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How Anti-Racists Should Engage with the Model Minority Myth
Anti-racists make the argument that when we see disparities by race, this is evidence of racism. This is true in the broadest of terms, but I am not a big fan of this blanket statement. When we ask questions about different groups, we realize that the issue is more complex. Some groups have experienced racism, and some have not. Moreover, the disparities may have a historical root cause in racism for some groups, but there may not currently be the same impact in the present. Questions that get us to understand the root causes of racial disparities are necessary and important.
However, people not interested in combating the impact of racism, will often ask this question: “If racism is a problem, then why are Asians doing so well?”
The question is a rhetorical one, meant to throw a wrench into the anti-racists’ push to talk about racism and support policies that address racism. It reveals a sense that racism is not really impactful in American life, and the success of Asians demonstrates that.
It is important to point out that the various populations clustered under the category “Asian” are indeed doing very well in the United States.
Consider median household income, usually the statistic used to show inequality. Asian Americans, as a group, have the highest median…
