Nothing to say, but to offer wholehearted support, and concrete actions, in whatever small way we can. Do let us know how we can help further. ❤️❤️❤️

I’m so glad to see this here as I haven’t known what to do with my sadness, outrage and desire to help. When I read about the women who were killed in Atlanta I was struck by one, Hyun Jung Grant, whose family noted that she loved what the paper referred to as “soap operas”. I thought, she is us. She’s been enjoying the same Korean dramas as Beanies all these years. We are her.

James, I look forward to your next essay and your educated opinion of what I can do to help.

I'm sorry to hear what is happening in USA. I hope your new President will be able to unify people in USA and not cleave like the last one.

I have the feeling that we are regressing in so many ways everywhere in the world, it's so frustrating.

This was so heartfelt and wonderful. I think it is great that you are using your platform as both a representative of Asians Americans and a representation of Asians. Often times Asian Americans have been voiceless in fights against racism whether it is because it wasn't considered as bad or because the model minority myth was so hampering. I am black so I understand discrimination and I support my Asian American compatriots in their fight for racial equality. Speaking out is one of the first steps and action is the second. I look forward to hearing about what actions your community feels is needed and how those of us not Asian American can support.

It makes me livid and breaks my heart how despicable some people can be! Thank you Dramabeans for taking a stand.

I’ve been saddened and enraged by the hate and violence targeted at the Asian-American community. Voices like yours give me hope, and I thank you for your heartfelt essay. I look forward to your next one.

I'm sad to hear that by only having a different skin color, people will not respect us. This saddens me. 😢

My skin is a little bit more yellow than my white friends, but I think it looks like warm sand on the sea. My friends' skins look like snow, mine is warm sand; we can be together.

I don't know much about what's happening in the US, but I love its language (English) and English language has given me lifelong friends and families around the world.

I hope the situation in the US is better by each day. Everyone should live in peace, and we can enjoy this world together just like we do in Dramabeans.

P.S. Your first paragraph made me feel ashamed of flooding DB with my love posts for my Baby Kim Seon-ho and all so many posts and comments of mine. 🤣

Yes. I would love to support this from the sidelines. I typically never engage in political or social posts, but I did put something on my own Facebook page after the shootings in ATL, and after reading this essay by a Vietnamese-American writer. The racial wounds run deep and it’s time to take a stand.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/author-viet-thanh-nguyen-on-the-deep-well-of-anti-asian-racism-in-the-u-s?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=pbsofficial&utm_campaign=newshour&utm_content=1616162341

And what I wrote: “I feel like I need to share this and a story that happened to my son, US born to two Viet parents. I am US born, my husband’s family immigrated here when he was 5. At the beginning of the pandemic, during one of my son’s zoom classes, the zoom meeting was hacked. In it, the hacker shouted something to the effect of, “go back to China and take the virus with you!” It was stated from another student’s zoom call, but was obviously not him. It may have affected the teen that the zoom call was made from more than my son. However, it shows how systemic the issue is and how we all assume nationality of all Asians as Chinese or Japanese, or other. We are a nation of immigrants. That should tie us together.

P.S. My daughter also has had race and segregation be part of her early elementary education when she was excluded from a game for not being “American.” She was confused and asked us what she was if not American. We classify other races that aren’t “white” as Asian-American, Latin-American, Mexican-American, African-American, but don’t say Irish-American, Italian-American, English-American. This inherently shows some difference in how we approach minorities, that they aren’t really American somehow. Now the young child who said this probably didn’t know better or harbor any ill intent, but it was damaging to my daughter and she continues to be very sensitive to hearing and seeing racism on all its forms now. She will be the first to defend another child when someone says something that may be interpreted as racist. This was the second or third grade when this happened. It will never leave her.”

Seattle held a vigil this morning in our Chinatown/International District. thank you for posting and let us know what we can do to help.

I'm saddened that this is the reason you finally made your first post, but it's a powerful one. Racism, including anti-Asian racism, has been part of the structures in the US since westerners came ashore here. The former president lit a fuse on what has been a constant smolder, and the recent murders and assaults are, sadly, not shocking. Any time, I hear or read the phrase, "This is not America," I shake my head because it is America, and until we own up to that, it's going to be very difficult to change.

Anyway, I've been talking to family and friends, posting on social media, correcting misguided ideas, sharing articles, and donating and donating and donating to organizations and the gofundme pages of the victims. I hate that my family, friends and neighbors are afraid when they trying to just live their lives. I hate it and I hope we can change it.

