SF Chron columnist: Obama’s the first “Asian-American” president
File under “What the…?” A San Francisco Chronicle columnist, Jeff Yang, muses that Barack Obama may be the “first Asian-American” president. Why? Because he lived in Hawaii and Indonesia, has relatives who are Asian-American, and has Asian-American staffers.
This guy makes Toni Morrison look sane:
…reading Obama’s absorbing 1995 memoir “Dreams from My Father,” it strikes me that the tropes that surround and define Obama can just as easily be read as those of another community entirely. Which raises the question: Could it be that our true first black president might also be our first Asian American president?
He was born and raised in Hawaii, the only majority-Asian state in the union; he spent four formative years in Jakarta, the home of his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro, where he attended local schools and learned passable Bahasa Indonesia. The family with whom he’s closest — half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American. So, too, are the most senior members of his congressional team — his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, whose mother is Japanese American, and his legislative director Chris Lu, whose parents hail from China.
Evidence for Obama’s affinity with the Asian American experience runs true even as one delves deeper into his history. “A lot of aspects of the senator’s story will be recognizable to many Asian Americans,” says Lu, a Harvard Law School classmate of the senator’s who joined the team in 2005. “He talks about feeling like somewhat of an outsider; about coming to terms with his self-identity; about figuring out how to reconcile the values from his unique heritage with those of larger U.S. society. These are tensions and conflicts that play out in the lives of all children of immigrants.”
If all that proximity to Asian-Americans makes Obama the first “Asian-American” president, then I’m a liberal black blogger! After all, I’ve lived and worked on the Left Coast in Los Angeles and Seattle and then in D.C./Baltimore over the past 15 years, and have been mistaken more than once for black.
Question: By the Yang ethnicity standard, would this make John McCain the first Vietnamese-Bangladeshi-American president because of the time he spent in Vietnam and his adopted Bangladeshi-American daughter?
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Sigh. I work in San Francisco. Please pay no attention to the idiots who write for the Chronicle. It’s not a credible news source.
Give them some slack,liberals can’t help themselves. They cannot resist ethnic identity politics even if they have to stretch some way to make “TheObama” a member of their little ethnic group.
TheObama Knows All. TheObama Sees All. TheObama Will Provide Meaning To Your Life. Accept TheObama.
Does that make me German for living in Germany for 4 years as a child and learned basic German during that time? I’ll have to inform my family of Irish descent of the sudden change
I’m married to a Malaysian woman of Chinese descent. I’ve visited Malaysia twice, but only for a week each time.
Does that make me Asian? All this time I thought I was just an all-American boy.
Why can’t he just be AMERICAN?
nimrod.
San-Francisco-California
It’s where the hyphen was invented.
JLP
Well with the time McCain spent in Hanoi, wouldn’t that then qualify him for being Asian American? (under the sf chrons terms of course.)
More self hatred from MM.
sarc/
Wow- and all along I thought he was Judahian.
So, since I was born just outside the Nez Perce Reservation in Northern Idaho, does that make me Native-Euro-American? And I’ve spent time on Guam and Hawaii, so can I add Asian/Chamorro to my ethnicity too? Oh wait, I also spent time in Canada, so I can add Canadian-American to my ethnicity. And I’ve been to Arizona, so that gives me the La Raza-American status.
Oh wait, I’ve been to New Orleans too, so I can throw in African-American and qualify for the upcoming slavery reparations. Cool./sarc
What an idiot.
Ahh, The ravages of “Hopeium”!
My gosh, is this man related to every human on this planet? I guess I need to check my Bible to see if HE is my long lost brother.
L
In tomorrow’s edition they’ll explain how Obama is also the first openly-lesbian president.
Yes. I’ve been to England, does that make me Bangers and Mash?
Jeff Yang – please, can we have Jeff Ying instead?
Asian-American? Heck, I thought Obama was above being a mere human of any description, considering his demigod status.
Above and to the left, obviously.
He’s just helping Obama to get Hillary’s illegal Chinese donors money.
I guess he has your vote now Michelle!
Well, Obama does consider himself a “citizen of the world,” so I guess he has carte blanche to be anything he wants to be – except an angry, gun and religion clinging, half-white guy from Pennsylvania.
Hey! I’ve been taken down to Chinatown. (Gasp!) Does that make me part….???
I guess that makes Mcain Mexican
On July 30th, 2008 at 7:04 pm, Cicero said:
“In tomorrow’s edition they’ll explain how Obama is also the first openly-lesbian president“.
Oh, my! so Jessy got to him huh??
I guess if we’re going to ascribe to Hopenchange the ability to “become” the people he’s hung around with or been surrounded by, then by applying the same “logic” …
- He’s the first “Bigot-American / Anti-American” candidate for president, for associating with Wright and Pfleger;
- He’s the first “Criminal-American” candidate for hanging around with ACORN and Rezko;
- He’s the first “Terrorist-American” candidate for his pals Dohrn and Ayers.
