If you're a minority, then I encourage you to use racism as motivation to build more wealth and achieve financial freedom sooner. The sooner you can build a passive income portfolio that covers your basic living expenses, the sooner you'll be free!
When I was a kid, I used to be very combative when it came to fighting racism. Part of the reason had to do with attending international schools in Asia until I was 14.
Kids from all over the world can get pretty nasty towards each other along racial lines, even though you'd think the opposite might happen in a diverse group.
I took up martial arts and learned ways to cripple my opponents in a fight if necessary. It's just in my personality to stick up for myself and others, even if it means going to the hospital or jail.
Use Racism As Motivation To Get Better
It's easy to dismiss racism as no big deal if you're not a minority. You don't experience the same slights, perceived or otherwise, that frequently come your way. It happens at work, or in the grocery store, or on an airplane, or when you're standing in line anywhere minding your own business.
Over time you become inured to the insults, but the sting never goes away. It just gets buried. You move on.
Now that I'm an adult who has gone through the system to finally have enough to live life on my own terms, people have stopped pissing me off as much.
I don't have to kiss someone's ass to get ahead, nor do I have to sacrifice any shred of dignity to make more money. I've really got nothing to complain about, so I don't.
But when I see bullshit incidences like when a white woman called the cops on a black man after he simply asked her to leash her dog in Central Park, that pisses me off.
Use Discrimination As Fuel For Greater Grit And Determination
These types of situations keep happening over and over again. We need to make our voices heard. We need to share our experiences. And we need to make people accountable for their actions.
I don't know what it's like to be a black man living in America, but I do want to share some perspective on what life is like as an Asian minority living in America. Racism was a big reason why I decided to save so much and aggressively work on my passive income streams.
The desire to be beholden to no one was and still is a huge motivating factor.
I hope by sharing my experiences with racism others will share their own experiences as well. Ultimately, I hope to encourage those with racist tendencies to realize how much their actions hurt others so they can finally stop.
Every single hateful encounter I experience offline or online is from someone who has something difficult going on with their financial or personal lives. I believe that if more people at least can get their financial lives in order, some of their hate for others will slowly melt away.
Example Of Racism That Provided Me Max Motivation
My first experience with racism started in the 4th grade at Taipei American School. We aways had an “Americans” vs. “Chinese” soccer game during recess.
The issue was I was American, but of Asian ethnicity. “Americans” was really a code word for white, which included my white European classmates. So weird to cultivate a divide so early on.
Even though we were in Taiwan, Asians were called derogatory names on the pitch by non-Asians at Taipei American School all the time. There was a fight every single week.
One time I was tripped by a white German kid who proceeded to then stand over me and taunt me with racial slurs. I swept his legs from underneath him, stomped my heel into his solarplex and he laughed no longer. We both had to face the wall during the next recess.
Another time in the 7th grade at the International School Of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I was minding my own business shooting hoops during recess when a white kid proceeded to pick up my ball, punt it across the outdoor court for no reason and yell a slur.
I furiously told him to get the ball, and when he refused I punched his eardrum with an open hand. He went to the nurse's office because he said he lost his haring. He later apologized as did I.
Fighting Back Against Racism Was Part Of Life
I was able to fight back as a kid because all of us were more or less the same size. Starting in high school, it got much harder to fight back because I stopped growing but the bullies kept getting larger and larger. Some even brought knives to school.
But even with a size differential, I still fought back and got suspended for a couple days after getting into a fight with this one fella three inches taller and 40 pounds heavier. He had pushed me over while tying my shoe before class started. A cheap shot for sure, so I punched him in the face, crushing his glasses into his eyes in the process.
The head of security, who also happened to be my varsity tennis coach was called over to escort us to the principal's office. We were both suspended for a couple days.
When I was working my first craptastic job in high school at McDonald's, my Latino colleagues and I were constantly berated by a white manager for speaking Spanish.
I was in my fourth year of taking Spanish and would practice all I could with native speakers while I made those quarter pounders. “Shut up all of you! Stop speaking Spanish and making the customers feel uncomfortable. This is America!” he'd yell at us. Such verbal abuse for $4 an hour just wasn't worth it.
Below is an example of the occasional racist comments I receive on Financial Samurai.
Racism Continued Throughout College In Virginia
During college in the south, I was having a midnight snack with my girlfriend at Denny's, of all places, when four white offensive linemen came in mid-meal and sat in the booth next to us.
They told us to “Get the fuck out of here you chinks” or else they'd beat me and my girlfriend up. My girlfriend was half white, half Asian and absolutely beautiful.
