the restaurant's origin. It also bothers me when the menue has no English in it.
I personally speak 2 languages and my kids who were born in USA speak 3. How many more languages do we have to learn to feel at home in our own country? Do some restaurants not want to see paying clients just because the clients don't speak that restaurant's language? That's just bad for business and insulting to me as an American.
I can dispute that the US does not have an official language.
HMMMMMM. Dimsummmmm. My mouth is watering.
I don't understand this "bamboo ceiling, especially in the D.C Maryland Virginia confluence. Ceilings in this area are make believe, or mostly politically drawn, like the voting zones designed to strengthen or weaken one of the two names that are really one party.... The party of the rich.
The article started off interesting, then quickly turned ridiculous and typical. Needless to say, how you choose to identify your demographic says a lot about how aware you are of the world around you. This author is clearly as ignorant as the people who have been prejudiced against him (the prejudice he faced was inferred), because the author doesn't demonstrate that he understands what race is; moreover, his article propagates prejudice. He thinks those experiences he has, and has had as a child of immigrants, set him apart, that his race sets him apart (for better or worse)... that's exactly what the prejudiced people think too- the EXACT same thought process. People love to establish identities according to their nationality, race, creed, etc... And he chooses to identify himself by his race.
"I’m proud to say I’m Chinese... This is who I am; I can’t change it nor would I want to."
"I’ll always be Chinese first. It probably isn't politically correct to say or something that the majority understands; I can change my shoes, I can swap my passport, but, I’ll always have this face."
These are crass and divisive statements, and he knows it. He acknowledges the political incorrectness. It sets up the audience to be polarized. Why are these such important statements to make in the first place? It's so in-your-face-and-deal-with-it, and worse, to some people these bold and intrusive statements are a non-issue in the first place. And to those who do have an issue with race, this article does little to resolve any conflict. People like this author go around making these statements under the guise of "culture" and "diversification," when really it's just spreading divisive and polarizing prejudice.
A fair comparison: the gay demographic in the media, where there's this in-your-face brand of homosexuality on tv and in pop culture... these people are so determined to express their homosexuality, they portray it like their sexuality is the most important thing about them as a human being. And this author's said exactly the same thing, only he chooses to identify himself by his race. People are so much more than sexuality, race, etc... but still they stick to those age old prejudices, both the "victims" and the "perpetrators."
And how patronizing to say "I can change my shoes... passport.. .but I'll always have this face"- and that somehow that's something the majority can't understand! Truly, you think that the majority of people can't understand that you can't change your face? Are the rest of us so stupid? I appreciate other cultures, I'm an immigrant myself, and if I what I'm saying sounds harsh, it's because I'm tired of the backlash from people and articles like this one. What I can't stand is when people bring their cultures into this country and act like it's the best thing since apple pie. They try to live their homeland's culture here, as if they were culturally superior, as if their culture was some fantastic gift to America. There are things I like about my homeland's culture, and there are things that I don't like. But I don't promote it. Because you have culture, doesn't mean you have a better culture, or a worse one, or even an interesting one. Keep your culture to yourselves, people; and instead, let those who are interested in your culture come to you. Please don't force it on people.
And make no mistake, even though it's taboo for white Americans to make racist remarks even amongst white people... it's not the same the other way around for other races... especially what some minorities say in private, they can be quite brutal. This article focuses on a Chinese man's experience. You'll never read a white person's experience, who's been equally victimized. Racial, sexual, or whatever prejudice goes both ways.
What I'm really frustrated with about this article is that he identifies himself so matter of factly with his race. When can people just be content with being human? Why isn't that enough? Every nation suffers the same disparities and conflicts between rich and poor, fat and skinny, hetero/homosexual... it's all the same. So quit with the drama, and let's just move on.
You've hit the nail on the head.
you right, fam.
