Over the past week there have been many news stories on the Virginia Tech. shooting. This has affected many people–the victims, their families, friends, staff and students on that campus and other campuses. I read on-line that Korean students and their families are afraid of backlashing on campuses or other places where Koreans live or work.
I personally feel that not only Koreans are being looked at in a different way, but the Asian communities in general are also being looked at as if we were all part of the shooting. Asians share similar features, which makes many non-Asians think that we are all the same. On Thursday, the cover page of AM New York, a free daily newspaper sponsored by ads, had a picture of the Virginia Tech. shooter. My sister was taking the train to school and this non-Asian man stood in front of my sister while holding the AM New York paper and pointing at Cho Seung-Hui and then pointing at my sister and said, “You and him are the same.” My sister ignored him and he got off the train at the next stop.
On Friday, my mother witnessed two non-English speaking Asian boys in my neighborhood around 14-15 years old who were being targeted with small rocks and water balloons by three non-Asian teenagers around the same age. Just when my mother walked past the three teenagers started throwing water balloons at my mother and yelling out names and one of the phrases that one boy shouted was, “Kill all Asians!” My mother yelled back at them saying they were crazy, but they still targeted her. Luckily, a man who was non-Asian drove by, saw and yelled at the three boys saying he would call the cops and that scared them off. My mother and the two other boys were okay and this was not reported to the police because no one was hurt.
The shooter of Virginia Tech. is an Asian person, but this does not mean all Asians are the same. The shooter could’ve been anyone no matter what their ethnic background is.
As was said in the news people respond to devastating situations in different ways. Some seek to communicate their feelings with others and seek counseling etc while others seek to retaliate by attacking any and everyone who seems similar to the perpetrator/s.
It is very sad that your family and other Asians now have to deal with the backlash of one disturbed young man. It makes me angry that hate and violence are seen as solutions for such madness.
I too have heard stereotypical comments being made about what happened at Virginia Tech and it basically shows that racism is very much present in our society. For those with blinders on, it’s time to open your eyes and face this disturbing reality.
This is tragic. People are very ignorant. When 9/11 I know many people who felt the backlash of the terorist attacks. I had a friend that was indian christian, not even a resemblance of a muslim person, not that that’s not a problem who was told she shouldn’t be in Manhattan.