the sweetest tongue

Race-Sensitive?

Sunday, May 8th, 2005 | I'm a bitch and I know it.

I think I just experienced the most racist thing on Friday. As I was walking around the mall during my lunch break, I passed by a gentleman on sitting at a table, and I nodded to him in politeness. he goes ahead and PUTS HIS HANDS TOGETHER AND BOWS HIS HEAD TO ME!

Umm, I don’t know about you, but this disturbs me in a very deep level. While I recognize the attempt at respect, I also recognize a blatant ignorance of me as an individual. No, I do not greet people in that manner, and neither does anyone in my family. His first mistake was assuming that I that I was of a people who greeted people with that gesture. The second was assuming that because I was of Asian descent, I would automatically be deep-rooted in some sort of Asian tradition. No, I do not prefer chopsticks over a fork and knife, and I do not burn incense at an altar every night, thank you.

Maybe I am reading too much into his attempt at respect. His good intentions are there, but what I recognize is a deep-seated misconception that because I am Asian, I am the perpetual foreigner. No, I consider myself American through and through, and while I might even be considered white-washed in many aspects, I consider it a sore point when I am reminded that I am different, and possibly not welcome. It is almost like me walking down the street, and having people pointing at me and screaming “Asian!”, which has happened before many times before, believe it or not.

But then again, remember that ignorance and racism/prejudice are irrevocably intertwined.

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