The Life and Times of a Hyphenated American

By Young Park - April 2006

The Life and Times of a Hyphenated American, an autobiography, is a story about living in the dominant White-American society. The book tells how Non-White natural born American citizens do not enjoy their civil rights as White-Americans do. It is also a story about finding one's identity.

The author, Young Park, a Korean-American, has enjoyed some of the positive aspects of living in middle-class America, but he has learned that America is not the land of freedom and equality.

Park's biography traces the early migration of his mother and father from Korea and how they labored to raise five natural born Americans. The author grew up in a small farming community in the central San Joaquin Valley of California. He learned at an early age certain person treat Non-White Americans as undesirables.

Being different was made much more evident because of World War II. When the American government forced Japanese-Americans into concentration camps, he suddenly became the only Asian in the town and surrounding areas. He was not welcome at social events, even when he was with his White friends. As the only Asian at most social and athletic events, Park was a natural target of patriots who needed someone to hate.

The events of those teen years were the beginning of his insecurity and anger that became a permanent part of his personality when he became a direct victim of racism. Still Park was able to participate in the "normal" life of an American teenager. He served in the U.S. Army and completed several college degrees via the G.I. Bill of Rights. His friends and classmates were all White-Americans and he almost believed he was part of that society.

He was playing the role of a "banana." Life of a "banana" can be dangerous if one really believes all the rights of American citizens are available. "Bananas," "Oreos," and "Tacos" pretend their world is reality and deny what is real. This is a temporary world of make believe. Deep down in their hearts all "bananas" know their world is not real and someday the truth will find them. This is the mentality of Non-White Americans who want to belong and be identified as an American.

Although America is a land of immigrants, the White American immigrants and their descendents consider themselves as the only "true" Americans. All Non-White Americans who are natural born citizens can be, and have been, victims of racism. Evidence of this racism is still openly voiced and practiced today.

Non-White Americans can remain within designated racial and cultural groups and avoid major confrontation with racial and cultural discrimination. However, total isolation is not possible because Non-White Americans must deal with laws and practices that affect their everyday lives. Unfortunately, racism is the foundation of many of these laws and practices.

In the 1950's, the author experienced the humiliation of racial abuse when the state of Nevada refused to issue him a marriage license to marry a White woman because he was a Korean-American. He was also terminated from public employment, in California, because he was part of an interracial marriage. As many who are denied basic civil rights, these events permanently altered his values and perceptions of America.

The author researched and found that fundamental Christianity is the basis of American racism - against all Non-White Americans - as is the racism of European Western Civilization. As early as the mid-1600's, racism has been an integral part of American society.

Although he achieved some success during his twenty-five years in education, including being the president of a predominately Black-American college, he was, and still is, a rebel, fighting the establishment. He chose the position of president of a college forcibly created by street people and rebels of all races. The people of that college will always be fighting the White power structure - it was only natural that Park would work in that college. The creation of that makeshift school was a unique happening. Unfortunately, it was an illegitimate birth and survived for only five years.

The lesson learned in places such as this college, is that now and then people fight the power holders and succeed. This happening was not a subject discussed in quiet academic circles. It actually happened. Many of the people who dared to demand their share of Americanism are destined to spend years as victims of racism, disenfranchised, isolated, and some in prison. Disenfranchised people live a desperate life and they will never enjoy the benefits of the "good" life of America.

Racism distorts the victim's perception of self and of his environment. However, this is one of the purposes of racism. Victims of racism, much as victims of rape, believe they are the cause of the act. Some justify acts of racism because the victim deserves it.

Possibly, had the author simply accepted the belief that Non-White Americans are not equal to White-American citizens, he might have achieve some measure of success in middle-class White society. However, Park was not an ideal "model minority" and continued in a pissed off state of mind for most of his life.

He learned that a hyphenated American's identity is not as an ordinary American citizen. As the name implies, a hyphenated American is in a different class. After years of discontent, he sought alternatives in Asia. Asia was the land of his ancestors and Park learned a great deal about other cultures. He also became aware of what America has done to Asians in name of American nationalism. He naively believed he could find his identity there. He is still looking.

Immigrants and descendents of immigrants are unfortunately not totally of the culture of his ancestors or of the culture in which he lives. The duality of identity is sometimes a curse. Loyalty to ancestral beliefs is often tested by habits and relationships that develop in the society in which he matures. He is accepted more readily in his parents' culture, but his values become distorted because he must work and succeed in the other culture. One's identity is always unknown and often undefined.

The author did not accomplished as much as he might have or wanted to achieve. Much of the reason for this is his conflict with the dominant White society and his anger. His life has been one of discontent. He does not make excuses for this frame of mind nor does he apologize. His search is a personal one - not a social crusade. His enemies are conservative White-American society and the Christian fundamentalists. He is seeking some answers about his identity. His search has continued for over seventy-five years. He remains an alien in his own country.