Anonymous Letter Threatens to "Shoot Cambodians"

"I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals."

Last week in Philadelphia, someone sent an anonymous letter to community leaders threatening to "shoot Cambodians." The typed, one-page letter, reportedly sent last week to the office of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, accuses Cambodian residents of setting off fireworks at all hours in Mifflin Square Park.

The letter's author claims to be a Marine suffering from traumatic stress disorder after serving tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also claims to own several guns. "I want to take a gun and go down there and kill these individuals," the letter reads. "I am writing you to let you know when I do freak out and try to kill these people that it is your fault for not going to them and encouraging them (it is in their best interest) to stop doing this and remain alive!"

The association, which believes the letter is blatant, targeted racial intimidation, plans to address the incident during a news conference on Friday at the park. The letter has been reported to Philadelphia police and other investigative agencies.

More here: Amid anti-Asian hate, letter-writer threatens to shoot Philly Cambodians over park fireworks

Los Angeles Times publishes letters in defense of internment

"The interned Japanese were housed, fed, protected and cared for."



This is some kind of bullshit.

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times published two letters from readers arguing that the forced mass removal and incarceration of thousands of Japanese Americans during World War II was necessary and justified.

The letters, published in the paper's print and online editions, were sent in response to a story by Carolina A. Miranda that ran last month regarding the internment camps. The letter-writers call Miranda's article "unbalanced," and attempt to make the case that "internment" was an imperative wartime measure.

One of the letter-writers, identifying himself as Steve Hawes, calls Miranda's reporting "another anti-U.S. remake of history," and argues that the internment was, in effect, ultimately for the good of "the Japanese." The other letter, penned by Dick Venn, calls for "a little bit balance" in Miranda's "one-way reporting."

No. Get out of here with that shit.

Hate letters to mosques threaten genocide against Muslims

"He's going to do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews."



Dispatches from Trump America... In California, a hate letter threatening genocide against Muslims was sent to three mosques, warning that Donald Trump would "do to you Muslims what Hitler did to the Jews."

Letters threatening genocide against Muslims and praising Trump sent to multiple California mosques

The same handwritten, photocopied letter, addressed to "the children of Satan," was sent last week to the Islamic Center of Long Beach, the Islamic Center of Claremont and the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose. The author promises, among other things, that Trump will "cleanse America and make it shine again."

New York lawmakers ask Obama for official U.S. apology for Chinese Exclusion Act

"To Chinese Americans, their descendants, and all whose lives were affected by the Chinese Exclusion Act."


A soap advertisement from the 1880s, sub-titled 'The Chinese Must Go'
In New York, a group of state lawmakers have sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to issue a government apology for the passage and enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which specifically targeted and barred Chinese immigrants from entering or becoming citizens of the United States.

Signed into federal law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882, and fueled by widespread anti-Chinese sentiment, the Chinese Exclusion Act was one of the most significant restrictions on free immigration in U.S. history, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. It was the first law implemented to prevent a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the United States, and lasted for over sixty years.

The letter, written by state Assemblyman Ron Kim and signed by twenty other state legislators, calls for the President to issue an official apology on behalf of the United States Government "to Chinese Americans, their descendants, and all whose lives were affected by the Chinese Exclusion Act."

Video: Japanese American Internees Read "Letters From Camp" with Muslim Kids

Young Muslim Americans read letters written by incarcerated Japanese American during World War II.



During World War II, the United States government forcibly and unjustly incarcerated more than 120,000 innocent Japanese Americans without due process. Half of them were children.

In this short film by Frank Chi, produced for the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center, young Muslim Americans read letters written by Japanese Americans while incarcerated in camps during World War II.

Although these two groups are separated by generations, it's a powerful reminder of the parallels -- of prejudice, persecution and perseverance -- between these two communities, and our tenuous relationship with the past, which is constantly on the brink of only a few simple, dark turns from repeating itself.

Academy apologizes, realizes it's a terrible apology, agrees to meet with Asian members

"It certainly was never the Academy's intent to offend anyone."



After issuing an apology, then perhaps realizing their apology was insufficient, the leadership of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has decided to meet with the two dozen members of Asian descent who signed a letter protesting the racist jokes that aired during last month's Oscars broadcast.

After Failed Apology, Academy Agrees To Meet With Members On Treatment Of Asians During Oscars

To recap: Oscar night featured a couple of blatant off-color references to Asians, including a skit in which host Chris Rock introduced three Asian children as accountants (because we're great at math!), and a joke by presenter Sacha Baron Cohen (as Ali G) about "hard-working, little yellow people with tiny dongs."

This week, twenty-five members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences who are of Asian descent -- including director Ang Lee and several other Oscar winners -- sent a letter to the organization protesting the telecast's "tasteless" Asian jokes and its "perpetuation of racist stereotypes."

Asian Academy members protest Oscar night's racist jokes

Signatories include Ang Lee and other Oscar winners and nominees.



