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Panel Paper

Speak Up In 1982, discrimination took place in Metro Detroit when Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz murdered Vincent Chin, motivated by race and hate. In Asian American Dreams by Helen Zia, she describes the obstacles that, challenged (that America used to discriminate against) Japanese Americans. At the time Japanese Americans and Asian Americans were highly attacked due to Japan’s auto industry’s advances, and thus Asian Americans were accused of taking “American” jobs. The economic recession of Detroit's decline in the auto industry was the cause of anger and hatred against Japanese made cars. Ronald Ebens mistook Vincent Chin as Japanese, yelling “you little motherfuckers are the reason we don’t have jobs”(Zia, page number). While Vincent Chin was actually Chinese American, Ebens automatically assumed Vincent Chin was the “enemy Japanese,” and yelled at him anyway. Ronald and Michael’s assumption lead to the beating of Chin which caused him to die four days later. On March 18, 1983 a year after the murder both Ronald and Michael pleaded guilty to killing Vincent Chin. The outbreak that took place was that Judge Charles Kaufman only sentenced them to a three year probation and fined them $3,780 dollars for Vincent's death. Charles Kaufman’s background was a white male judge who stated that “These aren't the kind of men you send to jail. You fit the punishment to the criminal not the crime(Zia).” This meant that he approved of what Ronald and Michael had done and that they just needed a light punishment. Both Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz did not spend one day in jail for beating Vincent Chin to death. The Asian American community outraged due to the lack of justice that was made for Chin. This incident definitely added fuel to the fire and although there was already conflicts with Americans disliking Japanese now the Japanese created a hate towards Americans. Many said that the judge and trial was fixed due to the races of both murders being white. Japanese were the main target and many were discriminated and hated due to coming into America where they were all looking for that American dream. On March of 1983 Asian Americans, founded the American Citizen for Justice to lobby for a federal trial for Vincent Chin’s murderers. Defense lawyers won a trial but not one day were Ronald Ebens and Michael Nitz put in jail. Devastated by the failure of the justice system Lily Chin who was Vicente Chin’s mother left America and returned to China. We are now in 2017 and still, to this day we see discrimination happening against immigrants particularly Hispanics and African Americans where the justice system is discriminating against people. Many cases have occurred where both races Hispanic, and white may break the same law and a Hispanic will get a bigger fine or more time in jail as opposed to a white person who will have less time and a smaller fine. The main focus of 2017 is on Latinos, Hispanic people who are immigrants. Many are being discriminated against and harassed just because of their legal status. The fact that latinos are denied basic law and health protections and fall into the victim of racial profiling. Many immigrants are being banned from the country and were deported back to their country where they came from. Many of whom are leaving their children behind and lives that they have created. Some policies that can be created for undocumented people are having an interpreter in case they do not understand. Also having protecting before being arrested. I can relate on a certain level to this discrimination that is going on due to the fact that I myself come from a Hispanic household. Many times people are judged by the language we speak and or by the way we tend to look. Even, though many don't realize that I am an American citizen as well as my mother and father. I still get pointed fingers at and stares when I'm in a high end store or restaurant. Our race does not define who we truly are and another's mistakes are not ours. Arthur Brice from CNN stated that “47% of hispanics said that they know someone who was treated unfairly by the police”. This shows that even the justice system is cruel and unfair. Many campaigns have been created because of this racial profiling that has been created again Latinos. Many of these immigrants along with countless other latios, are assaulted under conditions similar to those Japanese in the 1980’s. The worst case is that these people have no one to rely on if even the justice system is mistreating people. Normally, people tend to overlook these issues until they are in the situation and start to realize the true problem. In 1982 Vincent Chin’s murder could have been prevented if the American community would have realized the unfair stereotyping and the racial profiling that they were making against Japanese. We need to start realizing the big picture and not so much on differences between people. America’s legal discrimination, slavery, and segregation was said to be part of the history. But, we are now in the future and we are reliving the history of this country. People need to stop judging others by their race or the language they speak because at the end of the day we are all humans. This is a country to thousands of immigrants and home to many cultures and races we all need to come together as one. Work Cited Takahashi, Corey. "Killed in Action: FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER VINCENT CHIN'S MURDER GALVANIZED ASIAN AMERICAN CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT HATE CRIME, YOUNG ASIAN AMERICAN MEN ARE STILL the TARGETS of THOUGHTLESSNESS, IGNORANCE and HATE." A. Magazine, (1997): 32. CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2017. "The Declining Auto Industry and Anti-Asian Racism: : The Murder of Vincent Chin." , (2013): 155.

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Mini Essay

Central American migration to the United States has a great importance to me and my family. This is because we are Salvadorian and my father immigrated into the US. In the past it was easier to live here in the United States and many of the immigrants had the power to obtain work permits and green cards. My father currently obtains a green card which means he is permanently allowed to live and work here in the US. He has not had issues so far but, I worry that maybe his green card will be taken away. Today’s current immigration status is very tough to both obtain work permits and to migrated into the United States. Many immigrants are currently being deported back to their countries. The problem is that many are leaving their families behind and the life they’ve built here. Many are also being discriminated against and exploited when working. Although we don’t hear much of Salvadorans and deportation they are included along with Mexicans. I feel like in the future people will no longer be able to migrate to the United States those who are coming from a foreign country. Also many people will be denied Visas. This is of importance to be because I have family in El Salvador who wants to come and visit. People come to the United States looking for a better lifestyle but, once they are here it turns out to be completely different. Immigrants should be treated just like any other human and should not be discriminated against because all they do is work hard. Body shaming on women has become such a big issue throughout the years. Women are expected to look a certain way in order to fit in. Back in the days every women wanted to be thin. Thin was all that was seen on tv ads and magazine covers. This has had an impact on my life today because with social media now I feel like I don’t fit in. I feel as if social media has a standard as too what is pretty and popular. I also feel as if being fuller makes me different and not as beautiful. Being confident is very difficult when thin is the only thing that’s being advertised. I want to see more fuller women on magazines covers. Once confidence comes from seeing others and the obstacles they have overcome. Magazines now are promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness. Rather than promoting anxiety and problems that many covers created on women back in the days. This shows that now fuller is better and is actually pretty. This is a big step into today’s society because it boosts up women’s confidence. Many women can actually improve their health lifestyles by having confidence in being beautiful in their own body type. Body diversity in the media is the biggest step in today’s society.

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(via Central American Immigrants in the United States)