Unless you are Asian American or involved in civil rights in some manner, there is a good chance that you have never heard the name of Vincent Chin. Senior citizens might remember about him. He would have turned sixty-five years old in May 2020. Vincent Chin was murdered and died a violent death because of racism. Unlike George Floyd, Vincent Chin did not die at the hands or knee of a police officer. Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two ordinary citizens.

Vincent Chin was born on May 18, 1955, in China. He was living in an orphanage when he was adopted in 1961 by a Chinese couple living in America, Bing Hing “David” Chin and Lily Chin. Chin grew up in Highland Park, Michigan, during most of the 1960’s, but the family moved to Oak Park, Michigan, in 1971. Vincent Chin graduated from high school in 1973 and studied at Control Data Institute. He became employed as a draftsman at an automotive supplier company and worked weekends as a waiter at a Chinese restaurant.

Detroit, Michigan, was the scene of racial animosity toward Japan and Japanese people during the early 1980’s. There had been an oil shortage which caused gasoline prices to go up. Japanese cars, which were smaller and more fuel efficient than the cars being manufactured in the United States, were gaining in popularity. The U.S. domestic market saw the decline of Detroit’s Big Three automakers, Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. U.S. autoworkers were considered as expensive with the cost of wages, pensions, health insurance, and work rules of unions. Many autoworkers in Detroit were laid off and lost their livelihood. The workers were angry and blamed Japan and the Japanese. They did not distinguish between different ethnicities of Asian people. Therefore, the animosity was directed at any Asian with whom they came into contact although most of them were Americans.

Being engaged with a wedding date set for June 28, 1982, the twenty-seven year old Vincent Chin was having a bachelor party at a club with some of his friends on the night of June 19, 1982. Also at the club were two white men, Ronald Ebens, a foreman at Chrysler, and his step son, Michael Nitz, who had lost his job at Chrysler. Assuming Vincent Chin and his friends were of Japanese heritage, a confrontation ensued with the two men blaming Vincent Chin and his friends of causing their loss of jobs. The young Asian American men were called names as they were accused of being Japanese and causing their problems. Vincent Chin and his friends, along with Ebens and Nitz, were thrown out of the club. Chin apparently was not intimidated, but they parted ways.

Ebens and Nitz drove around for twenty minutes looking for Chin and his friends. They found them at a McDonald’s. Ebens beat Chin savagely with a baseball bat which he had in his truck. An off-duty police officer witnessed the attack and later stated that Ebens acted like he was swinging to hit a home run. He beat Chin to death as Chin died four days later in the hospital. It was absolutely racism that caused Vincent Chin to die an untimely death.

No one disputed the fact that Ebens had killed Vincent Chin. However, Ebens and Nitz did not receive any prison time and were given a $3,000 fine. The murder did not make national news at the time, but Asian Americans were outraged. The men admitted that they were guilty as there were witnesses to the beating, but they went free. Racism was rewarded.

Black people have faced extreme racism and still do. Racism is a horrible problem, and it affects lots of people in this country. Something needs to be done about racism to improve conditions and create more equity in the world. People should not be subjected to racism.

Words are probably the most potent weapon to exist in society. A derogatory statement about an individual can ruin his or her life and the meaning of words can be twisted to accommodate any situation. One of the main reasons racism has existed in this society is because language conveys reality as well as reflects it. If a society is inherently racist, it is natural for the language that is spoken to reflect that racism. The articles by Moore and Churchill discuss how words are used to dehumanize certain ethnic group by making these groups seem subhuman. In using language to make “others” seem less than, society is justified in believing that these groups do not deserve the rights and privileges of the dominant culture. These articles and the other previous articles that I have read convey that racism is a socially constructed idea and was setup for the advancement of Whites and the exclusion of other ethnicities.

Moore’s “Racism in the English Language,” explores the way language influences Western thought from the first moment language is learned. The English language is peppered with racial stereotypes and slurs, even in words and phrases that seem quite harmless. He shows how these words are not harmless but are used to inflict oppression and feelings of inferiority to anyone considered “different” to American culture. Words such as “nigger,” “kike,” and “chink” have been used to label African-Americans, Jews, and Asian-Americans and although it is politically incorrect to use these words, the words and its derogatory meanings have been seared into the consciousness of White America, some who do not see anything wrong with saying these words. Even the names of colors such as “Black” and “White” have been used to promote racism. The color, “Black” means “dirty, defiled” and beyond redemption,” while White is “pure, clean, filled with innocence.” These words and their meanings have led to people who have internalized these beliefs and suffer from either delusions of grandeur or feelings of self-hatred. The author of this article feels that recognizing that racism exist in language is the first step in admitting racism still exists in this society and that people should make a conscious effort to use language that is not derogatory towards people based on ethnicity.

