My Taiwanese-American Anthem

I am Taiwanese. And no, that doesn’t mean I’m from Thailand. I am Taiwanese. I don’t buy things made in China because I don’t want inferior quality products that support China’s push to become a world superpower. I am Taiwanese. When my census form comes in the mail, I will not be checking the box that says “Chinese,” but rather checking “Other Asian” and writing in “Taiwanese.” I am Taiwanese. I don’t know how to speak Mandarin or Cantonese, only Taiwanese. I am Taiwanese. A friend at MIT once told me that Taiwanese women are the most beautiful of all Asian women. I tend to agree.

I am Taiwanese. I am not Chinese. If you don’t understand the difference, go see Formosa Betrayed when it opens in your city. A powerful film that will challenge everything you think you know about the China/Taiwan conflict. See this movie and you’ll understand how this blog post you’re reading would put me in great danger if I lived there.

But gratefully, I am also American. I was born in New York, which means I can run for President someday. I am American. I am pursuing my dream in the global creative center for film and television. I am American. We gave the world baseball, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Facebook. I am American. I don’t like Sarah Palin, but I respect her right to exist. I am American. I live in a country where everyone has the right to an education, no matter what economic situation they’re born into. I am American.

I am Taiwanese-American. And I’m proud as hell.