On Trayvon & Danny Chen
For 45 days now, America and a good part of the world have gone from shock to building anger, as George Zimmerman walked free. Now, finally, he has been arrested and charged with second degree murder. I’m watching Piers Morgan interview George Zimmerman’s brother, Robert Jr. in the wake of this progress in the case.Although I suppose a more accurate term is “completely grill Robert Jr.” Morgan is not letting anything go - from the fact that Zimmerman could have left Trayvorn Martin alone and both would have walked away, or that he ignored police instructions, that he was a self-appointed neighbourhood watchman, to the fact that Zimmerman claims self-defense but appeared at the police station virtually unharmed (even lacking difficulty breathing from the copious amounts of blood he is supposed to have swallowed at that point).
And I am glad. That we are not letting this go.
But then I have to wonder…
about Pvt. Danny Chen
who was tormented by his fellow armymen, while on tour in Afghanistan, until he was driven to take his own life 6 months ago.I have to wonder why that event was covered in the news for a week or two at most, and then … nothing. Was the issue resolved? Were the men responsible exonerated? Justice served?Only today, did the army announce that the trials would take place in the US. This has taken a period of time 4 times as long as George Zimmerman being called to court.
Why?What is the difference? Why were the only people in my facebook feed talking about this other minorities? Why is the murder yesterday of two Chinese graduate students in USC not garnering the full length of a news programme like Piers Morgan?And upon talking to many well meaning people, I have come to the conclustion that it is because of Pvt. Chen’s race. That the US Army is preparing really, in the event of a conflict with China. That the US’ sliding world position and China’s rise has caused a wary disregard. That you cannot entirely blame the soldiers. That a large part of the problem is a lack of dialogue. That racism is not openly talked about in China. That in order for progress to take place, the Chinese people must take it upon themselves to gain respect. That the US has democracy, and China does not, and that is why the Chinese are not respected, and will not be until they earn it.I love America. I am 100% born and raised. Boston, birthplace of democracy, to New York, centre of America. And I have always felt a part of the society.
So why are there people who don’t?
I am not arguing about Chinese national policies vs American national policies. I am not arguing about representation or self-actualization. I am asking about a basic human right to live, and the lack of outrage in people over the suppresion of one man’s life.
I am wondering why other Americans are not as furious that a man born and raised in America, who was serving his country, was driven to the point of suicide by his fellow soldiers. When his parents left China, they left not just their country, their family, their culture, they left the ideology entirely. So why is Private Chen not entitled to the same protection that Trayvon Martin is? Why are his tormentors not receiving their due process, as George Zimmerman is? And why is nobody talking about this?
It has been explained to me that there is no representation for the Asian-American community. That there is no political drive in the community. That ultimately, Martin Luther King Jr. and a million men marched to Washington, and that this is what sets Asian-Americans apart as a minority in America.Except that we did march. On Washington. In 1989 to protest the Tiananmen Square Massacre. I know somebody who was there while his wife was pregnant. And we are represented in several states now. Why is this not enough for us to receive the same justice as other Americans? As other humans? Are we too far shy of a million? Are we not reproducing quickly enough to counteract the effect of several anti-immigration laws (the earliest targeting Chinese in 1882)? Has it not been long enough since being poorly treated labourers on the Transcontinental Railroad? Since Japanese internment camps? Since Vincent Chin?
Why are these not good enough reasons?
Private Danny Chen was born and raised in New York City to immigrants from the south of China. He loved his country, enough to serve in its defense. He died at age 19.
He could have been me.
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