Entrepreneur and former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang made a controversial argument in a Washington Post op-ed this month. In his piece, he argued that Asian Americans must demonstrate their “American-ness” to combat racism related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 1, he wrote that Asian Americans can help end racism by embracing their patriotism and being the best citizens they can be:
We Asian Americans need to embrace and show our American-ness in ways we never have before. We need to step up, help our neighbors, donate gear, vote, wear red, white and blue, volunteer, fund aid organizations, and do everything in our power to accelerate the end of this crisis. We should show without a shadow of a doubt that we are Americans who will do our part for our country in this time of need.
Many took to Twitter to express their concerns about Yang's argument.
This isn't the first time Yang has been in the spotlight of controversial Asian American stereotypes. Much of his presidential campaign leaned on model minority stereotypes. Not only did Yang fulfill the requirements of being a well-educated, hardworking, successful, and well-off Asian American, he chose to sell his campaign by being the 'right type' of Asian American -- liking math, knowing a lot of doctors, and working hard.
The Washington Post created a video of three times Yang invoked Asian American stereotypes.
While many understand where Yang is coming from and believe his sentiment to contribute civically during this time of hardship is intended to be a positive one, his argument is deeply flawed. Similar to Yang, John Cho wrote a piece on belonging in American in response to the recent Anti-Asian backlash due to the spread of COVID-19. In his piece, he wrote:
Growing up, the assumption was that once we became American enough, there would be no need for such warnings — that we would be safe.
Yang's argument follows the very misguided idea of "respectability politics," which hasn't proven to work in the grand scheme of things. Cho explains that belonging is conditional and this is especially evident now.
Asian Americans are experiencing such a moment right now. The pandemic is reminding us that our belonging is conditional. One moment we are Americans, the next we are all foreigners, who “brought” the virus here.
This argument makes Asian Americans responsible for racism instead of addressing the deeper societal issues of xenophobia and inequality as a whole. Not only is Yang's op-ed ineffective in addressing or solving problems for those suffering at the hands of racism and inequality, but it also feeds into a greater issue that is harmful to growth and movement when it comes to breaking down these stereotypes in the media. Yang represents a group of people working to promote stereotypes for their benefit -- to increase likability and viewability. While 'trying to fit in' and being labeled as having strong work ethic and being patriotic may seem harmless, it affects minority groups as a whole. It gives viewers the false perception that Asian Americans are all equal because they 'made it' through hard work and perseverance. Yang chooses to take on the role of an 'honorary white' to appease more people. This is a harmful mentality for Asian Americans and all minority groups alike. Many times, those in power believe Asian Americans are able to climb the social and economic ladder successfully through hard work and grit, and therefore, they also believe and expect the same from other minority groups. These stereotypes continue to oppress minority groups and give this false perception that all Asian Americans are successful.
While Yang's argument to show our "American-ness" is understandable -- especially during a time when we all need to be united -- the concept is very misguided and harmful. Instead of trying to fit in, we should keep those responsible for spreading such rhetoric accountable. President Trump needs to be held responsible for the hate that he spreads and conflict that he causes by referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese Virus" or "Kung-Flu." Asian Americans need to unite and continue to spread awareness on this issue to educate people on their biases and stereotypes. We need to be aware of our unconscious biases and understand how our thoughts and actions affect others. Lastly, during this extremely uncertain time, we need to come together and unite to find solutions to problems that arose during this pandemic. Hopefully we can address the inequalities that have been present for years but are more evident now.
All in all, we should do more to help those in our community not because we want to prove our 'American-ness' but because it’s the right thing to do.
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