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The Apocalypse for 8, the Apocalypse for Silence
Remember their names,
Soon Chung Park, who was 74
Hyun Jung Grant, who was 51
Suncha Kim, who was 69
Yang Ae Yue, who was 63
Delaina Ashley Yaun, who was 33
Paul Andre Michels, who was 54
Xiaojie Tan, who was 49
Daoyou Feng, who was 44
Their lives —
not extraordinary nor glorious,
but satisfactorily simple and joyous enough —
were brought to an abrupt end,
by the cruel and reckless bullet
that ripped through their heads, hearts and stomachs
and tore them with hate.
Years ago,
most of them had came to the United States
hopefully and gratefully,
in search for a better and brighter life.
Earning only a handful of dollars,
they either washed the dishes until the skin on their hands cracked,
or were hung in midair to wipe the windows of skyscrapers bit by bit
until it seemed like there was no glass in between.
They could clearly see the inside —
the life they didn’t even dare to dream of.
So close, but never reachable.
Even so —
humble and low as they were —
they never relaxed a bit
working for the better lives they hoped for,
and for the dollars that would buy their children some bread.
Being targeted for their race,
was what they were eventually rewarded with
by this land of their love and hope.
The small bullet shattered their bodies,
along with their sincere and naive hopes;
It shattered their families
and our hearts.
Most of all,
it shattered Asian dignity.
They think we’re the model minority
who’d rather stay silent than start up “troubles”,
but now it’s time to tell the world
that we play the role no more,
and that we will start up the trouble for them
as a result of them trampling over our dignity.
Being humble and tolerant is always our virtue,
it is never a sign that says we’re weak.
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Hate towards Asian has been an always-existing but unaddressed problem in our society, and now it's our time to fight against racial injustice with our own power.