African American and Asian Americans: The Same but Different

In Neither Black nor White by Angelo N. Ancheta racial issues are compared and contrasted. Asian Americans and blacks have both been discriminated on in the past yet they have different stereotypes and are treated differently by the white people. I believe that both races have been treated poorly in the past however there is still racial tension between Blacks and Asian Americans because the Asian Americans are seen as highly successful. Yet the white people try to suppress them by forcing them to own stereotypical businesses such as a laundry mats and forcing them to do cheap labor. The blacks were seen in the same way but their stereotype is not as successful, hardworking, and honorable. The negative stereotypes maybe because the blacks were always slaves therefore they were treated as being lowly while the Asian Americans are just temporary cheap work and their culture shows that because they are hardworking the Asian Americans are easily taken advantage of. The Blacks on the other hand, stood up for themselves through boycotting, marches, riots, and speeches. Through these displays of aggression, the white people had to slowly compromise to achieve peace. The Asian Americans have not caused trouble through violent acts outside of gangs nor have they had speeches asking for peace like civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. Blacks achieved publicity causing people to notice the issues where as Asian Americans perhaps have not caused much civil unrest causing the rest of the country to take notice and see their point of view. The reason why Asian Americans have not been considered fully American is because of the fact that they come from a culture that is completely different from that of Western people. Their stereotypical cultures are very strict, hardworking, and dominating over women, and culturally introverted. Perhaps these qualities that constrain freedom of speech frightens the western believes. The white people do not understand the concepts and are intimidated, and worried that as more Eastern people come into the country, they will try to take over and change the American View points. The Asian Americans are controlled and suppressed to discourage the outspoken attitude the Blacks have. Another reason is that the country as a whole has no idea that the Asian Americas are being discriminated upon because the issues are rarely spoken about. I personally had no knowledge that the Asian Americans were treated almost like slaves. Would people change the laws if they realized that other minority groups are being oppressed? In the most recent period, all the focus has been on black people and their rights but not other Minorities. The white people feel guilty because they officially called Black people slaves but they have never verbally acknowledged the other Minorities as slaves. In the white people's mind, if they are not recognized as slaves then they are not slaves making cheap labor, harsh punishment such as whipping, racism, and stereotypes acceptable.