City College of San Francisco Anti Asian Sentiment Covid 19 Outbreak Discussion

Instructions:

1. Watch the video content: Vincent Who ???? (Links to an external site.) Please note this documentary is organized into 6 chapters on YouTube, make certain you watch all 6 chapters. SAIGU (Links to an external site.) and ????Chai Vang???????? (Links to an external site.)
2. Read from Strangers From A Different Shore, By Ronald Takaki:  Breaking Silences pp.481-484 and Redefining Race in America: The 1992 Los Angeles Riot pp. 493-497.   

Instructions for Discussion Posts

1. In your initial post, write your opinion and explain how  each of these 3 case studies: Vincent Chin, SAIGU and Chai Vang relate to the Anti-Asian sentiment that is occurring today during this Covid-19 pandemic.  Include in your initial post, an explanation, describe how the concept/term of the model minority and yellow peril can be used to better understand interracial conflict between Asian Americans and other ethnic groups in the U.S.
2. In your reply posts, review and reply to at least 2 other student’s initial post and provide positive feedback. It’s acceptable to disagree with another student’s comments, as long as we disagree with civility, and as long as the criticism is positive and constructive.

Just from Chapter 1 of the “Vincent Who” movie already demonstrates how crimes against Asians Americans often go unnoticed or never discussed. Vincent himself was a victim of Yellow Peril in the time when the Japanese automotive industry was on the rise. Even to this day, hate crimes towards Asian Americans are rarely discussed. Sure there has been some discussion but not on the level as other issues that would last for months. Over on the Vincent Chin movie, these issues are often ignored because the voices of Asian Americans go unheard.

For Chai Vang, he was another victim of racism and institutional racism. He had the right to use deadly force to defend himself. The victims stopped Chai Vang from respectfully leaving their private property.

Sai I Gu demonstrates the difficulties of relationships with other ethnic groups. The killing of Rodney King was unfortunate. But that did not give people the right to destroy property and harm their neighbors. Furthermore, Korean Americans had to defend themselves when the police wouldn’t help them.

What all three movies demonstrated is the lack of recognition that Asian Americans get in the justice system. As a whole, even the government fails to see the issues that have si

[2] The term, “model minority”, refers to a minority group perceived as particularly successful, especially in contrast with other minority groups. In the cases of Vincent Chin, SAIGU, and Chai Vang, Asian Americans were demonized and racially profiled which led to a national outcry and paved the way for Asian American rights. Many parallels can be made with the Anti-Asian sentiment then and during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We see Asians being used as scapegoats and being blamed for national issues such as the lack of jobs and for spreading the coronavirus.

The model minority myth creates a wedge between Asian Americans and other people of color within the U.S. since Asian Americans are perceived as privileged while being praised for apparent success academically, economically, and culturally. By positioning Asians as the model minority race, it also assumes that Asians don’t need any help, receive less aid and support throughout their lives, particularly in their academic and professional endeavors, and don’t require any further examination of how their race is discriminated against. It also prevents allyship with other communities of color who do not have the same privileges Asian Americans are perceived to have including Southeast Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, whose struggles and economic hardships are often not publicized.