Hate Crime against Asian American - Movie Review Example

Hate Crime Against Asian Americans America is a wonderful nation with great tolerance to accept people from all around the world to come over and accomplish their "American Dreams." The conflicts eventually occurred due to misunderstandings of each others language and culture. Hate Crimes are offenses caused by hatred of persons based on their race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. It persists to be an insult to the national conscience (“Hate Crimes”). According to the FBI, the US hate crime rate in 2007 was 15.3 percent and 4.3 percent were victims in an anti-Asian bias (“Hate Crime Statistics”).  The 1982 documentary movie “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima, portrayed how the hate crime happened towards an Asian American during the 1980’s. In the film, both Chin’s and Ebens’ families believed they were the victims of this hate crime, with Ebens’ ascribing his mistakes to the crushing recession of the automotive industry, and Chin’s family focusing on the American government’s unfair justice system and considering this to be a pan-ethnic Asian American issue. The 1987 Academy Award–nominated documentary of Christine Choy and Renee Tajima shows the episodes leading up to the slay and following the trial’s shocking and unexpected verdict. Above a simple regurgitation of the case, it sets out with the query presented by the film’s title to illustrate the greater sociological background of the incident. Surveillance and interviews of the conditions of the people employed in the plants and knowledge of the effects of the Japanese automobile industry on Detroit, the documentary challenges to clarify why an incident like this could be surpassed. Conceivably, the most significant touch of the film’s plot is that, in spite of the upsetting lack of emotional involvement of Ebens when interviewed, the filmmakers draw connections between Vincent’s and Ronald’s histories. Both men moved to Detroit in optimism, hopes of finding better jobs, managed to “fit in,” and however intersected in a misfortune (“Who Killed Vincent Chin?”). The Tragic Death of an Asian American: It was on June 19, 1982 in Detroit when two jobless autoworkers, Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz, clubbed Chin to death, they neither knew him nor cared who he was as a person. It did not matter that he was a Chinese American, rather than Japanese or even Japanese American. As far as they were concerned, they regarded Chin as some "species" of Asian who had robbed them of their livelihood, and they were determined to take revenge by depriving him of his life (Wei). In 1982, Detroits automotive business was in the middle of a financial crisis, losing the rivalry for customers to Japanese automakers who were manufacturing better-quality cars for the American market. Rather than condemn the American automakers for their failure to compete successfully, people blamed the Japanese people, triggering widespread anti-Japanese feeling (Wei). In this economic rivalry, Eben and Nitz had become two of the "losers" and were set wandering in American society. On the contrary, Chin was happily employed, working as a draftsman at a local engineering firm. Furthermore, he was a young man in the town celebrating his bachelor’s party, a young man with his whole life ahead of him. It can only be explained as a fit of racial disgust deepened by envy when Ebens and Nitz hunted Chin down and murdered him for their personal dilemma (Wei). The similarly sad part of this execution was how Vincents murderers were handled by the criminal justice system. Ebens and Nitz pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to 3 years probation, fined $3,780 and obliged to pay $780 in court expenses (Wei). In a second trial, the Justice Department convicted Ebens with the violation of Vincents civil rights and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Nitz was acquitted. However, due to a technicality, new trial was ordered by a federal appeals court. At this retrial, whose jury consisted almost completely of White blue-collar men, both Ebens and Nitz were acquitted of all charges. Mrs. Chin (Vincent’s mother) did manage to win a civil suit against Ebens and Nitz for $1.5 million. Eventually, Ebens stopped making payments in 1989 and his whereabouts are still unknown. Up to this date neither man conveyed any regret for their deeds and neither was imprisoned for Vincent Chin’s murder (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). Vincents dying words: "It isnt fair", ignited an awakening of the Asian-American consciousness to the deep shadows of hate cast by the American dream (“The Case for Vincent Chin: A Tragedy in American Justice”). Anti-Asian Racism and Violence: From the time when the first Asians arrived in America, there has been anti-Asian racism. This involves injustice and discrimination. For over two centuries, Asian Americans have been refused equal rights, subjected to aggravation and antagonism, had their rights invalidated and jailed for no acceptable grounds, physically harassed, and murdered (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). Asian Competition Leads to Violence: In Asian American history, several discrimination acts against Chinese immigrants ended in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. For the first and so far only time in American history, an entire cultural group was singled out and prevented from stepping foot on American soil. Even though this was not the first anti-Asian incident, it represents the heritage of prejudice directed against our community (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). It was simultaneously followed by frequent denials of impartiality against Chinese and Japanese immigrants searching for equal treatment to citizenship, land ownership, and other state and federal court rights in the early 1900s. Countless times, Asians were not even permitted to be witnesses in court. The most notorious episode of anti-Asian racism was probably the unjustified captivity of Japanese Americans during World War II which was done exclusively on the basis of their ethnic origin (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). Asian Americans as Targets for Hate Crimes: As the Asian American populace becomes larger and more incorporated into the mainstream American social and political institutions, it was expected that incidents of anti-Asian racism would happen less often. It was actually the opposite. The last 20 years or so has seen Asian Americans turn out to be the fastest-growing targets for hate crimes and violence (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). It appears that every time there are dilemmas in American society, political or economic, there constantly seems to be the need for a scapegoat: someone or a group of people who is/are chosen, unreasonably blamed, and targeted with brutal antagonism. Merged with the cultural stereotype of Asian Americans as weak, defenseless and quiet, the increasing Asian American population are exploited, exclusively on the basis of being an Asian American (“Anti-Asian Racism and Violence”). In his statement to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Congressman Robert Matsui argued that “In recent years, most of the industries