Asian Americans are still the 'other' despite contributions to US

WASHINGTON, DC: More than eight years after their revealing report on perceptions of Asian Americans, the Committee of 100 (C-100) released, Still the "Other?": Public Attitudes Toward Chinese and Asian Americans, conducted by Harris Interactive.

The report indicates that, despite a positive trend in attitudes toward Asian Americans, racial discrimination and suspicions still exist. An underlying current throughout the survey results is the recognition that - even in 2009 - the majority of the general population cannot make a distinction between Chinese Americans and Asian Americans in general, treating all as one generic, monolithic ethnic group, with 28 percent or more saying they rarely or never interact with Asian Americans.

"Race is not black and white - literally nor figuratively. Whatever our own individual backgrounds or political preferences, the facts are clear - the face of the nation is changing as it never has before," said Frank H. Wu, Vice Chair for Research at C-100 and the author of Yellow: Race In America Beyond Black and White.

"As we strive to make good on the American Dream that attracted so many of us and our ancestors, we must see our shared interests in advancing civil rights principles. All of us benefit from the principles of diversity and inclusion. We cannot succeed without bridge building."

"At a time when some pundits claim that America has moved beyond race, this survey shows that there is broad ignorance of significant populations of Americans.

In the absence of real information, harmful stereotypes still render Asian Americans as 'Other' outsiders to our democracy," said Helen Zia, Vice Chair for Media at C-100 and the author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of An American People.
"This survey underscores how our whole society benefits when attitudes and policies are based on factual knowledge and attitudes that allow for the full participation of all Americans."

Loyalty of Asian Americans:

Despite the approximately 59,141 Asian Americans serving in active duty in the US Armed Services, and the more than 300 Asian Americans who have been injured or died in Operation Iraqi Freedom, there are still suspicions about the loyalty of Asian Americans. Among the general population, 45 percent believe Asian Americans are more loyal to their countries of ancestry than to the United States, up from 37 percent in the 2001 survey.