She grew up in Abingdon, Virginia and told me she experienced racial hate as well. The KKK would occasionally send her family white supremacist propaganda. Given there were four massive dudes threatening us at Denny's, all we could do was leave. But believe me, I would have gladly taken one on in a fair fight to defend our honor.
In another incident, I pulled over to a gas station while driving home from college in Virginia. I was waiting in line to use the bathroom when some white guy said, “Hey! Can't you read English? The door is open you dummy!”
I turned around and told him calmly, “There's someone in there you idiot. The lock is broken.” He backed off, but then started grumbling your usual racist terms under his breadth when I walked inside.
Experiencing Racism While Working In Finance
At work one time, I remember several of my white colleagues make fun of a female managing director's voice after a conference call because she was of Indian decent. They kept ripping on her accent and bobbing their heads side to side, laughing.
None of them had ever been to India before and none of them were as senior in title as me. It was extremely frustrating to witness such disrespect to a colleague, especially since they acted all cordial towards her in person when she came to visit.
But what was I supposed to do? Raise a fuss on a Wall Street trading floor and get targeted every time I'd walk into the office? I told one of the mockers to take his next trip to Asia to gain some perspective. He didn't like that.
Racism Experienced By Military Vets
My grandfather and father told me about the racism they endured while serving in the US military in World War II, Vietnam, and the US foreign service. What kind of crock of shit is that to get disrespected while serving your country due to race?
I'm sure it would have hurt them to hear how I got made fun of or bullied due to our race growing up. So instead, I fought back and kept quiet.
Experiencing racial discrimination is extremely annoying because our ethnicity is what we are born with. It can get exhausting to have to deal with this constant judgement based on your race.
I am proud of my heritage, but when somebody is pointing a gun to your face it's best to back down and live to fight another day. Please pick and choose who you do battle with. If you're not ready, be patient. Your time will come.
Keep Working For Your Freedom
I remember one high school teacher tell me that racism is just the way things are. He said, “Get used to it. Work harder than the rest and you'll be fine.”
I carried this spirit with me all throughout college and to this day, despite having enough. Every day, I still get up at 5 am to do some writing by 8:30 am for three hours before spending the next 8-12 hours taking care of my children. I made a promise in July 2009 when I started Financial Samurai to write three times a week for 10 years and I did.
Several years ago, I decided to give over 500 rides for Uber to understand the platform, get to know people's stories, and make sure I don't take anything I have for granted. When you got out there and servicing other people for close to minimum wage, it is very humbling. The more you can learn about other people's backgrounds, the better.
After living in a minority majority city like San Francisco since 2001, I sometimes believe that everybody now lives in racial harmony. But then something terrible happens, such as the rise in AAPI hate since the pandemic began in 2020. Then I'm remind that we've got a long way to go to stamp out racism.
Academics Is The Main Way Out For Asians
The main way I knew how to compete was through academics. There was no Americans vs. Chinese in academics like on the pitch in elementary school. There was no physical competition either, except for the ability to make your brain focus for extended periods of time.
Academics was a level playing field where I strongly believed that if I tried my best, there would be a positive reward in the end. Academics was the main way towards eventual freedom.
Every time I felt like not studying, I'd remind myself about all the racial putdowns in order to keep on going. I was keenly aware of the lack of Asian role models in the media, in politics, in sports, or in leadership positions at large corporations.
Asians have to blaze our own trail because we couldn't rely on anybody like us to hook us up. Things are slowly becoming more diverse, but there's still a lot of work to be done.
Instead of giving up when things get ugly, we can turn things around. For example, we can use discrimination as fuel to beat the competition and keep on going no matter what.
The Immigrant Mindset
Immigrants come to America for more opportunities. I firmly believe the reason why there are so many immigrant success stories is because they have a better appreciation of this country. They also have more perspective.
Immigrants have seen great poverty, extreme nepotism, and dilapidated infrastructures that rob them of progress. I hope more people can travel internationally and learn to speak more languages.
Even though it might sound unfair that one must “work twice as hard to get half as much,” it's a much better alternative than complaining or having no opportunities at all.
Heck, let me work 4X as much to get an equal amount as others so that my kids can have a better chance.
Even today, I get hounded every so often by the Internet Retirement Police or random internet trolls who try and dictate the way I should live my life. Instead of kneeling on my neck, they just like to constantly harass me and others.
The IRP remind me of the same type of people I encountered growing up trying to put me in my place due to my race. And they remind me of the privileged Amy Coopers of the world who take things too far because they lack the self-esteem and the security to love themselves first.
There Is No Real Safety Net In America
There is a continuous level of anxiety in various Asian cultures in America that we must amass wealth because we can't count on anybody to take care of us — not the government, nor our employers. Only our family will be there to help us through the tough times.
