# My Indian Parents' Racial Shame **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 17, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074 "2013-09-17T18:29:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/41 "2013-09-17T20:58:15Z")
Most likely this is all just a crock of fakery. Second most likely it’s just bizarrely actuated angst. Third most likely is a manifestation of mental illness. The least likely is actual, active abuse. Whatever it is, it’s **vaguely** interesting. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/42 "2013-09-17T20:58:47Z")
> [@IndianStones](#): > > I don’t wanna give any more details dammit. This could all be monitored. > > Leahcim seems to understand though. > > Fuck my parents for this. This post has been reported to your parents. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/43 "2013-09-17T20:58:56Z")
> [@IndianStones](#): > > I don’t wanna give any more details dammit. This could all be monitored. Could be? _Could be??_ You don’t know the half of it, son. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/44 "2013-09-17T21:02:57Z")
Revenge? Monitored? Woah, dude, you are starting to sound a bit loony. Calm down, realize we all had/have problems with our parents, and look forward to the day when you can move out. It’s not worth getting upset over unless they beat you or keep you prisoner or something. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/45 "2013-09-17T21:04:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Could be? _Could be??_ You don’t know the half of it, son. Because, after all, we’re ALL Americans to the NSA. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/46 "2013-09-17T21:04:38Z")
Was your dad tweeting insults after that Indian girl won the Miss America pageant? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/47 "2013-09-17T21:09:34Z")
I, too, find this confusing. I guess what it means is that the parents are trying to assimilate, and the OP, by virtue of growing up in the US, is far more assimilated than they can ever be. Plus, all of them are racist (who cares about skin colour in 2013?) and all of them have more than a little self-hatred for being from India / of recent Indian descent. Newsflash: having an accent isn’t stupid, it’s what happens when you start learning a language as an adult. Some parents do compete with their children, and it’s always sad to see. Just keep calling them on it: “Right, dad, you’re way more American than me. Your melanin-poor flesh indicates some sort of cultural superiority that is unattainable for me.” In other words, since there’s no reason to win this stupid game, stop playing. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/48 "2013-09-17T21:10:07Z")
Your dad is competing with you on who is most “American”? Have never heard of such a thing. I think you’re being paranoid. Come clean… what is the \*real \*reason you’re upset? ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/49 "2013-09-17T21:15:04Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Your dad is competing with you on who is most “American”? Have never heard of such a thing. Well, there was this one senator in the fifties… ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/50 "2013-09-17T21:22:15Z")
I’m not sure why I assumed the OP is male. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/51 "2013-09-17T21:33:01Z")
[You could do this.🙂](https://www.vejatv.com/video-2791.Apu-Fakes-His-Citizenship.html) ---
**Author:** ![IndianStones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ebca7d/32.png) [@IndianStones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IndianStones)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/52 "2013-09-17T22:29:45Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > I, too, find this confusing. > > I guess what it means is that the parents are trying to assimilate, and the OP, by virtue of growing up in the US, is far more assimilated than they can ever be. Plus, all of them are racist (who cares about skin colour in 2013?) and all of them have more than a little self-hatred for being from India / of recent Indian descent. > > Newsflash: having an accent isn’t stupid, it’s what happens when you start learning a language as an adult. > > Some parents do compete with their children, and it’s always sad to see. Just keep calling them on it: “Right, dad, you’re way more American than me. Your melanin-poor flesh indicates some sort of cultural superiority that is unattainable for me.” In other words, since there’s no reason to win this stupid game, stop playing. You fuckin nailed it, Dr. Drake. You’re the man. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/53 "2013-09-17T22:52:59Z")
If you want to truly be more American, you and all your siblings should change your names to some combination of: Lincoln, Freedom, Condoleezza, Coke, Pepsi, Manifest Destiny, Apple Pie, and Superman. ---
**Author:** ![IndianStones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ebca7d/32.png) [@IndianStones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IndianStones)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/54 "2013-09-17T22:58:21Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > If you want to truly be more American, you and all your siblings should change your names to some combination of: Lincoln, Freedom, Condoleezza, Coke, Pepsi, Manifest Destiny, Apple Pie, and Superman. lmao 😃 I don’t care to be more American, but too many people I know do. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/55 "2013-09-17T23:07:52Z")
You definitely sound on the youngish side. As you get older this will just be an eye-rolling thing for you I am sure. I wouldn’t worry about getting revenge or “calling” them on it. You could be honest and say “We’re both Americans. Americans come in all flavors so I wish you wouldn’t focus on being the best american so much” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/56 "2013-09-17T23:34:21Z")
Heck with the guitar, play the banjo. Add a harmonica. Next thing you know, you’ve got your own one-man band going. ---
**Author:** ![IndianStones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ebca7d/32.png) [@IndianStones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IndianStones)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/57 "2013-09-17T23:46:38Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You definitely sound on the youngish side. As you get older this will just be an eye-rolling thing for you I am sure. I wouldn’t worry about getting revenge or “calling” them on it. You could be honest and say “We’re both Americans. Americans come in all flavors so I wish you wouldn’t focus on being the best american so much” Great advice. I’ll tell you I’m under 30. This **is** pretty trivial, but for some reason I couldn’t stop thinking about it last night. > [@Gun Grabbers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-grabbers/669014/119): > > Third most likely is a manifestation of mental illness You’re good. I guess you’re a psych major or something. I was diagnosed with residual schizophrenia 3-4 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/58 "2013-09-18T02:18:19Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > If you want to truly be more American, you and all your siblings should change your names to some combination of: Lincoln, Freedom, Condoleezza, Coke, Pepsi, Manifest Destiny, Apple Pie, and Superman. You forgot “Walmart”. ---
**Author:** ![IndianStones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ebca7d/32.png) [@IndianStones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IndianStones)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/59 "2013-09-18T02:29:58Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qTY6-xKHpM) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074/60 "2013-09-18T02:30:01Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > You forgot “Walmart”. [Nuh-uh](http://imgur.com/r/thesimpsons/zLGnz). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-indian-parents-racial-shame/669074.md?page=4)