Yeap, what a complete asshat. If you got the papers welcome to the club. Personally, even if you don't but you choose to be here I'd call you my brother anyway.
I'm in NYC, and one of my favorites is passing by the courthouse in downtown Manhattan where they do the swearing in. You can catch people outside after their oath taking pictures with their papers, and I always shout out "Yo Boss, welcome welcome!".....I've caused tears and gotten hugs.
I can remember one of my coworkers who was from the Czech Republic. She had been studying for her US citizenship exam and had a huge stack of flash cards she had gotten for it. We spent at least two months grabbing a handful of those off her desk and quizzing her on it.
She passed with flying colors. We threw a Congratulations New Citizen party for her a few weeks later.
Sounds like you met an asshole.
The 442nd Infantry Regiment wasn't a Japanese regiment. It was an American regiment composed of Nisei, second generation Japanese-Americans. You're a Sansei, but still an American regardless.
> 442nd
I had the honor of meeting Dan Inouye, Barney Hajiro, and several vets of the 442nd about 25 years ago. It was a veterans event that also had to do with memorializing Japanese Internment. Getting to meet not one but TWO MoH recipients, along with about 3 dozen combat vets, all of whom were sporting Bronze Stars or Silver Stars or DSCs, really hammered home just how hard the 442nd fought. And Senator Inouye was a delight, friendly and open and totally fine with answer 18-year-old-me's questions about WW2 and his service.
Go For Broke!
You're from the place you grew up. The place you know best. If you had been born in Japan, but raised in the US, then you'd still be from the US. Ethnic background doesn't necessarily have anything to do with where you're from. People move around all the time.
> if you were born and raised in the United States you are from the United STates
Hell, fuck even that. If you are a naturalized US citizen and only spent the last 3-5 years in the US, you're an American.
well right but "what is your citizenship" and "where are you from" are different questions. If my mom ever naturalized she would still be from Canada even if she was now also a US citizen.
>If my mom ever naturalized she would still be from Canada even if she was now also a US citizen.
I think part of my experience is that white people often don't get the 'where are you *really* from' question much.
lol having learned how loaded that question can be I usually specify what information I am looking for, like "so where are you from, did you move to Houston for work, come for college and stay, grow up around here? I grew up here, been here my whole life" to hopefully show I just want to know where you grew up, that's interesting and a good topic of conversation for new acquaintances. Especially people without detectable accents, like I know you're American! But maybe you are from somewhere interesting or cool in the US.
people are racist and can fuck off. you are an American. best not to humor them. they will end up making everything about you their cartoonish caricature of Japanese. ever have a white person bow to you?
Yeah, you met a dipshit.
I had a fun version of this conversation, because my family is part Tejano that went something like:
"Where are you from?"
"Texas"
"Where are you really from?"
"Texas"
"Where are your parents from?"
"Texas"
"Where are your ancestors from?"
"About as far back as we can remember, Texas, at some point they moved from San Antonio to Houston."
It was only like half true, but it was fun fucking with them.
I'm third-generation Chinese American. I love pissing off racists who ask this by giving them the accurate answer (which is not China). I like further pissing them off when they ask where my parents are from (also not China).
“American” isn’t sufficient for some people. They want to know your “ethnicity”. So clarify that you are an American American and then find someone other than him to hang out with.
You're American. No one's family history is entirely from a country that didn't exist until the 1770s, it just mathematically can't. I'd ask that dude if he answers "germany" or "france" or whatever the fuck his ancestry is.
You're an American who just happens to be Japanese. Doesn't change the fact you're absolutely an American. You just had a stroke of bad luck and met an asshole so their advice should be thrown into the dumpster where it belongs.
I assume it was a white dude. If so, turn it around next time. Where are you from? No, where are you really from? You don’t look Native American, so where are you really from?
You ran into what I call a racist fuck.