The savings rate in China, India, and Japan are over 25% compared to the average savings rate in America of ~6%. Such savings rates carry over to Asian American immigrants as well because money is our safety net. I personally saved over 50% of my after-tax income for 13 years after college partly because I knew I wasn't going to be able to last in my finance job for the rest of my life.
I was a minority working for a minority product in a satellite office. My career was capped. Was it sad to think that being a Director (one level above VP and one level below MD) was as high as I could go? Sort of. But I got over it, like I get over so many realities in life.
I could have tried to relocate to Hong Kong, New York, or London to battle for ascension, but I decided I had enough. Entrepreneurship is a better way to test your mettle. In the end, I felt like I had beat the system because I was able to negotiate a severance that paid for over five years of living expenses.
Keeping Fighting For Your Right To Be Free
If you've ever been discriminated against based on your race, sex, age, religion or the way you look, just know that you're not alone. Plenty of people get slapped around every day.
You can either take the insults lying down, or you can get up and get motivated to work harder and smarter than you've ever worked before. And when you have the right opportunity, fight back.
Whatever race you are, aggressively save a good portion of your income every year. Continuously learn about retirement strategies. Build as many sources of passive income as possible. Tell yourself that nobody is going to save you when you can no longer work. If you do these things, sooner or later, you will achieve financial freedom.
I may sound crazy for constantly fighting back against racists and injustices, but that's just my personality. If you mess with me, I will make you pay. I've learned over the years that if you don't fight back against bullies and racists, they will keep coming after you over and over again.
As your financial means grow, you will find more security. And if you develop a platform online, you will gain an even bigger weapon to fight back if anybody messes with you.
Racism is endemic in American society. We must make it stop.
Some follow up things to think about:
- Don't assume everyone can happily relocate to a lower cost area of the country. That is an incorrect assumption because not everybody can comfortably fit in.
- When you assume that everyone has an equal opportunity to get good grades and high college test scores. That is an incorrect assumption because not everybody has the financial means to pay for tutors or has two loving parents.
- Don't assume that everyone has the equal opportunity to get ahead in the workplace when there are very few senior people who look like you. That is an incorrect assumption. People who are already in power tend to take care of people who look, talk, act, and have the same background as them.
- When you assume someone has special talents, intelligence, or skills based on their race, that is a lazy assumption. Everybody is unique.
- When all your friends look the same, talk the same, support the same people and believe in the same thing, it’s really hard to grow. Learn a new language. Travel. Make different types of friends.
- When you paint an entire group of people based on the actions of a few, you are being ignorant. This is how dangerous stereotypes form.
Fight on and never surrender!
Related posts:
The Importance Of Feeling Consistently Uncomfortable For Personal Growth
Three White Tenants, One Asian Landlord: A Story About Opportunity
An Asian-American's Perspective On Affirmative Action
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Excellent information and this demonstrates that the US is not a racist since Asian income is so high. Thanks for compiling the data.
Hi Sam,
From reading your post, seems as if the US has significant racist tendencies. If so, how come Asians have greater per capita income than whites in the US? Would not white racist prevent the Asians from attain such wealth?
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/about/data/earnings/race-and-ethnicity
Also, the US elected a black president twice.
I’d look forward to your response and thank you for sharing your experiences.
Semper FI,
Luis
Sure, check out this post: Why Asian Income Is So High
Excellent information and this demonstrates that the US is not a racist since Asian income is so high. Thanks for compiling the data.
Ops – meant to say that the “US is not a racist country…” also, apologies for the double entry.
There is definitely racism in the US. But there may not be enough racism to keep Asian people down.
And, don’ forget, not enough racism to keep Barack Obama from being elected twice as POTUS. Also, I would be curious to know if you have any data on how whites fare economically in Asian countries?
Semper FI,
Luis
Hey Sam – what happened to my comment regarding Obama being elected twice and how whites fare economically in Asian countries?
Hey Luis,
If a holocaust survivor become successful, does that mean they weren’t subject to racism?
Also no need to sign every post with semper fi. No one cares
Hi John,
Making mention of the Holocaust is inappropriate in relation to the thread discussion that Sam and I were having – which pertains to per capita income in the US of Asians. As for “Semper Fi,” that’s how I end my correspondence and has nothing to do with whether anyone cares or not. Even to those who are rude, I still end a letter/email with “Semper Fi.”
