microaggression another funny/stupid/misleading name for racism

MICROAGGRESSIONS DEFINITION
 Microaggressions are the everyday slights, indignities, put-downs and insults that people of color, women, LGBT populations and other marginalized people experience in their day-to-day interactions. Microaggressions can appear to be a compliment but contain a “metacommunication” or hidden insult to the target groups to which it is delivered. They are often outside the level of conscious awareness of the perpetrator, which means they can be unintentional. These messages may be sent verbally (“you speak good English”), non verbally (clutching one’s purse more tightly) or environmentally (symbols like the confederate flag or using American Indian mascots).

Before I can talk about Asian American experiences at all, I have to kill off the model minority myth because the stereotype obscures many realities. I am an Asian American, but I am not good with computers...I would like to fail in school, for no reason other than to cast off my freakish alter ego of geek and nerd. I am tempted to be very rude, just to demonstrate once and for all that I will not be excessively polite, bowing, smiling, and deferring.. .1 yearn to be an artist, an athlete, a rebel, and, above all, an ordinary person  Wu 2002 page 39

Racial Microaggressions in Every Day LifeTheme Microaggression Message

Racial Microaggressions in Every Day Life

Alien in own land: When Asian Americans and Latino Americans are assumed to be foreign-born	“Where are you from?” “Where were you born?” “You speak good English.” A person asking an Asian American to teach them words in their native language	You are not American. You are a foreigner
Ascription of intelligence Assigning intelligence to a person of color on the basis of their race:	“You are a credit to your race.” “You are so articulate.” Asking an Asian person to help with a math or science problem	People of color are generally not as intelligent as Whites. It is unusual for someone of your race to be intelligent. All Asians are intelligent and good in math/sciences