He Assumed I Spoke "Asian" Because Of My Race! (person, conversation)
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Yesterday I held the door for this white man and he said "Xie Xie" (Chinese for thank you) and then when I had no response and no reaction, he said "Arigato" (Japanese)
Now I don't speak either language, I was aware of those greetings as many people who don't speak the language do, as others understand "Bonjour" etc. But just because I was Asian, he ASSUMED that I spoke the language. I am Chinese-American but that does not necessarily mean I speak Chinese or any other languages, just based on my race.
THEN, when I had no reaction again, he said "Are you Filipino"?!
I said "No I am not and you have been wrong!"
This is almost an opposite situation from the recent run ins I've had where I felt race was a trigger for encounters with rude strangers, in that this man "meant well" but "Thanks" would've sufficed, this is California 2018 after all. But the assumption about language ability and THEN ethnicity (with multiple failed attempts) just screamed ignorance.
It's not cute that just because you know 1 greeting in language X you use it on someone who you THINK comes from that country X.
Oh and this is not the 1st time something like this has happened
Sounds more like a guy with an Asian fetish trying any way he can to strike up a conversation with you
Seems to me that safest assumption to make is that if you are in a multi-racial country such as this one, anyone that you run into there will belong to that country. It's easier to sort out the numerically smaller number of exceptions to that rule than to assume that someone in such a country doesn't belong to that country, simply based on their appearance.
Some people may not be able to handle that much mental comprehension so it is easier for them to just brush it off with a quick assumption, a snap (mis)judgment
. I do not really understand why OP created such a ridiculous post.
If you are Asian race than there is a good chance you speak one of Asian languages. What is wrong with that assumption?
.
Because it just can't be possible for an Asian in CA to have both parents and grand-parents born in CA, the parents also not able to speak any Asian language. In a place & time where there are PLENTY like this.
Why am I NOT surprised "I do not really understand" has crossed your mind before?
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What's wrong with it is that there are plenty of Asians who know no other country aside from the United States, and who speak no other language aside from English. As shocking as it may seem to some people, Asians are capable of being -- gasp! -- American!
Seems to me that safest assumption to make is that if you are in a multi-racial country such as this one, anyone that you run into there will belong to that country. It's easier to sort out the numerically smaller number of exceptions to that rule than to assume that someone in such a country doesn't belong to that country, simply based on their appearance.
Again. People can assume whatever they want. People can be wrong. Someone assumed OP speaks Asian language. OP does not. Whatever... Sometimes assumptions go wrong
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be possible for an Asian in CA to have both parents and grand-parents born in CA, the parents also not able to speak any Asian language. In a place & time where there are PLENTY like this. 
