My interpretation of my strange dream...

If you haven't gotten the chance to read about my strange dream, see the previous post.

Most people that know me know that I have a strong interest, bordering on an obsession, with the topic of race. It didn't become a full-blown obsession until I entered adolescence, and more specifically, BYU. Race didn't have much relevance in my life before; didn't notice it much and didn't care to notice it. I've always considered myself American and I've never made a differentiation between my nationality, my ethnicity, and my race. I don't particularly like being reminded that I am somehow different from the majority of Americans. Since entering BYU I have been subject to a slew of ignorant comments. I cannot necessarily call them prejudiced because I really don't know their purpose or intent was; perhaps sheer ignorance. Once I was sitting in BYU's Marriott Center (which is our sports arena) about to hear our former prophet speak some words, when a boy and girl behind me started to make fun of Asians and their "funny" accents. I sat there, so completely shocked and appalled; wanting to say something but not knowing quite what. Once while driving in my car with my windows down a group of boys drove next to me and shouted, "Do you have any rice, can you give me some rice?" Sure, I could laugh such experiences off, but I can't shake the feeling that I get whenever these incidents occur: I AM DIFFERENT. And in these cases, those differences were substantial enough to subject me to harassment.

But in reality, those differences are very inconsequential. Race is simply a social construct; something that has been manipulated to mean much more than it should. Any differences in hair or skin color, eye shape, or nose width accounts for 2% of our genetic makeup. Race is only important if we give it importance and meaning. The symbolism behind race is so entrenched in our society that we can easily conjure up words that stereotypically define a Black (gangster), Latino (illegal), and Asian (nerd). Furthermore, race is often incorrectly associated with culture. If a person is Asian, an assumption can be that they are a part of "Asian culture." There are many Asians who no longer reside in their nation of origin and that have assimilated themselves into American institutions and belief systems. Many American born Asians are entirely unfamiliar with Asian culture and fully embrace the American way of life.

I am an American. I don't like it when people try to question this. When people ask me where I'm from, and refuse to be satisfied with the honest answer of 'Las Vegas,' I get angry. I am from Las Vegas. I was born and raised in Las Vegas. If you're asking me where I'm from because you think it'll help you understand me and the culture I come from a little better, you are wrong. I was raised with the Protestant work ethic while given hopes that I too, could one day achieve the American dream. I'm capitalistic. I don't plan on giving my parents money when they grow old. (Don't worry mom and dad, I will take care of you if you're sick and dying :)) I don't tell people what I think to their face. We didn't have a rice cooker in my house while growing up. McDonald's Happy Meals sustained my life as a child. I didn't learn the Chinese language until only recently and my American accent can still be heard from miles away, in fact, it still reverberates around the streets of Nanjing (I went to Nanjing, China for a study abroad in the fall). When I visited China for my first time, I, like my fellow white Americans was in a total state of culture shock. Furthermore, the Chinese didn't accept me as one of their own, myself being too American. In short, don't associate race with culture. In fact, don't associate race with anything.

I don't appreciate it when White Americans refer to themselves as Americans and then classify me as something else. Like today, one of my professors used the term Americans to describe Whites living in America. If anything, America is becoming something very non-White. Don't assume that America is one WASP nation under GOD. It is and will forever be much more than that.

To clarify, my interest in race started when I began to see that others saw me as different from the majority. I am not suggesting that everyone views me this way. In fact, many of my friends have told me that they don't see me as being different in any way.

SAD SIDE NOTE: Studies show that adolescents and their friend circles tend to become more racially homogeneous as they get older. In college, the rift between racial groups becomes especially evident. Prejudice and racism actually increases as individuals grow older. I've always found that to be a bit ironic, being that in college we tend to become more culturally educated (I hope). It doesn't make it any easier when you attend college that is very racially homogeneous to begin with. My belief is the more exposure you have to different races, the more opportunities you will have to see that people don't fit into cookie cutter constructs; the more you will be able to see that race predicts nothing. So I end on this, "DIVERSITY IS GOOD!"