Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Asians in Fear of Backlash?

Here we go.

Asians fear backlash after Virginia Tech shooting (Hat tip Joey Jojo, Jr.)
"It is big news in South Korea. Yesterday they were worried if I'm safe, now they are worried there might be a risk that I'm South Korean," said Yoo.

In Seoul, the South Korean government also expressed fears of a backlash.

"We are working closely with our diplomatic missions and local Korean residents' associations in anticipation of any situation that may arise," a Foreign Ministry official said.

South Korea has the largest number of foreign students in the United States -- nearly 15 percent -- according to the U.S. Customs and Enforcement Web site.

Police say Cho chained doors closed to trap students inside as he gunned them down before killing himself. There were early rumors the gunman was Asian, but his identity was not disclosed until Tuesday.

Some 1,655 students at Virginia Tech, or 6.2 percent, are Asian, the university's Web site says.

Annie Hang Tran, a member of the Korean American Student Association, said Cho did not belong to the group. "I didn't know the shooter," she said, declining further comment.

White students on campus dismissed suggestions there might be a backlash against foreigners at the university.

"It hadn't even crossed my mind," said Andrew Rush, 20, an accounting major. "There is a huge Asian community on campus and we're all together in class all day. It's so integrated I don't think this will change anything."
Perhaps when the dreaded backlash fails to happen, the folks from CAIR can give them tips on how to create bogus hate crimes.

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