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The Most American City of All: Arlington?

Campaigning for the city’s bid to host the Olympics, the President portrayed Chicago’s diversity as that which lifts its stature above all other U.S. cities.¹

"You see, growing up, my family moved around a lot. And I never really had roots in any one place or culture or ethnic group," the president said. "Then I came to Chicago. And on those Chicago streets, I worked alongside men and women who were black and white; Latino and Asian; people of every class and nationality and religion. I came to discover that Chicago is that most American of American cities, but one where citizens from more than 130 nations inhabit a rich tapestry of distinctive neighborhoods."

But, is Chicago really the most diverse and thus the most American of our cities?

Looking at the U.S. Census'² estimated population of 244 U.S. cities by racial group and Hispanic origin, let’s see how Chicago compares to a typical U.S. city.  It looks like the white population is significantly underrepresented by at least minus 21-percentage points compared to the average city.  Conversely, African Americans and Latinos are overrepresented by 16- and 7-percentage points higher, respectively. Browsing through the U.S. Census list, we come across the Texas City of Arlington.  Its population profile looking at similar measures is in fact closer to what an average American city might look like.  Consider that the differences are at most only two-percentage points higher or lower than the typical city’s population proportions by racial group and Hispanic origin.  Likewise, the equivalent population shares of Arlington’s smaller communities, including Asian Americans, more closely resemble that of the average U.S. city than Chicago does.Comparing the data of these two cities, Arlington’s diversity is more reflective of the racial profile of a typical American city.  Should Arlington’s Mayor Dr. Robert Cluck have then sought to host the 2016 Olympics, he could have practically used the words used by the President to promote his very own city, which incidentally also shares a similar slogan that President Obama used in his last campaign:  “We can.”³

Understandably, mere population counts and their distribution based on racial and ethnic groups do not account for all the many complex parameters defining a city’s diverse profile nor, for that matter, its American character.  Along with other demographic hues such as gender, age and education, there’s a rich palette that one needs to use in order to paint a city’s true and real picture, like history, culture, economy, and politics, among others.  That’s what a true Chicago fan would argue, as does one avid blogger.⁴

But, just don’t forget the rest of us who live in all the other great cities of this nation—and, yes, including Arlington.

¹Kathy Bergen, “Flat pitch to IOC: 'Without the Obamas, Chicago had nothing,' Olympic historian says”, Chicago Tribune, Oct. 3, 2009
²www.census.gov/statab/ccdb/cc07_tabD2.xls
³http://www.arlingtontx.gov/
⁴Whet Moser, ”Chicago: ‘The most American of American cities’?”, Chicago Reader, Oct. 2, 2009

Young Female Asian American Golfers Are Rooting For: Michelle Wie?

The San Diego Union-Tribune assembled a panel of accomplished high school golfers who follow closely the professional ranks especially with this week's Samsung World Championship at hand.  Tod Leonard¹ conducted the interview of the group, which included Spenser Krut (15), Joyce Kim (16), Georgiana Salant (17) and Annie McSorley (16).  Georgiana, Joyce, and Spenser are among the top players in their division of the SDJGA.

The subject of Asian golfers came quickly in the heart of the discussion.  When the moderator touched on the need for a strong American player to make the LPGA successful, one commented appropriately that the LPGA is Asian-dominated.  He then turned to Joyce, an Asian American, to ask how she felt when the subject of Asians on the LPGA comes up.

Well, obviously, I'm Asian-American. (She was born in North Carolina.) I feel like there are a lot of great Korean players who have spent their whole lives on golf. A girl I met from Korea who played in Junior World has dedicated her whole life to it. She does school maybe three hours a day because it's required, and other than that, it's golf. In America, education is a priority, and there are so many ways you can go without golf. In Korea, where it's not as economically prosperous, golf is a way to make a good living.

Later, asked whether she was offended that the discussion turns to Asians' strong presence being a negative for the LPGA, she dismissed the notion.

I don't mind people talking about it. I do see what they mean.  If you have an interview and need a translator, and you can't find one, it's like, ‘Oh, thank you very much for the gift,’ and leave. (Laughs).  But it's not really that bad that they can't speak English. They work so hard for it, they deserve to win.

Finally, the interviewer asked the panel which American they would rather see as the world's number one player, Michelle Wie or Paula Creamer.  Everyone else singled out Paula Creamer, but interestingly enough, Kim waffled on this one.  After all, Michelle Wie, like Kim, is Asian American.