Yes, you are one of those who can't understand, it is not to be taken literally about whether he can change his face or not. Regardless of what you say, you are never going to see him on the street and say "oh, I saw this American dude" you WILL describe him as Chinese or Asian, no matter where in the world you meet him, never mind that he may never have been to any Asian country, so give us a break because you've learnt in some social science class about race being a social construct ....
It is not about him pointing out that he can't change his face to patronize his audience, but about him reacting to the reality that he faces as he straddles and owns two different cultures. It probably easy for you to dismiss his evaluation because you are someone that can be described as American without qualifiers. I'm American, not any more or any less than any other American, but no one I meet ever lets me forget I'm also Nigerian because I'm either this or that, I either speak this way or look that way. So very many times, yes, it can be all about what you look like, not because you want to, but because that is what people see, react to and you respond to. As for the rest of your opinion on culture superiority..., really it is sometimes nice to take a while to digest a piece you are reading before commenting . I'm American, and this article is on point.
Oh, Ann Arbor...
1. You wrote, "Yes, you are one of those who can't understand, it is not to be taken literally about whether he can change his face or not."
Can you guess my criticism of your quote? Yes, you are one of those who can't understand that what I wrote was also not to be taken literally. My point was that his "rhetoric" was juvenile. There are better comparisons to make.
2. You also wrote, "Regardless of what you say, you are never going to see him on the street and say "oh, I saw this American dude" you WILL describe him as Chinese or Asian, no matter where in the world you meet him, never mind that he may never have been to any Asian country..."
A)So the problem with what you said is this... "regardless of what you say," means that you've already decided for me what I would say. Can you see what problems might arise when you speak for someone else, no matter that someone says? So if I say "yes," that to you means "no." And if I say "no" that to you still only means "no." So you're a narcissist. Nothing anyone else says matters, because you will decide what is meaningful and what is not, what's relevant and what's not, right? Because you are the supreme being on the face of this planet who is entitled to decide what someone is REALLY saying, regardless of what they said. Does that summarize that quote of yours?
That's like a man saying to a woman, "Do you want to have sex with me?"
The woman replies, "No."
The man responds, "Regardless of what you say, you really mean 'yes.' I will make that decision for you."
and B) in case you didn't read what I wrote, I said that I am a non-white immigrant. So what's the significance of you telling me that you're a Nigerian immigrant? Does that lend you authority on the matter because you've experienced racial profiling? Because I share some of those same experiences. Does that mean that your racial experiences are more meaningful that mine? I don't understand why you being Nigerian makes you tower over me in reason.
and C) How do you know what I will and won't say when I see someone on the street? How do you know my definition of American? You think my definition of American is based on skin color? Isn't it a little shallow of you? Maybe you've experienced definition by skin color (so have I), but to assume that everyone in the world is out to paint a color on you... that's just not fair; more than that, it's just not true.
and D) social science class?... race and social construct?... what school did you go to that taught you that fallacy? Race isn't a social construct. Race is real. Race exists. There ARE black people, there ARE white people, there ARE every color of skin at many different places on the earth. Social security is a social construct. Taxation is a social construct. The contract between employee and employer, that's a social construct. Race is not a social construct.
and E) and SO WHAT if I saw him and thought he was an Asian? So what, hm? Isn't he? Yes. If you read what he wrote, he writes himself that he is Asian. That's a fact. YOU associate that with some pejorative connotation. Why? Yes, Asian people are Asian. There's nothing wrong with that. There's even nothing wrong with noticing that, seeing that, understanding that. Can you get your mind around that idea? He's Asian. That's not racial profiling, that's the truth. As for which Asian he is... even Asian people guess when they see other Asian people. There's ZERO wrong with that. No one is insulting you for noticing what you are. You associate your experiences and project them. It's unfortunate if your experiences have been that bad, but, no, I'm not criticizing him for being Asian. If you can't see that, please re-read the post many, many times.
3. You wrote, "It probably easy for you to dismiss his evaluation because you are someone that can be described as American without qualifiers."