Semper Fi,
Luis
I’m an Asian woman with an incredibly diverse family. My siblings and I were raised by a Black stepdad who was 6’4 semi-pro football player who married our mom and adopted us. He passed away a few years ago now, but growing up he was an amazing, wholesome dad who was fair, and loved us as his own. Today I’m married to a White man, my brother married a Black woman, and my sister married a Korean man. My nephews and nieces are a mix of Blacks, Whites, and Asians, and they all look ambiguous and very cute. My family is color-blind and I’m color-blind, which I’m very proud of, but the world does have its way of reminding me of my skin color. I always feel subtle racism even though I live in a majority-minority city like San Francisco, though usually it goes away once I open my mouth and start talking. But I have sensed racism when I worked at a tech company under all-White higher-ups, maybe even sexism, and living in my neighborhood with a couple of snobby White neighbors, though overtime I felt that awkwardness go away. It pops up all the time albeit subtly. When I get to a point where I finally have financial freedom, I plan on helping young people. I was really moved by watching “13” on Netflix. Although I know a lot of wonderful White people, there definitely some cold-hearted, numb ones out there.
I sent a email but I want to see the sad site of racism at the same moment people are protesting a rioting because of racism.
I have been a long term follower of yours and agree with your most recent letter in regards to police brutality and a lack of general respect for citizens from a ever more militarized police force. On a Macro level this is the story that we all are focused on.
However there is racism that is going unreported. I sell wine all over chicago. And on the south and west sides of Chicago 800-1000 business have been looted or burned with 62 of my customers closed because of it on the back-end of Covid. Worst yet I am hearing from these owners that business in this area that are not black owned are no longer welcomed. But here is the big story not being told beyond the devastation of many of these first generation business owners losing everything. The majority of the small business owners are Indian, Pakastani, Latino, Arab, Palestinian, and African American. Very few of the business are white owned. These owners are facing racism from the black community because a portion of the community in BLM wish to force out other minority groups from owning business. You will find this on twitter in some of the more militant pages from a due diligence stand point but I am seeing it first hand. This is appalling that the main stream media is talking about one form of racism as another form of racism being done by factions of BLM movement at the same time. As I see this I can only ask why this keeps happening when we are a human race and Americans should have evolved beyond this by now. This is the first time in my 49 years that I have seen firsthand where the story being reported is not the full story, which after calling all my friends who say stories are chosen as a form of propaganda were cooks for many of thise years. The full story at least in Chicago is not being told.
Very sad. Prejudice knows no boundaries, and it’s easy to succumb to it when your own community is hurting. There’s always more to a news story. I even hear anti-immigrant sentiment from immigrants themselves. Ugly part of being human that I hope we learn to recognize within ourselves and overcome.
I was thinking this, as well — that your story would be discounted, Sam — as well as the Chicago story — because you’re not black. How could you experience racist attitudes and actions…
I have heard this pounded over and over — that only black people face racism. This, after places at Seattle’s CHOP where white people weren’t allowed to go! They were called “decolonizing” spots.
Sad but true.
Black people don’t like non-black people because honestly, you guys continue to do stuff that hurts us. I moved all the way to Jamaica to avoid white people. I love my white friends from high school, and my implicit bias tests came out neutral, so this is not hatred. But as soon as I turned 18, and met people at work or elsewhere I became acutely aware of the fact that some of you guys are simply incorrigible racists. And I’m in my early 20s, so I can’t imagine what old people are like. Why should I be a second-class citizen in a country(Canada) with a shitty climate full of people who by my family’s standards are poor?
It’s degrading and makes no sense to do if you can make money online.
The Chicago/Seattle blacks are doing what I’m doing. They just don’t have an education or options. I’m not justifying but explaining the thought process behind a lot of what you see. White and black people are the most racist in North America as far as I can tell. But white racism affects many black people who are literally just normal people…EVERYWHERE.
I grew up in a place called Compton, CA
I returned in the ‘70’s
as an assistant manager of the local supermarket. I was the only white employee and spoke enough Spanish.
I grew up in numerous foster families. I had a “decent “ life, but experienced much of the same concerns expressed here. My black friends kept me safe and alive, but it was not easy.
My point… it’s Not easy for many people, and it goes both ways. We grew up with bullies and jerks but never knew (blacks) were different. Our government created the differences once our nation was finally realizing there weren’t really any.
I’m saddened after reading some of your “why’s”, Sam. You worked hard and now play to your own “fiddler”. Dont let the bastards wear you down!
There are far more good people on this planet. Live your life and not someone else’s.
Governor of Virginia just announced the the Lee monument in Richmond will be taken down ASAP. Change is happening. VOTE VOTE VOTE
Sam,
Thanks for the article. Like you, I carry a minority millstone around my neck but likely not as heavy as yours. For those of you who are not in a minority group, some of what you are reading and watching my be hard to relate to and rightly so as you may be able to try to understand it, unless it is you it is hard to comprehend. Empathy from the majority is a great way to try to get a feel for how it is. Sam, as you well know, some minority groups are a lot easier to visually identify than others and for those most identifiable, likely that their millstone weighs the most and for those who may not understand this, spend a few days wearing a 100lb weighted vest (literally) and see how it makes you feel physically. Certainly not remotely close to the burden of racism but at least a bit tangible. Once you complete the exercise, imagine what life would be like if the vest were 250 lbs.
