You didn’t mention that Asian-American students are often perceived as coming from wealthy (or at least well-to-do) backgrounds, as well. I suppose the stereotype is that their parents are all doctors, scientists, engineers. If there is that perception, that is another difficulty in seeing Asian-Americans as a “minority” in need of special consideration. The feeling is, “Well, they’re all rich high achievers anyway; so what are they complaining about?”

Oddly enough, this is another perception that gay activists don’t realize may be counting against them — the perception that they are all mostly white-collar, well-to-do, and have high paying jobs... ("so what’s THEIR problem now?")

Donna, at 8:50 am EST on February 28, 2008

Great Article and very well stated. It’s amazing that even after over 20 years of active work in the APA community against this sort of “racism” its still tolerated by schools.

Let’s be frank here. If someone printed a “satire” about an African-American in a school newspaper, a few things would happen. 1) The NAAACP will be pounding down the doors of the newspaper 2) There will be a rally and every African-American student will be pounding down the doors of the newspaper 3) The college will apologize profusely and will close the newspaper down 4) It will be front page news on CNN, Fox, and every other major network.5) The National Guard might even be called in to prevent any sort of riots from occuring.

That’s why you don’t see little or no “satire’s” about African Americans.

But somehow its become ok to do it to the Asian Americans. Need a minority group that won’t cause a riot? Pick A for Asian Americans. Need a minority group that usually never fights back? Pick A for Asian Americans. In fact, when America needs a boogieman for virtually any problem, real or imagined, Pick A for Asian Americans. This is not a stereotype, its a FACT.

This sort of behavior will continue to occur until Asian Americans realize that’s its NOT ok to turn the other cheek. Sadly, I’m beginning to think that a few college campuses need to burn to the ground before America starts to wake up and smell the rice and realize that Picking “A” can and will have disasterous consequences. Until then, I fear the Picking A will remain a popular choice.

Dizzy, at 12:20 pm EST on February 28, 2008

Needs to be said

This has needed to be said for a long time. As a first-generation college student and an Asian-American, I find it offensively presumptuous that institutions of higher education think I don’t face any challenges because of how I look. College has been a struggle with isolation and alienation.

First-Generation College Student, at 9:10 pm EST on February 29, 2008

MAX KARSON THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

MAX KARSON THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASSwritten by a non-journalist

As I walked out of the UMC, and let my eyes adjust to the light, someone from behind me slammed into me. It was Cassie Hewlings, the editor of the Campus Press, dressed like a Kittredge duckling

“I’m sorry, quack, quack,” she said. Her eyes focused away from me.

I turned around and there was a mob of Korean students running toward her. Well, they looked Korean anyway.

“I’M SORRY! Quack, quack.” she exclaimed as she ran off, “I’m sorry! Quack, quack. I’m sorry! Double-quack.”

The mob of Koreans chased after her, still holding their fingers in their ears. I stopped one of them. She pulled her fingers out of her ears.

“Why do you have fingers in your ears?” I asked.

“Because we don’t trust her words anymore,” she said, and then continued the chase.

I walk over to a newsstand, and noticed all the copies of the Campus Press newspapers were gone. I go to another stand. Gone. Then I noticed a large pile of Campus Press newspapers sitting in the recycling bin. There were several days’ worth in there, and none of them had been read.

I pulled one out, and I noticed there were no advertisements. On top of that, all the articles were about the same topic, but just different tones. They looked like they were all authored by different people, but then I just realized the names were just anagrams of the same name. The subject matter was closet space efficiency.

A Japanese-looking student walked by, and dumped more Campus Press newspapers into the bin.

“Why are you throwing these away?” I inquired.

“Because we don’t trust their words anymore,” she explained. That’s when I noticed a whole line of Japanese students who have come to recycle the trash. Gotta love Japanese efficiency.

I walked outside, and noticed a podium at the end of the UMC fountain, which happened to be filled with some kind of Kool-Aid. A bunch of Vietnamese students were standing in front of the podium with their ears duct taped. I don’t know how I knew they were Vietnamese considering their eyes were also covered in duct tape, but some how, I just knew. We always know.

Then I saw Max Karson go up to the podium. Karson admired his audience for a second, lowered the mic, and turned around. Karson bent over, and grabbed hold of his cheeks to spread them apart.

Everything then started to spin.