No. Not true. Also, if someone saw me, they would not say "Oh, an American," or, "Oh, a white person from middle America." They would probably refer to my skin tone and my hair color. But children do that too. And they do it innocently. Why is it different when an adult says it? Why MUST you assume that there is a racial prejudice in such a statement? Would you be angry at a child if he remarked on your skin color?
4. You wrote, "...but no one I meet ever lets me forget I'm also Nigerian because I'm either this or that, either speak this way or look that way. So very many times, yes, it can be all about what you look like, not because you want to, but because that is what people see, react to and you respond to. "
Are you serious? Let's look at the facts, based on what you've written. BUT YOU DO look a way, you DO speak a way. That's all true. I look a way and speak a way too. But so what? That's true. You want people to lie to you, and tell you that you look white? You want people to tell you that you sound like you came from Wyoming? What's the significance of what you said there? What is the relevance of the way you look and speak to how American you are? You wrote that you "respond to" that type of reaction. Why do you "react" to that in that manner? Has it occurred to you that not everyone hears a Nigerian accent everyday? And that it probably sounds exotic? When I hear a British person, I immediately ask if they're from the UK. So what? Does that mean I hate the Brits?
5. You wrote, "As for the rest of your opinion on culture superiority..., really it is sometimes nice to take a while to digest a piece you are reading before commenting . I'm American, and this article is on point."
I'm an American too. And this article is very, very, very OFF POINT. But what does stating that you're American have to do with anything? Is that supposed to lend you credibility in some manner? Does it make your argument suddenly correct solely because you're American? Or you thought it would be some profound revelation to me? Tell me, how many Nigerians live in the U.S. and how many Chinese? More Nigerians or more Chinese? Chinese, right? Tell me you didn't have to think about that. How many Nigerians do you associate with everyday? I'll tell you about myself, there are many people of my race here... still it's a small community... but there's enough of us that there are festivals held in the city in honor of our heritage. I grew up in that atmosphere, just like the author did. And you know what, that thing I said about minorities ripping on white people (they ripped on other minorities, too), and their ideas of cultural superiority, it's true. I have other friends from different races that tell me the same thing. I don't know if you want me to lie or not, but the truth is that they do speak that way. Truth. Um. Truth. Yes. Truth.
But thanks for sharing, Ann Arbor.
I consider myself American, although my parents moved us here from the Philippines when I was 3 years old. My parents wanted me to assimilate as fast and thoroughly as possible. I forgot our native language, we spoke only English in our home (although my parents spoke Tagalog to each other). But as I entered my adolescence, my parents often expressed regret "This would never happen back in the Philippines." Sometimes, they even said the dreaded "back home". To which I answered "THIS is my home!"
Ch*nks talk a lot of smack, they sound racist
I am indian-american and yet can identify with this article on so many levels. It's interesting how the issues of identity and assimilation that immigrants face all over the world are for the most part very similar. I enjoyed reading this piece.
BTW What does an American look like? White? By lumping all cultures and ethnicity and country origins into one group because they look "white" or "American" you are denying their cultural differences and their own identities and differences.
"American in the naïve way I go to other countries and tell them how they should treat their poor or clean their water. American in the way I prefer goopy, thickly breaded, deep fried General Tso’s over the watery, authentic, Taiwanese
version."
If this is America to you than you will never understand this country. If you consider yourself Chinese first then you will never be American because how could you? The article describes the efforts your parents went to culture you in your heritage but it becomes confusing to state you are first Chinese when you describe how most of the efforts fail.
What a stupid article. I was expecting to read about dim sum culture, but instead wasted a few minutes of my life listening to some talentless tool talk about his fake chinese food and how he is passionate about it. CNN you just wasted my time. Shame on you.
Wait, so how is it fake?
Yea, it had a good opening but faded into the ether.
Totally agree. Stupid article.