Save as much money as you can as early in your life as possible. Even if you are not comfortable investing, put it in a CD so it works for you while you sleep. As a professor once told me, money provides you the freedom to allow you to choose with whom you wish to associate.
Final thought – children live what they learn
Sam, I am so sorry for the racism you’ve experienced. It makes me incredibly sad.
Great post & what a great way to fight back by saving for financial independence.
Thank you Deanna. All these memories get suppressed, but they immediately bubble up to the surface whenever I see a new racial atrocity get committed. It is like never ending PTSD that I’m sure many minorities experience.
It is Unfortunate we have to go through this, especially since our parents and grandparents and grandparents have already been fighting for so long so that we can live a better life.
I know there is progress being made, but there’s still so much to do.
I can only imagine how the recent racial atrocities bring these memories back to the surface. While I haven’t suffered from racism, I have suffered from haunting memories from drug abuse, childhood, etc. and know what it’s like when they surface.
Yes, there is much to do, no doubt.
Dear Sam,
Thank you for being you.
Thank you for all you do.
Thank you for making this world a better place.
-Joshua
YES!!!
Thank you for reading and sharing. I really appreciate it.
Speaking as an African, our concern is not just for our own selves. A number of us are already sufficiently financially comfortable and still very unhappy with what goes on everyday. We are concerned for the weakest, poorest and most vulnerable in our communities. Its they who have daily encounters with the police due to their life circumstances. Until THEY are treated with respect and dignity, making more money for myself doesn’t really matter. Yes with more money I can turn a blind eye to a lot of the BS I’d otherwise have to deal with but I don’t think that’s the point.
The poor will always be amongst us, the question is what do we need to do to ensure they are treated with respect and not casually strangled to death? I think the save yourself mentality is both selfish and dangerous. People protesting in the streets are protesting the murder of a man they never met.
By the way, I’ve been reading your blog for a few months and had no idea of your Asian heritage. I think that’s a great thing as race should not be relevant.
No empathy for criminals. Celebrating degenerates does not make a good case for “racial equity”.
I have to push back hard on this Dave. I lived in a ghetto for a bit (on my own after high school, working and partying) and went to a high-end private school in NYC($40k+ a year, real 1 percenter shit). The police mostly prosecute low-level drug crimes in ghettos. And when it comes to drug use and possession it is FAR more prevalent in the rich schools. However, they are unpunished! My friend got caught with a lot of hard drugs in high school, by police. Not a day in jail, no arrest record. Additionally, lots of these kids’ parents/grandparents run Ponzi schemes, tax scams, and all types of crazy shit. If even caught, probation or maybe a few months. Racial and wealth privilege is a sliding scale hierarchy. And poor blacks are treated the worst of all. People like you and I are not randomly searched all the time by police. I’m sure you might have smoked a joint in highschool…Imagine what your life would be like if you were caught.
I’m a white woman who is financially independent. My parents raised me to always pay myself first, pay cash for everything except a home, ignore the Jones’, work hard, and get educated. I’m sorry that you’ve encountered many instances of racism from white people. Let’s not forget that racism affects many as I read black people wishing to kill all whites during this heinous faux protest. Indians discriminate against darker skinned Indians. Chinese put Uyghers in concentration camps. Racism has and always will be present. We can at least hope to model good behavior and hope that things are better for future generations.
Your response is one of the reasons why the term “Karen” has come about for privileged white woman.
People are experiencing racism and sharing their stories about racism and all you have to say is nothing and that there’s racism everywhere.
What happened to you and people like you and Amy Cooper etc?
As an Asian man myself – I can say that Asians are some of the most racist people in the world. We’re racist to each other – mainland Chinese vs. Hong Kong for instance. We as Maria mentioned discriminate against Uygher Muslim Chinese in China. Americans (whites) are the most tolerant in the world. If you don’t like it here – you can go back to whatever culture you’re from and see how your own people practice tolerance (hint: they don’t).
Fun facts: 1) There were more slaves to South America than to North America. Only 400,000 slaves came to America. 99.999% of Americans’ and their descendants were not slave owners.
2) There were millions of Europeans that were slaves in the Barbary slave trade to Africa.
3) There were millions of slaves to the Middle East. Islam condones slavery and is codified in it.
4) Slavery is still practiced in Africa, parts of Middle East, and South Asia today.
