Eric Takabayashi wrote:
> Jim wrote:
>  
> 
>>I know that in the USA, your ethnic background doesn't matter one whit when
>>determining citizenship...
> 
> 
> Incorrect. Americans and others, as I have mentioned, have their own notions of what
> "Americans" look or act like, or where they are born.
> 
> 

I was just making the argument that in the USA, it would be difficult to have
a "non-Americans not allowed" sign in a place of business.  And have the court
system ignore any protests about the sign/policy.  In Japan, it seems that
a "non-Japanese not allowed" policy at the door is not as frowned upon.

> 
> 
> I'm a native born American. And people, including Americans, still don't believe it. I
> am almost invariably mistaken for a Japanese tourist when I return home, where people
> greet me with "Irasshaimase!" when I walk into a business, then turn away when I tell
> them I am not Japanese. Once when I took my sick daughter in to the local hospital, the
> hospital I have been to since childhood, the woman even derisively referred to me as a
> "Japanese tourist" without insurance, not a US citizen or Hawaii resident who was paying
> cash.
>

We all have our crosses to bear.  The "ugly Americans" have pretty much spoiled many
countries that I might want to visit because I somewhat resemble them, much like the visiting
Japanese tourists have made your life a bit difficult in Hawaii.  And now Bush & Co.
have made travel to a lot of the world a dangerous proposition for Whitey.

> 
>>>The more common examples of naturalized Japanese such as
>>>ethnic Asians (who may have lived here since they were born and ONLY culturally
>>>Japanese) or people who have deliberately assimilated themselves such as Rui Ramos,
>>>Musashimaru, Akebono or KONISHIKI, should be respected and not considered "gaijin".
>>
>>So you *are* agreeing with most Japanese that if you look and talk like a native,
>>you're not a gaigin but Japanese?
> 
> 
> No, I clearly say things like ethnic Samoan people from Hawaii who come up in the strict
> traditional sumo culture are more "Japanese" than most native born Japanese alive. Can
> you read?
>

Yeah, I can read.  Can you write?  I'm not a mind reader.  Please point out where you
"clearly say things like ethnic Samoan people from Hawaii who come up in the strict
traditional sumo culture are more "Japanese" than most native born Japanese alive".
In this thread;  I haven't read all your postings over the past few years.

> 
>>And all those people who dont't look, act and
>>speak like Japanese shouldn't be respected, either?
> 
> 
> I said they SHOULD be respected as Japanese and NOT considered gaijin as clearly written
> above.
> 

I felt you wrote they should be respected as Japanese because of their efforts to
assimilate, and conversely that people who *don't* try to assimilate aren't worthy
of respect.  Hence my comment.

> So let's get back to you asking me if I am American. What did you mean by that?
> 

Well, I didn't know if you kept your American citizenship or not, and  I still don't.
I don't know if you think like Debito and pretend you can switch your heritage by
getting a new passport. And I really don't regard "American" as being much of anything \
except a tax status. Others may be a bit more patriotic.

BTW, is there something in Japanese law that says it's OK to discriminate against
non-Japanese citizens?  Why does Debito feel that getting the Japanese passport
makes his discrimination claims more valid?  Do you have to be a Japanese citizen
to sue someone in Japan?

-Jim