Tag Archives: immigration
Immigration, refugees and the gift of citizenship
I was born in Japan, but because my father was born in Hawaii when it was a U.S. territory, I am an American citizen. I didn’t have to take a test, and recite an oath of allegiance. After my family moved to the States in 1966, I remember helping my mother, who’s from a small […]
Not enough people know about Day of Remembrance
Maria Hinojosa, a very respected journalist for NPR and PBS who’s currently working on a Frontline documentary about the detention camps holding Latin Americans suspected of being illegal immigrants, visited the University of Colorado this week. She gave a speech Tuesday night but that day she had a casual free lunch discussion with students from […]
Ronald Takaki, pioneering Asian American historian, 1939-2009
There are very few non-fiction books that I would insist that anyone interested in Asian American history and culture must read. There are other important books, but these are the ones that have helped me form my sense of identity as an Asian American. They include Helen Zia’s “Asian American Dreams,” Bill Hosokawa’s “Nisei: The […]
Texas lawmaker thinks Asians should change their names so Americans could “deal with them”
Oh, the wisdom of lawmakers. Especially in Texas. Texas state representative Betty Brown (R-Terrell, in North Texas) caused a ruckus on Tuesday by saying, during testimony about voter ID legislation, that Asians would have an easier time of getting along if they simply changed their names. “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — […]
The first illegal immigrants
From Los Angeles-based Asian American comedy/improv troupe 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, via Angry Asian Man, here’s a totally politically incorrect skit about race and immigration, but with the tables turned and European Americans as the FOBs (“fresh off the boat,” for you non-AAPIs). It’s a Thanksgiving satire that gave me a chuckle, despite its disgusting, […]