Similarly, Churchill’s, “Crimes against Humanity” makes a powerful thesis, stating that in disrespecting Native Americans by using native names, images, and symbols as team mascots, their place in society has been marginalized and degraded. He states with exquisite sarcasm that if the practice of using Native American images and symbols as team mascots continue, there should be teams named the Galveston “Greasers” and the San Diego “Spics.” Since the using native symbols for sports are not considered to be disrespectful by the dominant culture, this same culture should use other ethnicities as symbols since it is all in the name of fun. He further states that the genocide and degradation of Native Americans is comparable to the Jewish Holocaust and that the United States should be charged with crimes against humanity. In reducing the experiences of Native Americans to mere stereotypes, White society has succeeded in making Native Americans “unreal” to other groups, who passively accept the bigoted views of Native Americans. In both of these articles, the message is that words are used to dominate and oppress anyone who is not born White in this country and keep the status quo in charge. American society loves to label people.

Everyone has to be labeled something: whores, dikes, and niggers. I have been labeled a delinquent teenage mother, welfare recipient and a scourge to society. For many years I believed in these labels and sunk deeper and deeper into the hell that is called low self-esteem until I went to college and found out that I was intelligent and was worthy of respect. Some individuals are not as fortunate as I was and still believe in those labels that society has placed upon them. Sometimes I wonder what American society would do if there were not any labels. Take away the pretensions, the feelings of superiority that comes with having the “right” skin color and some people in this society would be loss. These types of individuals need to feel superior to other people in order to make themselves feel better. I hope that the day when labels are not needed will be sooner than later.

The outrage and protests over the senseless killing of George Floyd along with the brutality and unsensitivity often shown by the police against black men have caused the general public to stop and consider racism as a serious issue in this country. It has been a problem for many, many years. Overcoming racism will not be easy, but it is a worthy goal.

Thirty years have passed since Rodney King was beaten by the police in Los Angeles. The treatment was caught on camera and shown to the nation. This caused outrage at the time, which resulted in rioting in Los Angeles for many days. The violence, looting, and deaths which resulted did not help with the message that black men were being treated unfairly by the police, but the public knew the reason. The white police officers who were involved were acquitted although a civil trial later found two of them guilty. Not much changed.

Colin Kaerpernick chose to try to bring the issue of police brutality against black men to the forefront when he was a pro football quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers. After being convinced to take a knee instead of sitting down during the National Anthem, he was joined by some other players in the protest. He was doing it not for himself but for the sake of black men throughout the nation. He was criticized severely, and he was rewarded by losing his job and his career. Nothing much else changed.

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife walked out of a pro football game in Indianapolis when several players knelt during the National Anthem. He was sending his own message that they were not respected. They were accused of being disrespectful of the American flag or the military. That was not the case. The protests which were intended to bring attention to the problem of racism in America fell on deaf ears.

Finally after the tragic killing of George Floyd and pressure from a number of black pro football players, the NFL made a statement that they are against racism and that Black Lives Matter. These players have obviously “made it” but are concerned for other black men who are not given a chance. No mention was made by the NFL about Colin Kaerpernick and the fact that he had tried to bring up the issue years earlier by taking a knee. The NFL had the platform to help bring about change, but they chose not to listen and punished Kaerpernick instead.

Asian Americans and other ethnic minorities have also faced racism and discrimination. Racism and hatred of people different than the majority were major reasons that Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated in camps during World War II. Racism is the reason that Vincent Chin, a Chinese American young man about to be married, was brutally beaten to death by unemployed autoworkers in Detroit. Asian Americans are again facing hatred by racist people during the coronavirus pandemic.

Asian American groups are in solidarity with blacks in the fight against racism in America. Mostly white people seem to be in many of the protests against racism being held throughout the country. It is time for change.

Many African Americans have achieved great successes. They have overcome the problems of racism and discrimination. They were given the chance to succeed. They took on the challenge and succeeded.

Racism is a major reason for many people to be held back from success. If racism is eradicated, more black people will have a better chance at success. If black young men are not faced with racism at every turn, it will be easier for them to believe in themselves and to overcome difficulties facing them.

