Everytime I have to fill out a form (for a mortgage, for a bank account, and so on) in the US, the (completely voluntary) section for "ethnicity" is frustrating. The one box that makes the most sense is "Asian". Whenever I tick it, I know it is an exercise in futility, since most of the establishment (all four estates—the press is probably one of the most clueless) thinks of that word as meaning what I—at least—consider the "Pac Rim". Here's an article that points to the utter stupidity of lumping South East Asians, Asians, and Japanese-Americans in one demographic?
Los Angeles Times
December 16, 2004
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-asians16dec16,1,852219.story
Stark Contrasts Found Among Asian Americans
The group's average family income tops the overall U.S. figure. But while
Indians prosper, Cambodians, Laotians and Hmong struggle.
By Teresa Watanabe and Nancy Wride
Times Staff Writers
Indian Americans have surged forward as the most successful Asian minority in the United States, reporting top levels of income, education, professional job status and English-language ability, even though three-fourths were foreign-born, according to U.S. census data released Wednesday.
The striking success of Asian Americans who trace their heritage to India contrasted with data showing struggles among Cambodian, Laotian and Hmong immigrants. Those three groups reported continued significant poverty rates, low job skills and limited English-language ability since their flight from war and political turmoil.
....and so on
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