Excited
We’ve blogged about the Arizona immigration law and how it affects Asians and Asian Americans. Well, the other day, I came across Is Dora the Explorer an illegal immigrant? It’s a disturbing article and I immediately thought, if Kai-Lan was the next target. Dora’s background has never been quite defined:
Representatives from Nickelodeon declined to comment on Dora’s background, and her place of birth or citizenship have never been clear.” She has brown skin, dark hair and some experts who have studied the show say she speaks Spanish with an American accent.
Well, it’s pretty clear that Kai-Lan is of Chinese ethnicity, though I doubt the show has ever addressed her citizenship. Perhaps more than any other ethnicity, Asian Americans are still often seen as foreigners, as if they’re not “really” American. I’ve only been to Arizona once to visit a friend, but I wonder if the next time I am ever in Arizona, will I have to carry my “papers?”
The more likely scenario is for my mother to be pulled over and asked, since her English isn’t as good as Kai-Lan’s. Is having a foreign accent “reasonable suspicion?” I’ve been asked, “Where are you from?” – and when I’ve answered born-and-raised in Massachusetts, “No, where are you really from?” before, but I guess Dora the Explorer is an easier target since most Americans equate illegal immigrants with Hispanics; I wouldn’t be too surprised if people started questioning next if Kai-Lan as the next possible illegal immigrant.
How does this post make you feel?
- Fascinated
- Amused
- Bored
- Sad
- Angry
NOTE: 8Asians.com is a community, and we thank you for being a part of it. While we welcome and appreciate differences in opinion, if you're rude or you're promoting spam, we have a right to edit or delete your comment. Read our comment policy for more information.
If you see a comment that violates the 8Asians.com comment policy, you may flag the comment by mousing over the comment and clicking "FLAG."
Did you see that article on cnn.com today saying Arizona is now targeting teachers who speak English with an accent?
Here is an interesting news story, on the real faces of immigration, which sadly has not been covered so well by the mainstream media. A young Asian girl, here LEGALLY on a student visa, was chosen at random, brutally beaten with a pipe, then raped with it (!) on a busy street in NYC. No one came to her aid. It is now about a week later and she has died from massive brain trauma and internal injuries from the rape. She worked hard at a nail salon to save money so she could one day attend college. Please pass this on to your sisters, friends, mothers and the community at large. Always be aware of your surroundings.
Custom Search
Recent Posts
- Chinese New Year Lanterns
- Is Kim Jong Un Dead? Assassination Rumors Hit the Internet
- Help Fight Stereoptypes With Asian Crew Clothing
- Deftones’ Chi Cheng Wakes Up From His 3-Year Coma
- SXSW 2012 Has a Nice Handful of Asian Movies
- Woman In China Gives Birth To 15 Lb Baby
- Naruto & Dragonball Now Available On Barnes & Noble Nook
Recent Comments
- : @PhucDat You've obviously never heard of the "no asians, no fats, no fems" that's commonly referenced in the gay community. It's very frustrating and makes... – Asian Men Have The Highest Salary
- : @Biffer I find it interesting how you've managed to transform this great story into launching an attack against african- americans. It's quite offensive for you,as... – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
- : This whole article was kinda frustrating and ridiculous. "And maybe this will help put a little more desirability for Asian males in the dating pool."... – Asian Men Have The Highest Salary
- : while it was pretty hilarious, it's a little disconcerting that most of the people who responded didn't use spellcheck. – What I Learned From Posting A Dragon Lady Personal Ad
- : @dcj125 Riiiiiiiiight.... cuz that's exactly what I meant with my comment. – What if Jeremy Lin Weren't Asian?
APA Events
Feb 16: Adam WarRock and Kirby Krackle: West Cost Tour Dates!!!
Feb 16: (New York, NY) Amar Chitra Katha: Monica Ferrell, Chitra Ganesh, Keshni Kashyap, and Himanshu “Heems” Suri of Das Racist
Feb 17: (Los Angeles, CA) All My Sons
Feb 18: (Stanford, CA) Stanford’s 16th Listen to the Silence Conference- Feb 18: (San Francisco, CA) NAAAP-SF Lunar New Year Gala 2012
Feb 25: (Los Angeles, CA) Past Present I Future Imperatives: Queer Space Time
Mar 3: (New York, NY) Vong Pak’s ‘Electric Shaman’ Concert
Apr 30: (Sacramento, CA) California Asian Pacific Islander Policy Summit 2012: iAdvocate
Staff and Contributors
- Editors
- Ernie Hsiung - Founder, Editor-in-Chief
- Moye Ishimoto - Co-Editor, Editorial
- Joz Wang - Co-Editor, PR & APA Outreach