I'm kind of in between. Paula Creamer is dedicated and has a passion for her sport. But I feel bad if I don't say Michelle Wie.  It's hard for me to go against her.

It is very enlightening and refreshing to hear these words of a young, bright and talented Asian American woman whose perspectives on our differences can be both pragmatic and constructive.  While our differences do matter sometimes, at the end of the day it is by our deeds that we are to be judged.  It is also encouraging to know that Kim sees nothing wrong in expressing our inherent connection with those who share our background.  If only the older (and more mature?) among us would carry the same outlook as Kim's, we'd be living in a better world.

 

¹Tod Leonard, "Peer-group preferences on LPGA issues, questions", San Diego Union-Tribune

Why Tiger Lost

"I played well enough to win the championship. I did not putt well enough to win the championship"

See the Tiger Woods interview following his upset to Y.E. Yang yesterday.  Mr. Yang, the first Asian player to win a major championship, hails from South Korea.

Tiger Woods: Another historic win!

In the PGA Tour's history, no one has won has won as many times on the same golf course.  Tiger Woods, with an 8-iron over the water that stopped a foot from the hole, caught up with tournament front-runner Padraig Harrington to win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at the Firestone.

Tiger Woods Feels Good

Tiger Woods feels good winning the Buick Open for a third time claiming his 69th PGA Tour victory.

Michelle Kwan: Golden!

Chris Chase (Yahoo! Sports) sends Michelle an encouraging send-off to her new training—in international affairs:

“Though the lack of Olympic golds will be a bittersweet footnote in the career of Michelle Kwan, it won't define it. And, judging by her lofty career aspirations, maybe her success on the rink won't either. The lives of far too many athletes end when they leave the playing field. Michelle Kwan's seems to just be beginning.”

Salt Lake City: Bronze!

Nagano: Silver!

Michelle Kwan: Golden!

Anthony Kim's Maturation Progress

 In his recent column at PGAtour.com John Maginnes assesses the talent pool in the golfing field, raising the question of who will challenge Tiger Woods.  Arguing that there is a “maturation process in golf at the highest level”, Maginnes concludes that it is not a single individual of apt status and caliber that Tiger faces.  Rather he foresees a “progression” towards that maturity among several young players.

One such contender in this new generation is Anthony Kim, a Korean American.  Anthony already has two PGA wins in his roster, including last year’s AT&T National.  But apparently, Tiger is back; he takes the prize and Anthony lands at runner-up slot in this year’s AT&T National.  Still, this year’s competition brings twenty four year old Anthony closer to the path of such progression.

While it may take a while for one solid contender to emerge, it is interesting that to note that it is master himself who has inspired this new breed of golfers destined to succeed the master.  “In grade school and high school they watched him dominate the 1997 Masters and said, ‘I want to be just like him.’”  Be patient but hold your head high, Anthony! 

Multi-Cultural

There’s a myriad of intricacies other than racial or ethnic identity that govern us and the lot multiplies as the world shrinks at an ever-accelerating pace.  Factor in age, retirement, media access and exposure, sports, and shopping, for example.  Was it then truly non-kosher or just too pretentious for Tiger Woods to identify his own intricacy as ‘multi-cultural’?  Or, is it just human nature that less complex tagging should command broader acceptance—‘black or white’, ‘red or blue’, ‘with us or against us’?

My mother was a fan of Tiger Woods. In late retirement, my parents (now deceased) preferred to stick to just one TV network.  Discerning those tiny buttons on the clicker was too complex for their glaucoma-stricken sights.  That may have precipitated their increased exposure to Tiger’s winning matches.  Even so, Mom may have opted to shut the power or join my dad in his usual afternoon nap.  I find it fascinating then that she would have been so besotted by Mr. Woods.

True, Tiger has Asian heritage and she may have identified with him.  Still, in her frail eighties, and with no sports background (gardening was her chosen form of exercise in her heydays), my mom was apparently captured.  She watched Tiger’s matches whenever they were broadcasted on that channel.  She even asked my dad to scavenge for a putter in one of their estate sale shopping adventures.  (I have not been told whether she did in fact initiate any attempt to land a hole or two in their tiny living room.)

What part of me is Asian, and what part, American?  This complexity ranks as high in the level of my dilemma of understanding what part of my genome is borne from my dad and what comes from my mom.  I concur with Tiger when he finagled his way out of such verbose but less appealing propositions:  “The bottom line is that I am an American and proud of it."