Could Obama Be the Bridge for Black & Asian Relations?
In America, race relations often boil down to white and something else. Rarely is there focus on how minorities interact with one another. This is especially the case with Blacks and Asians, two groups who have been polarized for many years.
Of course, it didn’t always start off that way. During the 1800’s, Chinese immigrants actually befriended blacks as the two worked side-by-side on the railroads. Many even went on to marry African-American women, due to the shortage of Chinese women.
But now, the thought of Asian and Black in any type of capacity, whether friendship or romance seems almost foreign to the point it gives you a headache. There have been a few movies and books that tried to get people thinking, but for the most part, the groups either hated each other or were apathetic. Oh sure, having an Asian or a Black friend is fine in the boardroom, but for familial or romantic relations that’s a no-no.
Now enter Barack Obama, probably the only African-American man who has been dubbed by some as the first Asian president. Of course, you won’t see such a title among many magazines, but that’s how many in the Asian activists feel. Why? Well, he came from Hawaii, (a state with a large Japanese population), and he has two Asian relatives; a half-Indonesian sister and a Chinese brother-in-law. He has also garnered a lot of respect from many Asian nations, as he’s seen as a champion of freedom and democracy.
So, what does this mean for Black and Asian relations in general? It could help break down a lot of stereotypes each of the groups have about one another. It may also cause more Asian and Black families, (like mine), to come out of the woodworks and reveal that they do exist. Most importantly, it will reveal a fact that is often forgotten in American culture; racial harmony goes deeper than just Black and White.