Tuesday, May 26, 2020

The Model Minority, By President Lyndon B. Johnson

The Model Minority In 1966, sociologist William Petersen used the term â€Å"model minority† to describe Japanese Americans and praised them for living â€Å"generally affluent and, for the most part highly Americanized lives†. The â€Å"model minority† label expanded to describe all Asian Americans for having a perceived higher socioeconomic level and higher education. In fact, the average Asian American household, when compared with all American adults, have a median income that actually exceeds the average American household by $16,200 and are 21% more likely to have a college degree, according to Pew Research Center. Asian culture and traits are often accredited to this success. It would seem that Asian Americans are disproportionately more†¦show more content†¦The Immigration and Nationality Act, ended nationality based quotas and opened up immigration to Asians, after the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 and the Immigration Act of 1924 which targeted the Japanese. The 1929 immigration quotas allowed for a total of 150,000 immigrants, and designated none of the available slots to Chinese people (Migration Policy Institute). The destruction of ethnically based immigration selection had an immediate response, quickly repainting the portrait of America. While European immigration fell 38 percent from the 1950s to the 1970s, Asian immigration surged from just 6 percent to 35 percent. The population of Asians in America continues to grow, and while the discussion around immigrants largely focuses around Hispanics, Asians represent 40% of all foreign born citizens in 2008, rising from just 27% in 2005 (Malik). Progress in America is best measured by the improvement of the lives of our citizens and our ability to upkeep our democratic ideals. By increasing the availability of opportunities to minorities who previously did not have access to these opportunities, we expand equality and build a stronger democracy. The Civil Rights Act expa nded opportunity, therefore creating progress. However, as the Black Lives Matter Movement began, it ushered in a new wave of fighting for civil rights, and allowed for conversations

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