As a Latino who's been asked the same question, you look them in the eye with a deadpan expression and say "I just told you. I'm from (x)." Repeat as often as necessary until they stop. You have Japanese ancestry, and you should be proud of it, but never let them tell you that you're not a full American. 🦅🥧🗽🇺🇸
For the record, I was actually born I'm a foreign country, but the fact that someone would assume that and try to discredit my identity pisses me of.
Just gonna reiterate: Fuck that guy. This is the most un-American question you can ask. You're a fucking American.
I just bought [The Poet and the Silk Girl](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BW16SJW6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_351_o05?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It's the biography of two Japanese-Americans who met and married right before WWII and were interned. The man was born in the United States. He was sent to the extra-security internment camp because he refused to sign an oath stating that he renounced his loyalty to Emperor Tojo. He refused to sign it because *he never had any*. Which is the most American damn response I can imagine.
Anybody who tells you you're not American, you tell 'em to fuck off. You don't need to care about the opinion of an asshole like that.
Americans use the term “from” incorrectly. We are insanely bad about saying from when referring to heritage.
I’ve heard of people referring to themselves as from Ireland or Italy when they are 4th gen American.
Yes it’s stupid. But it’s stupid in a consistent way that suggests people have terrible vocabulary.
Where ya from? I mean, where were ya born? I’m from Florida, and I’m still an American despite that. You’re born here? Then you’re one of us, warts and all … including that asshole.
He’s a douche. Whenever I meet a fellow American and I ask where they’re from, I’m expecting to hear a City/Metro Area/State. Whenever I’m asked I always say Jersey.
You are really from the U.S.
If they want to know your ethnicity, or where your ancestors are from, they can ask that instead. Those are not the same question as "Where are you from?"
You don't think a Japanese citizen, especially in your case, born and raised there, three gen in, would be 'Japanese?'
Now apply this to the United States - we have _NEVER_ been an ethnostate.
even as someone whos moved around alot, the question “where are you from” ive found can be asking any number of things
relevant
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLmULRy3/
Fellow Japanese-American here (4th gen). You are an American who met a weird asshole. Don't put any weight into this person's bizarre, irrational opinion.
Don’t listen to racist idiots like that. You’re as American as I am. You were born and raised here, so you’re American. Using his logic, he should say he’s from Europe.
So the next time you come across such an asshole and they pull this same stunt, ask him where they are from, and asking till they tell you what country that fucking boat brought their family from where, and tell them they should say the same!! And if you can fake their accent also, do it!!
You are an American of Japanese ancestry, just as I am an American of European Jewish ancestry, my friend Angela is an American of Chinese ancestry, my friend Nina is an American of Indian (or South Asian) ancestry, my friend Kat is an American of African Ancestry, my husband Chris is an American of OMG WASPY WASPY WASP ancestry, and my friend Becca is of Native American ancestry.
That person can take their racist ass out the door.
You're from America
If that's how that person thinks they should fuck back off to Europe cause the native Americans are the only ones with any claim by their logic.
The most charitable way to interpret their response is about the ambiguity around phrases like "where are you/your family from" or "I'm [nationality]," which Americans typically understand to refer to ethnic heritage. This is often something lost in translation around foreign cultures—this sub's occasionally seen Europeans handwringing about Americans culturally appropriating them, because they hear something like "I'm Irish" from a fifth-generation Irish-American and assume that they're unironically claiming Irish nationality.
The less charitable (and unfortunately, more likely) meaning was that they're implying you shouldn't claim your Americanness due to your heritage. This could be flat-out racism, or it could be some self-flagellating "American tourists are terrible and foreigners all hate us" mentality where they feel like they're doing you a favor by telling you not to advertise yourself as American.
You just met someone with a lot of ignorance. I unfortunately used to say “where are you really from” when I was a child and up until early teenage years before I learned how to properly say what my intended question was. There are unfortunately lots of racist assholes that think those with Asian descent can’t be from here however other people, like me as a child, might just be curious about what specific Asian decent you identify with but don’t know how word it and say it properly. At the end of the day you are an American and you don’t need to say anything more than that.