I had no idea about this situation in the US. It's a long time since I don't watch the news (I decided not to after my mum died ten years ago), because I believe the important things always find a way to be known. And this is important so I'm so glad you shared it with us, James.
My corner of the world is not blessed with many Asian people living on it. Even so, I remember Mr. Oh, my Taekwondo instructor ages ago. He and his family were the first Korean who decided to live in my hometown in the 1980's. First time I learned about the country, along with watching MASH episodes.

I never understood why people would judge others by the way the look, the country they came from, the language they speak or how tall they were. Is it a privilege because I'm Caucasian? Maybe, but I've also learned that the clothes do not make the man, and the important thing is what a person has inside, no mater the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes, their gender, how tall they are or if they have a degree or not.

Thank you for your post. Like many others, I am appalled and disappointed by this renewal of racism in the US. I'm with you

Hey James. Thanks for keeping Dramabeans alive and making it one of the most safest place on the internet for me.
I'm neither Asian nor American but I definitely feel for your community. I've known that fear for loved ones when there are hate crimes against my religious community. And I have realized one thing for sure. Support from your own community is hugeand very important because everyone knows the fear and empathizes on the same level but support from someone outside the community makes a difference too. You feel seen and heard by the world and the struggle becomes less lonely. You know that you are being looked as an equal human united against injustice and suffering. I hope I'll be able to help in any way possible.

It can be discouraging to see hatred expressed in violent ways, and to realize that some of the roots of the American experience - of genocide, of slavery, of unequal treatment of the different - are still manifesting themselves today. I cannot say "this is not America" - it is. But I can say "This is not ALL of America." Greater inclusiveness and recognition of the worth of every person - without regard to national origin, religion, race, gender identity - is also part of the American tradition and the spirit of America today.

Neither my wife and I are Korean, but we are avid watchers of K-drama. I am a Caucasian, with an immigrant father and a mother whose family has been here for generations. My late father, who learned the American Pledge of Allegiance as an adult, told me that when he repeated "with liberty and justice for all" he would add mentally "but not yet."

My wife is an immigrant from Peru. Here's a true story - we live in Maryland in the greater Washington DC area. We went to a Chinese restaurant with an Asian couple my wife knew from work. The place settings on the table were fork, knife, spoon - one of the couple we were with asked for chopsticks. Three sets were brought - including for my wife, who has mestizo ancestry - I was the one left out. Actually, I know how to use chopsticks too - so there was a little bit of stereotyping by the restaurant staff - my wife looked like she could be Asian - I didn't. We just laughed about it. I could have gotten the chopsticks too if I had asked, but I didn't want to embarrass the waitress.

This is a great country, and it has its flaws and weaknesses. But there was a great line from George W. Bush's first Inaugural Address - "Each new immigrant makes us more American, not less."
That is true, and as time goes by more and more people will understand that. God bless America - and everybody else.

Wonderful post, thanks :)

True racism DOES still exist in America. There are people who make bad decisions and judge people unfairly based on the color of their skin. This can run from as small as believing someone can't find their way to the DMV or get a state ID online if they're not white, or as large as the recent VIOLENT attacks against Asian Americans. Racism is bad, and shouldn't be tolerated.

I tend to run very wary of racism awareness campaigns as a general rule, because I do think they can go too far (for instance, there IS a real Black Vernacular English dialect, and I don't think it's wrong to imitate that for context, and there are some things that simply are statistically more common in a culture/stereotyped that I think we need to make our own personal peace with, like Asian tiger moms and American gun-roaring habits). However, true racism--belittling, campus segregation based on race, violence against members of another race, disqualification for something based on race... those ought to be properly condemned. Thanks for doing so :)

As a side note, I hope we can also take this as a lesson of what happens when we take things too seriously--yes, Corona is a virus. It's not fun, and people have died. But we can't let that escalate the nature of our actions against our fellow men. It definitely doesn't condone attacking people for the color of their skin. It also shouldn't condone tazing someone, jailing them, or firing them from their job for not wearing a mask. Let's stay humane in the way we treat people, please! Or shooting someone asking you to wear a mask. Just... let's please all be kind :)

Support this wholeheartedly. Look forward to your next post with Part Two on concrete actions we can take.

I am an American. I am opposed to racial discrimination. I am opposed to hate. I was opposed to hate laws when they started being introduced in America, because to me it doesn't matter why someone acts in an evil manner--it's the evil action that matters. Unfortunately we cannot wish away or legislate the bad hearts of men, but we can take responsibility for ourselves and those we love.

Never could understand why racism still exists in the world. Much needed systemic change has to come through changes in all spheres of society. Humans by nature fear that they have no knowledge of. There needs to be changes to school curriculum, ad campaigns, representations in every walk of life - diversity and acceptance. Although some of these have been happening in the very recent past, the speed isn’t high enough.

