The cultural backlash following major tragedies

[kayman]

Korean-Americans brace for backlash

There was a major cultural backlash that occured towards anybody that appeared to be Muslim, Middle Eastern, or Arabian descent following September 11th. Where many people fell victim to hate crimes involving being murdered for no reason at all.

Well, apparently it is unfortunately occurring again this time involving people of Asian descent, particularly Koreans. According to Newsweek, there have been some Korean-American students at VT that have been taken home by their parent in fear for their safety.

[nashscan]

Korean-Americans brace for backlash

There was a major cultural backlash that occured towards anybody that appeared to be Muslim, Middle Eastern, or Arabian descent following September 11th. Where many people fell victim to hate crimes involving being murdered for no reason at all.

Well, apparently it is unfortunately occurring again this time involving people of Asian descent, particularly Koreans. According to Newsweek, there have been some Korean-American students at VT that have been taken home by their parent in fear for their safety.

[Cadeho]

I don't think there would be much of a backlash against Asian-Americans or those from South Korea if at all. This was one insane man (have you seen those pictures?!) not representative of all. I think it's different from what happened after 9/11 because a lot of Americans don't know much about Islam and Muslims and tend to group them all together with the extremists. That wasn't right to do either, but if there's going to be a backlash, it'll be lead by the racists. Every ethnicity has its nuts, and this guy is right up there with Kim Jong-Il. I think that's all we're going to have.

[krazeeboi]

No doubt there will be a VERY small minority of Americans that will paint all Asians with a broad brush now, but I believe the VAST majority of sane souls realize that this was one messed up nut that acted alone. He could have been white, black, asian or purple.

[seicer]

I'm Korean-American and have had no trouble since leaving high-school (where there are a lot more ignorant @#$holes). After the VT incident, the thought of 'fearing for my safety' never came to my mind.

[Captain Worley]

I really doubt there will be much of a backlash. It was a lone nut, and I'd say a vast majority realize this. Sounds like the media trying to make something out of nothing to me.

[Pillsbury]

He was just insane----insanity crosses all ethnicities and races and genders. Someone tore down the VT flag from his parent's house, but I doubt that has anything to do with their ethnic heritage. Plus, September 11th represented the attack of one civilization on another---it was the clash between Islamic fundamentalism and the West. This was not. This was a kid who had problems, and who looked up the Columbine massacre as the Times (London) mentioned the following in an article:

They noted that Cho's stated admiration for Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the teenagers of the Columbine high school murders in 1999, demonstrated the copycat nature of American campus shootings and suggested that publicity for the Virginia Tech killer would not help prevent a crime happening elsewhere.