Western culture has been the only one to formally proclaim slavery is wrong. Western culture also proclaimed the right to free speech, and freedom to practice religion. Good luck doing that in Pakistan, or China, or anywhere in Africa, or Middle East.
As far as the Ahmaud Arbery event in Georgia – the man was “jogging” in Timberland shoes and had made multiple night time trespasses on that property. Had a previous record for criminal activity (stole a big TV from walmart, carried a gun on school premises and injured an officer while fleeing, etc.). In the video where two men that were doing a civilian’s arrest- Ahmaud lunged after the guy with the shotgun.
Now as far as the Minnesota death. It is certainly sad that it happened – but I don’t believe it was racist in nature. It is actually police policy in Minnesota to allow putting force on the knee even though it’s wrong. This was an example more of incompetence by the police officer. Wouldn’t make sense in a crowd of people recording to blatantly do a racist action. The autopsy showed that it wasn’t even suffocation that caused death – it was a pre-existing cardiac condition (and likely exacerbated by drugs George Floyd had been taking) – and the knee to the neck didn’t do anything. Now looking at George Floyd’s previous history – he was not an angel by any means. He had a long record of criminal activity including breaking into a woman’s house – holding a gun to her stomach at gunpoint, and threatening to kill her. He may have served his time, but he was certainly not an outstanding individual.
Now as far as these riots are concerned. Why is it that whenever blacks feel anger about something they loot, and steal from their own communities? I have not seen any other racial group behave like this to the degree the black community has. In the Hong Kong protests, protesters were civil and obedient. No looting or rioting.
As far as racial profiling goes – well, African Americans are what 13% of the population and commit 50% of the crime in this country every year. Black on other race crimes are much higher than any other group.
In Minnesota, I am reminded of two major incidents that happened recently.
1) At the Mall of America, a black man threw a white baby over a balcony. Where were the riots for that?
2) A Somalian police officer in Minnesota shot an innocent white women. No riots for that.
There is a simple solution to blacks not getting “targeted” by the cops or by the justice system. They need to solve the problem of violence in their own communities. In America, blacks already get a tremendous amount of assistance via government assistance programs (welfare, food stamps, government subsidized housing, etc.) – but black communities, in fact almost 70% of black households are single mother. Compare to Asian households which are 15% single mother. These are decisions and responsibilities that the black community has to figure out and not point fingers on others.
Well said. We need to address all racism.
Maria – So you’re the person who shouts back “All Lives Matter” when you see a Black Lives Matter sign. You just don’t get it as a white woman and the other Karens of the world. You and Fei Xu are perfect for each other.
Simple Andy,
You can be *for* civil rights without mindlessly parroting trademarked, race-baity rallying cries. Please think more critically next time.
HK protesters are civil and obedient? Are you a joke? Watch some real news please.
Sorry you are a racist Asian man. You ned to focus on yourself and do better instead of pointing out all other areas of racism.
Great and pertinent facts!!!!
I agree with you. Looting/rioting & property damage is not the answer in the black community. Saving, earning more, & frugality are the correct answer.
I’ll pass your message on at the next meetup. I don’t understand how you people think that the “black community” is a thing. What do I have to do with these people? I’m black, dark-skinned, but pretty much 40% white if u look at my french great grandfathers. Some African Americans think I’m mixed with Hispanic or Indian. There are Asian people, Muslims, and white people in my family, and it’s rare for people in our family not to earn 6 figures, in any country we move to. But I move to new york and now I’m signed up for this “black community” of bullshit and poverty????
You may or may not be right that racism exists everywhere. (Actually history proves you’re wrong but let’s put that aside for a moment.)
However, until we start seeing videos of white men being casually strangled by black police officers OR videos of the police shooting down unarmed white men in the street – you will be living in denial to conclude that the problem is not hugely in your favour as a “white” woman.
I suppose to live in denial is favourable to admitting an entire life of unmerited privilege or perhaps even admitting an inherently inhumane disposition.
If casual strangulation and gun-downs of poor, innocent black men is what you see, you might need to get your eyes checked, sir, or at least approach these topics more objectively. Leave your race at the door before you start poring over crime stats. The truth just might surprise you.
Hey Sam – important topic. Let me say first that I am a middle-aged white conservative catholic, that typically takes a very measured approach to charges of sexism, racism and the overall idea that success is reserved for the already privileged.
That stated, what I saw on video of the events in Minneapolis, was a horrific, blatant murder of an innocent man. Was it racism? Very likely, especially in light of the fact that the officer apparently knew George Floyd, and it sure seems like he realized he had an opportunity to kill him and “get away with it” as he always had before. Derek Chauvin has a hot-head history, and it sure seems that he should have been run out of the force long before before he actually killed someone. Unfortunately for George Floyd and indeed the entire nation. That did not happen.
