Asian American Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Asian American Experience - Essay Example The economic diversity of Asian American citizens has been a worrying factor. Takaki (502) argues that differences in the social standings of Asian American communities have caused suffering to some of the Asian Americans. Although the Immigration Act of 1965 brought many elites to the United States, it also brought in many refugees seeking better life. This means that the Asian American community is a bipolar one, having the educated professionals and the needy group. Judging, however, by the notion advanced by the media, that most Asian Americans are prominent and intelligent people, many feel obliged to conform to this stereotype. The government often neglects groups such as the unemployed, the elderly and the farm laborers. Social services such as access to medical services and schooling for this needy group are often unavailable. The Asian American community is seen to exemplify the American dream, to the extent that President Reagan, in 1984, perceived the Asian American popula tion as America’s utmost success story (Takaki). President Reagan stated categorically, that all Americans were descendants of the immigrants chasing the American dream. He added that America’s economy needed the hard work and honesty of the Asian Americans to continue thriving. The wages of most Asian Americans are not at par with those of the ordinary Americans. According to Takaki (612), the mean personal income of whites in 1980 was equivalent to that of the Japanese provided the latter had more education and worked for longer hours.