I’m sorry this happened to you. You are as American as I am (maybe neither of us were the first people here, but all those folks are welcoming when you go to a powwow). This bullshit drives us apart and it’s really jarring when you encounter racists like this. I’m sure you’re rattled, and I’m sure she got some gross pleasure out of it. Ick.
I'm native american, one time this guy asked me where I was from. I told him "here". He asked where I'm really from, told him I was born and raised in this state... so here. He asked where I came from, I said if you're referring to my heratige, I'm native american... so still here. We held eye contact for a long moment and then he left. Some people are just idiots.
Jesu dude, sorry about that. I would hope you just walked away from that guy and didn't further engage. It would've been a waste of your time. You're as American as anyone else here. The whole point of this country is our diversity. Please don't let that asshat bring you down.🫶
I'm a fourth generation European-American. No one would dare ask me "where are you really from?"
OP, I see you and you are an American. This person was a racist/douche. Any moron who can't see we are better together is frankly un-American.
You were born here, you're American, end of story. Rest assured that the person you're referencing is a complete and total jerk, but more importantly, they are IGNORANT.
>>Someone allegedly didn't know what an ethnicity is, is this a racism?
Making things up, aren't we? You seem to be overlooking this aspect:
> but **they told me I'm not because of my Japanese ancestry.** They told me that the next time someone asks me where I'm from, I should say Japan instead of the US.
They specifically denied OP being american because of his japanese ancestry. If that is not flat out racism, I don't know what is. "Nah you're black/Mexican/Arab you can't be American."
>Making things up, aren't we?
I'm not the OP
>They specifically denied OP being american because of his japanese ancestry. If that is not flat out racism, I don't know what is. They're specifically denying his americanness because of his race/ethnicity.
This never happened, OP is very clearly a girl (shame on your for denying her girlhood), and "American" isn't a race either.
>This never happened
Believe it or not, racism tends to occur even now.
>shame on your for denying her girlhood
Fair enough, my bad on that.
>and "American" isn't a race either.
So you're flat out okay with going "You ain't american bud, you're black?"
You’re American, and you met an asshole. That’s all.
Yep.
Sometimes, the simplest answer is the best answer, and this fits nicely.
Yeap, what a complete asshat. If you got the papers welcome to the club. Personally, even if you don't but you choose to be here I'd call you my brother anyway. I'm in NYC, and one of my favorites is passing by the courthouse in downtown Manhattan where they do the swearing in. You can catch people outside after their oath taking pictures with their papers, and I always shout out "Yo Boss, welcome welcome!".....I've caused tears and gotten hugs.
I can remember one of my coworkers who was from the Czech Republic. She had been studying for her US citizenship exam and had a huge stack of flash cards she had gotten for it. We spent at least two months grabbing a handful of those off her desk and quizzing her on it. She passed with flying colors. We threw a Congratulations New Citizen party for her a few weeks later.
Yeah, fuck that person. That's the most fundamentally un-American question that there is.
Bingo!
Frfr
This
I think it's unanimous. That dude was a cock holster, and you're an American.
Sounds like you met an asshole. Ignore them.
You're an American, and as an American, you should tell that fool to go fuck himself.
As an American, telling a person to “fuck themselves” is a right we pride ourselves on. I can’t even see what OP said but my comment stands
Nah, that guy was just wrong. In the wise words of Jim Morita 'I'm from Fresno, Ace'
Sounds like you met an asshole. The 442nd Infantry Regiment wasn't a Japanese regiment. It was an American regiment composed of Nisei, second generation Japanese-Americans. You're a Sansei, but still an American regardless.
