With the recent attacks on Chinese immigrant seniors emerging in
public discourse, let us remember that Asian Pacific Americans,
like everyone, are entitled to be heard. We have not cornered
the market on truth - but we do deserve an appreciation that
discrimination affects each community differently, and that our
experiences are as valid as others. As Asian Americans, we
consistently confront the myth that we are a model minority -
stereotyped as having fewer needs, more resources and
extraordinary capacity for work and suffering. This myth has
masked the vulnerability of many of our community members and
also muted our capacity to have our issues fully understood and
addressed. Absent well-tailored solutions, resentment festers
below the surface until a flash point triggers an outpouring of
emotion that displaces reason. That is part of what is happening
in the aftermath of the recent deaths of Huan Chen and Tian
Sheng Yu, both older Asian men who were attacked by young
African Americans. But it is only par