Right on! I agree with Eddie wholeheartedly. I hope that true equality and real melting pot will come soon. At least we are better than most countries.
Meh, as Chinese-American (also born in Taiwan, raised in southern California with family ties in Hunan) I find Dim Sum too pretentious and not to my taste.
I grew up in Donegal in remote Irish highlands. We had, believe it or not, a killer Thai restaurant and I grew up with the chefs two sons as my best mates. Now I go for dim sum in Flushing on Sundays and I highly value asian cooking and culture. I was gay in Ireland at a time in the late 1980's when you almost needed a second passport to be. I totally get the alienation thing but its possible to be besieged within the siege too.
This man is very smart and charismatic and I'm going to check his place out this week. Identity politics are as individual as the person experiencing them so I can't speak to his experience, but I can just say that life and people are often a lot more various than we give them credit for. I have friends of all cultures and I seek them out and I am totally enriched by them. I look forward to visiting his restaurant.
Bro, WELL-SAID! Spot on...
Hats off to Eddie!!!! I completely get where he is coming from. I am an American raised Taiwanese in the South. Closest dim sum spot is in Atlanta.
I was looking forward to reading an article about Dim Sum, but this was much better. Some of the same feelings I've had about my countrymen from various backgrounds, and the goodness of people.
I moved to NYC when I was 16. It was no doubt a hard adjustment, but it wasn't because of how I was treated, but because of the fact that I came from a completely different background/lifestyle/culture. What did I do? Since I had no choice but to stay here where my mom worked so hard to get me here so that I'd have a brighter future, I did all I could to adapt, to adjust, to blend in, and to fit in. Whenever I am asked what I am, I am a Chinese who was born and raised in Malaysia, but now calling America home. I do not ever feel that there is a "bamboo ceiling" above me. I have never felt that I was discriminate against at any job, any event, any occasion. I disagree with my parents whenever they say something along the line of: oh they're doing that because we are / he/she is Chinese. Get over it. What we make of our lives is up to us. I cannot relate to those who blame their own race or others for discriminating because of their own failure, to achieve, or to make an effort to be part of this country, this culture. I know way too many Asian kids who grew up in the various Chinatowns in NYC, and stick to their own community, and never bother to step out. Yes, we must not forget our roots, (which I don't as I still like to eat my moon cakes and celebrate the dragon boat festivals etc) but at the same time, we must embrace our new adopting country, its culture, and all that it has to offer.
Thanks for the article Eddie. I think this underscores the issues immgrants to this county have faced since near the beginning: how much they should assimilate into the dominant culture, and what traditions and attitudes should they leave behind. I know many of my fellow German ancestors hid the fact that they spoke German and stopped many of their traditions at the onset of World War I, and did not pass them on to other generations. Also,for most groups, speaking any other language other than English gave the impression of being poor and/or uneducated. Much of this is still true today. It seems American society has become more comfortable with various groups trying to maintain some of their culture, and has left some of us wishing we were more connected to our ancestors.
Yep, think of the people that have been living in the US as American citizens for 20 or more years and haven't bothered to learn the local language. Uninterested? Not capable of learning? It's somewhat an insult to all those immigrants who worked so hard to speak like a local.
I know exactly what Eddie is talking about. I'm not ABC, but lived in the USA since 7, and am 34 now. Sometimes I'm Chinese, sometimes I'm American. It can be hard to be "American" but not look it. When people think American, they usually think white American surburanite, or black American athlete. People who are born in the USA or are 1st generation really have it hard, trying to make a better life for themselves in a land of strangers. We all hope one day the ceiling will be gone.
@BYC: As I pointed out in my posts: What ceiling? There's already a US Federal Judge who's ethnically Chinese and 2 Chinese in US Federal politics at Cabinet level. And one of them was Governor of Washington state at one stage of his political career. How much higher do you want to go? President? Well, look at Obama–he's the first black US president and it took how long until a Black became president? Give it time. This claim that Chinese are limited by some "ceiling" in the US is without merit.
