Sad to say ....

I think most Asians awaited with bated breath upon hearing that the shooter in the Virginia Tech killing spree was an Asian male. Was he Chinese? Was he Korean? Was he Vietnamese? In the car today, my co-worker and I breathed a temporary sigh of relief when we misheard that the killer was of Chinese descent only to hear that the killer was, in fact, a Korean national. I felt bad about my initial reaction … relief that the killer was not Korean - as if that made this tragedy somehow less tragic.

Then the news in Korea went on to report, incorrectly it now appears, that the murderer's parents had both committed suicide - the father dead from slashed wrists and the mother in the hospital after swallowing poison.

In Korea, this news of course is all over the place. It seems to be a source of collective shame that the killer was ethnic Korean. The headlines all point to fears of racial backlash and possible repercussions. I trust that level heads will prevail and that we all realize that this is just one troubled and sick individual. Regardless, to have an ethnic Korean linked to the worst mass murder in U.S. history is difficult and race may have played some part in his feelings of alienation, detachment and weakness and certain stereotypes will be bolstered to those people who do not know many Koreans or Asians very well.

The news in the US all point to him being Korean but this guy has been in the U.S. since he was 8. He majored in English. He spoke almost perfect English. Also, I hate to admit, I was "glad" he spoke English so well. Why? Does it really matter? But, at least it helps in diminishing the typical racial stereotype. OK, time to stop feeling so defensive I tell myself.

We all know many Koreans who immigrated to the US and have such similar stories. His sister graduated from Princeton, his parents works their tail off in a laundry store and lived in a nice middle class home. They did everything for their children. Probably, also very much into Christianity. It makes this thing all the more tragic.

It would be interesting to hear what Koreans living in the U.S. are feeling and experiencing. I hope, once the shock diminishes this whole thing doesn't descend any further than it has to.

-Pat in Seoul