I am proud to be part of Dramabeans. This community has always been a safe place for me. Here, we talk about things we love and show support for each other, albeit virtually.

Thank you for speaking up, Sun Sah Jang-nim.

Thank you James Sun for supporting us via Dramabeans so that we can share our love of Asian dramas. Thank you as well for posting your family's story and your personal history of discrimination. Hatred is the same the world over but that doesn't make it any less painful.
This site has always been a platform for respectful discussion and constructive critique, so my hope is that we can become a force for non-violent action to stop Asian hate. As hard as they are to hear, Thich Nhat Hanh's words ring true, "Hatred, violence and anger can only be neutralized and healed by one substance and that is compassion - there is no other medicine."
Looking forward to uniting with Beanies from around the world to do whatever we can.

Count me in. As a Korean-American born in the States in 1961, sounds like we may have had similar experiences. I remember growing up as the only Asian face in my entire school and neighborhood and trying my best to fit in. Lost the Korean in Korean-American except in appearance but glad websites like this and others allow me to reconnect. Wrong is just wrong regardless of who its pointed at but this wave strikes home for obvious reasons. Don't know if I'm ready to fight hate with love, but at least I can start with understanding.

Thanks, everyone, for sharing your stories and your calls to action. Here's hoping that, with intention and thoughtfulness, we can make the world suck a little less for people of all races.

I'm Asian (Chinese-Filipino) Canadian, and the same problem is on the rise here. I live in the Metro Vancouver area and stories of elderly people being attacked is on the rise here as well. I read stories like these with a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes, a rising feeling of despair, and yes, fear as well - for visible minorities everywhere. I want to do something other than read about these. How can I help?

Yes! Please count me as a supporter.

I am so disgusted, embarrassed and scared by the attacks towards the Asian community. I have been feeling helpless and frustrated not knowing how I can help.

Thank you for sharing your story and for your thoughts on this tenuous stage of American and, really, global history. I’ve been reading Dramabeans for over ten years and I’m glad to see that this movement isn’t going unnoticed by you and your team. Fighting!

I don't know much about what's happening in the US, but I wholeheartedly agree with you. Racism IS bad and we must speak up. We might have different skin colours, but the blood that flaws through our veins is the same colour. That factor is enough for people to understand that no matter where you come from, what language you speak, everybody has the same rights. After all, before we got divided as Asians, Europeans, Africans, Americans, we are Humans and we must protect our humanity at all costs. I'm here to support in any way I can and keep informing us about this situation. It's sad that this has to be your first post here, but thank you Mr. James Sun for bringing up this topic here. Never lose hope for I believe that humanity still exists. Keep fighting!

Utterly speechless to see the violence acts in USA. It's sad to see how a person's life seems to be meaningless to those who hates the Asian community.
Having experience being called "stupid chinese asian" and being ridiculed for being chinese myself (I lived in Australia for 6 yrs), all these incidents are truly heartbreaking.
I have a brother and a pregnant sister-in-law living in San Fransisco, and am very worried about their safety there, always checking on them every now and then.

Many thanks to you for sharing and dramabeans teams for the support to the asian community. You have my full support on this.

I hope and wish for things will better in USA soon and hope the new president will take this unfortunate event as a serious issue and act on it.

James, thank you for this heartfelt message and for the opportunity for this wonderful Dramabeans community to positively participate in effecting positive change and to bend that arc fast and more firmly towards justice. If we all do a little, we can accomplish so much. I will do my part.

Thank you for sharing this.

It was so heartbreaking to hear about the shooting and the other acts of violence against Asian Americans. I can't believe how so many people refuse to call it what it is - a hate crime and an act of terrorism by white supremacists.

I am so grateful for dramabeans. I have only recently started to watch Korean dramas and it is a real eye opener to learn how different the values in Korea are from my own European culture. I rely completely on the subtitles and find the recaps here essential for a better understanding. Engagement with a different way of thinking and keeping an open mind is the best cure against racism of any kind. Please keep going.

i will stand with my asian brothers & sisters, not only in your times of sorrow but to build a better community for the here & now & the future. my deepest condolences.

as an african-american, i understand that internal racism plays out in a # of ways & we need to be open about this as well. i look forward to open dialogue that that is about accepting all our diversities. thank you for your heartfelt & thoughtful insight. a luta continua.

James, thank you for not putting the blame and the responsibility for racism on white people, and for emphasizing instead that all of us have to work together to improve society.
For a while now I've been noticing with fear how the "movement against racism" and the feminist movement both follow a similar path of blaming "the enemy" (white people on the one hand, and men on the other) and I don't see it ending well. The only thing that can be achieved that way (IMO) is that some white people will feel threatened and become more racist (and vote for parties that support racist ideas), people of colour will think it's okey if they are racist against white people because "that kind of racism is not possible", and white people who are not racist will feel they have no right to speak up, or that if they do speak about their points of view people might attack them. And I can see similar things happening with sexism, men and feminism.

