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I just caught this in the Seattle Times, “Eight charged in soldier’s apparent suicide”, 19 year old Army private Danny Chen where they are investigating whether racial harassment led to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Organization of Chinese Americans had a news conference with the mother that doubted it was a suicide. Chen had written from Afghanistan that the men always asked if he was from China and called out Chen like a goat, and he was running out of jokes to reply, and being pelted by rocks. OK, GIs gotta be GIs. Then there is being forced to hold liquid in his mouth while hung upside down. Now that’s weird. The Army says “we treat each other with dignity” and rejected allegations of hazing. Yeah, that upside down thing is fine as long as it is done with respect. And they said they need to “investigate” if race was a factor? WTF? How do think this would be treated in the press if it was a gay / black / jewish / female / muslim hazing??
Private Danny Chen
But wait, there’s more. In August, 3 Marines have been criminally charged in hazing Lance Corporal Harry Lew of Santa Clara who dropped out of art college and told his immigrant parents he wanted to serve his country. I quickly surfed his name and found a Youtube salute that didn’t mention the suicide, and commenters that said that he dishonored the Marines by killing himself and endangered his comrades by sleeping on his watch. Of course, being ANOTHER Asian who killed himself after a severe hazing has to be a complete coincidence.
Oh yeah, and that Nidal Hasan guy, they still haven’t the slightest idea of what could motivate a guy to object to fighting Muslims, give away Korans, don Muslim dress at the 7-11, converse with Bin Laden’s biggest American citizen agent, and shoot people while screaming Allah Ackbar, even after Obama ordered the killing of 9-11 Imam Anwar al-Awlaki who personally approved the operation as Islamically correct. Yup, no terrorism or hazing on our bases, we won’t stand for it, not on our watch. No wonder FUBAR is a military term.
Yeah, I’m usually the guy who pretends there is no such thing as racists or racism, but SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO KILL YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE CHINESE. They did it 100 years ago, and they’re doing it again in the military as if hating the enemy wasn’t good enough they have to take it out on their fellow Americans. Sad.
I’ll post updates on this article as I surf up more details.
pingback
 DNAinfo |
Brave Asians Die in Afghanistan – by Suicide after abuse
AsianWeek Chen had written from Afghanistan that the men always asked if he was fromChina and called out Chen like a goat, and he was running out of jokes to reply, and being pelted by rocks. OK, GIs gotta be GIs. Then there is being forced to hold liquid in … Army Charges 8 in Wake of Death of a Fellow GINew York Times Army transfers GIs charged in comrade’s deathCBS News Army transfers 8 US soldiers charged in death of comrade, family says he…Washington Post DNAinfo all 1,367 news articles » |
MIT electrical engineering computer science graduate has written conservative columns on politics, race / culture, science and education since the 70s in MIT The Tech and various publications in including New Republic and National Review.
Many of the civilian killings by US soldiers including the Haditha and ‘Kill Team’ murders were motivated by racism. A large proportion of US soldiers regard the Afghans and Iraqis as ‘untermenschen’. That they regard Asians in the same way is not even surprising.
This story shocked me, once again. I often tell my coworkers people look at me, treat me differently because I am Chinese. They laugh, said I was being sentative. WTF, I am not stupid. Amercians always bring up human rights, what rights do they give those American-Chinese? Fact speak itself again! Reading the NEWS about Danny Chen is just so hard for me, I feel his pain, his parents, I wish I can be there to give them a hug. Those 8 people, they deverse to die. Of those 8 people, some of them had crimnal background…
THIS is what racism is about. Not these ridiculous wars about race quotas, gender diversity, sports equity, multicultural math or whatever. The Asian American movement emulated the Civil Rights movement and got… Asians being chased into suicide and being subject to pograms in Philidelphia. I have no idea what race the attackers are, but I doubt if they are only white racists. Don’t even get me started on Robert Eric Wone whose case was first handled by none other than Eric Holder who is worthless in prosecuting “protected” groups. Racial equality means being outraged at EVERY atrocity, not just a few favored interest groups.
I believe that both Danny Chen and Harry Lew were brave and loyal Americans who wanted to serve and defend our Country. Sadly, they chose a mission that may not have suited for and their good intentions were not appreciated. Chen’s colleagues were young enlisted infantrymen and Lew’s colleagues were young enlisted Marines. Their colleagues were very likely high school grads many of whom had little experience with Asians/Chinese and had negative stereotypes about Asians and Chinese. These same groups now leaving the military are having a real tough time getting jobs – due to lack of education and lack of work experience. Racism is more prevalent among the poorly educated. I would not recommend that most Asians join the military if they are going to be grunts. You will likely face more racism among the uneducated grunts.
Today, a military career has been positive for many Asians. Didn’t we have a four star general named Shenseki? The military is a meritocracy, and rewards those members who play by the rules. Sadly there are segments of the military where racism is still prevalent. This appears to be among the young enlisted ranks.
It should be noted that enlistments in the military have escalated in the recent times. The GI bill which will pay for your college education has attracted many young Asians who realize they can’t save $50,000 for college in a few years. Serving a tour in the military for a few years makes them eligible for a very generous GI bill.
How stupid of me.I often wondered about how much suffering the Asian population has gone through by other groups. African americans for the most part think that you dislike us. Maybe you do and maybe not. I do know how you feel about being hated for no other reason than the color of your skin. Maybe next time I will be a little more friendly and understanding. Be blessed.
It’s OK man. Even Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer was spurned because he was different. We need to stamp out all hate by everybody towards everybody.
Why are there no white soldiers in China’s army? Not racist much?
“Why are there no white soldiers in China’s army? Not racist much?”
They wont survive the rigor and training. Your concern is valid if it involves a Chinese man in the German army, not the US. US is not a white country..however much you may think it is!
The story of Danny Chen was just published at the following:
http://www.nymag.come/news/features/danny-chen-2012-1.
This is your chance to learn a lot more about Danny Chen, the young man who joined the US Army to serve his Country, but didn’t fit in as a Asian/Chinese American, and was treated worse than a Taliban POW by his colleagues.
Let me tell you about military life. I enlisted in the Marine Corps when I was 17, I was poked at because of my unusual last name. Granted most military serviceman are not your pick of the litter, so you can expect them to be immature. But when you have some of these Officer who are as immaturely as the Enlisted. It bother you. Military is tough, but some of them are a bunch of no good-nonsense bully. That is not fair to the Asian Minority of the US Military. We are as patriotic if not more than your mainstream American. Most men and women enlist because of easy way out of the house or travel or benefits. MOST PEOPLE DON’T REALIZES, Asian(minority) when we enlist we do it with a conviction. We fight for the country that defends and gives us the right to be free.
Military lives are tough, but don’t rip on you fellow comrades who fights with you.
It is a shame that Asian bullying get the least priority. It is time for the Minority group to voices our opinion.
Because we are not just American, we are Asian-American.
The Marine Corp have taught and gave me a new sense direction. Uh rah. Marines. But ignorance still exist.
Thank you for serving and putting up with the military. The military has always been a refuge for bastards, idiots and bigots, some of them like Admiral Halsey and Patton were also brilliant generals, but all we can do is work to improve it. Good grief those guys who went viral pissing on bodies – the few the proud.. the morons…… Yeah it’s war, but how about a thought for decency every now and then??
I’m currently in the US Army and the first day I arrived to my new unit I was verbally hazed for being an Asian American. All kinds of racial slurs and jokes were said to me and it’s still going on as well.
So, this author detests racism in the U.S military against Asian-Americans, but supports racism in the U.S military against Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans?
What a jerk…