The video above is encouraging Taiwanese Americans to check the “other” box on the U.S. Census and to write in “Taiwanese.” In other words, don’t check the “Chinese” box, but rather write in “Taiwanese.”
I’ve found that the best way to make yourself unpopular is to discuss Chinese and Taiwanese politics. Don’t do it. Don’t ever ever do it. Sure, rail against rice chasers who poison our communities. Rail against the angry Asian men who oppress Asian women and supposedly bind their feet. But do not…DO NOT discuss Chinese and Taiwanese politics. When you’re in a room full of Chinese and Taiwanese people, the two worst moves you can make is:
1. To say that you think Chinese and Taiwanese is the same ethnicity.
2. To say that you think Chinese and Taiwanese is different.
The best move you can make is to just shut up and let everyone around you talk. I’m a dark brown Southern Chinese, so I’m not going to share my own views on this. But here are two perspectives from the youtube comments:
#1:
i am taiwanese american and i am proud of it.
tw is not just a political mvmt, it’s a nation of individuals, a culture, an identity
we have our own language, but the more commonly used one is Mandarin since we know it will be an asset in the future.
the people of tw do not see themselves as chinese because they are not. many fled because they disliked communism, not because they were KMT.
#2:
This is clearly a blatant attempt to split Asian American unity and to betray Chinese American organizations such as the OCA who have fought vehemently for our civil rights for the past 40 years. By writing in “Taiwanese,” these organizations will lose clout and funding due to a potential undercount of Chinese Americans. So in return for what the OCA and others have fought for us, it appears that some of us will seek to undermine them. I am Taiwanese American and I will be marking “Chinese.”
Those who use anonymous handles can feel free to comment below. Those who don’t…well, comment at your own risk.
(Thanks to to one of my anonymous readers for this.)
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I agree with everything you said. About #1…I think...
DO NOT discuss Chinese and Taiwanese politics.
I have an idea. Let’s discuss something less contentious … like Asian American interracial dating!
Ok, let’s start it! At 2:00 mark, how does someone look Taiwanese?
mT:
I am DYING to discuss this. DY-ING. But I just know I will piss people off by doing so.
I have never heard anyone say that so-and-so looks Taiwanese. I’d like a primer too.
Funny you mention this. The first time Hubby and I met, after the polite introductory hellos, he asked me, “Are you Taiwanese?” I replied, “Yes, I am. How did you know?” Said Hubby: “You look it.” I asked if he was Taiwanese too. He said no, he’s mainland Chinese and then something-something “One China!!!” I must have looked murderous after that comment. The conversation then spiraled out of control into an all out vehement debate over cross-straits politics, with each ready to strangle the other. Five years later, we married.
So are you saying that mainlanders should say something pro-China when trying to pick up Taiwanese women? Is that a cross-straits neg?
I forgot to add a smiley face in my comment. Here it is:
Fuck Taiwan!!!
…..
Bring it!
So….what about the mountain of Chinese historical treasures that Chiang Kai-shek took with him when he high-tailed it to the island? The National Palace Museum of Taiwan is one of the largest in the world and they have so many artifacts that only 1% of them can be on display at any one time. So if the people of Taiwan don’t consider themselves Chinese anymore, how about giving this stuff back?