With regard to the idea of pervasive racism, I believe it does in fact exist, but not quite in the way most people assume. I believe racism is in fact a basic foundational condition of every human culture, and only through concerted effort, and societal focus can we together keep racist behavior at bay. I degreed in socio-cultural anthoroplogy (ironically a social science itself founded in a stew of racism of 19th century European).
I’ve certainly seen countless acts of racism both personally and through the lens of media over the decades, and racism (tribalism) knows no color, or ethnic limitations. If you are perceived to be a minority, wherever you may be in the world, and if you are perceived to be an outsider, and if you are perceived to be weak, you will likely be victimized at some point in some sort of racist attack, when the opportunity presents itself to the perpetrator. Good be a minor event, or it could be a drastic event.
It’s happened to me, it’s happened to my wife, it’s happened to many of my friends and colleagues, regardless of their race, religion, creed, or ethnicity.
What happened to George Floyd is repugnant to me and I can only pray for his peace, and for the peace of his loved ones.
What’s happening in response to George Floyd is understandable, but also repugnant and tragic. Ultimately more innocents will be hurt, and killed in this civil unrest and mob insanity.
“As a white conservative catholic man…”
Sure. Just like those “As a black man…” commenters that take the stereotypical view of a white conservative catholic. Haha.
r/AsABlackMan
Thank you for writing this. We need more people to say ENOUGH. The US is rudderless and its time to say No More.
Amen.
“I firmly believe the reason why there are so many immigrant success stories is because they have so much perspective”
You hit the nail on the head, Sam! Growing uo in China and hearing from my dad about the cultural Revolution and famine has given me so much perspective.
Sorry to hear about all the racism you experienced–I’m so shocked that it even happened in Taiwan and Malaysia. As progressive as Canada is, I’ve also experienced racism. “You face is so flat.” “Go back to the toilet where you came from” “you got rich because you have a loaded Hong Kong daddy”. Those are some of the things people have said to me over the years. Luckily no one has physically tried to hurt me but I use the racism to drive me, as you did. Thank you for writing this article.
I never knew you were Asian! Taiwanese?
I am too, as an academic in Australia. I can identify with some of the problems you had growing up, but never to that extent.
Thank you for sharing your path!
Kinda late to comment but I might as well do so.
I was fortunate to not face much racism growing up as an Indian dude, and this was in a conservative state of all places! Other than a few casual jokes, most people were impartial towards me due to my ethnic background. I am going to share how modern day racism is different.
One thing I noticed growing up but never thought much of was how I saw so many interracial couples involving white men with women of all races but hardly any interracial couples involving white women, especially the better looking ones, with men of various races (especially not Asian or Indian). Well, after months of going out to bars, talking to various kinds of women, and having a great fun time in life I met this beautiful Danish blonde. We had a few flings and then decided to make it long term, dating each other.
Now it was then that I realized how bad racism truly is.
My coworkers at work were saying comments such as “what’s wrong with Indian girls?”.
Guys who were impartial towards me were now being hostile towards me as soon as they heard of me with my girlfriend and saw our photos on social media.
We would go out to eat, sleazy guys (usually white) would hit on her right in front of me and when we ignored them some of them would start talking loudly in Indian accents to get under my skin.
I remember one time we were sitting down eating together and these two white guys, looked like blue collar country boy types, literally came into our booth and one of them put their hands on my girlfriend’s thighs. My girlfriend told the loser to go away, he simply said “damn feisty”, I replied saying “no just not interested”, he replied saying “who are you to say mustafa?”, she replied saying “my boyfriend now go away”. Luckily one of the workers who knew the clown by name told him to get lost as she was close to his mother it seems but still, talk about an experience. The guy’s friend was the one who brought the attention to us the whole time when he shouted “go back to your country boy!” a million times.
You want to see the nasty side of the modern day racist male, try being a minority dating a beautiful white woman (even worse if she is a blonde, the racists hate it when we mess with the “pure” ones). Now it was then that I learned the nature of some of these modern day racists. The modern day racist doesn’t care if the Asian or Indian guy gets a nice paying job, moves up the corporate ladder, or makes a ton of money because he can always rationalize it by saying “I bet he can’t get hot girls because all Asian and Indian men are small down there”.
Racists in America have coping mechanisms.
It’s okay that Asians can make big bucks and work hard, they’re still weird and “our women” will still not want anything to do with them. We are still going to fuck “their women” while “our women” will laugh at them, that’s okay, let them make all the money they want, they still aren’t good enough for “our women”. Then you have cases like my girlfriend and I happening, talk about an experience.
