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Vincent Chin Case
In 1982, a Chinese American went to Detroit to celebrate his upcoming wedding. Two white men thought he was Japanese and beat him to death. When the white men went to trial they only received a $3000 fine and no jail time at all. That event caused a national outrage and many were on the side of Asian American rights.
This is important because it shows how many people gained interest in Asian American rights and one of the reasons how the AAJC formed. -
Voting Rights Act
In 1992, voting materials were required to be in Asian languages. Many Americans rely heavily on other languages which aren't English. Those other Asian languages were required to be on voting materials so that Asians could participate in effectively in voting.
This is important because this shows how it got to there being voting materials in other languages and not just in English. -
Dimaranan v. Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center
In 1992, a Filipina nurse, Adelaida Dimaranan, reports Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for their English-only policy. Robert T. Olmos says that "English-only rules are very important to the commission" and that they "create an atmosphere of inferiority, isolation and intimidation based on national origin." This issue ended with being able to speak other languages as long as patient care isn't disrupted.
This is important because it shows how Americans only wanted English to be spoken. -
El Monte Sweatshop
In 1995, 72 total people from Thailand were held captive in a compound of apartments that served as a garment factory. They were lured to the United States by the workers at the garment factory by tempting them with money and prosperity. They were tricked into signing agreements that would bind them to the garment factory. The Thai were not allowed to leave and they had to earn their freedom.
This is important because it shows how Asians were treated as slaves. -
Thien Minh Ly Case
In 1996, a man named Gunner Lindberg stabs a Vietnamese American, Thien Minh Ly, to death. As a result of that, Gunner Lindberg was given a death sentence. He says that he killed Thien Minh Ly to show his protege how to murder.
This is important because an innocent Asian was murdered just so someone could learn how to murder. -
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