It is time for successful people of all races to give back and be willing to help others. Some of the richest people among us are doing that by providing money, scholarships, and support. It is gratifying to see and can have far reaching benefits if all people are given a fair chance in life to succeed no matter the color of their skin. Overcoming racism will cause a large group of people to be given a more equitable chance at success.

African Americans have suffered from racism for too many years. Race and the color of one’s skin should not be a reason to hate. Once again, racism has come to the forefront after the tragic killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Police brutality and racism have been looked upon as the reason for his untimely death. There is much turmoil as thousands of people are protesting against racism.

Asian Americans have also been the victims of racism over the years although they are now considered as the “model minority” by much of the population. They are looked upon as being passive and accepting of their fate without complaint. Because of their past actions and overcoming some of the racism which they faced, they have become known as quiet Americans. They still face racism but usually not as regularly or as severe as black people although some Asian Americans have encountered racism recently by being blamed for the coronavirus.

The first Asians to come to the United States were Filipino sailors who arrived around 1750 in what is now Louisiana. Asians came to the U.S. in larger numbers in 1848 when Gold was discovered in California. Chinese came to try their luck at the fortune which seemed to be available. They had planned to return to their homes as wealthy people. Other Chinese went to Hawaii to work in the sugarcane plantations. They also worked as gardeners, domestics, laundry workers, and in farming. Some became merchants. There were 9,000 to 12,000 Chinese who worked on the railroad in the most dangerous jobs, but they were paid less than their European counterparts.

Immigrant Chinese men were a major force in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. These were laborers who helped with building the infrastructure of America. Yet they faced racism and were basically excluded from the ceremony held near Promontory Point in Utah when the railroad came together over 150 years ago. Their important efforts were left out of the history books until more recent times.

There was a Chinese Exclusion Act against the Chinese in 1882 to stop further immigration. Japanese immigrants started to come to the United States in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Then in 1924, there was an act to prevent further immigration from Japan. These were acts of racism and hate for people who were different than the mainstream population of the United States.

Possibly the most broad sweeping example of racism against Asian Americans came during World War II when Japanese Americans and their immigrant parents were forcibly removed from their west coast homes. These people were innocent of any wrong doing and lost nearly everything they owned because of racism and hatred. It was mass racial profiling at its worst.

There have also been individual cases of racism against Asian Americans. Vincent Chin, a young Chinese American, is a prime example. Vincent was a young man who was about to be married. He and some of his friends were celebrating with a bachelor party in Detroit. This was during the time when Japanese import cars were beginning to gain favor with Americans after a severe gas shortage. Vincent and his friends were confronted by two white auto workers. The man and his step son, who had been laid off from his job in an auto plant, were angry at Japan and anyone perceived to be Japanese. After an initial dispute, the groups split up. The white men drove around for twenty minutes looking for Vincent and his friends. They found them at a McDonald’s where the confrontation continued and escalated. In the end, Vincent was dead from being beaten mercilessly with a baseball bat. The two men pleaded guilty to the crime but were not given any jail time. Asian Americans were understandably outraged.

Many Asian Americans have been called racial slurs. They have been told to go back to where they came from although they were born in the United States. They are often looked at as “perpetual foreigners” simply because of their physical characteristics.

Although many African Americans and Asian Americans (as well as other ethnic groups) have been able to succeed in life in spite of racism in this country, racism is still a major problem. Asian Americans have generally not faced racism as often and as severely as many African Americans have and continue to do so. Asian Americans and other minorities basically stand in solidarity with black people in condemning racism and working for reform so that racial tensions may be eased. Everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equitably without racism clouding the picture.

The racism and hatred displayed against black people and other minorities in the United States have come to the forefront as a huge problem for the country. In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the call for racial equality has resonated with millions of people around the world. Countless people have participated in peaceful protests throughout the country with a few of those protests turning into riots.

It has been no secret that black men have been targets of police unfairly for decades. Although most police officers are undoubtedly good citizens who are trying to help people in need, there have been many cases where black people were treated unjustly by some police officers.

Too many innocent black people have died because they were suspected of wrong doing simply because they were black and in the wrong place at the wrong time. There have been cases of people who were tried and convicted even though they were innocent. Years later they may have been found to have been innocent.

Just as racism should not be a factor in the police forces throughout the country, the military should not allow for racism and hatred within the various branches of the military. There have been too many cases of racism being allowed to hurt innocent people.

