| For one, I imagine that there would be a spike, particularly in centers with large Asian populations, of racially motivated assaults. | It's interesting you bring that up. You're probably right, but part of me wonders if it would be different in this situation for Asians. For one, Asia already kinda hates NK. Almost all the Koreans in the US are actually South Koreans, which would probably be the most anti-NK group of all. Sure, there'd be some brickheads that think they're all the same, but I wonder if that would even be a significant group. Asians are perhaps one of the most integrated immigrant groups in the US at this point. It's been said rather unironically that Asians are the "racial bourgeoisie". We may have curbed our xenophobic distrust of Asia since we have denounced Japanese internment, so would racist backlash be minor in this day and age? If anything, I'd expect it to be more aimed at Chinese. It's generally perceived that no one wants to be North Korean, but not so for China, who remains the only real "ally" of NK.
We may have curbed our xenophobic distrust of Asia
Here's the thing about Asian Americans. They're not a cohesive group with a common culture as Black Americans are. I say Black, not African American because there are African Americans who can trace their roots back to specific African countries and do not have ancestors who were enslaved. Asia is an old continent, with very old cultures and opinions about other Asian cultures and to some extent that is present here in the States. In the face of whites, yes Asian Americans may group together but there is often still a stronger link to country of origin than to other Asian Americans. Furthermore, when people say Asian Americans or even Asians, people of South Asian ancestry are usually left out of the group, at least in the US. I argue that Asian Americans are not one of the most integrated groups in America, though I guess it would depend on personal experience and definition. From my own experience, we're reminded of how different we are far more often than would be true if what you say is true. How often are Latinos or Blacks asked, "where are you from? No, where are you really from?" To put it another way, Asians are often labeled as "the perpetual foreigners". Not only that, but if schools accepted students on merit alone, then Asians would make up a larger percentage of Ivy League student bodies than they presently do. However, this is not so. I heard a joke once that made me laugh so hard and yet made me incredibly sad as well. I can't remember the name of the comedian, but it went like this. "It was hard growing up Japanese, because I'm Korean." My experience is somewhat different. Yes, friends growing up would jokingly say to me, "all Asians look the same" usually followed by, "You don't look like other Asians," as if their friendship with me and getting to know me as an individual somehow absolved them of racism. Nope. I get the impression that to many people, all Asians and Asian Americans are Chinese.
Yes, definitely, but from the perspective of racial discourse, they tend to get hit with the same perception regardless of whether that's deserved or not. Historically in the US, and perhaps still, race(ism) is viewed on a scale from white to black. There's a lot about the issue scattered here, if you can get access to those pdf's. Asians became the "model minority", the ones that integrated into society and became successful in the wake of the various stages of Asian immigration. The perceptions carry over still today. How many ethnic stereotypes describe successfulness? Here's where the idea of the "racial bourgeoisie" steps in. Yes, it's all good and fucked up indeed. None of that would make you immune from perpetual foreigner syndrome, though. It's funny that you bring up Ivy Leagues though. Here in California at the UC system there is no affirmative action and Asians make up close to half the student body. I suppose Ivy League schools don't have a Tapioca Express in their food courts, but here, where things are mingled enough, it's kinda hard to imagine people suddenly getting angry at every other person they see.Here's the thing about Asian Americans. They're not a cohesive group with a common culture as Black Americans are.
Yeah, you've got a point. Sometimes I think that part of the difficulty of a national identity is that California isn't Massachusetts isn't Texas isn't Hawai'i and this lends itself to painting with broader strokes. Joe Six-pack can't be expected to know a Hmong from a Singaporean but even so, it's a shame that racism is often ignored or let slide under the misguided perception that it will somehow die on its own.