– Right?
Besides the roots I was born with (American, English, Scotch, Irish) my time in the military gets me Italy, an extra dose of English, Texas, and Mississippi. The worse part of that would be someone mistaking me from Mississippi (just kidding folks).
As for Obama, don’t y’all know that he’s a man (debateable) for all people? (Personally I don’t think Jesse Jackson could find Obama’s gonads to cut off because Michelle O. already has them in a jar on a shelf somewhere)
LOL….Barack Obama could be the first BIRACIAL president. Oh no….I implied he had WHITE genes in him!
Don’t forget about me! I have Asian in me too! After all, having someone in office who LOOKS like you is the most important concept ever! That’s why NONE of the young people will vote for McCain!??!
……
Seriously, though, I wouldn’t vote for Obama for President. Or Congress.
So now Obama is Tiger Woods without the talent, brains, and ability. Cool.
Even though I was Air Force, I spent a year on an Army base in Korea. The vast majority of Army personnel at the base were black. By this logic, I should be qualified to be a black person, and as such, I’ll be demanding my share of reparations when they are finally approved. Oh, and I guess that makes me Asian too. Sweet! Wow, what a great day. No more being boring, old cracker Irish and German.
Seriously, a year on an Army base is worthy of reparations! lol
He IS more ARAB than black, , as his blood line shows.
What is B Hussein? A Socialist.
Ya know there are many WHITE Africans and a few White African-Americans.
It is time to end with ALL the hyphenate Americans, its all B.S.
You’re American or you’re not. Period.
I graduated from Taipei American School. Guess that makes me Asian-American. Woohoo, I made it, I’m hyphenated. Michelle, maybe you can help me out with this. What special benefits do I get? Minority business? Civil rights protection? Special mortgage bailouts? Wait a minute, wait a minute…I feel something…what’s happening…I feel like…like…a victim.
Neil Armstrong spent some time on the moon. Does that make him the first extra-terrestial to receive a paycheck from NASA?
I gotta join in on the fun…
I’m a liberal democrat, I guess that makes by na
tive-american.HEY,
I ATE Chinese food last night….does that count?
I’m just an American mutt. Do I win anything for that? I’d like some reparations for being brow-beaten by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton for 40 years for things I didn’t do, having opportunities taken away by affirmative action, and having my citizenship devalued by some astounding need on the part of both presidential candidates to appease illegal immigrants.
You can fill the empty vessel with chocolate milk, white milk, even pineapple juice.
According to Toni Morrison, I must be a latino liberal. I live in Cali.
Yay, identity-politics-by-association is fun!!
Oooh, since my brother lives in S.F., I think he must be a homosexual latino liberal.
Exactly.
Don’t forget the whole PC movement
#18, that’s good stuff right there. And probably accurate, besides!
If “time served” is the key to ethnic identity, I’ve been in the People’s Republic of Santa Cruz for 10+ years. It’s official: I’m a Hippie.
The Obamessiah is all things to all moonbats.
That’s funny! But you’re not just a hippie. You’re a Mexican Hippie.
MM finds the strangest things to be upset about. Hello, Monica Goodling, McCain low road ads (Britney Spears actually supports Bush), China Olympic censorship, McCain’s $500 shoes (and $1000 slacks, …), Islamic school in Virginia (which you complained about before) fails to report sex abuse (an actual issue, which you ignore), etc. etc. etc.
It should be pointed out that “Asian” is also a media code word for Muslim, so for those who get upset over the whole Obama-is-a-Muslim thing can knock yourselves out over this one. It seems clear that whatever ethnic/racial identity he is assigned to at any given moment, Obama will never, ever be considered a white American or even just an American. The one-drop rule completely negates that. Unless one is a liberal — I’m not obviously and I’m also 1/4 “native American” — I and others like me will be cursed for all my days as being nothing but a white man.
Obama is a racial disaster waiting to happen. Not only will he not lead us to a post-racial paradise, as so many foolish white people believe, in his overbearing foolishness he will exacerbate every racial tension in this country to intolerable limits. This is not good, not good at all.
McCain’s $500
shoesHsu’s. McCain is Asian now. Norman will pay for those Hsu’sMcCain can afford to dress well, so what. I thought you elitists admire that stuff like $100 a pound ham.
Censorship in China. Wow that’s new. We have more important issues to deal with right now.
MM misses less then Huffpo and all that other crap you read. If she missed the sex abuse at the Virginia, you can’t catch everything, especially when we have an affirmative action candidate one step from the WH.
lgm,
Don’t you have something academic to do? Like a Karl Marx wine and cheese party with the other faculty.