During World War II, Japanese Americans were considered to be non-citizens and enemy aliens although they had been born in the United States. Most of them were incarcerated into what have come to be known as American concentration camps. Then when the government decided they could use those young men in the military, a segregated unit was established. Most Japanese American young men served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Battalion. Others, however, served in other American military units. Those young people faced racism from their fellow military personnel even as they served their country.

There were other segregated units of the United States military as well, including the Native Americans and black people. After World War II, President Harry S. Truman desegregated the military. Yet racism did not go away just as it has not been eradicated from the general population.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked hard to try and eliminate the racism and hatred which exists in this country. He lost his life doing so. There have been numerous others who have also tried to bring attention to racism and to unjust treatment especially to black people. Two black athletes, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, tried to do their part to stop racism when they stood on the podium during the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Little known is the story of the white Australian athlete, Peter Norman, who stood in solidarity with them even though it cost him dearly throughout his life. Colin Kaerpernick tried to make the public aware of the problems of racism when he took a knee at NFL games. He was severely criticized and lost his job because of it. People have tried for decades to bring an end to racism to no avail.

Military leaders now seem to be acknowledging the problems of racism throughout the nation. Gen. Mark Milley, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, has said that it was a mistake for him to accompany the group to a photo op when hundreds of peaceful protesters were punished with tear gas for trying to bring attention to the racism and police brutality which resulted in the death of yet another black man.

The military should not allow such racism to exist within their ranks. There have been too many incidents of racism within the military. These people are all trying to be patriotic and serve their country to keep us all safe. They do not deserve to suffer from racism as they serve.

There are a lot of weird things that happen along with racism. Hatred is the major cause of racism, but it is weird that often people do not know why they hate. Racism is just a way to act for them as they are not accepting of people different than they are.

Racism has been brought to everyone’s attention with the brutal killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer who held his knee on the neck of his victim for almost nine minutes as the man lay on the ground. This was while George Floyd was pleading for help and telling him that he could not breathe. The other three officers present did not stop the deathly attack on a black man who was not prepared to die. It seems that it was a racist act against a black man, but it was weird that the officer’s wife and one of the other police officers present were both Asian Americans, apparently siblings.

Although police issues with black men have become an issue, others are killed by racist civilians in the general population. Ahmaud Arbery was an unarmed young black man who was fatally shot in Georgia. He was merely jogging in a neighborhood when he was pursued by two white men, a father and son. They were armed and shot Arbery. The men were finally arrested over two months later and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault. This was a racist act, and it was weird that the men were not charged right away.

The woman caught in racist rants in Torrance, California, which were filmed in videos, was apparently venting her hatred for those of Asian descent. She was clearly racist against Asians, but then she gets into her Honda car and drives away. It is weird that she does not seem to realize that she is driving an Asian make of automobile.

Vincent Chin was a Chinese American man who was having a bachelor party in Detroit in 1982. Japanese cars were gaining prominence in the United States, and autoworkers with the Big Three in Detroit had been laid off. There was animosity toward Japan and Japanese people because of this situation. While Vincent Chin and his friends were at a club, they encountered a white autoworker with Chrysler and his step son, who had lost his job in the Chrysler plant. A confrontation occurred, and they were removed from the club. The two white men drove around until they found Vincent Chin and his friends at a McDonald’s. A fight ensued with the autoworker beating Chin with a baseball bat until his head cracked open. Vincent Chin died four day later in a hospital. It was a clear act of racism as the white men did not distinguish against Asians of different ethnicities, but it was weird that the two men never received any prison time.

Racism and hatred caused 120,000 persons of Japanese heritage to be removed from their west coast homes and incarcerated in American concentration camps during World War II. Some people do not believe that it actually happened because it is weird to think that such a thing could happen because of racism to its own citizens in the United States of America.

With the coronavirus pandemic, many people are blaming China. Asian Americans are experiencing racism from various people as a result. It is weird that many of the perpetrators of the racism being exhibited about the coronavirus are racial minorities themselves. Asians are being accosted by African Americans and Latinos as well as white people. It is weird that those who have likely faced racism themselves are attacking others with racial rants.

Racism is a weird part of society. Racism is inexcusable, but it will difficult to eradicate because there is too much hatred and intolerance in the world. Changes need to be made by government leaders, but there also needs to be a change in attitude within the general public before racism can be curbed and hopefully eliminated.The racism and weirdness has to be stopped.