Question

What does this quote mean?

I choose to describe myself on my own terms, as an American, rather than as an Asian-American. Why is it that hyphenation is imposed only on nonwhite Americans? Rejecting hyphenation is my refusal to categorize the cultural landscape into a center and its peripheries; it is to demand that the American nation deliver the promises of its dream and its Constitution to all its citizens equally.

Answer 1

This quote is meant to show American citizens how discriminatory using hyphens actually is. The point of the American country was equality for all of it's people, however, this equality has not come until recently for people of other nationalities, races, or genders.

The quote is asking the question, "if America is truly a non-discriminatory country, why do I have to categorize myself as Asian-American, rather than just American?"