Wednesday, September 30, 2015

API Social Movements and Interest Groups

Jeff Cha
ASA 2 A02
Blog 1

            The reading, “Asian Pacific Americans' Social Movements and Interest Groups,” dedicates a section to explain the “Evolution and Integration of South Asians.”  Within the section, it discusses how first generation South Asian-American immigrants are primarily focused on being financially stable rather than on social movements or politics.  As a first generation Hmong-American, I find this description to be accurate amongst a majority of the Hmong immigrants.  The Hmong people immigrated to the United States, earliest being in the late 1970s, in order to attain a better way of life.  Many Hmong immigrants were farmers back in the hills of Laos and Thailand so they lacked formal education and were very poor.  They came to the US as adults so a lot of the opportunities have passed which leads to them being content with their new living conditions.  As a result, Hmong parents and grandparents emphasize to their children the importance of getting jobs to provide for their families and without much thought towards the social problems or politics of the US. 
Is it reasonable for anyone or any group of people to focus on establishing themselves first before focusing on other issues?

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