Asia Archives - The Race Card Project

Dress like trouble, seen as trouble

February 12, 2026February 15, 2026 Arlington, Asia, criminals, dress, gansters, hoodie, skin, Trayvon Martin, trouble, VA

Mike
Arlington, VA

I’m tired of people dressing, acting, talking like trouble makers, gangsters or criminals then complaining of discrimination. You will become as those with whom you associate. Each individual has the choice how to dress, act and with whom to associate. If they want to be treated as the scum of society, they can just act like it, regardless of skin color.
Millions of immigrants came to this country dirt poor from Asia of all skin tones. They had their businesses and possessions stripped , then were imprisoned during war. Yet Asians are not reviled? No, they worked hard, lived in poverty until they succeeded. They still face discrimination yet build successful businesses and their kids are top performers in school. People who are born in this country can only blame themselves for not succeeding.

Diversity is enriching but also frightening.

January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 Asia, different cultures, diversity, Dubuque, education level, Elizabeth A. Leeper, female, frightening, IA, other, PA, racial diversity, white single

Elizabeth A. Leeper,
Dubuque, IA.

I am a 62 year old, single, white female. I was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Asia, and now live in Iowa. Education level: Ph.D. I appreciate racial and ethnic diversity and experiencing different cultures, but I also understand the fear of the “other.”

Chinese, Japanese parents; I speak neither

May 15, 2024May 15, 2024 Asia, Chinese, CO, Cortez, Japanese, Patricia Lee, speak my own language

Patricia Lee,
Cortez, CO

When people find out that my father was Chinese and my mother was Japanese, they sometimes ask if I am trilingual. Nope. I try to explain that they did not speak each others’ languages, either. English was the language of our household, as if by tacit understanding it was “neutral territory” languagewise.

My parents remembered that those two countries had fought each other. In fact, my father sometimes referred to Japanese as “red devils”. Fights tended to dredge up such garbage. My brother and I kept our mouths shut and our only language, American English.

What White people sometimes are ignorant of is that Asia contains MANY countries, some of whom regard another as an enemy even when any military war was over long ago.

Walls can be made by things other than skin color.

You’re Indian, which isn’t really Asian

May 30, 2023May 30, 2023 Asia, Asian, Ayush Patel, CA, India, Indian, San Jose

Ayush Patel,
San Jose, CA

The differences make us more authentics

July 18, 2022 American, Asia, Chester, different, featureds, look differnt, Nordelys, respect, Reynolds Comunity College., VA, Venezuela

Nordelys,
Chester, VA

I came from Venezuela, where people are common mixed because 50 to 100 years ago my country received people from Europe, Asia,v America and others caused by wars. Today, it is normal to see ladies with very different features, mixtures of surnames between Italian and Spanish… Now, I can appreciate how unique is being different and respect another features… in U.S people just need to see how magic is take the privilege of sharing thoughts, smiles, feelings, cultures instead of living a square life way.

Migrants in dinghies aren’t our enemies

December 13, 2021 Africa, Asia, coastguard, dinghies, Emily Jones, enemies, middle east, migrants, PoC, refuge, UK

Emily Jones,
UK

People in the UK can have the most horrendous attitude to migrants and refugees fleeing problems OUR COUNTRY CREATED in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. People phone the police and coastguard whenever they see a non-white person in a dinghy. “I think they might be a migrant.” Why do you think that? Are POC only allowed to exist in inland cities? “Why can’t migrants seek refuge in other countries?” They do, in their hundreds of thousands. The people that come here are just the tip of the iceberg. The ones that come here usually have family or friends here, or speak the language that we forced on half the world. Just let them in. Let them in and make them safe.

Lost and unaccepted between two worlds

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021 Asia, between, Cambodian, Claudia Martin, Europe, French, German, lost, outsider, Thai, Thailand, unaccepted

Claudia Martin
Thailand

Thai-German-French-Cambodian. In Asia people always assume I’m white, and am treated like an outsider, telling me I’m not really Asian, but in Europe, it’s the opposite. So if I’m neither accepted as a white, or an Asian, I can’t help but feel like I’m always excluded.

Not Asian, nor American, but Asian-American.