Then the second the same women these people worshiped end up being out with an Asian guy, the David Duke in them will come out.
Wow. Just wow. I can’t even imagine this! I’m a white, blonde woman, and until recently was single for years. I’ve literally dated everyone under the sun and never experienced what you’ve experienced. Maybe it’s because I live in a big city where interracial couples are normal. I probably see just as many interracial couples as I do same race couples. It never seems like an issue here. I’m so sorry you experienced that.
“…when the KKK would incessantly send her family white supremacist propaganda…”
I call B.S. This never happened. For all intents and purposes, the KKK has been defunct for over 50 years. The last remaining “KKK members” are government informants all spying and snitching on one another.
What BS, there are numerous white supramists who have used KKK hoods and hoods to intimidate minorities. Your smartest woman on the internet is a misnomer.
No, unfortunately, they were alive and well in a neighboring town where I grew up. My brother moved to that town briefly, and his neighbor used to hang his Klan uniform on the line outside to dry. My brother was shocked. We always knew they existed, but not so openly. Once a year they would petition to demonstrate in my town and permission was always granted. When I asked my parents why such awful people could be granted permission, they said it was the result of living in a free country where we were free to speak our minds. Just because you don’t like what someone says doesn’t mean they can’t say it, but you don’t have to agree. I was advised to ignore them and stay away.
Sadly, even as recently as 2005 they were still chasing interracial couples out of town. I’ve moved away, so I don’t know what happens there now.
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One difficulty that minorities can face is finding a community that we can fit in. I found good jobs on the East Coast (MA) and love the work, but find myself marginalized by the community here, and racism by the native population is palpable. So my life is all work now – that helps greatly on the financial side, but I’ve become a social hermit as a consequence and don’t expect to have friends by the end of my career. Pretty sad, actually, :) But I’d like to think I’m laying a solid financial foundation for my descendants. That’s my excuse.
As an Asian minority I’d like to move back to California where I feel more comfortable blending in, but the cost of living is just as high and opportunity for well-paying position is much lower than here. Maybe inland cities like Sacramento may be “close enough”, but it’s not exactly a nice place either. I’m well off, but not crazy Bay Area rich like Mr. Samurai.
A white guy would probably not feel as constrained in the places to retire, as there are a lot of choices in the more rural regions (like CO) and be able to stretch his dollar and feel comfortable living there.
I’m thinking about traveling the country to find what could be a sweet spot for an Asian family to retire in – any clues about cities to visit?
Experienced racism: Absolutely, by seeing it first hand through some family members (decades ago, but they’ve since changed their attitude about it), not to mention one time watching a meeting of the KKK at a local Burger King – fast food joint – where as I left, I walked over to them and told them how limited their views were.
Experienced “reverse” racism: Yes on this one too. A long-time friend of 25+ years, who is African-American is the one that actually pointed it out to me because he was hired for a job that both of us were going for and he stated to me that he knew we were both well qualified for the job, but due to his skin color and the lack thereof in the environment we were interviewing for, he believed that was the final factor in their choice to hire him.
The KKK is actually very, VERY intimidating for many minorities. Where you can go up to them and tell them how you feel, many minorities would walk the other way in fear of being beat up, robbed, or killed. So sadly, the KKK with their fires and hoods have done a good job in scaring the crap out of many people.
For the most part, racism that is experienced in the work place is subtle and hard to prove. Reasons can bet attributed to a million little things that people can nitpick apart. Racism can be as simple as people not as likely to want to go out of their way to network with you, which may not actually be attributed directly to your race, but your race is a compounding factor along with other factors. Since most jobs are filled through networking the results can be pretty dramatic.
Sam,
I kind of figured you preferred San Francisco because of the heavy Asian population.
I was actually out in Manhatten yesterday (Chelsea and Midtown). Haven’t been to Manhatten in many years. So, what do I think?
Well…. I saw the same level of diversity there as I have seen in most other large American cities.
I’m not quite sure I understand the media’s obsession with Donald Sperling. He’s a very old white guy. He grew up in a far different era, and it was a private conversation. That doesn’t make it right…… I’m just pointing out that Mr. Sperling is part of a rapidly dying demographic. I guess society advances one funeral at a time.
I’m very optimistic about the younger generations! The millenials are so much more open and comfortable with ethnic/religion/family differences.
Often, racism is generational, but Sterling is just acting stupid! There are all forms of discrimination which goes on in very subtle ways. The best revenge is success! It some ways it is like martial arts, you use leverage to overpower bigger, stronger opponents.
I’ll be in London end of June and will report back any findings! I would have to imagine that London is as old school as it gets. But given the incredible diversity in London, like NYC, I would think there’s a lot of harmony. Glad you’ve never had to deal with racism!