Model Pejority

My finger, as it is, always on the pulse of America, reads the zeitgeist of "Asians as the Model Minority" like this:

The "model minority" stereotype is a patronizing cudgel with which the conservative White establishment pummels Black Americans. It actually has nothing to do with Asians at all, except to stereotype them as two-dimensional work-bots -- a compliant, literate work-force.

I suggest that entire notion of the "model minority" is exclusively a snotty meme designed to humiliate African-Americans. The idea that Asians are a "model minority" is a way of saying to Black Americans: "Why can't you people be like the Asians? See? They're happy and have jobs, they had hardships. You people are just complaining about racism that doesn't exist. (And you're lazy.)"

The reason I say it has nothing to do with Asians is that as a stereotype it breaks down almost immediately. If Asians are such a model minority and "if they can do it why can't you?" is the lesson learned, what is up with the fact that Asians can't get into management at Google? Well it looks like even if you're the model minority you're still subject to racism.

But, as always, it turns out I'm not the first to think these things:

People who shape the dominant political narrative in this country—politicians, pundits, media—have little use for substantive conversation about any group of non-white people unless it’s to uphold, in stark terms, notions of black inferiority and white supremacy. To that end, Asians have actually been the subject of quite a lot of public fascination, mainly as props used to denigrate blacks and Latinos and programs designed to support them and other people of color—including segments of the Asian-American population. All too often, Asians are willing to play along.

Yeah. That about sums it up.