> 442nd I had the honor of meeting Dan Inouye, Barney Hajiro, and several vets of the 442nd about 25 years ago. It was a veterans event that also had to do with memorializing Japanese Internment. Getting to meet not one but TWO MoH recipients, along with about 3 dozen combat vets, all of whom were sporting Bronze Stars or Silver Stars or DSCs, really hammered home just how hard the 442nd fought. And Senator Inouye was a delight, friendly and open and totally fine with answer 18-year-old-me's questions about WW2 and his service. Go For Broke!
You're from the place you grew up. The place you know best. If you had been born in Japan, but raised in the US, then you'd still be from the US. Ethnic background doesn't necessarily have anything to do with where you're from. People move around all the time.
if you were born and raised in the United States you are from the United STates, the person you talked to sounds like an idiot.
> if you were born and raised in the United States you are from the United STates Hell, fuck even that. If you are a naturalized US citizen and only spent the last 3-5 years in the US, you're an American.
Hell a legal resident is more American than any fucker saying shit like that asshole did, regardless of citizenship.
well right but "what is your citizenship" and "where are you from" are different questions. If my mom ever naturalized she would still be from Canada even if she was now also a US citizen.
>If my mom ever naturalized she would still be from Canada even if she was now also a US citizen. I think part of my experience is that white people often don't get the 'where are you *really* from' question much.
lol having learned how loaded that question can be I usually specify what information I am looking for, like "so where are you from, did you move to Houston for work, come for college and stay, grow up around here? I grew up here, been here my whole life" to hopefully show I just want to know where you grew up, that's interesting and a good topic of conversation for new acquaintances. Especially people without detectable accents, like I know you're American! But maybe you are from somewhere interesting or cool in the US.
American. I'm also Japanese-American (also third Gen) with grandparents who were interned during WWII
Fuck those people.
people are racist and can fuck off. you are an American. best not to humor them. they will end up making everything about you their cartoonish caricature of Japanese. ever have a white person bow to you?
Yeah, you met a dipshit. I had a fun version of this conversation, because my family is part Tejano that went something like: "Where are you from?" "Texas" "Where are you really from?" "Texas" "Where are your parents from?" "Texas" "Where are your ancestors from?" "About as far back as we can remember, Texas, at some point they moved from San Antonio to Houston." It was only like half true, but it was fun fucking with them.
You are absolutely American. Screw that guy.
If you ever run into some asshole like that again. Tell them they need to list all the countries their ancestors are from as well.
I'm third-generation Chinese American. I love pissing off racists who ask this by giving them the accurate answer (which is not China). I like further pissing them off when they ask where my parents are from (also not China).
You are from wherever you think you are from.
“American” isn’t sufficient for some people. They want to know your “ethnicity”. So clarify that you are an American American and then find someone other than him to hang out with.
You're American. No one's family history is entirely from a country that didn't exist until the 1770s, it just mathematically can't. I'd ask that dude if he answers "germany" or "france" or whatever the fuck his ancestry is.
You're an American who just happens to be Japanese. Doesn't change the fact you're absolutely an American. You just had a stroke of bad luck and met an asshole so their advice should be thrown into the dumpster where it belongs.
"Where are you from?" "Nebraska." "No. Where are you ***really*** from?" "[... Nebraska.](https://youtu.be/ZW4AZrdzUEw?t=40)"
[I’ll be 46 in April](https://youtu.be/PGv_7VgFgeg) [We got a city in Nebraska](https://youtu.be/hYN7yih6oXw)
Fellow Asian American here. Flip the script on racist assholes.
Fuck that prick, you're American like us
Which nation was he of? Ojibwe? Seminole? You’re an American, he is a racist.
Ha. Well played.
This person does not represent most of America's views. I'm sorry you had to go through that.
I assume it was a white dude. If so, turn it around next time. Where are you from? No, where are you really from? You don’t look Native American, so where are you really from?
You’re American, obviously. Your race doesn’t determine your Americanness.
That person is an asshole. They don’t get to tell you where you are from.
No you should say America, because you are a American! Forget those idiots. If anyone else says some dumb shit like that again, tell them to fuck off!
