During the years that I lived in Taiwan, racial relation was nearly a non-issue. Racial discrimination is not a problem in a homogenous society like Taiwan. In Taiwan there is just one skin color, everyone shares the same physical characteristics, which leaves cultural differences as the only way for two people to be distinguished. The common physical characteristics give the different people groups common grounds. There is still some cultural discrimination because of the different cultural groups, such as the native Taiwanese, Chinese, and also the indigenous people of Taiwan. I believe that because the shared physical characteristics there are not any type of blatant racial discrimination, even when people in Taiwan encounters foreigner of difference races, the foreigners are treated with the utmost respect. This is especially apparent in Jan Wang’s book, “The Red China Blues”. Jan is a Canadian of Asian decent, when she arrived in China her roommate treated her in a queen like manner. When I was in Taiwan, the few times that I met a foreigner they were always treated by the people with interest and respect. I remember that it is only after I arrived in the Untied States that I experience true racial discrimination, especially towards the African Americans in this country. At first I did not understand hwy the racial discrimination existed; I was only able to truly understand the deep hatred after studying the culture. This racial dissension has been passed on from generation to generation. Children do not know any differences between people’s skin, it is only after the molding of their parents and their environment. In Taiwan, without the history of racial discrimination, the different cultures are able to live together peacefully. Any type of difference that occurs is not from the differences of people’s skin color, but because of their different culture.
[posted for Jon by CH]
