In Memory of Vincent Chin: Why Calling it Chinese Virus Bothers Me

source: NBC News

I bet many of you have no idea who Vincent Chin is.

I bring this up because if we don't recognize why we're so sensitive about the term "Chinese virus", perhaps hearing about Vincent's tragic end might help you understand.

In short, 2 white autoworkers blamed Vincent Chin for the increased presence of Japanese auto manufacturers in the United States.*
(*taken from NBC News)

Vincent Chin was Chinese American. Not Japanese. A fight ensued. Vincent died of head injuries from the fight a few days later.

PBS's POV and NBC News have several YouTube videos on Vincent Chin, who died in June 1982. He was out with friends celebrating his upcoming wedding. Instead, his wedding became his funeral.

Here's a short NBC News clip that provides a brief, but very informative clip about Vincent Chin's story.

Alive and Well in America - Xenophobia

source: @lionnessmom76 Twitter
Suraya Entezam

On May 21, Air Force veteran and Fremont, California resident James Ahn posted a video on his Facebook page showing a woman yelling at him, calling him ugly Chinese and go back to his country. Mr. Ahn is from Seoul, South Korea.

On May 17, New York attorney Aaron Schlossberg goes into a tirade to deli employees speaking Spanish to speak English. He later apologizes, says he's not racist.

Meet Suraya Entezam. Ms. Entezam herself is not U.S. born as can be detected in her accent yelling at Mr. Ahn.



I find disheartening that these incidents are taking place in areas of the United States where there is a significant foreign-born population.

Over Labor Day Weekend last year, my cousins (brother and sister) were in San Francisco to attend the funeral services for their aunt. Both encountered xenophobic incidents during their visit. One was at San Francisco International Airport, the other on BART. Irony on the BART incident - the female passenger told my cousin to go back to Korea.

Fear, anger and ignorance and alive and well in the United States. We give the rest of the Americas (Central, South and North) a bad name.