January 5, 2020January 5, 2021 American, Asia, Asian, asian-american, foreigner, Houston, Margaret Lin, skin, stick out, TX, yellow skin

Margaret Lin,
Houston, TX.

Although ethnically Asian, I stick out like a sore thumb in Asia. When I visited China last summer, my mother told me that everyone there could tell I wasn’t raised in China. Perhaps it was the way I dressed, or my heavy accent when I attempted speaking Chinese, or how my mannerisms simply were not the same as theirs. I wasn’t fully aware of how different I was from everyone else until my grandmother commented (in Mandarin), “A Chinese person [zhong guo ren] who can’t speak Chinese; that’s just not right.” And my reaction surprised me – I felt somewhat repulsed and thought to myself: But I’m not a “zhong guo ren” (person from China). I’m a “mei guo ren” (person from America).

But at the same time, I knew even that wasn’t completely true. Although I was born in the US, I’m still seen as a foreigner here; after all, I have yellow skin, black hair, and “narrow” eyes. I live in an area relatively well-populated by Asians and go to a university with a sizeable number of Asians as well, but when I step outside of my bubble, I still run into people who are shocked that I speak perfect English. They ask me where I’m “really” from, and then repeat themselves when I answer that I’m from Texas.

So where does that put me? I can’t assume a “double consciousness”; I’ve been rejected by both of the cultures that I theoretically should identify with, and truth be told, I don’t see myself ever fitting into either anyway. My American upbringing makes me reject many aspects of Asian culture, such as the complete and utter deference to superiors that is such a crucial part of Confucianism; and yet, I can’t bring myself to reject my heritage and assimilate into full-on “whiteness” either. That makes me the mule; the mutt; the one oddball in the family whose faults each parent blames on the other.

Don’t get me wrong though. I’m not at all resentful of my unique identity. Am I confused by it? Yes. Do I feel lonely because of it? Sometimes. Am I disappointed in society’s inability to accommodate for it? Considerably. But am I bitter about it? No. There is nothing I would rather be than an Asian-American. Not Asian, nor American, but Asian-American.

Never Accepted As American While Abroad

May 10, 2018May 10, 2018 abroad, American, Asia, Half, J Smith, Japanese, Kenya, look, mistaken

J Smith
Kenya

I’ve spent several years living outside the US (Europe, Asia, Africa) and being half Japanese, I am always mistaken for being from the continent of Asia. Even when I tell people repeatedly that I am also half white and that my Japanese side of the family has been in the US for over 100 years, people still ask me about what life is like in Japan. People bow to me, ask me how to roll sushi, or tell me the two words they know in Japanese on a regular basis. I think most of it has to do with the media in the US in that almost everyone they see in Hollywood is white and hence, they have a really hard time understanding how an Asian looking person can also be American.

I am proud to be white!

April 21, 2018April 20, 2018 Aaron Fitzgerald, Africa, Asia, Australia, diversity, earth, Genocide, Homeland, Jewish, land, liberal, majority, Marxist, Marxist media, Minority, multiculturalism, person of color, PoC, proud, responsible, white, white privilege

Aaron Fitzgerald,
Australia.

It is OK to be white, we are NOT responsible for all the problems that the POC world faces; that the Jewish-run, liberal, left wing, Marxist media would have you believe.

All races have been responsible for genocide, likewise all races have been victims of genocide, even white people, as seen in South Africa right now, Haiti in the past. These whites don’t have “white privilege” for they get killed for being white while farming for those who hate them but the world is DEAD SILENT, imagine if the races were reversed? It seems apartheid has not ended but just “reversed”. Whites deserve a white home land, just like blacks have Africa, Asians have Asia and Jews have Israel, yet it’s somehow “racist” for whites to have Europe?

We are the worlds minority at about 6% of Earth’s population; where are OUR ‘minority rights’??

All races deserve to have their own land without forced ‘diversity and multiculturalism’

“It’s Ok to be white”

Everyone forgets that I’m American too

April 7, 2016 American, Asia, forget, NJ

Asia,
NJ

Why historically white countries become “diverse”?

