Section 001
Week 8
In the article, "What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice," Mark Tseng Putterman examines the Asian American community's place in activism and protest. Putterman examines how Asian Americans are underrepresented in college campus activism and why such little exposure is given to Asian Americans, while a lot of other minority groups are given a larger focus. Asian American is a term that encompasses a enormous range of asian ethnicity, which makes it hard to pinpoint the wants and objectives of so many voices. As I read this article by Putterman, I found myself asking where in current times are Asian Americans able to gain exposure and speak out about the type of racism they face on a daily basis. In our American society, a lot of attention and media exposure has been given to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Almost everyone knows about this movement as it gained national attention and stands as one of the largest racial activist movements to this day. However where do Asian Americans fall on this spectrum? Where is the representation for Asian Americans? Are we subjected being left behind and neglected on the side as other groups press for representation in society? It seems that there is a definite white versus black phenomenon as history stands, but aren't Asian Americans also part of history? Did San Francisco rise without the help of Asians coming from overseas to seek opportunities? Asian Americans have as much as a say in racial political matters as do any other groups, but for some strange reason we are also left out of the important talks, left out of media exposure, and left to suffer from the passings of racial movements. It feels that a large portion of the silence that emanates from the Asian American community is due to cultural background and also the Bystander effect. Everyone is thinking the person next to them will step up and represent them, but no one will ever step forth if this kind of thinking happens. Who else can we blame but ourselves if we don't personally step up to voice our opinion just like other minority groups in America?
Question: Why does it feel like America is currently in a contest between Whites and Blacks, but Asians are a spectator to this whole situation?
Broadhead, Ivan. “If Trump can't spark Asian American political awakening, what will?” South China Morning Post, South China Morning Post, 6 Nov. 2016, www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2042680/if-trump-cant-spark-asian-american-political.
Putterman, M. T. (2016). What Asian Americans Are Bringing to Campus Movements for Racial Justice . Race Files . Retrieved November 11, 2017.
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