Asia American Study Research Assignment Paper (Essay Sample)

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Asia American Study
America has over the years witnessed massive inflow of refugees who either are victims of war from their home countries, or in search of greener pastures. A higher percentage of immigrants, particularly from Asian countries, had fled their homes due to war. An example of such occurrence was the Vietnam War that forced several Vietnamese to flee to the United States to seek refuge and a better life. The refugees often faced several predicaments on their way and many, if not all, remained unaware of the awaiting challenges that life in America presented. Lac Su is one of such immigrants who moved to America with his family during the post-Vietnam war. The family, after arriving in America, experienced several challenges as narrated in his memoir “I love yous are for white people” that included discrimination due to race, class, culture and language barriers, and to a greater extent, the impacts of foreign policy. The essay seeks to bring forth the various predicaments that Asian Americans face in the United States, with a special focus on Lac Su’s memoir. I argue that, in their struggle to settle in America, Asian-Americans often face several challenges, particularly with regards to class, gender, race, language, culture and other social issues that negatively impact their stay in the United States.
Recent U.S studies indicate that Asian Americans suffer from different forms of discrimination, both social and economical (DUGGER). Socially, the immigrants often find themselves in poor neighborhoods that are predominated by all acts of violence from drug abuse to various forms of crime. In his book, Lac paints a picture of the kind of neighborhood he and his family first settled in. The apartment was a small portion of an old and worn out brick building in Hollywood in California (p.28), apparently considered as one of the poor neighborhoods in the United States of America. The kind of neighborhood depicts the plight of immigrants who find themselves discriminated from the rest of society by way of class and race. Discrimination against race is more evident when it comes to matters employment and education. During Lac’s error, it was quite difficult for a non-American settler to gain access to a formal employment, which ultimately defined the kind of neighborhood one could settle in (DUGGER).
In his memoir, Lac narrates how his father spent days searching for a job and the hardships he encountered in the process (Su). Even though he finally landed a job, it is obvious that the job was not that well paying, especially looking at the kind of neighborhoods the family rotated in. Nevertheless, the job helped the family to cater for basic amenities and move from the old and small house to a better apartment. However, it is worth noting that some of these discriminatory fears are actually self-built as depicted in the memoir. Lac’s father is so inclined to Asian culture that he finds difficulty in accepting the divergent cultural practices in the white man’s land. He constantly reminds Lac of his roots and cultural beliefs and tries hard to bar him from associating with the white kids, whom he thought would act as a bad influence on his culture and way of life (Su). Attempts by Lac to make white friends proved futile as it was often met with intense opposition from his father who insisted that he should only have Asian friends (p. 82). People from different ethnic backgrounds often exercise different cultural and social practices and, as it is the case with Lac, intersecting such practices often presents difficulties.
In comparison with the American culture, it is normal to use phrases like ‘I love you’ to express one’s gratitude and love for another. However, as Lac’s father puts it, such words portrays one as weak since love ought to be shown by deeds and not by words (p.150). Furthermore, communication serves as an integral part towards any successful co-existence amongst groups of divergent cultural views and practices in the same environmental setting. As such, being able to communicate in another person’s language facilitates the way individuals associate with one another. Most refugees, especially those from non-English speaking nations, often find life hard in the United States as it poses communication barrier between the natives and themselves (DUGGER). In his book, Lac narrates how he felt alone and alienated from the rest of the kids in school due to his language barrier and ethnic background. It can be argued that the latter even affects his charisma and performance and as a result, he finds himself always exposed to his father’s abuses and humiliation (p.65). Like many other immigrants, Lac suffered from loneliness and he somewhat lost that sense of belonging which eventually prompted him to join gang groups to find happiness and fulfillment (Ha).
Nevertheless, the various predicaments immigrants experience is further cemented by the aspect of foreign policy. From Lac&acir...