His anus began to speak:

“When I wrote my Pulitzer Prize winning satire, I was speaking for the Asian people because God knows they don’t know enough English to speak for themselves. I know what it’s like to be an Asian. Correction, Asian-American. I love pho, kung-fu movies, and Japanese bondage. I didn’t need to interview anyone. That would have made me a common journalist. I’m above that. I know what’s it’s like to be an Asian-American. I know their pain and suffering first hand. I grew up as an Asian-American. I AM ASIAN-AMERICA! So I don’t owe Asian-Americans an apology. If anything, Asian-Americans owe me an apology…as soon as they pass their ESL classes.”

I got so dizzy, I had to take my fingers put them in my ears, and shut my eyes.

ExploitAsian, non-journalist, at 8:25 am EST on March 1, 2008

Article stops short of real problem.....

First off, the argument of the article, that Asian-Americans have been disregarded as minorities because they do not fit the mold, is spot on. However, the article remains on this point as if that is the cause of the publishing of journalistic rubbish at Asian expense.

The truth is that our universities, and the journalism departments and student papers attached to them, have entirely shirked any responsibility to true education and civility on campus. The author erroneously inferred that articles about Jews and the LGBT community would not stand, while those about Asians do. Not true. A commenter has already stated that such attacks do occur against LGBTs. The same is true for Jews. One can easily find any number of anti-Jewish op-eds, cartoons, or even news reports in campus newspapers across the country. How about “Jews Manipulate America” published in the Santa Rosa Community College Newspaper. Or the cartoon of Jews with horns, or as nazis in Texas student newspapers.

The point is that Asians are not unique in their being rejected as a “favored” racial, religious or ethnic group on campus. They are being wronged, there is no doubt, but the solution is not to re-propel Asians into the protected status. The solution is to demand a higher level of excellence and responsibility from our nation’s highest institions of education. The standard for civility does not alter from one victim to the next. It is a constant or it is not civility at all.

If we see the solution to the journalistic failings as the need to recognize Asians as minorities, all we are doing is continually updating a list of “endagered” students which cannot be attacked, meanwhile leaving it open season on anyone else who happens to be left off the list. Asians are minorities, but that is not the reason they shouldn’t be ridiculed.

Callie, at 2:05 pm EST on March 3, 2008

Eveyone wants to be a victim. A poor underachieving white kid is just as much a victim as anyone else. If the education system wants to solve problems, they should solve it for everyone.

Sharon — toughen up.

Dennis Ruhl, at 5:35 pm EDT on March 9, 2008

Quite honestly, Asians are the only people in this country who are actually penalized for doing WELL. usually, people are rewarded for their hard work.

I think the model minority myth is the single most detrimental stereotype to asian americans because it allows people to adopt a callused attitude towards asians. After all, no one attempts to provide assistance to those perceived to be the “elite". Unfortunately, this perception causes poor asians and asians who need academic assistance to fall through the crack.

The biggest irony is that in spite of all the hard work by asian americans, we’ve never managed to rise to the top tier of business OR politics. We’re always the workers but not the boss. Its like how one can do everything right but STILL not get past the glass ceiling. If people TRULY wnt to talk about oppression, i think this is a subject worth discussion.

And finally, because of the model minority myth, we’ve now become a whipping boy for everybody’s problems. Whites who are against affirmative action say that without affirmative action, more asian americans will be able to get into colleges (i believe the open slots will be filled by white students instead). Whites who are FOR affirmative action, says asians are stealing spots from whites and those who are helped by affirmative action. Quite honestly, we’re caught in the cross fire of various battles waged by other people and we have absolutely no say over how we’re used. There are of course prejudiced blacks out there who see Asian Americans as being a part of the “white culture” and therefore a part of their problem. And then there are prejudiced whites who see Asians as the enemy who is here to steal whats rightfully theirs. Either way, it’s our fault but because of our status as pseudo-whites, we don’t get the same degree of consideration all other minorities get. Since we’re “practically like whites” we’re fair game for “satires” and because we’re “practically” but NOT white, we’re still subjected to various forms of prejudices.

talk about between a rock and a hard place.

^_^, at 5:10 pm EDT on April 9, 2008

Isn’t this just more of the same?

When you say that, in general, Asian Americans are “super achieving students who thrive on college campuses” aren’t you merely falling victim to the stereotyping game? I have known many an ‘Asian American’ who made poor grades or was a class clown. Why doesn’t the class clown Asian American get any representation? Stereotyping, even in a positive light, is inaccurate and offensive to those who experience a reality other than yours.

Marcus, at 9:05 am EDT on September 9, 2008