In the event of a hypothetical war/conflict, should an Iranian-American candidate apply as "white" or "other-Iranian" or "other-middle eastern"?

[WorriedMan19]

Hi all,

I hope this isn't a stupid question but the recent political turmoil between the USA and Iran has got me on edge. I know in an ideal world your ethnicity shouldn't matter but we all remember Japanese interment and I am worried about bias against middle eastern (specially Iranians) should conflict arrive.

Initially I wanted to Identify as middle eastern, mostly because I don't like being lumped in as "white" when I am not, but with the recent political turmoil I hesitate to do such. I feel like going with "white" as we do on the census is the safer option now.

I'm not sure, does it even matter? I would love you thought and opinions.

Thanks guys!

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[deleted993098]

What do you usually introduce yourself as?

 

[TSHJB302]

Honestly? If a school discriminates against you for being Iranian, you probably wouldn’t want to go there anyway. Mark whatever you feel most comfortable with.

 

[Goro]

Honestly? If a school discriminates against you for being Iranian, you probably wouldn’t want to go there anyway. Mark whatever you feel most comfortable with.

Give us a little credit that we're not complete idiots and that we can figure out that you're not a member of the IRGC or the al-Quds force.

 

[Moko]

Give us a little credit that we're not complete idiots and that we can figure out that you're not a member of the IRGC or the al-Quds force.

Though to be fair, weren't terrorists hiding in Bahamas, biding their time for a hurricane to strike so they can sneak into the US aboard cruise ships as refugees? Maybe the OP is playing the long game as well?

You'll be fine OP. There isn't a dearth of Chinese or Middle Eastern medical students

 

[907914]

Though to be fair, weren't terrorists hiding in Bahamas, biding their time for a hurricane to strike so they can sneak into the US aboard cruise ships as refugees? Maybe the OP is playing the long game as well?

You'll be fine OP. There isn't a dearth of Chinese or Middle Eastern medical students

This is next level conspiracy theory-ing right here...Did Trump tweet this? I feel like Trump could have tweeted this....

 

[deleted804295]

Give us a little credit that we're not complete idiots and that we can figure out that you're not a member of the IRGC or the al-Quds force.

That's pretty impressive knowledge on int'l politics.

 

[907914]

That's pretty impressive knowledge on int'l politics.

No offense intended, but TBH you learn this much in like...15 minutes of NPR.

 

[Engrailed]

How are people already awake at this ungodly hour? Lol Sorry for the tangent

 

[TSHJB302]

How are people already awake at this ungodly hour? Lol Sorry for the tangent

Aren’t you also awake? Lol

 

[907914]

How are people already awake at this ungodly hour? Lol Sorry for the tangent

Airports, clinicals, coming off shift work, they work a 6-2 or 6-4 shift, military reasons...lots of reasons to be awake this early when you are adulting.

 

[TheIllusionist]

Some clarifications

White in the US is defined by old anthropology definitions of the word "caucasoid," which was based on what is now considered largely pseudoscience, craniometrics.

That being said many Americans are extremely unfamiliar with MENA (Middle East and N Africa) diversity of looks. Many will, unless the person is in traditional garb, confuse MENA person for Southern European. Thus, many MENA people, especially MENA Christians who happen to form the majority of MENA origin Americans, are effectively White Euro origin passing.

Americans are so ignorant about MENA looks that many picture exclusively picture darker Gulf Arabs or even light skinned S Asians, when the term is brought up. I notice UK citizens tender to have a better grasp of the diversity of looks in both MENA and S Asia.

Finally, there is PCA visualized evidence that MENA do, for the most part, cluster close to Euro Whites quite a bit, relative to all other groups, often even with overlapping clustering. PCA analysis is looking at genetic signnature combos mathematically. This is based on unique single nucleotide polymorphisms found only in certain populations.

It turns out the old school definition of "White" wasn't so wrong after all, despite being based on much faultier evidence. Cheers.

 

[Engrailed]

Aren’t you also awake? Lol

That is also true. I was on my way to work
Sorry to be taking this thread off topic


In regards to OP: Yes, discrimination, xenophobia, etc all of that is categorically unacceptable but there are subconscious biases at work (unbeknownst to individuals themselves). However, with that said (!!) as ppl above mentioned, you should do what makes you feel most comfortable and if a school blatantly chooses another over you bc of potential political implications, then you wouldn’t want to be there anyhow!

 

[Cornfed101]

Give us a little credit that we're not complete idiots and that we can figure out that you're not a member of the IRGC or the al-Quds force.

I think the fear stems from the fact that Trump was elected president, so at least a simple majority supports xenophobia (or did support, now that they’ve seen how crazy he is). It’s insanity.

 

[Engrailed]

I think the fear stems from the fact that Trump was elected president, so at least a simple majority supports xenophobia (or did support, now that they’ve seen how crazy he is). It’s insanity.

