China News AgencyBeijing, June 19th Question: The 40th anniversary of Chen Guoren’s murder is a long way to go to defend Asian American rights
China News AgencyReporter Xu Wenxin
On June 19, 1982, Chinese-American Chen Guoren was chased and beaten to death by two white men with a baseball bat in Detroit. The murderer was only fined and not sentenced to a day in prison. This incident aroused great dissatisfaction among Asian Americans in the United States and was regarded as a key turning point for Asian Americans to participate in the civil rights movement. 40 years later, at a time when discrimination and attacks against Asian Americans continue to occur in the United States, the memory of Chen Guoren seems to have a special meaning.
Remembering the Dead: Wedding Turns into Funeral
On June 19, 1982, 27-year-old Chen Guoren had an argument with two white men in a bar in Detroit. This was his bachelor party before marriage. If there was no accident, he would have a wedding a few days later, but it was originally scheduled. The wedding turned into a funeral.
At that time, the Japanese auto industry had a serious impact on the domestic auto industry in the United States, so unemployed auto workers hated Japanese people very much. The two who quarreled with Chen Guoren were in a father-son relationship, and one of them had just lost his job. Mistaking Chen Guoren as Japanese, they blamed him for the layoffs at the car factory.
Chen Guoren then left the club, but two white men followed him a few blocks away and beat him to death with a baseball bat.
After the case, the two white men accepted plea deals in court on manslaughter charges. Both were given suspended sentences and fined around $3,000, but neither went to jail.
Speak to commemorate: Asian anger is ignited
The verdict of Chen Guoren’s case has aroused great dissatisfaction among Asian communities across the United States. Asian immigrants from different countries have formed a unified voice to jointly safeguard the rights and interests of Asians.
Some witnesses said that the Chen Guoren case made Asians show unprecedented unity. At that time, the streets and alleys were filled with people fighting for justice for Chen Guoren.
Chinese architect Hao Chuandong said: “This incident ignited the anger of the Asian people and opened a chapter in the Asian civil rights movement. Even today, the Asian people are still speaking out for Chen Guoren.”
A few days ago, the City of Detroit, in partnership with the “Chen Guoren 40th Anniversary Coalition,” opened a four-day commemorative event, held multiple discussions and broadcast documentaries, and announced the city’s opposition to violence against Asians.
Mirroring the present: Asian Americans need to be more united
Looking back is to draw lessons and strengths from it. Currently, attacks against Asian Americans are on the rise. Hao Chuandong said that he and his family have been afraid to take public transportation for three years, and try to avoid going to crowded places. “It can be said that the entire Asian-American community is facing a lack of security.”
“Fortunately, many overseas Chinese have taken action. I have a friend who drove two hours to participate in the anti-discrimination march, and I myself participated in the signing of the anti-discrimination Asian-American bill. At present, we need to be more united, and Asians cannot be ‘dumb’ descendants’.” Hao Chuandong said.
Le Taowen, a tenured professor at Weber State University in the United States, believes that with the improvement of the national strength of the ancestral countries of Asians, some politicians in Western countries are anxious but helpless. Asians have become the object of anger. Especially when some politicians and media poured dirty water on the Asian nation, racial discrimination and crimes against Asians became more and more clamorous.
“Asian Americans must resolutely say no to racial discrimination, resign and swallow their voices will only encourage the discriminatory behavior of those who discriminate; they must increase the cost of racial discrimination and discriminatory crimes; they must be united and fight together. The strength of unity is great, not only to unite the Chinese Compatriots, but also to unite with other minority friends who are discriminated against, and unite with friends in mainstream society who oppose racial discrimination.” Le Taowen said. (Finish)