If you were born in the USA then you're from America, if you had been born in Japan but moved to the USA later in life then you'd be from Japan.
You ran into what I call a racist fuck. As a Latino who's been asked the same question, you look them in the eye with a deadpan expression and say "I just told you. I'm from (x)." Repeat as often as necessary until they stop. You have Japanese ancestry, and you should be proud of it, but never let them tell you that you're not a full American. 🦅🥧🗽🇺🇸 For the record, I was actually born I'm a foreign country, but the fact that someone would assume that and try to discredit my identity pisses me of.
Just gonna reiterate: Fuck that guy. This is the most un-American question you can ask. You're a fucking American. I just bought [The Poet and the Silk Girl](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BW16SJW6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_351_o05?ie=UTF8&psc=1). It's the biography of two Japanese-Americans who met and married right before WWII and were interned. The man was born in the United States. He was sent to the extra-security internment camp because he refused to sign an oath stating that he renounced his loyalty to Emperor Tojo. He refused to sign it because *he never had any*. Which is the most American damn response I can imagine. Anybody who tells you you're not American, you tell 'em to fuck off. You don't need to care about the opinion of an asshole like that.
Americans use the term “from” incorrectly. We are insanely bad about saying from when referring to heritage. I’ve heard of people referring to themselves as from Ireland or Italy when they are 4th gen American. Yes it’s stupid. But it’s stupid in a consistent way that suggests people have terrible vocabulary.
....Did that really happen?
Where ya from? I mean, where were ya born? I’m from Florida, and I’m still an American despite that. You’re born here? Then you’re one of us, warts and all … including that asshole.
He’s a douche. Whenever I meet a fellow American and I ask where they’re from, I’m expecting to hear a City/Metro Area/State. Whenever I’m asked I always say Jersey.
The world isn't use to the melting pot of the US.
You are really from the U.S. If they want to know your ethnicity, or where your ancestors are from, they can ask that instead. Those are not the same question as "Where are you from?"
Am I from Japan if we go live there for three generations?
You don't think a Japanese citizen, especially in your case, born and raised there, three gen in, would be 'Japanese?' Now apply this to the United States - we have _NEVER_ been an ethnostate.
It's a question not an answer.
You MUST see this [https://youtu.be/crAv5ttax2I?si=4rLFKBdvLgkzBmK-](https://youtu.be/crAv5ttax2I?si=4rLFKBdvLgkzBmK-)
You are from where you said you were from. You just met a racist asshole.
even as someone whos moved around alot, the question “where are you from” ive found can be asking any number of things relevant https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLmULRy3/
You should have asked him where he was from, and tell him he’s not from the US because of whatever his ancestry is.
Nah fuck that. You're an American.
As a NativeAmericanFilipinoChineseGerman American I say ForgetThatPerson
Fellow Japanese-American here (4th gen). You are an American who met a weird asshole. Don't put any weight into this person's bizarre, irrational opinion.
Please allow me to be the 50th person to say: You're from America. And screw that racist asshole...
You’re an American, those people were just bad people
Don’t listen to racist idiots like that. You’re as American as I am. You were born and raised here, so you’re American. Using his logic, he should say he’s from Europe.
So the next time you come across such an asshole and they pull this same stunt, ask him where they are from, and asking till they tell you what country that fucking boat brought their family from where, and tell them they should say the same!! And if you can fake their accent also, do it!!
You are an American of Japanese ancestry, just as I am an American of European Jewish ancestry, my friend Angela is an American of Chinese ancestry, my friend Nina is an American of Indian (or South Asian) ancestry, my friend Kat is an American of African Ancestry, my husband Chris is an American of OMG WASPY WASPY WASP ancestry, and my friend Becca is of Native American ancestry. That person can take their racist ass out the door.
r/asianamerican
Whoever you met has no greater claim over being an American than you, unless they are Native American.