Everyday since Nov 2016 has been an episode of "IS THIS REAL LIFE" and "WHAT IS IT NOW" and seeing headlines that legitimately make me question whether it's a parody or not.

 

[ciestar]

This is next level conspiracy theory-ing right here...Did Trump tweet this? I feel like Trump could have tweeted this....

Based on the comments he did make, i wouldn’t be surprised if he actually believed it.

 

[Moko]

I think the fear stems from the fact that Trump was elected president, so at least a simple majority supports xenophobia (or did support, now that they’ve seen how crazy he is). It’s insanity.

Technically, a simple majority of voters supported the other candidate. However, President Trump did win decisively in the electoral college. It should also be noted that not all those who voted for Trump believe in xenophobia, racism, and/or misogyny. People vote for a certain candidate/party for many different reasons.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Technically, a simple majority of voters supported the other candidate. However, President Trump did win decisively in the electoral college. It should also be noted that not all those who voted for Trump believe in xenophobia, racism, and/or misogyny. People vote for a certain candidate/party for many different reasons.

Please take your non-sensationalist politics elsewhere, arent you aware its 2019?

 

[Moko]

Please take your non-sensationalist politics elsewhere, arent you aware its 2019?

Well aware. Hopefully a year from now my heart rate can return to its baseline.

 

[Cornfed101]

Well aware. Hopefully a year from now my heart rate can return to its baseline.

Given the track record in the country, we will probably just swing from one extreme to another... the joys of a political duopoly.

 

[PA_dud3]

Let's keep politics out of the discussion and just try to answer the question at hand.

 

[Goro]

That's pretty impressive knowledge on int'l politics.

It's one of my passions

 

[Cornfed101]

Let's keep politics out of the discussion and just try to answer the question at hand.

ok, ok. OP I think it is ideal to be true to the race/ethnicity you identify with. I don't think what happened during WWII will repeat itself (as far as Japanese internment), and even if it did, they wouldn't look to the AAMC to provide that information.

 

[electropartyogram]

This is next level conspiracy theory-ing right here...Did Trump tweet this? I feel like Trump could have tweeted this....

This comment was unnecessary and you injected politics into a clean thread.

I think the fear stems from the fact that Trump was elected president, so at least a simple majority supports xenophobia (or did support, now that they’ve seen how crazy he is). It’s insanity.

This is absolutely not true. Nothing is xenophobic about the rule of law.

Based on the comments he did make, i wouldn’t be surprised if he actually believed it.

Again, why bother?

Technically, a simple majority of voters supported the other candidate. However, President Trump did win decisively in the electoral college. It should also be noted that not all those who voted for Trump believe in xenophobia, racism, and/or misogyny. People vote for a certain candidate/party for many different reasons.

Thank you for some sanity.

To answer OP: Identify with the racial/ethnic/cultural upbringing you most closely identify with. Surely, since you are of Middle Eastern descent, there has been a lot of animosity against you (maybe not directly) and your experiences growing up or being in school could be used as a talking point, or your interest in refugee medicine. The majority of medical schools seem to be quite socially progressive so you should not worry about international politics affect your applications. Even in the case of a conflict, only a very small minority of people would actively discriminate against you, honestly, this is most likely to come from patients not colleagues.

 

[907914]

Let's keep politics out of the discussion and just try to answer the question at hand.

This comment was unnecessary and you injected politics into a clean thread.

I apologize for making a potentially politically charged comment. My comment was not intended as political, just making a remark on something a known idiot (both before and concurrently with his politics) would say. Again, I apologize for the initial comment and subsequent derailment that occurred which I was not involved in. In the future, I will not mock or deride any public figure, despite their known and consistent idiocy and conspiracy theory driven divisive sayings and social media postings, for fear that’ll will be taken as politically charged as opposed to mockery of an individual. Again, apologies and god bless.

 

[unluckyadhessiveness]

OP, identify with whatever you are comfortable with. I too am an Iranian American and have always identified as Caucasian so that is what I put down. Ive always been hesitant to tell people where I'm from, but in academia, people tend to understand you're a lot more than the country you come from, and they understand the views of the government are not necessarily the views of the people. I due tend to avoid telling people I'm Iranian when I visit bars in Kansas, though...

 

[PA_dud3]

I apologize for making a potentially politically charged comment. My comment was not intended as political, just making a remark on something a known idiot (both before and concurrently with his politics) would say. Again, I apologize for the initial comment and subsequent derailment that occurred which I was not involved in. In the future, I will not mock or deride any public figure, despite their known and consistent idiocy and conspiracy theory driven divisive sayings and social media postings, for fear that’ll will be taken as politically charged as opposed to mockery of an individual. Again, apologies and god bless.

You're doing it again.

 

[907914]

You're doing it again.

Just clarifying the types of comments I won’t make and what I am apologizing for. Which, again, was ensuring I won’t mock idiots regardless of political party if those idiots could be construed as political. Again, I apologize. All done!