[Woj] For Jeremy Lin, a jagged journey back to Houston gives him reason to trust again

OP, this was a very interesting article. Lin has always been disarmingly honest and humble, unfortunately sometimes to his detriment.

 

In America, "Asian" is a salient identity, and if you reject it, you probably have some kind of racial insecurity issues going on.

You can identify yourself by your race AND your ethnicity.

A Japanese-American who emphatically denies that he is Asian sounds like someone with identity issues.

 

Response

So you just consider yourself a Japanese only? I don't ever hear
someone saying Lin is a racial miracle. I don't understand why you say this.

 

I have a question for you, are you an American? Do you even live in the United States? Have you every played pickup basketball as the only player who's not white or black?

Because Jeremy Lin is an Asian-American. He's not Taiwanese/Chinese, whatever; he's an American first. He's a role model and inspiration to all Asian-Americans in this country regardless of what country their ancestors lived in once upon a time.

Look at the quote in the article given by Lin:

[rQUOTEr]"I've always been a target," Lin says. "Everyone looks me and says, 'I'm not going to let that Asian kid embarrass me. I'm going to go at him.' That's how it's been my whole life. This has been different, though. Now, I was on the scouting report. People started to pay attention to what I could and couldn't do.

"But a target? I was used to that. I'm not saying I get everyone's best shot, but I would say people don't want to be embarrassed by me because of my skin color."[/rQUOTEr]

It's something that every person who's Asian-American has felt at least once in their life; entering into a situation where everyone looks at you and you know that they're thinking in their head "he doesn't belong here, I'm going to show him up." Asian-Americans have been fighting this perception for years; the patronizing label of "Model Minority" always being used as a way to ensure that no matter whether an Asian-American has been born and raised in this country, he's always going to be an outsider.

Every night Jeremy Lin goes out and shows he belongs in the NBA, Asian-Americans cheer for him not because of his skin-color, but because we know he went through the same experiences we did in being underestimated and disrespected but he has the talent to shove it back in the establishment's face.

 

Did I just read that Japanese people aren't Asian.. what..

 

So my question is: IF I'm full Japanese and I'm about to fill out some type of college application that ask me for my race/ethnic background, which one do I check?

Options usually are:

Black
White
American Indian/Alaska Native
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Asian
Hispanic (of any race)
Race and ethnicity unknown

 

You are White

 

Technically, you can check anything you want, but if you check Asian, you will likely have a heck of a harder time getting in than checking anything else. Of course, the colleges might already know about you and your ethnic background, so it might not matter what you check.

 

Usually when my wife and I are about to eat out, I would ask, "how about some Asian?" Her reply would sometimes be," some sushi sounds great!"

If Japanese people are indeed NOT Asian, someone please enlighten me. I have no intentions of disrespecting the Japanese culture by assuming they are Asians.

 

Japanese don't associate themselves with people of Chinese descent. This I know of.
And vice versa

 

I've never faced those discrimination myself,but i did know a poster who is one himself,has been very bitter and any slight news /posts will be viewed by him as racism(even if it's not).My question is it racism part of your everyday life?

 

Response

Well said. I tell you a funny story. When I first emigrated, some
white or black kids called me "chink", and I was curious why they called me
"chink" when I was Korean. I thought they should call me "kink". Then it dawned on me that this was the denigrating term used for Asians, but because Chinese emigrated to US in mass, that's how the term originated.

 

Colj,you seems to be someone who watches lin's game a lot,how was he like before?

 

In Golden State and NY, he was an attacking point guard/slasher, which is exactly how Lin describes himself - when he is playing his game, in those days.

He doesn't play anything like that right now...

He isn't a shooter, never has and never will be, and isn't a pure floor general either. An all round player you could say - dabbles a bit in everything

 

I guess it's some weird thing like some Brits don't consider themselves to be yuropean.

 

Many Asians just don't like being lump all together. It's nothing new. Filipinos, Koreans, Japanese, etc. Maybe because Asians are always portrayed as weak, geeky, nerdy, or for whatever reason. Asia is just a continent hence Asians.

 

thanks colj,saw u b4 at other site. every guy i know that watch him earlier always says he plays an all round game(and always associated it with harvard)

 

Are u fing kidding me. Calling a Japanese Asian is racist? Not going to debate with an idiot. Whether the Japanese think they are Asian or not, it doesn't matter. U are Asian ...omg.

 

I'm an Asian which encompasses Japanese, Korean and Chinese:Taiwanese along with Filipino, etc. if the Japanese feel differently, that is their stupid complex. Don't try to instill a false logic to the rest of the world.

So when a Japanese apply for a job or college, they don't check off Pacific Islander/Asian? GTFO.

 

I thought so. Solid post.