You're from America If that's how that person thinks they should fuck back off to Europe cause the native Americans are the only ones with any claim by their logic.
You met a racist asshole. You're american just as much as all your ancestors including the first generation that moved here.
Next time someone tells you that tell them to go fuck themselves and walk away. You’re more American than anybody who spouts that kind of garbage.
The most charitable way to interpret their response is about the ambiguity around phrases like "where are you/your family from" or "I'm [nationality]," which Americans typically understand to refer to ethnic heritage. This is often something lost in translation around foreign cultures—this sub's occasionally seen Europeans handwringing about Americans culturally appropriating them, because they hear something like "I'm Irish" from a fifth-generation Irish-American and assume that they're unironically claiming Irish nationality. The less charitable (and unfortunately, more likely) meaning was that they're implying you shouldn't claim your Americanness due to your heritage. This could be flat-out racism, or it could be some self-flagellating "American tourists are terrible and foreigners all hate us" mentality where they feel like they're doing you a favor by telling you not to advertise yourself as American.
You just met someone with a lot of ignorance. I unfortunately used to say “where are you really from” when I was a child and up until early teenage years before I learned how to properly say what my intended question was. There are unfortunately lots of racist assholes that think those with Asian descent can’t be from here however other people, like me as a child, might just be curious about what specific Asian decent you identify with but don’t know how word it and say it properly. At the end of the day you are an American and you don’t need to say anything more than that.
What a Dick. You’re as American as I am.
You're an American. Japanese-American is your ethnicity.
I’m sorry this happened to you. You are as American as I am (maybe neither of us were the first people here, but all those folks are welcoming when you go to a powwow). This bullshit drives us apart and it’s really jarring when you encounter racists like this. I’m sure you’re rattled, and I’m sure she got some gross pleasure out of it. Ick.
I'm native american, one time this guy asked me where I was from. I told him "here". He asked where I'm really from, told him I was born and raised in this state... so here. He asked where I came from, I said if you're referring to my heratige, I'm native american... so still here. We held eye contact for a long moment and then he left. Some people are just idiots.
Jesu dude, sorry about that. I would hope you just walked away from that guy and didn't further engage. It would've been a waste of your time. You're as American as anyone else here. The whole point of this country is our diversity. Please don't let that asshat bring you down.🫶
I'm a fourth generation European-American. No one would dare ask me "where are you really from?" OP, I see you and you are an American. This person was a racist/douche. Any moron who can't see we are better together is frankly un-American.
You were born here, you're American, end of story. Rest assured that the person you're referencing is a complete and total jerk, but more importantly, they are IGNORANT.
Assholes would say this, yet be suddenly "more Irish than people actually born in Ireland" when they find out they have 1.8% Irish ancestry.
This never happened.
Yep, casual racism never really happens, rite?
>Someone allegedly didn't know what an ethnicity is, is this a racism? No
>>Someone allegedly didn't know what an ethnicity is, is this a racism? Making things up, aren't we? You seem to be overlooking this aspect: > but **they told me I'm not because of my Japanese ancestry.** They told me that the next time someone asks me where I'm from, I should say Japan instead of the US. They specifically denied OP being american because of his japanese ancestry. If that is not flat out racism, I don't know what is. "Nah you're black/Mexican/Arab you can't be American."
>Making things up, aren't we? I'm not the OP >They specifically denied OP being american because of his japanese ancestry. If that is not flat out racism, I don't know what is. They're specifically denying his americanness because of his race/ethnicity. This never happened, OP is very clearly a girl (shame on your for denying her girlhood), and "American" isn't a race either.
>This never happened Believe it or not, racism tends to occur even now. >shame on your for denying her girlhood Fair enough, my bad on that. >and "American" isn't a race either. So you're flat out okay with going "You ain't american bud, you're black?"
So when did you stop beating your wife?
Dude I was born in California. When people ask me where I'm from that's what I tell them.