Comments on: The 8Asians Writers Talk About: Asian Shooters

By: Confuse-Us

Confuse-Us — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:56:27 +0000

I don’t really see how you can hope to gain insight into a crime of this sort without mentioning America’s gun culture. It’s common practice to place blame at “dysfunctional” Asian cultures, but billions of Asians “lose face” every day and don’t go out and commit mass murder. Similarly, I would argue that Asia’s culture of shaming might be a factor in preventing crime amongst Asians. At the same time, just about anybody can walk into a gun or pawn shop, and within a few days possess a firearm. You can even buy shotguns at Walmart. So, which cultural phenomenon is more likely to lead to gun crime – Asiatic shame culture that keeps people in line or a gung-ho, machismo, gun culture that glamourizes gangsterism and the notion of liberty through the right to bear and use firearms? I’d say the latter.

With regards to mental health treatment, it’s easy to lose site of the fact that the culture of weekly therapy sessions is not as prevalent amongst the poor or those working (Voong seemed not to be financially secure) and middle class families who struggle to make ends meet, no matter what their ethnicity. The budget doesn’t allow for it, even for those that can (barely) afford insurance. Plus, when you consider the cost of missing one, or two mornings of work, childcare arrangements ( if both parents work, indeed if there are both parents), and transport requirements (many of the poor don’t possess cars) it’s easy to see that therapy is not as accessible as we imagine, even if the will to utilize it was there.

Basically, the dysfunction of Asian families as a causative factor is so overplayed that it really is an obstacle in understanding the reasons why any individual would commit this kind of crime.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 11:56:00 +0000

Basically, the dysfunction of Asian families as a causative factor is so overplayed that it really is an obstacle in understanding the reasons why any individual would commit this kind of crime.

By: AZN

AZN — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:52:52 +0000

lol at your previous posts criticizing blanket statements about Asians because of the existence of an “Asian-American diaspora”, yet doing the same thing with this post. Cute argument, but quite hypocritical…

By: AZN

AZN — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:52:00 +0000

By: Daniel W.

Daniel W. — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:09:51 +0000

First, I think that whenever this topic pops out in any conversation, often we probably have to say the same sentiments that this is a tragedy, sympathies for the victimes regardless of background and a murderer is a criminal regardless of background. Also, particular offenses do not represent an entire community.

You all can ask the experts who study crime but many have mentioned in the media and classrooms that crime has gone done throughout the years.
There really isn’t a “spike” in violent crimes per se and Asian Americans as a group (per capita I think) still have one of the lowest crime offenses in general. It could be that the media is just reporting more and the people involved happen to be Asian Americans. I remember the president of Virginia Tech had to make a public letter saying that ever since they recieve many questionable comments.

With that being said, I totally agree with the fact that there is a lot of work that needs to be address with Asian Americans and mental health. It’s such a diverse topic because many issues aren’t necessarily particular to the Asian Americans. While some may be about minority experiences…immigrantion issues for others, some is universal such as marriage problems, career problems, etc. Maybe it’s a stereotype some of you all have but actually there’s quite a lot of non-Asian individuals who dislike therapy. While we may be the cultural “face” issue to deal with, sometimes it’s also personal or just personal and face is an excuse to use. It really depends.

By: Daniel W.

Daniel W. — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 19:09:00 +0000