Hate crime in Iowa

[mr. x]

got this from angryasianman.com, he links to http://www.press-citizen.com/news/021104hatecrime.htm

02.12.04
HATE CRIME IN IOWA: Possible hate crime investigated. Police are investigating a possible hate crime in which the alleged victims—an Asian American woman, Janis Chang, 23, and her white boyfriend—say they were attacked and beaten in downtown Iowa City by a group of men shouting racial slurs. According to Chang's written Iowa City police statement, on January 31, she and her boyfriend were making a phone call when four white men approached them, calling her a "chink," and making monkey noises. The men surrounded her boyfriend, made physical threats and called him a "chink lover." One man grabbed Chang's arm and shoved it in her face when she tried to intervene. Another male violently assaulted Chang's boyfriend, striking him several times in the face as he tried to call police on a cell phone.

I'm sitting here, trying to write something appropriately angry in reaction to this, but I'm just troubled. I think sometimes I simply feel worn down hearing about these incidents all the time—I have to shake myself so that it doesn't just become fodder for another website entry. The fact that this crap can and continues to happen, and with such savagery. It's angering, but it's also disheartening, and you just know it'll keep happening. We still have a long way to go. That's racist!

[Banana]

Know what's funny and sad at the same time is that the police chief said they're looking into it as a "possible" hate crime. Possible?!

Meanwhile, you have "possible" hate crimes being taken seriously at other parts of the country. Or could it be because the situation involved "only" anti-Asian violence?

http://1010wins.com/topstories/winst...044063409.html

[mr. x]

^---well at the end they say like "oh it could be just a fight between kids" sorta thing, and i spose thats true, but yeah

[Tao]

In a letter to University of Iowa President David Skorton this week, second-year UI law student Janis Chang, 23, said her boyfriend suffered three face fractures in the attack, that he will be permanently deformed and that he will need reconstructive surgery.

this is fucking sick

[fresh22]

Man, that is unacceptable. Its scary because that can happen to any of us, just because of ignorance. Those events are truly life altering and they don't just roll off your skin.

[rice cracker]

Wow. How disgusting. Any news about the charges, court date, ect.?

[hooligan]

i mean, violence doesn't solve violence but sometimes it's just so appropriate to beat the shit out of someone (or a group of them).

[mr. x]

Update, i looked up iowa city and found another newspaper with this article today, apparently they have a suspect's name

http://www.dailyiowan.com/news/2004/...t-606953.shtml

UI coalition steps up anti-hate crime fight
By Alex Lang - The Daily Iowan
Published: Friday, February 13, 2004
Using ribbons to show unity, the UI Asian-American Coalition began a campaign Tuesday to unify and educate the campus against hate-related violence in the wake of a reported attack last month.

The alleged incident involved Thomas O'Malley in a scuffle with Charles Holden III and three of his friends. O'Malley said Holden called his girlfriend, Janis Chang, a "chink," and then a friend of Holden's attacked him. O'Malley, of Mount Prospect, Ill., suffered fractures to his cheekbone, eyesocket, and sinus cavity.

"I was shocked something like this could happen in Iowa City," said coalition Co-President Jane Wu. "It's hard to understand that university students could do something like this."

At a meeting Thursday, the coalition held an open discussion to mull different strategies against the alleged hate crime. The most promising idea involved distributing ribbons around campus with the Martin Luther King Jr. quote: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

It is still unknown when or where the ribbons would be distributed.

The coalition plans to attend a meeting on Feb. 16 to set a date and time for a rally against hate and push for the expulsion of the alleged attackers. The meeting will include community and university organizations at 4 p.m. in 341 IMU.

Coalition Co-President Robert Ting said he is drafting a list of goals the coalition would like to see the university implement to help teach students about ethnic tolerance. A lecture at Orientation to inform students about tolerance and possible punishments for those who commit hate crimes is also a possibility, he said.

Wu said the coalition wants to distribute the ribbons and have the rally as soon as possible so the incident stays fresh in people's minds and strong emotions remain.

"If [the alleged attackers] don't get kicked out of the university, then it is basically supporting racism," Tang said.

The meeting not only allowed the coalition to plan a show of unity against hate, it also provided a chance for members to vent frustration.

"A lot of people don't know the gravity of the words they're using," said coalition member Alex Boyce. "I think we can't excuse racism on ignorance, though."

He added that, as a coalition, the members have to figure out ways to educate students on ethnic slurs and their hurtful effects.

Evelyn Ho, another coalition member, said the issue was "more than a minority issue." She also pushed for involving other student organizations - not just minority groups - in the fight.

E-mail DI reporter Alex Lang at:

alexander-lang@uiowa.edu

[yoMAMA]

Just kick out of the school?

how about going to jail for assault charges?

[Kuchana]

Somehow, I'm not surprised to read that it happened in Iowa of all places. I've heard that some neo-Nazis and/or the KKK reside in those areas.

[rice cracker]

Originally Posted by Kuchana

Somehow, I'm not surprised to read that it happened in Iowa of all places. I've heard that some neo-Nazis and/or the KKK reside in those areas.

As a Minnesotan I think it would be biased of me to make comments about Iowa, however there it is a common perception that Iwegians are, shall we say, not the most enlightened or worldly of people.

[thaite]

Iowa sucks.

[yoMAMA]

Originally Posted by rice cracker

As a Minnesotan I think it would be biased of me to make comments about Iowa, however there it is a common perception that Iwegians are, shall we say, not the most enlightened or worldly of people.

I had a professor from Iowa, and he was one of the best teacher and nicest guy I have ever met.

So i don't know, i guess igonrant people can be from anywhere, from iowa to california to new york.

[rice cracker]

Originally Posted by yoMAMA

I had a professor from Iowa, and he was one of the best teacher and nicest guy I have ever met.

So i don't know, i guess igonrant people can be from anywhere, from iowa to california to new york.

I never said that Iowa is a breeding ground for ignorance, I was merely pointing out that there is a common view of people from Iowa as being bumpkin like and not so bright, and as Minnesotan due to the fact that there is also a perception that Minnesotans are unjust towards Iowa it could be seen as biased for me to comment on the fact that the hate crime was committed in that state. I'm not a "statist," some of my family lives in Iowa!

[yoMAMA]

Originally Posted by rice cracker

I never said that Iowa is a breeding ground for ignorance, I was merely pointing out that there is a common view of people from Iowa as being bumpkin like and not so bright, and as Minnesotan due to the fact that there is also a perception that Minnesotans are unjust towards Iowa it could be seen as biased for me to comment on the fact that the hate crime was committed in that state. I'm not a "statist," some of my family lives in Iowa!

I know what you are talking about:

the first day in the class, the professor from iowa told us:

"no Iowa jokes".....