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ASIAN AMER. SUCCESS.
Term Paper ID:23317
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Essay Subject:
Examines social history of minority & argues that educational & economic success has been won despite prejudice & discrimination.... More...
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8 Pages / 1800 Words
14 sources, 45 Citations,
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Paper Abstract:
Examines social history of minority & argues that educational & economic success has been won despite prejudice & discrimination.
Paper Introduction:
ASIAN AMERICAN SUCCESS
This research paper discusses the concept of Asian American success and the degree to which it is myth or reality. Asian American immigrants and their descendants have achieved a quite remarkable degree of success in improving their material well being in the United States and otherwise becoming useful citizens; however, patterns of success and acculturation have varied across the diverse Asian American population at different times and some problems remain to be addressed.
Introduction
During the 1980s and 1990s, a flurry of books and articles
Text of the Paper:
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On the whole, Asian Americans are optimistic about their future. Asian Americans are generallywelcomed as technicians and professionals, but they continue to havedifficulty breaking the glass ceiling at more senior executive levels. In a 1995 poll bythe Henry J. During World War II,more than 11 , Japanese Americans, 64 percent of whom were Americancitizens, were incarcerated as a security measure and as a result of publichysteria in relocation camps in the West and suffered financial lossesestimated at $4 million (Bell 27). They were less numerousthan the Pilipinos or the Chinese but by the outbreak of World War II, themajority of them had achieved at least lower middle class status. "America's Super Minority." Fortune, 24 November, 1986, 148-163.Rivera, Carla. Relatively few Japanese Americans, who account for only sixpercent of all Asian Americans, have arrived in recent years (Tyson A8). "The Triumph of Asian-Americans." New Republic, 15 July 1985, 24-31.Hazlitt, Thomas W. The number of elected and appointed AsianAmerican officials is up from several hundred in 1978 to 12 in 1996 (KangA18). Winnick said that as compared with other Americanminorities, "Asian Americans are more dispersed,"-i.e. Ramirez said that "[Non-Asian] Americanchildren spent substantially less time on academic activities," especiallyhomework than did Asian Americans (149). "Mything the Point." Reason, October, 1992, 66.Kang, K. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1991.----------------------- 18 Most Chinese who came werecontract laborers recruited to work on the railroads and in other servilecapacities from the 184 s onwards. (Ed.). In197 , 71 percent of Chinese American males and 51 percent of ChineseAmerican females attended college, as compared with national averages of 37percent and 27 percent, respectively (Kitano 127). They aredisproportionately represented relative to their percentage of thepopulation at many colleges. In 1994, 76 percent of Asian Americans who wereregistered to vote, voted, as compared with 64 percent of Hispanics and 63percent of blacks (Kang A18). Works CitedBell, Daniel H. A number of factors appeared to account for the relatively highdegree of material success achieved by Japanese Americans and ChineseAmericans among earlier immigrant groups and for the disparities amonglater arriving groups. On the other hand, after theinitial wave of Vietnamese refugees, most of whom had some money, educationand at least some knowledge of English, their successors from Indochina,the boat people and others were "mostly poorly educated fisherman andfarmers" (Ramirez 148). The reputation of AsianAmericans for preferring to live apart from other groups appears to bebreaking down somewhat, especially in the more established ethnic groups.Bell reported that as of 1985, 63 percent of Japanese Americansintermarried with non-Japanese Americans (3 ). "Asian Americans: The Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Pilipinos, and Southeast Asians." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, March 1981, 454: 125-138.Light, Andrew. The relative success of Asian Americans has not always been welcomedby other groups who fear that they are taking jobs away from 'native'Americans. In 199 , the overall poverty rate amongAsian Americans (14 percent) was higher than that of non-Hispanic whites (9percent) but was much lower than comparable rates for blacks (29 percent)and Hispanics (25 percent) (Tyson A8). Kitano said that second and subsequent generation Japanese Americans"used educational opportunities as a means of upward mobility" (131). The result was a dramatic increase in the influx ofAsian Americans. Most Asian Americans areuncomfortable with the image of them projected in these media which theyknow to be oversimplified. Asian Americans as awhole had higher scores on the SAT (college entrance examinations) than didwhites (by a 525 to 491 ratio) (Winnick 27). "Study of Immigrants Finds Asian at Top in Science and Medicine." Washington Post, 18 April 1994, A8.Tyson, Ann Scott. All threegroups encountered severe discrimination. Conclusion Although