American or Chinese?

With all this hubbub of the Beijing Olympics, I can't help but contemplate my nationality and ethnicity. Being born and raised in Boston, the law and myself considers me an American. But with parents and grandparents that still heavily associate and identify with the Chinese people, things get...tricky, especially when issues involve USA and China.

For example, I was watching the men's and women's gymnastics. I rooted for the USA team. But I can't help but feel this nagging feeling that quite a bit of Chinese people in American were rooting for the Chinese team. This reminded me of the time I went to a Celtics game many years back. It just so happened my brother bought tickets to a Boston-Houston game. As we were going up the stairs to our seats, people passing by would ask if we were rooting for the Celtics. We were pretty confused. Who else would we root for? However, by the time we took our seats and the game started, I saw exactly why we were asked that. Half the center was filled with Chinese people. They were rooting for Yao Ming.

Every Olympics, the press invariably focuses on the medal count. These Summer Games were about how many medals USA would get versus China. Again, I would root for USA to get more. But when I went home for dinner this past weekend, I heard my family saying that China got quite a bit and they were pretty happy about it. I know I'm Chinese, but I just don't see the point of rooting for or siding with someone just because of their blood. I mean, these same athletes are part of a country where a lot of controversy had surfaced (faking performances, possibly violating the age requirement, protests). I like Chinese people and all, but I'm not a big fan of China. I was born American, and I feel great pride when the National Anthem comes on. Heck, I would think even nationalized citizens should feel that way. Why else be nationalized and swear an oath of loyalty?

I guess everything boils down to race and the issues that still surround it. Most of the time I forget I'm Chinese. I forget that to bigoted people that I am different. They see a yellow face and they think, "Oh, he's not American." But America shouldn't have a single face. To me America is a pot of stew. Many different ingredients, but together, very delicious. I don't like to choose between my nationality and my ethnicity. I like to think that as an Asian American, I add a diversity and different strength to all that is America.

But I guess if it ever comes down to it, I would bleed red, white, and blue.