Coherent thoughts perhaps?

[alectoperdita]

I find it intriguing that when people ask me, "Where are you from?" and I naturally answer, "New York."

They always stare strangely at me for a second before saying, "No, I mean where are you originally from?"

I can't really fault them for asking that because there's an answer to it. I wasn't born in the US, I was born in Hong Kong and I am qualified to receive an ID card that the Hong Kong government issues to all its legal citizens. I have still yet to figure out if that makes me a pseudo-citizen of the People's Republic of China by extension.

Actually, I just don't care to find out.

I do know I don't qualify for British citizenship, but it's fun to claim being so by technicality.

Had I not been born out of this country, I would probably be a lot more offended by that question. What probably most curious is that most people that follow that line of questioning are from a minority group themselves. You wouldn't go up to a black person and ask, "So...where in Africa are you originally from?" Hell, they'd probably slap you around a few times for asking that.

Goddammit, I am as American as the next person. I have a US passport, social security card, a birth certificate issued by the States Department, and a voter's card registered to my Pennsylvania residency. I pay my taxes. The government took $65.10 for social security tax (Will it still be there by the time my generation comes of age with the way they keep proding and poking at it?) and $15.23 for medicare tax this past year. I was working under NYC's Department of Youth and Community Development last summer.

I also received a 4 out of 5 on my AP American History exam.

I am a 100% legal bona fide American citizen.

I am, however, still awaiting my first time to try and shirk off jury duty.

I came over here when I was just four months old. I have spent all but four months of my life on American soil. Guess that makes me not quite American enough.

What could be so incredulous about an Asian from New York? We are about 10% of the city population.

Would they feel stupid if I had just replied New York again? If they had asked my brother instead, who was born here in New York, would they realize how stupid a question that is if you didn't happen to ask the Asian with the right circumstances?

Why can't Asian Americans simply be Americans too?

Comments

[mortifyd.livejournal.com]

People are just stupid. I get asked where I'm from "originally" - and they don't mean Alabama. Why? Because Jews who are - you know - vaguely Jewish despite being blue eyed and having light brown hair - *must* be from some other country. SO it's not just because you're Asian, there's a high st00pid factor in general involved.

[lucidscreamer.livejournal.com]

Hey, you're from AL, too? Cool. ^_^

[mortifyd.livejournal.com]

Yep, 'fraid so. Born at Ft Rucker, lived in Daleville, moved, came back, went to elementary school and 7th grade in Enterprise.

[lucidscreamer.livejournal.com]

I live on Sand Mountain (in North AL).