I can recall when I was around 7 years old I was standing in the line of some random store in Villa Park Illinois, perusing the candy when I noticed an older man look at me with eyes of hatred. I stare back at him and out of the grit of his teeth came the words,"you little commie bastard". At the time I was only 7 so I didn't know what a commie was nor did I know what a bastard was, so I was like sure nice to meet you too, with my Koolaid smile. In high school I junior high I learned about the treacherous acts of Nazi Germany's Holocaust. And how one specific group of people were targeted and blamed for all of the problems of Germany. Subsequently, Jews were forced to wear arm bands with the Star of David to signify their religious position.
After Pearl Harbor in 1941, all Japanese in the United States were declared enemies of the state and were rounded up and put into concentration camps or (internment camps) which was the first US case of national racial profiling. Yes, Asians were racially profiled and thrown into camps in the early part of the last century.
Fast forward to 2009, the new millennium, post Y2K and 9/11.
We are at a very interesting and potentially dangerous tipping point in the world. North Korea, one of the deemed Axis of Evil partners, has lit up it's nuclear reactors like a heroine addict coming out of rehab (insert Amy Winehouse theme here). All pistons are go. And when it comes to the world's view and disapproval they are acting like a child who doesn't want to go to school.
So why is this showing up on a blog about Identity? Have I become a CNN partner or competitor? No! Do I want to be the next Bloomberg? No!
I'm concerned that if North Korea continues it's crazy ways we will be thrown into another period of racial profiling against Asians, and more importantly to my own selfish desire to stay sane, Korean Americans who are descendants of South Korea.
We of the Asian Diaspora have all experienced, one time or another, being misunderstood and prejudged. In fact, so has most of the oxygen breathing civilians of this country we call America. But if North Korean tensions continue to rise. South Korean Americans will run into some pretty strange situations here are some of them.
1. Every time you meet someone new and they ask where you are from the first thing anyone will ask is "are you North or South Korean" If you say South, they will say Oh thank GOD!
2. The racial slur commie bastard will make it's comeback!
3. The joke about Korean's eating dog's will be usurped by the new joke, "what are you going to do Nuke me?
4. When people mistake us for Chinese we'll say thanks! Cause at least they didn't mistake us for being North Korean!
I joke now, but in all seriousness I do fear the day that If the crap hits the fan and there's actually a detonation of a weapon against humanity from North Korea. All of our hard work trying to create a positive image of Korean Males in television and film will have been in vein. I'm an optimist but I also have seen the worst in humanity. With that said, it's my sole opinion, that if there was an attack of some sort, America will be thrown back into the draconian days of internment camps, and Asian American's will become the enemy of the state (because people can't tell us apart) the scary thing is that the government, being the progressive beast that it is, will not institue camps. Because of the very civil rights principles that we have grown to know and love.
But again it's my opinion only, that the camps would have to be set up for the saftey of the people, and to thwart violence and hate crimes similar to the LA riots.
Sorry to be so negative and so hard on the human spirit. But events like this scare me and create an overwhelming feeling of insecurity in the progress we have made concerning race - especially in places far away from New York City.
Signing off!
Venti Soy Chai Latte
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