their lives are not free from discrimination and otherspecial problems, Asian Americans have made great strides in recentdecades. Today Asian Americans are thefastest growing minority and a significant target of consumer marketingefforts. Areas of Controversy Discrimination barriers faced by Asian Americans have beenintermediate in nature, much less, for example, than those experienced byblacks. The 1965 act removed race and color as bases for exclusion. Winnick says that Pilipinos tend to have weaker traditions inthese areas (27). In New York City between1987 and 1992, 131 hate crimes against Asian Americans were reported (Lee9). TheJapanese began arriving in the 189 s and gravitated largely to truckfarming, gardening and small merchant activities. Asian Americans have recently become more active politically, an areain which traditionally because of discrimination or preference they werepoorly represented. On closer analysis, it isapparent that the truth concerning Asian Americans is more complex. Their relative success is a reality; not a myth. Patterns of Wealth and Accomplishment According to the 199 census, the median annual household income ofAsian Americans was $36, , higher than non-Hispanic whites ($31, ),Hispanics ($24, ) and blacks ($19, ) (Tyson A8). The largest groups of Asian Americans admittedafter 1965 have been the Pilipinos (at a recent rate of 5 , per annum)and Koreans (36, per annum) and 9 , Indochinese refugees werepermitted to enter outside the regular quotas since 1965 (Winnick 22). Morethan 2 nationality groups have been lumped into the category of AsianAmericans (including Pacific islanders), each of whom has distinctivereligions, cultural heritages and unique historical experiences before theyarrived in the United States and sense. Light said that earlier immigrant groups, especiallythe Japanese and Chinese brought with them a cultural tradition of "hardwork, thrift, rationality and self-denial" (314). President Ronald Reagan said they were "exemplars of hope andinspiration" (bell 26). The three major groups of Asians who immigrated to America beforeWorld War II were the Pilipinos, who were the largest group and migratedhere primarily to fill plantation labor and domestic service jobs, mostlyin the West, after 19 3. Introduction During the 198 s and 199 s, a flurry of books and articles appearedwhich extolled Asian Americans for the progress they had made in adaptingto American life and in achieving economic gains. Asian American immigrantsand their descendants have achieved a quite remarkable degree of success inimproving their material well being in the United States and otherwisebecoming useful citizens; however, patterns of success and acculturationhave varied across the diverse Asian American population at different timesand some problems remain to be addressed. Chinese Americans excelled inscience, math, engineering, computer technology and business courses. Twenty four percent of whiteAmerican adults are professionals, managers of executives. Connie. "Latinos, Asians to Lead Rise in U.S. Those who stayed were largely confinedto low income Chinatowns in cities like San Francisco, and New York. In 1986 Ramirez reported that 9 percent ofIndochinese refugees who had been in country less than three years werereceiving public assistance (148). Immigrants in Naturalization." Los Angeles Times, 27 March 1996, A1, A8.Kitano, Harry L. Quotaswere set for all countries which were to be filled on the basis of theeducation and skills and number of relatives in the United States ofprospective admittees. as compared with47 percent of Americans from India, 3 percent of Chinese Americans and 22percent of Korean Americans (Winnick 24). Among immigrant groups, they have by far thehighest naturalization rate, 81 percent (Kang A1). "Asians Lead U.S. Japanese and Chinese Americans,and later Korean Americans developed strong community support groups,including rotating credit associations which facilitated the accumulationof capital. "America's Model Minority." Commentary, August 199 , 22-29.Yetman, Norman R. Many Asian Americans object to being lumped into one undifferentiatedstereotype even though their overall image is positive. Among the older immigrant groups, Japanese Americanslead in most categories of income, Pilipino Americans lagged the generalaverages and Indochinese Americans have done the poorest. Commission on civil rights reported in 1992that "Asian Americans faced widespread prejudice, discrimination andbarriers to equal opportunity) ("Up From" 12 ). Patterns of Immigration Prior to recent decades, Asian Americans were a relativelyinsignificant minority in America who had achieved only modest success andendured a great deal of discrimination. A number of factors caused this change, the most important ofwhich was the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 (1965). Norman R. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard, 44 percent of AsianAmericans surveyed said that language difficulties were a major problem(Sun A8). Asian Americans have run (unsuccessfully) for mayor in San Francisco,Oakland and Los Angeles. