Americans tend to ask people they've just met where they are from. If the person is obviously white, a simple answer like "here" or "New York City" will suffice. The question is just an icebreaker. But if you are not obviously white, your answer can elicit followup questions that grow tiring after hearing them over and over for years. People ask my daughter where she is from, and if she says "here," they say, no, where are you really from? If she says "China," they compliment her on her English, which is her only language. Since we live in a small town, she was once even asked which restaurant she belonged to -which she found hilarious, as if there is obviously no other reason an Asian person would live here. Those are common experiences for people of Asian descent all over America, whether they were born in the U.S. or not.
Sculptor (and sometimes cartoonist) Shing Yin Khor wrote a comic about putting up with people who first and foremost want to know her ethnic background, even when they really don't care. She addresses her concerns to her childhood hero, the Yellow Power Ranger (Trini Kwan) as the childhood superhero she identified with. Her funny but thought-provoking comic posted at the Toast is much longer than the excerpt here, and some subject matter is NSFW. -via Metafilter
It's mostly a function of where in the United States you are - I'm never asked this question in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or New York (but have been asked in Texas and other non-large Metropolises of the United States).
so what?? this is not racist or stupid, at most cases people are trying to be friendly or making a small talk with you. are you so precious or different from the rest of us that your insticts guide you to ignore these folks?
[deleted by admin - no profanities please]