Secretary of Commerce or Energy is just a glorified management level position in the US govt. Who remembers anyone for being the secretary of commerce? That title doesn't even make it in the news much left alone the front page. In this country, in order to make a real footprint in history politically you have to be a bona fide policy maker, that means the presidency, secretary of defense, secretary of state, secretary of finance, speaker of the house, a real heavy weight in congress, or even the whitehouse chief of staff. As much as I admire Locke for his accomplishments, he is still essentially a glorified beaurocrat.
Let me get my wife on this...she is Taiwanese-born, ethnically Chinese...100% American. All she and her siblings did was work hard in school and sports, gain admittance to and graduate from Service Academies or get 100% academic scholarships and go on to medical/dental degrees. She maintains her family background/culture and is equally comfortable in mainstream America. Why? Because she embraces it all and doesn't hide behind insecurities and excuses. She is a real example of how hard work, determination, and talent can not be denied in America.
For some reason i feel like most of these comments have missed the meaning of this article. This article is not about where is a good place to eat dim sum or how dim sum is best on Sunday because of how they cook it. The point of this article is to point out how different and segregated our society is. He is speaking from a culture that often time keeps to themselves. Many asian americans these days are stuck in the chaism between being Asian and being American. To find a acceptable middle ground is near impossible because of cultural boundaries.
Yes its true that probably everyone can claim that they face this cultural identity problem as well but the Asian American situation is different from other cultures. The Asian American population can't relate with any of the cultures that they derive from. In the eyes of Americans they are foreign and in the eyes of Asians they are foreign as well. There is no Asian American culture to speak of. This is what the article was trying the emphasize.
Perhaps he should have published this article somewhere besides EATOCRACY then! This isn't "How we're all different.com" or "How immigrants might not feel at home here.com" or "I really wish I'd spent more time learning Chinese.com". If I want articles on immigration or racial differences or opinion pieces on how the author doesn't feel chinese Americans are getting a fair shake, then I'll go out and find them.
If I want an article on different foods here and around the world, this is where I go. The author VERY successfully managed to avoid the issue of food for..oh...99% of his article.
Also, note that while a lot of the Dim Sum restaurants are Cantonese, there is a "northern style" of dim sum that is radically different in that it contains more fried dishes than steamed dishes. I think the closest to it that I've seen served in Manhattan is at Pig Heaven on weekends. Or at least they used to serve it.
Senator Corleone for Americans of Italian descent? Thanks for insulting us again.
You're welcome.
and only 2 things come out of texas, keith. Do you have horns or are you there other?
Uh...Eddie, what do you mean by "...there may never be...an 'Honorable Eddie Huang'"? Do you mean that as you, personally, or just Chinese in general? If the latter, note that there is Judge Denny Chin, the judge who presided over the Bernard Madoff case and sentenced him to 150 years. He might be prefixed when addressed/referred to as the Honorable Denny Chin. Also, there's Gary Locke, currently serving as US Secretary of Commerce and who was once the Governor of Washington state. And Steven Chu, who's the US Secretary of Energy. Both of them are currently serving in the Obama administration. All of them are ethnically Chinese so Chinese certainly *HAVE* "made it" in American society, politics and law...
Thanks, Eddie! I had no idea I was part Chinese. Beer makes me f@rt, too! Who would have thought?
Dim sum is definitely good. But now a day, you must be very careful with those dim sum ready to eat made in China where food is not really checked by any agency like Federal Food and Drug Administatrion in USA. You don't really know what ingredient they put in the food. Be safe than sorry, when eating dim sum making sure that the food items are made fresh from the restaurant not from frozen food made in China.
Maybe that's the key!!! We need to deliver Dim Sum to all of the people involved in the NFL situation. Maybe it will make them smart and they will find a way to keep the sport alive!
Yes you to can be American. The test is that American's strive to be honest and live with ethics. Chinese lie and cheat.
