http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/2003/04/15/redefining-what-it-means-to-be-an-american/ The internet is a huge bathroom wall, and any halfwit with a keyboard and a connection has an opportunity to scrawl on it. Take me, for instance. My name is KZ. For a good time, come find me at Prosaic Shades of Gray. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:04:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/2003/04/15/redefining-what-it-means-to-be-an-american/comment-page-1/#comment-635 Natalia Mon, 21 Apr 2003 22:41:22 +0000 http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/?p=107#comment-635 There's this great bit in the book "My Year of Meats" by Ruth Ozeki, where the protagonist (whose dad is American and whose mum is Oriental) gets harrassed about her heritage at some buffet line. This middle-aged asshole gets exasperated that he can't pin down who she is and just blurts out: "WHAT are you?" And she takes a deep breath and looks him in the eye and says: "I...am...a...FUCKING AMERICAN." The book is mostly geared toward vegetarianism, but I found that bit very touching. There’s this great bit in the book “My Year of Meats” by Ruth Ozeki, where the protagonist (whose dad is American and whose mum is Oriental) gets harrassed about her heritage at some buffet line. This middle-aged asshole gets exasperated that he can’t pin down who she is and just blurts out: “WHAT are you?”
And she takes a deep breath and looks him in the eye and says: “I…am…a…FUCKING AMERICAN.”
The book is mostly geared toward vegetarianism, but I found that bit very touching.

]]> http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/2003/04/15/redefining-what-it-means-to-be-an-american/comment-page-1/#comment-634 Francisco Sanchez Fri, 18 Apr 2003 18:47:01 +0000 http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/?p=107#comment-634 well duh KZ, of course ur as much of an american as i am. and i completely agree with what u've said. i think that most "american minorities" see themselves as americans, it just might be easier to say "american guy" than "white guy," the whole "blahblahblah-american" saying gets old after a while. some people just segregate themselves naturally. it's not a bad thing but i think it does breed ignorance on occasion. well duh KZ, of course ur as much of an american as i am. and i completely agree with what u’ve said.
i think that most “american minorities” see themselves as americans, it just might be easier to say “american guy” than “white guy,” the whole “blahblahblah-american” saying gets old after a while.
some people just segregate themselves naturally. it’s not a bad thing but i think it does breed ignorance on occasion.

]]> http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/2003/04/15/redefining-what-it-means-to-be-an-american/comment-page-1/#comment-633 me Wed, 16 Apr 2003 04:18:43 +0000 http://www.prosaicshadesofgray.com/?p=107#comment-633 The topic of this entry is something we talked about a lot in my asian american studies class. I totally agree with you -- asians should try to abstain from reinforcing the idea that we are any less american than anyone else. The topic of this entry is something we talked about a lot in my asian american studies class. I totally agree with you — asians should try to abstain from reinforcing the idea that we are any less american than anyone else.

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