It’s hard to fathom, then, why so many Asian Americans would still support the right after witnessing this rhetoric and seeing the consequences that words can trigger. A big part of it is the assimilation narrative: the idea that, as an immigrant, you don’t truly belong here, so you must prove yourself if you want to stay. Despite experiencing anti-Asian hate her whole life, my mom has always felt that the best way to fight back is by assimilating. And, she’s not the only one who thinks like this. For example, Lee found the reason so many Asian immigrant parents nudge their kids into conservative, high status professions (perhaps “hurl” is a better word) is to avoid discrimination. Money and status are how you earn value in…
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