As I was working in the library late at night, I overheard someone quietly complain, “Why are there are so many Asians in the library?!”
Normally, I would have simply brushed the comment aside. However, similar versions of the complaint have been circulating around Duke and other college campuses.
I tried to reason with myself. There’s rationally nothing wrong with the question. It merely states the truth about the demographic composition of the library. And as I looked around me, it appeared that more than two-thirds of the students there were, in fact, of Asian descent.
The statement wasn’t technically racist because it doesn’t exactly attribute a specific characteristic to an entire ethnic population. It merely observes a fact and voices it out loud. Free speech is allowed. No one else around me seemed offended. The observation noted the truth. End of story.
Yet, to this day, the question continues to bother me.
Last week, a UCLA student posted a YouTube video expressing a more extreme version of a similar sentiment, and a viral outrage quickly ensued. The student has since then withdrawn from UCLA and publicly apologized for the post.
When I saw the Internet community’s reaction, I began to question my own. Should I be furious that people joke about the same racist anxiety at Duke? Was I wrong in concluding that the student in the library that night was not technically racist? Should I be outraged?
Then yesterday, as I sat down with a group of friends at dinner, it occurred to me that all but one of us were Asian. Almost automatically, I could see how we looked to someone walking by: We were self-segregating. However, if a similar set of Caucasians were to sit together, the same term would not apply.
As with self-segregation, there are many other stereotypes attributed to Asians. As one friend relayed to me, “Asians have all the good stereotypes. They are good at math. They are good at science. They’re not even considered a minority at most graduate schools!”
I cringed.
These preconceptions are still stereotypes. Being good at math and science also implies the Asian math or science nerd who stays in the library until late at night. Stereotypes are inherently untrue for everyone and often racist. There are also Asians who are more inclined toward humanities and the arts. And stereotypes specifically attribute one characteristic to an entire ethnic group.
I wanted to argue fervently why I don’t like those stereotypes. I wanted to say that the stereotypes confined Asians into a box that stripped us of any other characteristics. But I didn’t want to fall into the indignant-Asian-screaming-her-head-off stereotype. So I didn’t say anything. And instead, I became the meek-little-docile-Asian-girl stereotype.
How could I avoid contributing to this cycle?
Duke is more socially progressive than many other areas in the United States and the world. Outside of Duke, people frequently don’t believe me when I tell them that I come from Cleveland, Ohio. “Where do you really come from? Originally?”
Duke is expanding internationally and establishing a new campus in Kunshan, China. Duke has also increased connections between the main campus and Asia. The Duke Center for International Development has hosted many visiting scholars from Asia in the Sanford School of Public Policy in the past few years.
However, this is not enough. Race still remains a white elephant on Duke’s campus, and unless we consciously take action, it will only embed itself into our culture.
Race will never disappear. We will still be able to distinguish a Caucasian from an African-American or from another Asian. However, the stereotypes associated with each ethnic group can be ameliorated with time and effort.
There is a reason why diversity is considered a significant factor in comparing colleges. Living, socializing and learning with different races helps disband racial stereotypes. In today’s global economy, it is more important than ever to help Duke students escape racial biases.
Rui Dai is a Trinity sophomore. Her column runs every other Tuesday.
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