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1991.Ramirez, Anthony. if they have thefunds, they can escape the inner cities to the suburbs (28). Inthe poll cited by Sun, 84 percent said they thought they are as well off orbetter off than the average white American and 58 percent said they had thesame or a better chance of becoming wealthy (A9). Many of them were imbuedwith a strong entrepreneurial tradition. Some of those complaints undoubtedly have merit, butFortune pointed out in 1992 that "Asian Americans have been succeedingessentially without the benefit of affirmative action" ("Up From" 12 ). Although there have been a few notable exceptions, Asian Americansaccount for only .5 percent of the officers and directors of the 1, largest American corporations (Ramirez 152). In the LosAngeles Times poll, 4 percent of blacks responding said they would preferthat the Koreans leave their neighborhoods (Rivera A2 ). In1994, the largest groups of Asian Americans after the Pilipinos wereChinese (19.6 percent), Indians (14.4 percent) and Koreans (12.2 percent).(Tyson A8). Kitano said that the previous stereotype of AsianAmericans as sly and untrustworthy aliens of the Fu Manchu variety had beenreplaced a new image of a "a hard-working, quiet, achievement-orientedpeople with a minimum of social problems" (125). For example,two thirds of recent immigrants from India have advanced degrees and 91percent have been college graduates (Suro A6). In 1994, one halfof all Southeast Asians (excluding Indians from India) had annual incomesbelow $1 , (Tyson A8). Majority and Minority. In 1986 Asian Americans accounted for 12percent and 2 .6 percent, respectively, of the freshman classes at HarvardCollege and Berkeley, respectively (Ramirez 149). "Cultural Differences Set Asian Americans Apart." Washington Post, 1 October 1995, A8-9.Suro, Robert. A 1993 Los Angeles Times poll reported that 55 percent ofrespondents said they would support an end to all immigration, and although51 percent said they admired Asian Americans for their industriousness, 18percent criticized them for being too clannish and 9 percent for beingunfriendly or too aggressive (Rivera A 2 ). Asian Americans have also complained that they are discriminatedagainst in admissions to colleges and graduate schools. Hazlitt quotes aWesleyan University professor who said that "the 'mythology of success' hasbeen an enormous disservice to Asian-Americans who find thischaracterization does not at all reflect their own experience" (66). In a 1993 Los Angeles Times poll, 36 percent of Asian Americans rateddiscrimination as "a sizeable problem," but most of them citeddiscrimination in public places rather than discrimination in housing oremployment (Rivera A2 ). After a series of exclusionaryimmigration acts culminating in the Oriental Exclusion Act of 1924,immigration of Asians to America slowed to a trickle. In1994 Asian Americans generally were disproportionately represented amongphysicians (six times their percentage of the general population),engineers (four times) and in the natural sciences (four times) (Suro A6).This superior educational performance appears to be due to a combination ofgenetic and cultural factors. "Asian Americans Spurn Image As Model Minority." Los Angeles Times, 26 August 1994, A8."Up From Inscrutable." Fortune, 6 April 1992, 12 .Winnick, Louis. They were exempt from the quotas of theimmigration laws and are still the largest Asian American group in theUnited States (24.2 percent in 1994 (Tyson A8). By 1995, there were approximatelynine million Asia Americans in the United States who accounted for 3.3percent of the population, a figure which is expected to grow at the rateof 25 , or more per annum and constitute 8.2 percent of the populationby 2 5 (Rosenblatt A1). Yetman, 3 7-318. Sixteen percent ofAsian Americans earned over $75, per annum, as compared with 1 percentof non-Hispanic whites, five percent for Hispanics and three percent forblacks (Tyson A8). Kitano said "the basic strength of the Japanese-Americans lies in the community, the family and the culture-hard work andother values" (133). Population." Los Angeles Times, 14 March 1996, A1, A4.Sun, Lena H. Asian Americans rose as a percent of all immigrants fromsix percent between 1951 and 196 to 428, (3 percent) in the 197 s and2.5 million (46 percent and an absolute increase of 1 8 percent in a singledecade) in the 198 s (Winnick 27; Lee 9). "Immigrant and Ethnic Enterprise in North America." In Majority and Minority, ed. They argue that theirscholastic achievements warrant their having more places as students andfaculty in academia. Social demographerWilliam Peterson at Berkeley called Asian Americans a model minority(Winnick 23). ASIAN AMERICAN SUCCESS This research paper discusses the concept of Asian American successand the degree to which it is myth or reality. "Asians Say They Fare Better Than Other Minorities." Los Angeles Times, 2 August 1993, A1, A2 .Rosenblatt, Robert A. Not all groups in American society welcomedtheir presence or reacted the same way to their success. Among more recent immigrants, Winnick said that "Asia responded [tothe liberalized immigration law] by sending its brightest and best" (23).Bell said that "most new Asian-Americans come to the United States withprofessional skills or they come to obtain those skills" (29). Nevertheless, the U.S. Tensions have been high in urban neighborhoods in cities like LosAngeles between African Americans and Asian Americans, especially Koreans,who have taken over many inner city businesses in the ghettoes.
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