What does "asian persuasion" mean?

it's a term used by bigots to describe somebody who is Asian or of Asian descent. It's an extension of the term "of Hebraic persuasion" or "of Mosaic persuasion" that bigots used to describe somebody who was Jewish. And before that, it was used to describe Catholics or Irish: "of Irish persuasion" or "of Papist persuasion" It is also used by bigots to describe homosexuals: "of a lesbian persuasion" "of a gay persuasion" However used, it comes across as being sly and prejudiced.  more