that have suffered the worst have been hurt by imports from countries in South East Asia. As anger develops against nations of Asia that anger is transferred to Americans of Asian ancestry who appear to be quick and “easy” targets.” (cited in “Racially and Ethnically Motivated Hate Crime”). Racism in a Colorblind Society: Americans live in a culture in which the color line faces escalating challenges and racial sadism as an all-encompassing threat. Furthermore, it is not the limited weapon of white-hooded or brown-shirted rednecks. However, it is shared by those without unbending ideological dogma or without White supremacist group association. Racially and ethnically motivated violence is not a deviation related to extremist edge. It is a normal way of affirming racial identity relative to the victimized other. It is a natural expansion or performance of the racism that assigns privilege along racial and ethnic lines (Perry). The perspectives of culture and structure that form hate crime are stemmed from labels, legislation, language, and differential employment practices. Labeling Asian as savages, and not including them from citizenship have upheld the stigmatized stranger individuality of Asian Americans. Racial violence becomes a triggering and awakening step for resolving issues on these disparities (Perry). Asian Americans as Model Minority Myth: One of the most common stereotypes that overlooks the Asian Pacific American diversity is the “model minority myth” which says that Americans of Asian ancestry are the ‘healthy’ minority, the ‘smart’ minority, the ‘self-sufficient’ minority; the ‘hardworking, but silent’ minority. In several aspects, statistics back up the “model minority” stereotype: Asian Americans have the most minimal divorce rate of any racial group, the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy, the uppermost median family income, and the smallest rate of unemployment (Bradley). In the constant growing presence of Asian Americans in such areas as San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and New Jersey, Asian Americans are frequently queried about their “Americanness”, because they look different from caucasians, they are continually asked “where they are from” and told that they “speak English very well.” They are repeatedly seen and treated as foreigners (Bradley). Heinous confrontations against Asian Americans are worsened by the denial of law enforcement and criminal justice. Government officials should take racism and discrimination against Asian Americans sincerely and with utmost regard. The "Model Minority" does not face problems that other minorities have, and if they did, they think that Asian Americans are excessively good-natured and civil to wait for anybody to resolve it. It is no wonder that very little Asian Americans bother to inform and testify racial occurrences in their places of works, neighborhoods and schools (Zia). Attempts to counter anti-Asian injustice and anti-Asian hostility have raised considerably since Vincent Chin’s murder in 1982. There was no community infrastructure and no pan-Asian support society back then, but today a powerful national voice against anti-Asian violence lives in the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, and several local and regional advocacy groups have materialized. Student groups and community groups are educating Asian Americans across the country on the significance of holding institutions responsible for speech and actions that can lead to hate crimes. Schools, news media, police, the courts, politicians and even Hollywood have all been put on notice. As a community, citizens are now ready to deal with verbal or physical anti-Asian assaults than ever before (Zia). Hope for Asian Americans: However, Asian Americans should not despair because there is reason for hope. For the reason that difference is socially structured, it can also be socially restructured. Hence, as a society, individuals can reconstruct the ways in which diversity matters. Asian Americans can endeavor for a fair and free society in which the full range of diversity addressed is reassessed in a constructive and triumphant light that would prevent violence stimulated by racial or ethnic disparity (Perry). At the national level, anti-hate crime supporters, ranging from the Anti-Defamation League to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Human Rights Campaign, continue to press for passage of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This act was introduced in both the House and the Senate which would permit federal authorities to investigate all hate crimes. Although it is not the federal government but the state that has jurisdiction over crimes, Congress needs to take hate crimes seriously and find a constitutionally suitable response and action to this awful phenomenon (“Hate Crimes”). The most effective long-term approach for the prevention of hate crimes would be through education—beginning in elementary school. Part of the method of learning to be a good citizen in the United States is learning to understand and value others in terms of their cultural diversities. The American populace is still far from attaining this acceptance and value, but it is surely the objective to aim for (“Hate Crimes”). Vincent Chin’s Death, A Symbol of the Asian American Struggle for Acceptance: Although it seems that justice was prevented from succeeding, it is essential to bear in mind that Vincent Chin did not die in vain. On the contrary, he left an memorable legacy to all Americans, especially Asian Americans. His death elevated the realization and consciousness of people about hate crimes against Asian Americans and provided as a channel for Asian Americans to look beyond their individual Asian cultural communities to organize and stand together against anti-Asian violence. Vincent Chin’s tragedy roused a generation of Asian American students to pursue legal careers so that never again would the Asian American community be powerless against racially prejudiced attacks. Vincent Chin’s story has become a landmark in the Asian American fight for racial impartiality and political empowerment (Wei). Works Cited “Anti Asian Racism and Violence.” Asia Nation. 2009. 4 May 2009. Bradley, Bill. “Floor Statement on Race Relations and Americans from Asia.” 1994. 5 May 2009. “Hate Crimes.” The National Catholic Weekly. 2001. 4 May 2009. “Hate Crime Statistics.” Federal Bureau of Investigation. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. 2007. Perry, Barbara. “Racially and Ethnically Motivated Hate Crime.” Defending the Color. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 2002. 72-92. “The Case for Vincent Chin: A Tragedy in American Justice.” Azine. n.d. 4 May 2009. “U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.” Recent Actions against Citizens and Residents of Asian Descent. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. n.d. Wei, William. “An American Hate Crime: The Murder of Vincent Chin.” Teaching Tolerance. 2008. 5 May 2009. “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” Virginia Film Festival. 1987. 5 May 2009. Zia, Helen. “Ready or Not: My Own Brush with Violence.” IM Diversity. 2009. 4 May 2009. < http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/asian/.../archives/zia_hate_violence_2000.asp> Read More