Still think you can be an American?
Don't forget that another part of the test to be an American is you have to be bigoted and judge an entire population based off of a few that might have done you wrong. Oh, I guess you implied that part by your comment.
you mean the same way you were bigoted and judged an entire population in your comment about americans?? way to go hypocrite.
"The test is that American's strive to be honest and live with ethics."
Unless of course you want to go into politics, then lying and living without ethics is a requirement. Which disproves your belief that Chinese lie and cheat, since if they did we would see many more of them in politics.
Oh yes, the USA is SUCH an ethical and moral place. (Are you serious? REALLY?!) People of EVERY color lie and cheat in this country.
I never had sexual relations with that Dim Sum! Now Hillary is another story.
@ Ana...... Americans also donate more to disasters and emergency reliefs around the world than the remaining nations of the world combined (to also include the UN). Next time you want to criticize America for it's "immorality", perhaps you should remember these MORAL acts and FACT!
@JD: Well spoken JD
@ JD does bombing innocent civilian count? If so, we're the top
Wow, jealous much?
LOL You are the biggest idiot! Were that even true, yes they would have passed the test! By learning from us!
You embarrass me.
Of course they can, look at all the dirty white men who lie and cheat on wall street on a daily basis.
Yeah, it's because they are "white" you retard!
Arggggggh! Taiwan is NOT China, Eddie!!!!! Don't do the Taiwan/China thing as if they are the same thing!
Clearly, I understand the distinction. I'm ethnically chinese, parents born in taiwan, I'm born here. I'm not using it interchangeably. I speak Chinese, parents want to move back to Taiwan. Perhaps you have forgotten that there are ethnically chinese people from taiwan ... People try to force me to pick all the time. I don't take sides. Get over it. This wasn't about Taiwan v. China.
Chinese is not a language, did you mean to say mandirin or cantonese or taiwanese or some other dialect? If we wanna change how people view us, we need to do it ourselves. So maybe people will start ask "what chinese language do you speak?" instead of "Do you speak chinese?"
I agree with Eddie. The article isn't about Taiwan vs. China. What a shame that you're missing the whole point. And also, most people who live in Taiwan today, except for the aboriginals, are ethnically Chinese. Get over yourselves.
oh. so you live in TW? or you know anyone live in TW.?? Most people "ethnically Chinese"!!!! you have no idea what you taking about!
saying that you speak "chinese" is like a latino saying that he speaks "mexican"...dude get it right get it tight
I do enjoy your article over all, and my comment is merely pointing out that when you write "When I go back to China/Taiwan..." you are lumping the two into one. Perhaps because you did grow up in America and haven't lived through the chaos and fear that characterized the nationalist rule post-WW2, before there was a democratic election int he 80s, so you are desensitized to what it means to most Taiwanese when you lump the two countries together.
Clearly, ethnic Chinese or Chinese American who do not have generations of roots in Taiwan feel differently about this issue. But to just say "oh get over it" implies that Taiwanese people do not have a say in their destiny and they should suck it up that China is a bigger more powerful country, and they should therefore sacrifice their autonomy.
To you, this is not a big deal - you with the American passport who do not need to fear a China-take over. To the rest of the Taiwanese who enjoy and want to maintain their independence, your statement is a callous example of someone who knows very little of Taiwan.
Apparently, you have not talked to any main land Chinese people , because they seem to think Taiwan belong to Them.
I am coming from mainland China. I don't really care if Taiwan is part of China or not.
There needs to be a stop to this Taiwan/China debate. We'll use whatever hell we want to call ourselves. I'm a proud Chinese American that grew up in Taiwan, but more importantly I'm a citizen of the world.
"We choose to live in a country of immigrants..."
The author seems to understand that America is not defined by one race, but goes on at length about how Chinese Americans "don't look American".
America is a 'melting pot'. We can look like anyone. The idea that Chinese Americans don't look American has never ever crossed my mind.
