Derek Kawahara
ASA 2 - Section A02
September 30, 2015
Blog 1

     The ideas discussed in "API Social Movements in Interest Groups" were intriguing to me because I was previously not aware of the coalitions the Asian American population created in order to evoke change.  The Asian American population showed grit and determination in numerous grassroot demonstrations to preserve their "ethnic enclaves".  This Asian American persistence is often associated with the strong ties to education, honor, and family within many Asian cultures.  However, many of these perceptions were primarily based upon the modern minority myth in which Asian Americans are said to be naturally smarter than other races.  These perceptions of Asian Americans are controversially false due to the disproportionate number of professional Asians that entered the US in 1965.  In the end, Asian American diversity and solidarity has been increasing in order to respond to both social and political issues of the current time.

     The many people of Asian descent are often "lumped" into a broader category known as Asian Americans.  However, I question why our society has lumped Asian Americans into one category, but European Americans are often associated with their country of origin.  For example, why are immigrants from France referred to as French rather than French-American or European-American?