I think that nowadays "the whole world" (obviously there are exceptions) is listening to Asian people, black people, women, etc., and that it's time to stop fighting against each other and adopt a more friendly strategy like: "we are in this together to improve our society for everybody's own good, we don't want to put any group down, but to raise the other groups who were mistreated somehow so that we can all live happy and in harmony". Obviously a perfect world is not possible, but at least we should try.

So that's why I'm so glad for James' comment, thank you SO much for your "healthy" approach.

It hurts my heart with all this hatred toward the Asian community. I am so glad this was posted on here. I back this up 100%. This has got to stop and I want to do my part in helping the cause.

It is really nice of you to speak up back then and now

It's heartbreaking and frustrating to see just how cruel people can be to others who are not like them. Nobody deserves to live in that kind of terror every day. I'm sorry that this situation is what prompted your first post here — thank you for sharing your story and for taking a stand.

I've got your back!
Thanks for sharing ❤️☮️.

I'm sorry about this and I'm sorry about what you had to experience while growing up.
Hugs and hwaiting.
And I'd like you to expand the notion to Rise up #Stop"being different"Hate since racisms don't discriminate with its hate.
I'm sorry I'm not articulate enough since English isn't my native tongue, I just hope I conveyed what I wanted to say 😅

Thanks for this eloquent and warm article! Very important and necessary to write esp. at a horrific and traumatizing time for AAPI folks. I loved your talk about how you were informed of K-dramas, and how you grew to appreciate them and Korea as a result. There's so much to do, and dismantle. Its not an easy task, nor something that'll be easy to undo many people's prejudices and biases. I want to stay optimistic, but its hard reading/hearing the news on AAPI attacks lately, and not feel disheartened about them. We ought to be better, compassionate, and willing to listen and learn.

Unbelievable. I am very sad about these racist attacks. I am aware of how much we owe to the peoples of Asia. Since always. As a Caucasian, I am an admirer of Asian culture, it deserves it.
So, I intend to help in whatever way I can.

As a member of a mixed race family- with five very bright nephews who most definitely do not look 'white', I view racism very dimly indeed. But as an older man I can also report that gigantic progress has been made, and none more than with Asians.

Do not get me wrong- Asians suffered terribly in this country and it saddens me that Mr. Sun was subjected to such behavior. And there are still a few sick individuals who who will use race as an excuse for the inexcusable. But I have seen a vast diminution of this in this course of my life.

We have gone a long ways since the awful days of a century ago when the worst lynch mobs in history killed many Chinese. We rightly view with utter disgust the internment of Japanese people by President Roosevelt during the Second World War. Such things are inconceivable now. We have in fact made huge progress.

But we still have a ways to go and this is where I want to offer a couple of suggestions.

First, education- not the obnoxious hectoring by folks trying to convince people that they are total bigots- but real education about where the whole 'race theory' came from and why it was an unscientific lie: Historically it is a very recent phenomenon. It would have greatly astonished William Shakespeare that a 'Blackamoor' (someone from West Africa- and of the Muslim faith) was of the same race as an Abyssinian (a Christian from Ethiopia), just as it would have amazed him to be told that a Scot was of the same race as an Englishman. 'Race' is an old word whose meaning was changed in the 1700s- it used to simply mean ethnicity. 'Race theory' was a ridiculous attempt to subdivide humanity based upon the most superficial characteristics possible - like skin color- and even that is inconsistent as there are some Japanese people whose skins are actually whiter than any European South of Sweden. Or put it another way: Thoroughbred racehorses are so interbred as to almost be clones, and yet they come in three colors. The scientific fact is that humanity is less genetically diverse than any other mammal except the Cheetah- we really all are brothers and sisters biologically. I believe that simply teaching this one simple truth to everyone is in the long run the only real answer. We do not have to call for races to be unified- we simply need to recognize that 'race' is and always was imaginary- it does not really exist and was a purely artificial construct to begin with..

Second- follow my family's example. Encourage intermarriage. If you have a family member or friend who is contemplating such a marriage to someone who is otherwise compatible then please do not discourage them- don't be one of those people warning about how tough it might be. Nothing destroys racism like intermarriage.

you are all welcome to move to Estonia. My friends from Belgium said there are not enough Asians to their liking ( they want us to be as multi-culti as Brussels we are wayyyy behind).
Also I will protect you all with my Gumiho friend and my army of zombies.