December 11, 2015December 11, 2015 Africa, Asia, Benito Camela, colonialism, country, dallas, diverse, Europe, historically, south America, TX, white

Benito Camela,
Dallas, TX.

Why no calls for diversity in Africa, South America or Asia? Just Europe, and even countries with no significant history of colonialism.

Not All Asians Speak Chinese, Okay!?

January 2, 2015 Asia, Asian, Austin McGlothlin, Berea, Chinese, CHING-CHONG, Japanese Language, KY, slanted eyes, stereotypes

Austin McGlothlin,
Berea, KY.

I’m an Asian studies major with a concentragtion in Japanese language. I have spent the only year I’ve been in college identifying the cultural differences in Asia that has created stereotypes about all Asians being smart or gifted at musical instruments,etc. But I’ve mostly noticed the fact that no one, even in asian studies classes with me, can tell the difference between asian cultures. Everyone thinks that each country and ethnicity is the same as one another, and they even tend to assume that Asian Americans speak an asian language… well just Chinese. When I tell people I am learning Chinese, I tend to get mocked with the typical “Ching Chong Wong” crap that is supposed to ressemble chinese and doesn’t even acurately mock any other language but Chinese. I’ll even have friends that have known me for years ask me which language I’m learning again because it’s supposedly so similar to chinese that they can’t get it straight. Everyone assumes that they are exactly the same and that both Chinese and Japanese specifically are all there is to Asia and anyone with tan skin and slanted eyes are assumed to be smart, gifted Chinese people. It bothers me.

World is bigger than I knew.

April 14, 2014 all-white, Asia, bigger, IQ, midwestern, Minority, Sarah Alys Lindholm, world

Sarah Alys Lindholm
USA

After growing up white in a small upper-Midwestern town with a nearly all-White population, traveling both within and without the US and seeing how race operated in interactions let me see how race was operating in that lack of interaction too. Living as a racial minority in Asia was one of the best things I ever did for an understanding of how much the color of your skin colors everything, from your perceived personality to your perceived IQ. A temporary minority experience will never be the same as a life in the minority, but boy can it give you some hints.

No, where are you REALLY from?

May 7, 2013 70'S, Asia, Chicago, China, IL, Mike Chen, New York, restaurant, where are you from

Mike Chen
Chicago, IL

My wife and I were both born and raised in New York. Our parents immigrated from Asia in the 70s, and are all naturalized citizens. We speak fluent English without an accent. We have always identified ourselves as Americans.
This question comes up disappointingly often, typically asked in a few variations sequentially until it is clear how the asker wants us to respond – allowing them to categorize appropriately. Having many friends with different cultural backgrounds, I understand that this question is typically out of curiosity rather than spite, and I try my best not to conclude ignorance too quickly. However, when asked by complete strangers the translation is typically “you are foreign”.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were on the bus going to a restaurant for dinner. A white woman sat a few seats in front of us, glancing back at us and smiling. Eventually, she made her way back to us, beginning with “Ok, I have to ask you…” We knew what was coming next. “Where are you from?” she asked, like countless had asked before. I responded quickly, “New York”. She shook her head unsatisfied, “Where are you REALLY from?” My wife repeated my answer, “New York”. The woman tried again, “No, where were you born?” Getting annoyed “we were both born in New York.” And then a third try, “Ok, where were your parents born?” At this point my wife and I were in different moods on how to continue this exchange. My wife gets this question more often, even within her workplace, and responded curtly “why do you want to know?” Simultaneously, my interest was in ending this conversation as quickly as possible and gave in to what I knew the woman wanted to hear “China”. The woman’s eyes grew bright, “China!” she beamed “I’ve seen a documentary about Shanghai. It is beautiful.” This is where it should have ended… but it did not.
The woman continued to speak at us for several stops about how exotic Shanghai seemed, and how her son had taken on the noble task of traveling there to teach English (anyone who has lived abroad in Asia among English teaching expatriates will understand the humor I found in that). Finally, she asked “what’s it like over there?” My wife responded, “I don’t know – I’ve never been… You know, your questions can be taken as quite offensive. Even though we may look different than you, we are American.”
The woman responded very clearly, “No you’re not”.