In contrast to the outpouring of support for the Virginia Tech community in the wake of last week's attacks, some are concerned for a potential backlash against the Asian-American community because of gunman Seung-Hui Cho's South Korean roots.
In an e-mail to Asian and Asian Pacific American students Thursday, Assistant Dean of Students Sarah Wilcox expressed personal shock at the killer's origin.
"I am stunned by this senseless act of violence by an individual who hails from my country of birth," she stated.
Wilcox outlined various sources of support in the University community and offered suggestions about how to deal with the media. She reminded students to speak at their comfort levels and demonstrated how they can downplay the factor of the gunman's ethnicity in interviews with the press.
Asst. English Prof. Sylvia Chong, who teaches an ENLT seminar titled "Race in American Culture," noted the prevalence of bigotry against Asian Americans on blogs penned by white supremacists. She said she knows of Asian University students who have gone home "because they feel nervous about being on campus at this time."
Assoc. College Dean Richard Handler confirmed reports of "uncomfortable incidents" stemming from bias against Asian Americans.
The need for protection against such assaults has infuriated some Asian-American students who think the media has overemphasized Cho's ethnicity.
"In light of the tragedy, I feel that the national media coverage of it has been, to a degree, irresponsible," Asian Student Union President Carlos Oronce said. "There's no need to emphasize that the person who committed this was South Korean. This is a time of mourning, and the media is going down a path that I feel is damaging and will contribute to a hostile environment."
Oronce added that the concern for a backlash is validated through recent history, because Arab Americans expressed similar anxiety following the Sept. 11 attacks.
Some individuals also argue that media sources identifying Cho as an immigrant have implied that he had recently arrived in America, when in fact he moved to Virginia with his family 15 years ago.
"There's been too much focus on his immigration status," Chong said. "He is an Asian American."
One University graduate student of Korean descent, who requested anonymity, said though he was "shocked" when he learned the gunman's ethnicity, he is not concerned that Asian Americans, or Korean Americans in particular, will endure a negative change in their cultural image.
"I don't think American people will think this is a typical Korean," he said. "Americans are more multicultural."
-- Katt Henry contributed to this article
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