I think you are overreacting. Just because something is stereotypical doesn’t make it untrue. You are extremely contemptuous of him. His remark may have been an accurate observation. It may be true, that they not only speak faster, generally, wpm-wise, but they may even…SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE!!! Don’t get on a high horse! My GF, who was born in some Dutch speaking country in South America, told me that the Spanish speakers that she had been around were extremely fast speakers. How dare she say that…just goes to show you what a bunch of bigots these foreign born, uh…oh…never mind…
The person that noted the Asian differences in talking speed may have been a fine person, and may very well fit your standards of being a liberal, rather than the less than human bigot that you peg him for being. He may have a great love for Asians, (he DID spend a year over there); he may have just been showing off his expertise, trying to impress you-and you are hating his guts for not living up to your standards! I worked with a guy just like that before. (Of course, everybody thought that he was a dork, even some Eleanor Roosevelt type knee-jerk libs as well, but that’s not the point…)
Cut him the slack that you want him to cut others.
One thing is certain: this person is a human being with feelings just as much as you are. Learn to be friends with those around you, and then be friends with the rest of the world.
best wishes,
hh