nice chinese man

today dan told me a story in which his t.a. had to run and borrow a dvd player from a different room. apparently when she came back the teacher asked where did you find it and she said "oh i took it from the room of a nice chinese man."

first of all, chances are he wasn't even chinese. but why do we so often find it necessary to emphasize someone's nationality? her relating the ethnicity of the man didn't change or enhance her story in any way. she probably felt self-assured her comment was in no way insensitive, because she made sure to call him a "nice" chinese man. its belittling in someways. don't get me wrong, i don't think she is racist, i just don't see why it is necessary to say he was chinese. if he had been white she would not have said "oh a nice white man gave it to me". its just that i think we try so hard to be sensitive of other races that it turns into insensitivity.