I don’t think it is inherently racist or wrong to ask somebody where they or their family comes from - but I do think the wording and context matters. There are plenty of innocent and benign reasons to be curious. Asking “no, where are you really from?” in that manner, I agree that is offensive.
However - yes, white people do get asked “where are you from?” and do get told “go back to where you came from” if not quite “your country” all the time too. Being somebody who was born and grew up in the northeast who has been living in Texas for 20+ years now, I can tell you that happens quite a bit.
We know a great deal what goes on in Admissions offices. They tell us. Go read what the University of Texas said in the Fisher case before the SCOTUS. Read what other universities have said in defense of their diversity programs.
Not to beat it to death but that simply is not true. My white mother is and has been asked that question countless times based on her accent from her birth country. She always responds with a smile and says the Bronx and then has people guess. She then enjoys cheerfully sharing stories of her youth.
She has always viewed people’s curiosity as an opportunity to be both friendly and educate.
I sincerely feel bad that you find such a question as offensive. I am guilty of asking it on occasion and when I have it was based on a legitimate interest given my families immigrant history.
It is equally infuriating when a parent includes their own work and sacrifice as a joint parent/child achievement for the purpose of college applications. If Asians are the “wrong race”, did non-Asian kids choose the “wrong parents”?
Certainly for high-achievers who feel entitled to a spot at a “top” university, one would expect such a student to be resourceful and thrive no matter what “crumbs” are handed to them. If they can’t, are they really achievers? Or just a mirage?
Crumbs are what will be gained by winning the Harvard lawsuit, at the expense of public sentiment.
I don’t support the general “students of color” classification, but in that context, we know for sure that Asians haven’t endured anywhere near the level of hate, violence, and discrimination that blacks have, so Asians are absolutely not students of color.
I get asked all the time, and I answer with pride.
Context matters, but oftentimes the context strongly suggests that stereotypes are driving the question. Here is a quote from Jon SooHoo, an Asian-American Los Angeles professional sports photographer who is 5th generation Angeleno.
“[E}very ballpark I’ve been to, I’ve been looked at as a foreigner because I’m an Asian carrying a camera. I’ve gotten it at every ballpark across the land since I started in ’85. I have to reiterate that I am an American. I am an Asian-American that happens to take pictures of the Los Angeles Dodgers.”
Thankfully this perception did not stop other Asians with cameras.
I am thrilled for Marcus Yam!
I’m asked about where I’m from and get “weird” looks all the time. That’s the fun part of having an accent and in my case looking ethnically ambiguous. Most people are curious. Myself included. I’m in the Ted Lasso camp of being curious not judgmental, and afford others the presumption of their curiosity.
Go back to where you came from is rich coming from anyone in the US.
I was born and raised in Texas. I have a Texas accent. I went to The University of Texas. I went to law school in Texas. And I was asked repeatedly where are you REALLY from even after I told them I was from Houston Texas.
You said white people are not asked that question. I answered with my lived experience.
I didn’t disagree or question your experience in any way. Your snarky tone is not necessary!!
There is an old expression that if you spend your life looking for shadows you never enjoy the sun. Sometimes there are undoubtedly racial overtones hopefully most times there are people trying to connect on a personal level. Treat them as you will but I would prefer to assume the best of people.
Well you very well may be right. I’m not interested in debating. I just wanted to give an insider’s view on a certain type of admissions and race. I find the discussions about race on this web site are often sweeping and without nuance. Many posts on the subject disheartening to say the least. Anyway, at least in my experience, all Asian students were not lumped together or seen as a monolith for admissions purposes.
Given the cosy relationship between elite prep schools and admissions offices at certain elite universities and liberal arts colleges, I would not be shocked if some of the same issues are at play. After all, it is not uncommon for there to be overlap between the college admissions officers from those universities and the college counselors at prep schools. I can even think of a few instances in which a former ivy admissions officer became a prep school admissions officer and vice versa. More often the overlap in employees between the college counseling department at prep schools and the admissions deans at certain elite colleges since it is only the difference of one year between high school seniors and college freshmen (as opposed to five years between eighth grade and college freshmen).
Yes, agreed, and it’s unfortunate that anyone who “looks foreign” (i.e. non-white), has to encounter this no matter how many generations they’ve been American.
Conversely, I have a black friend (actually mixed race, but “looks” black), an immigrant from an upper class background and speaks with somewhat of a British accent (though not British) who is assumed to be a typical African American, and encounters all the stereotypes and assumptions that brings, from both blacks and non-blacks.
It took a while for the Irish and Italian and Polish etc immigrants to be accepted in this country. It’s much harder for non-whites, who are instantly judged based on their looks alone. We have a long way to go.
Even more so was the time that a protestor asked Eric Descheenie, an Arizona state legislator, if he was in the country illegally. Descheenie is Navajo.
I only ask people what part of the United States they are from.
If someone has a “native” English accent of some kind that I recognize (say South African or Australian or British), I may ask them what part of XYZ country they are from.
I would think that AOs are able to distinguish between applicants from different countries in Asia and level of income. I would think they very much care, too, and factor it into their diversity goals. Why wouldn’t they?
Again, apparently we aren’t getting all the memos about what we are supposed to be aggrieved about. For some reason we mistakenly think that the country still treats us well overall, despite its imperfections.
I don’t think the issue is that people are being deliberately racist, rude or insulting. It’s that they are inadvertently revealing that if you look Asian (even with a Texas accent) they think you don’t belong. Maybe just like you don’t belong at Harvard either… I think these sort of unacknowledged prejudices can lead to unfair treatment of Asian-Americans.
