Peter Kwong addresses an issue that I have witnessed first hand and have had many friends fall victim to the overgeneralization of ethnicity and surveys. In chapter four Kwong introduces the difference between “Downtown” Chinese and “Uptown” Chinese. Kwong explains that the two should be considered the same or together because by taking the average, you simply end up with contradictory numbers, statistics and characteristics. While the Downtown Chinese usually know little to no English, the Uptown Chinese consisted of Taiwanese elite (mostly scholars, college graduates, or government officials).

Kwong makes a brief point of how the two, polar opposites are affected by affirmative action. Because they are both considered of Chinese or Asian descent many schools and colleges tend to have an increased number of Uptown Chinese students due to their well off background or resources. However, those who are affected by this are the Downtown Chinese who are in need of affirmative action and are unfortunately grouped together with the Uptown Scholars.

I witnessed this first hand where many of my Chinese friends whose parents immigrated to America were not as well off as other minority group’s family. However, due to affirmative action they are not considered for the extra help that they need. The college application process was frustrating on their part. Though this was only a brief point brought up by Kwong it is one that answered a question that many second generation youths of Asian descent have been asking for awhile. It is interesting that many of us don;’t realize the division even within an immigration group of the same ethnicity. It also sheds light on misrepresentation of data that can lead to results that don’t tell the full story.

Both before and after learning about the reason behind this, I still believe that affirmative action policies should change.  Kwong further proves that affirmative action should not be based on ethnicity as previous years allowed it to. New policies should consider family income or available resources because ethnicity cannot determine how well off a family is no matter how the percentage or data if we follow generalized rules regarding ethnicity, families in need of help will always be left in the dark.

–Trish Anne Roque