Can I see some ID please

I've written this post several times in my head, but never got around to putting it on paper. This is quite an extended rant.

New [UK] Person: Where you from?
Me: The US!
New Person: Where abouts?
Me: Texas! [but my parents are from Taiwan and I go to school in Indiana.]

'Where are you from' is usually preceded by the obligatory name and course [major] introductions. The question is much less awkward (or I believe it to be so) than in the U.S., but only because my accent is undeniably American.
I wonder if people want to follow with "were you born there/did you grow up there?" or "where are your parents from?" but I've never gotten asked so I can only presume no.

For the longest time I struggled with my identity as an Asian-American. In middle and high school (and even college), I quite honestly felt superior to both Asians and Caucasian American. I spoke Mandarin, had a rich cultural heritage, and grew up with Chinese food and memories of Taiwan. But I also spoke perfect English, watched 'American' TV, listened to 'American' music, and grew up with Thanksgiving and 4th of July traditions. Even so, I stubbornly refused to listen to or enjoy KPOP or anime or wear anything resembling a "fob". At the same time, I grossly shunned wearing shoes in the house, hamburgers, and parents who didn't push their children's academics. I didn't want to be associated with either ends of the spectrum, and I often found myself choosing one identity over the other.

But I realize now I am not distinctly one or the other, Asian or American. I'm Asian-American. I proudly boast the characteristics of both. It doesn't make me better, just different. A blend of both cultures. My blend of both cultures. A blend of love for both America and Taiwan, its language and food, culture and people. And a thankfulness that I can have both,

So yes, it is offensive if you make racist Asian jokes or denigrate aspects of Chinese culture. It's also offensive to think I don't belong in America or that I don't know American culture. And don't assume that you know what Asian-American or Chinese culture is. Don't tell me that Chinese food is unhealthy because you ate at a greasy "Chinese" restaurant, or assume that I'm quiet, or that I'm like any other Asian you've met. You know I will acknowledge, that all Asians look alike. But I tell you, so do all white people.

I write this post in part as a personal response to the 'Trump' phenomena. Trump and those who supports him, and I mean everyone who supports him, alienates anyone who is not like them. It's an aura of prejudice, of hatred, of disregard, of ignorance of how our differences "make America great", for lack of a better phrase. Protecting our country is important, yes, but building walls, shutting others out, scrutinizing and rejecting the people who are already in the country? When Trump and his supporters say "Get Out", it implies that the space is theirs, that this country belongs to them, that we don't belong. But you know what? This country is shared, it's not yours, it's ours. It's everyone's.

Being 'politically correct', especially regarding race, is not a burden or a chore. It's a common courtesy. Courtesy that acknowledges that people come from different backgrounds and cultures, and courtesy that shows the minimum acceptable respect for those differences. And it's time America started caring enough to show some.

THE END.
03.17.2016