Maybe it doesn't cross your mind, but it crosses many other American minds. Anglo-Americans, African Americans, etc...expect an accent when I speak. I get asked "How long have you been here? You speak English so well." I have to tell them I was born here. When I tell them my name is Margo, they think I chose it as a teen, not that this is the name on my birth certificate. My great uncle fought in WWII and received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained during combat, but many Americans don't realize my family has been here for generations.
Perhaps you need to try living in a different part of the country. In many many areas, Chinese-Americans are admired not descriminated against.
There was enough ethinic diversity where I grew up that we always assumed Chinese-Americans were Americans first. I had several friends who were first generation Americans (and I am one as well, having a German immigrant mother), and yes, no matter your cultural heritage you will always feel a little bit "different" than those you no longer have an identity other than "American mutt".
However that does not limit your potential. I have many associates who are first generation Americans from Asian countries or even from Africa, who are successful doctors and other professionals. I don't think that people noticing or having curiosity about your hertitage is neccesarily a bad thing.
The author chooses to be Chinese-American, not just American, yet seems emotionally conflicted with this wanting to be different and yet wanting to be accepted. Just go, live life, and not worry so much about how others see you on the outside. Be proud of your culture, in many ways it is an advantage, not a disadvantage. You'll find that out in college and beyond. Life is what YOU make it. There are still plenty of Americans who see people as individuals first and foremost. I have a mexican-american boss who makes 6 figues, yet that ethnic group is generally not thought highly of. Don't let anyone limit your own potential, only your own chip on your shoulder can do that.
There are a lot of good people who take you for what you are. But also still many who don't. Just like those that still smoke, many of us still wonder why. Ignorance?
Are you white?
I agree with you in principle... but think about this: One of my friends of Chinese heritage, born in California, and considers herself JUST American (she doesn't even think of herself as Chinese) had someone tell her that she spoke "wrong" for a Chinese person and "How come you speak English like an American?" The person couldn't get it through his head that someone who "looks Asian" can BE American. Couldn't accept that she was born here, has a normal California-American accent, is fluent in English (but only speaks a few words of Chinese), and is culturally "one of us."
Yes, the bigotry is wrong, but it's common. I see it applied more often to Asian-Americans than to any other group.
Where in Orlando do you eat Dim Sum? I've only ever been to Chan's on 50, but I've been looking for a new place!
Ming's ( you better speak the language or they'll ignore you) or Lam's. There's Asian street food place on Mill's across from Track Shack called Hawkers.
Seconded Ming's Bistro (kindof behind the CVS on 50). I don't speak Chinese and I've never had trouble with the staff ignoring me. It's cart service, so you need to wait for the cart to come by and show you what they have. Pork Bao yuuuuuuuum.
So they don't want to be discriminated against but they won't speak to you if you don't know the language
Are you kidding? Mings doesn't hold a candle to Lam's Garden on the weekend. I only go to Mings when I want Dim Sum on a weekday!
That article went all over the place and Dim Sum was just a small part. I love Dim Sum Sundays and I am black female. I am the human melting pot. I love Chinese food on Christmas, I love tacos for breakfast like South Texas, I like saltines with hog head cheese while fishing in the creek and I adore blue crab and beer while looking at the surrounding Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln monuments. This is a great country.
You've got to find something new to say, or have someone come to the computer with you.
so what you're saying is... you'll eat just about anything at any point in time and love it as much as you loved the previous thing you ate while doing such and such.
lordy.
I obviously don't know you. . . . but you kick a$$! What a great outlook! Carry on mate!
Amen, sister! It's the variety that makes America a great and hopeful place. And Dim Sum.....yummmy!
Dim Sum is a redneck word.... When your cousins get here you kids doint even pull out that Easter candy unless you're going to give Dim Sum.....
In North India, we eat dimsum everyday! Can't resist waiting for a particular day!