> There is a tendency in the West to view all minorities as somehow being the same.
Is there? While my experience comes from living in a cosmopolitan border town, it is hard to imagine anyone seriously lumping Asians in with Africans, short of the outright rascists raging against "immigrants"
Huh, most people do not have time and patience to learn all the differences unless they absolutely have to. Back in northern India anyone from southern state is just South indian , no knowledge about Telugu, Kannadiga, Tamil, Malayali and so on.
Similarly in south India I wouldn't be surprised if a typical local think all North Indians are same butter chicken/paneer eating assholes.
I think it's common of all groups to lump individuals of other groups. Someone might say "<republicans | democrats | asians | whites | blacks | chinese | americans | rich | poor> all think that <insert thing here here>".
it's worth noting that those with more power have greater potential to cause damage with their haphazard lumping
Is there? While my experience comes from living in a cosmopolitan border town, it is hard to imagine anyone seriously lumping Asians in with Africans, short of the outright rascists raging against "immigrants"