Vietnamese Manicurists

The L.A. Times just published this article on Vietnamese manicurists. Um, can anyone say "glorifying the so-called 'American Dream'"?!? The first half of the article makes it sound like being in the nail industry means easy money especially for recent immigrants. The article does touch upon some points which are true, but for the most part ends up glorifying a profession which does little for the Vietnamese community except provide income in a world dominated by non-Asian groups.

Yes, my mother is a manicurist. Yes, I am the stereotypical Vietnamese-American. Yes, the job sucks. And what's up with the whole "white woman saves poor Asian women" spiel? Okay I don't know the history of Vietnamese women in the manicurist industry, but to make it sound like Tippi Hedren was some sort of Mother Teresa and basically "saved" the Vietnamese community is a little far-fetch.

Idiots.