Tragedy
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
I'm sure you all are aware of the events that occurred on the Virginia Tech campus yesterday. 32 students and faculty were killed as a gunman went on a rampage through a dormitory and a classroom building. It has become, yet another, national tragedy that has brought our nation together in mourning and asking questions. My heart goes out to all the people and families affected by this gruesome event. My television has been on the news all day, and I've been involved in conversations discussing the issues. One of those conversations was with my mother. Of course, she was very worried yesterday when she heard that the shooting occurred in Virginia. I assured her that all was ok in DC and that VA Tech is about 4 hours away.
She calls me again this morning after learning that the shooter was a South Korean student. (A little background...my parents are from South Korea. They immigrated here in their early 20s and eventually became American citizens. My brother and I were born in the US.) The reason my mom called was to tell me to be careful. She worries that the fact the shooter was Korean will cause other Americans to turn against the Korean community. I was appalled at her statement in the beginning, but I've thought about it more...and it seems to be a valid fear at this time and age in American society.
After the tragic events of 9/11, the American society became a horde of racially profiling individuals. I'm not to say that everyone reacted in this manner, but a large segment of the population did. Anyone of a dark skin who looked as if they may have been from the Middle East were looked at with a watchful eye. Women with burqas were scorned, and still are to some extent today.
It is really sad that these type of stereotyping occur. But the media doesn't help to alleviate it either. Since the identity of the shooter was revealed, the media has hounded the fact that he was 'a Korean national'. That is the first description given of this man. However, I see it as him being a 'Student' first and foremost. It is important to remember that he was a member of the VA Tech community, a loner or not. It is somewhat infuriating that the race or nationality is the first thing identified. Of course, it is often hard to miss. Sure, he looks Asian from first sight...that is clear. But that's not all that he is.
I'm Asian, but I definitely don't focus on that. Sometimes I forget that I am since I have lived my life in American society. In DC, there are people from all over the world (many Koreans included) and, to a great extent, everyone is congenial. When people ask where I'm from, I tell them 'Atlanta'. I like to look at their confused faces because I know that they're expecting some response that points to a land far away in Asia. But my response is an attempt to open their eyes to the fact that I see myself as an American. I've never lived in Korea. I hardly speak any Korean. I don't identify as a Korean. I see myself as a Korean American....but I'm a woman, a student, a friend, a daughter, a lover, a musician, an athlete, a cook, etc., etc.
So I ask of you...think not of this event as an issue of race. I'm sure that you are all educated and knowledgeable and do not jump to conclusions. We all know that the actions of one person do not reflect the actions or sentiments of a community or group as a whole. I don't want my mother's fears to come to fruition in the aftermath of this tragedy.
Rather, I would like for it to serve as a wake-up call. This is definitely an issue of mental health and stability, something the Korean community (as I have witnessed) does not address. Koreans are less inclined to talk about familial or personal issues. They are less likely to talk about any grievances or problems. It is an issue of the mental health of all students. This is what we discussed in my class yesterday (even before we knew the identity of the gunman).
- What can we do to guide these individuals through a time of great change and stress?
- What kind of support system is needed?
- Do we need greater peer counseling? This may be a good solution, since people are less inclined to seek professional help.
- How can we reduce the stigma against 'Mental Health'? Mental health is not a bad thing...it is a part of our total health. It must be addressed.
There are so many questions that will arise from this situation. Hopefully, we will be able to discuss them all and come to some type of solution to address the problems. But I hope that we realize that this is an issue of American society, and it is something that we must come together to deal with.
posted by em @ 1:07 PM,
4 Bowls of Rice:
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At 3:43 PM,
amy shouted...
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amen!
well put em . . . i am with you and it just sucks that your president will not be helpful about this issue (but we do not need to talk about that)
take care and hopefully you don´t have to put up with any shit -
At 12:51 PM,
Tigerblue shouted...
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Nicely said, em. I agree with you totally about needing to ask ourselves the questions you suggested about mental health. It is a bit ironic that on this past Sunday I heard a speaker talking about Brain Injuries though not connected to mental health the behaviours of people with brain injuries are often seen as caused by mental illness. Anyways what I wanted to say was thanks for addressing the tragedy at Virginia Tech in such a caring and thoughtful manner. Anything like this involves a lot of pain and fear for all of us.
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At 9:21 AM,
shouted...
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Hi, Em. Thanks for your thoughtful posting. I was thinking about you so thought I would stop by your blog.
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At 4:28 PM,
Carsen's Tía shouted...
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it was definitely a tragedy of huge proportions... still so sad and hits pretty close to home...
what you said about racial profiling is so true, and so sad... i hope you haven't had to deal with any sorts of discrimination...