Cultural and Racial Identity

For the past couple of weeks, I have been really thinking about this identity struggle. I just got a copy of Russell Peter’s show. One of his skits he starts talking and joking about the difference between identifying yourself racial or culturally. And I’m sitting here thinking, ”Shit, that is so true. “ There is a major conflict on how people identify themselves. He uses himself as an example and I agree. Racially he is an Indian man, but culturally he is Canadian. There is nothing Indian about him. And I feel that that’s how a majority of Asian-Americans are. I myself, like to identify being Chinese-American, because culturally I’m Chinese and American. I have both cultures in me. And that is how I identify people, by culture. If you’re your racially Asian but culturally American, then to me you’re just an American, because there is nothing Asian about you. You’re only Asian, because of your skin tone, and background. Lot of Asian-American are identify themselves Asian racially, but let’s think about this if we identify ourselves racially, then that just makes us Asian. We can’t call ourselves Asian-American, because we are not racially American. So we must rely on culture to identify ourselves. Then, as I said before, if Asian-Americans just have American culture and no Asian, then that just makes them American. It one of these major conflicts that we are or need to make clear of.

I still see the term “Asian-American” is two terms, not one. We are called Asian-Americans, because we are Asian and American. Our Asian culture and American culture what makes us what we are. If the two words have to be one then what ever Asian-American culture is, have to have some sort of combination or fusion of Asian and American culture. Like the Chinese food we talked about in class, if we actually think about it, it’s still Chinese food and not Chinese-American. We only make it because the white people liked it, meaning they will come to the restaurant more often. Or like Hip-Hop, how is that Asian-American? Just because majority of Asians are into it makes it like that? Hip Hop is still an American culture and if we follow the roots I guess we can say its African culture. Can we really just say,” Oh it’s an Asian doing an American thing, so it’s Asian American.” Well what happens if we have a White guy doing Asian things? Is that American Asian?

There is still such a large conflict on this matter because everyone has a different point of view. And I might be one of the few who is struggling the most, because I’m into my Chinese culture and the American culture. It harder for me to find a place to fit in because everything is so one sided. Its ether you’re American or you’re Asian. And that is my goal as an Asian-American to be accepted by both, because I’m into both cultures. It shows that I can fit in with both side by constantly switch back and forth between the two cultures.

I what to talk a little more about this but I’m getting a bit tired of typing so maybe later.

-Ryan