Cho’s anger with society, however, cannot entirely be blamed on mental illness. A few months ago, an Asian-American man named Kenneth Eng published his racist rants in his column, “Why I Hate Blacks,” in the San Francisco-based publication AsianWeek. These feelings of hatred are endemic among young Asian males that live in the United States, but they need not be so deadly.
It seems that Asian men in their early twenties need to take a hard look at how they can channel their anger in less toxic means. Violence seems to be the preferred way, and much can be said about how the media is to blame. There’s too much violence, whether real or fabricated, thrust in our faces. Movies, television, video games, news coverage—everything is explicit and constantly around us. With the majority of Asian men having small frames and slight builds, they are often the focus of bullies in the schoolyard. So what does a young man who has been pushed around for a long time do when he’s had enough? He pushes back, and with more than the intent to stop the bullying. He pushes back and fires a gun. He wants to kill the bully.
So my message is simple: to all you young, angry Asian men, find each other and talk it out. There is strength in numbers. There is hope when you find out you are not alone. Find your voice and let us know what is going on with you, and how you want to affect change. Go out to the woods and cry together. Organize yourselves, board a few hundred buses, and march down Pennsylvania Avenue. Stop seething with self-hatred and discuss your issues regarding race in America.
Be men—not little boys with guns.
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Art: Bob Englehart for The Hartford Courant