The Socialist’s MSM cronies now trying to dig up Asian votes for him.
Open the borders to any and all illegal Japanese, Chinese, Southeast Asians.
Are we sure he’s not part Eskimo, part Russian, part Canadian, and every other nationality on the planet.
This guy’s a real wonder of human breeding.
Good grief, MM WAS JOKING. Geez, can’t a conservative have a good laugh once in awhile without LGM pooping on the party. Shooooo, Shooooo, Go AWAY. This is a private party.
Anyway, as I was going to say, I lived on Okinawa for two and one half years so that makes me Japanese. Maybe MM and I are related, that’s why I ‘get’ her jokes.
Mr. Lu, you just described my life. You try growing up as the only conservative among your peers – constantly derided for your beliefs – an outsider because you refused to follow the lead of your Marxist teachers. So, there you go, Mr. Lu. This red-headed Irish girl is now officially Asian-American. Konnichiwa and where do I sign up for my Minority handouts?
Agreed. After all, if Bill Clinton can be the first black President, Obama can be anything!
Happy Housewife:
I don’t see many Asians getting handouts.
A bit off the subject but…
Sometimes its tough for some to come up with an original thought so they need to chew up someone else’s. That makes some feel bigger.
Sort of like those Moslems who, when they can’t find an infidel to behead, will turn on a family member or each other.
Other insects like crickets and roaches pre-mortem cannibalize too.
Then I’m either a fish or a Merman since I spent more than a year at sea in Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club (aka: the U.S. Navy)
Careful MM, lgm will see this and repent of all the things he complains about you. Ooops too late, I see he already poopooed on the blog about you.
ROFL!!! You guys have to watch this speech Obama gives, where he said that if everyone inflated their tires more, we would save just as much oil that drilling would provide!!! Hilarious!
Also, note the absolute silence of the crowd. Missouri. The Show Me State.
Obama’s the first “Asian-American” president???
Hardly. Obam-uh’s only a white daddy away from being John Edwards.
atheling:
Now Obam-uh’s just making stuff up! Un-be-lievable.
DHD:
Embarassing. I’d be cringing now if I were an Obamaton.
This is a gem:
For a man that stands on his feet all day, a $500 pair of shoes is probably worth the money, because they’re typically made better, and last forever.
I would know, I personally purchased a pair close to $500 several years ago, and I’m STILL wearing them.
Don’t you have better things to worry about?
At least I’d spend $500 on a pair of shoes that I would wear daily for years, as opposed to your boy John Edwards who would spend the same amount on a haircut that lasts 6 weeks.
So, who’s the fool now?
Blame America Last:
Good point. I own a few purses which cost upwards of $300 or so, and they have lasted well over a decade, and look like new. That’s $30.00 a year – well worth the investment. Plus, if the seams tear, I can send it back to the manufacturer and they will repair it for free – a lifetime guarantee.
It’s about quality.
Who would have known MM and Barak are related???????
Oh, and by the way… as the Germans were so kind to point out- he is not the President, only the first wannabe.
Yang is racist nut and writes like one. You should check out this jackass. He is virulently anti-American.
Well, considering the source is the SF Chronicle, you know…Mark Morford and all, did you expect anything more?
I was watching MSNBC this morning and a writer for, I think the New York Times, came on and he and the hosts did the fist bump. Mika Brezenski calls Barack HER candidate… SUCH unfair and unbalanced.
I would love to vote for an African- American for President. Oh, come to think of it, I have. Twice, Alan Keyes in the 1996 and 2000 primaries (and against B. Hussien for senate in 2004). Was it because he was black? No. Could care less. It was because his views and the content of his character.. Remember that line from MLK Jr.? I guess when it comes to liberals, race first, character….. (sound of crickets)
I didn’t know that you could just arbitrarily change a person’s race or ethnicity. It’s nice to see liberal journalism fabricating another achievement for Obummer that doesn’t exist.
If the same liberal rules applied, I guess I should change my ethnicity to Hispanic American because I’m bilingual and have friends from South America. Yeah! That’s the ticket!
LOL. We’re seeing eye to eye for once!
Is Obama back on the blow? Trucking companies are already doing this… optimal routes etc etc.
Americans have already consumed 30 billion gallons of gas this year over last. And the tax revenue shortfall has the govt wanting to raise taxes, after they told us to conserve. Azzholes!
Barack Obama would be the first Asian president like Bill Clinton was the first Black president… just so long as its politically expedient.
I’m an American and can’t remember being is asia, doe’s that make me Amnesian?
John McCain spent more time in Asia than Barack Obama. Of course, McCain was also born in Latin America, so I guess that makes him the first Hispanic-Asian-American to run for president.
I was in Somalia for three months. does that make me a Somalian?
I have been to Antarctica. Does that make me a Penguin-American?
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Opinion Pages, or as I’ve been calling them since 1995:
The other funny pages.
Soon we will know complete geneology about Hussain:
He is 1/32 American Indian, 1/2 Nyangoma-Kogelo, 1/24 Irish/German/Irish/Polish,…..
A legend is being created. Don’t be surprised if you start hearing the lore: “Obama Slept in this house” a la George Washington style.
My (very Irish) husband works in IT. He loves Indian food and has been reading the Bhagavad Gita and studying Sanskrit. I’ll have to inform him that by Jeff Yang’s logic, he actually IS Indian!
You are a late bloomer.
Everybody on this blog knows that MM is black.
Their relationship has been established for a long yime now.
I feel so much better about myself.
I’m not just a haole (caucasian) anymore, but now I’m a filipina (my step-mother who raised me is filipina) and having been born and raised in Hawaii and given a Hawaiian name I must also be a Native Hawaiian. That’s great if the Akaka bill ever gets passed (G-d forbid).
Still not voting for BO. No matter what they call him.
LGM
If you want a more balanced news resource, please watch Shep Smith or Hannity and Colmes on FOX News.
Please stop complaining about the political viewpoints on here. You know what to expect by now.
Also, conservatives across the board see McCain as a weak candidate. Personally, I like him as an independent, but it seems to me, LGM, you won’t be happy until everyone on here will vote for Obama.
Ain’t gonna happen.
. . .and if that happens, he’ll only be happy for about 3 months. After that, NO ONE in the USA will be happy.
You didn’t quote the best part:
So actually, he’s just plain old Vanilla… but you can project your “hopes and dreams” (read: stereotypes and prejudices) upon him and make him into anything you want. I recommend Reese’s Pieces! Mmm.
Or at least, that’s the theory. I keep trying to project on him my hope for a president who cares about liberty and individualism, but it doesn’t seem to be working.
Maybe Obama is another one of Edwards’ love children.
Good grief! They would have us believe that Obama is some kind of superhuman prism who can project not only every color and race in the rainbow but also a full spectrum of hopes and dreams. He a man for all seasons, a man for all colors, and a man for all races. He is Alpha and Omega. He is the be-all and end-all of presidential candidates.
You couldn’t make this stuff up. Well, I guess the media have made it all up. But they’ve overplayed their hand. They’ve gone overboard in their attempt to manipulate this election and it’s beginning to backfire. People are starting to come out of their hypnotic trances. They are getting suspicious of the Obamessia and are beginning to notice the people behind the curtain pulling on the strings.
Good gravy… This supposition strains credulity. If it were so, then how come Mrs. Thunderbird 1, a post-war emigre from Vietnam, finds absolutely nothing to identify with in this dolt of a candidate? Who sees colors/races/ethnicities more than the left? I ask you…
BTW
Bill Clinton would already lay claim to that title because of “All The Girls [He's] Loved Before.”
[quote]and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American[/quote]
Anyone else have trouble with this? The Chinese Canadian is an “Asian American”….
If I am doing my BHO ethnic math correctly, I am now a Philippino-American! I have been married to a Filipina, (and naturalized citizen), for nearly 19 years, Know a handful of Tagalog words and phrases, dine on Adobo and other Philippine cuisine regularly.
Does that make MM a cousin? ? ?
I think I am the weirdest of all. I was born in Key West so that makes me a sea-snail-american (conch).
When poked, I retreat into my shell – much like lgm.
Considering those ears, which very closely resemble Gizmo’s ears (you know, in the movie), I’d say B.O. is also a Gremlin-American… Careful, don’t throw water on him.
Slightly O/T, sorry, but if you are a bit of a geek and love Star Trek and want to be seriously freaked out, go back and watch the episode “Return of the Archons”, and replace every occurrence of “Landru” with “Obama”. It is the WILL of Obama!! You know it’s coming.
This almost writes itself – from a plot synopsis on startrek.com:
Just replace “The Body” with Congress and “Landru” with Obama, and the “Red Hour” is read as any liberal-protest-du-jour. Priceless!
Using Morrison logic™, yes.
Well, I guess you were happy to see San Fran Nan working so hard on that non-binding resolution to apologize for slavery and the Jim Crow laws the other day. You know, it could mean reparations for you later, Michelle.
Hey, if Bill Clinton can be the first African-American President…
The “progressives” identity-politics really are screwball.
The MSM is just trying everything the can to put perfume of this goat, but Obama doesn’t pass the smell test.
I always thought he was half white, not half black… Now I find out he is half Asian…. WOWZER!!! MM, could he be a distant relation to you???
My Asian American wife from Hawaii can’t stand Obama.
Obama has been mistaken for Asian. Mrs. Mallkin has been mistaken for Black. Why can’t we just elect a conservative Blackpino President, and call it even?
the guerilla