In the wake of last month's Oscars debacle, twenty-five members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences who are of Asian descent -- including Ang Lee and several other Oscar winners -- have sent a letter to the organization protesting the "tasteless and offensive skits" about Asians that were featured during the 88th Academy Awards telecast and its "perpetuation of racist stereotypes."

Ang Lee, Other Asian Oscar Winners Protest 'Racist Stereotypes' to Academy

In case you missed it, Oscar night featured a couple of blatant off-color references to Asians, including a skit in which host Chris Rock introduced three Asian children as accountants (because we're great at math!), and a joke by presenter Sacha Baron Cohen (as Ali G) about "hard-working, little yellow people with tiny dongs."

"In light of criticism over #OscarsSoWhite, we were hopeful that the telecast would provide the Academy a way forward and the chance to present a spectacular example of inclusion and diversity," the letter reads. "Instead, the Oscars show was marred by a tone-deaf approach to its portrayal of Asians."

Kentucky prosecutor fired for derogatory remarks

Attorney's history of "inappropriate and unprofessional" behavior came to light after "greedy foreigners" remark.



Remember that Kentucky prosecutor who got in trouble for sending a racially inflammatory letter regarding the Asian American owners of a local martial arts school? It's official: he's been fired. Good riddance.

Controversial prosecutor Karl Price fired after incendiary comments

After a monthlong investigation, the Jefferson County Attorneys Office terminated local prosecutor Karl Price last week for his unprofessional behavior, as well as his deliberate refusal to take responsibility for his actions.

It all started in May when Price, while working a civil case in his private practice, sent a letter to the attorney representing the owners of Hwang's Martial Arts Academy, calling the Hwang family, among other things, "greedy foreigners." Later, Price doubled down and defended his comments, saying the Hwangs could be "illegal aliens" due to their "broken English." He was subsequently disciplined for his remarks.

Kentucky attorney suspended for derogatory comments

Karl Price's history of "disturbing" behavior comes to light after "greedy foreigners" remark.



Well. Not long after Kentucky lawyer Karl Price received a teeny slap on the wrist for making racist, derogatory remarks in a letter to an attorney representing Asian American business owners, calling them "greedy foreigners," a little digging into his past has revealed a checkered history of shitty, racist -- and publicly documented -- behavior. And it has come back to bite him in the ass.

Attorney Doubles Down on Racist, Offensive Comments

In light of new evidence brought to light by The Courier-Journal, the Jefferson County Attorney's Office has reportedly suspended Price without pay pending an investigation. The internet does not forget, Mr. Price!

Prosecutor "disciplined" for calling Asian American business owners "greedy foreigners"

Kentucky attorney gets a reprimand and sensitivity training for making derogatory comments.



In Kentucky, the Louisville prosecutor who made racially insensitive and derogatory comments about the Asian American owners of a martial arts school, calling them "greedy foreigners," has been reprimanded and ordered to attend sensitivity training by the Jefferson County Attorney's Office. Seriously, that's it?

Prosecutor punished for referring to Asian-American business owners as 'greedy foreigners'

Assistant County Attorney Karl Price, while working a civil case in his private practice, sent a letter to the attorney representing the owners of Hwang's Martial Arts Academy, calling the Hwang family, among other things, "greedy foreigners who simply did not understand simple contract relations." Price's client is in the middle of litigation with the Hwangs over a dispute about martial arts lessons.

Price's letter also said that the Hwangs, who are Korean American, were "relying on some ancient Asian principle" by refusing to agree on a settlement figure in the case.

"This is a case of greedy foreigners..."

Kentucky attorney's letter uses racist, inflammatory language regarding Asian American business owners.



In Kentucky, an assistant county attorney is under fire for sending a letter containing racially insensitive and inflammatory language to the lawyer representing the Asian American owners of a martial arts school.

County Attorney's office reviewing prosecutor's inflammatory letter

Karl Price, a prosecutor with the Jefferson County Attorney's Office, sent a letter -- through his private practice -- to the attorney representing Hwang's Martial Arts Academy, which operations three locations in Louisville. Price's client is in the middle of litigation with the Hwangs over a dispute about martial arts lessons.

The letter repeatedly refers to the Hwangs, who are Korean American, as "foreigners" and claims they are "relying on some ancient Asian principle" by refusing to agree on a settlement figure in the case.

A Japanese American internee's rejection letter from Yale

Correspondence tells the story of a young man's pursuit of higher education from behind barbed wire.



Saw this fascinating item tweeted out the other day by Slate Vault (though curiously, the tweet is now gone)... The National Museum of American History's online Japanese American Internment Era Collection includes a series of letters that tell the story of a young Japanese American man who applied to Yale University -- and was rejected -- while he was incarcerated in an internment camp.

As a teenager, Kinji Imada was one of thousands of Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from the West Coast and relocated to an internment camp during World War II. When he graduated from high school at the Gila River War Relocation Center, he applied to colleges, including Yale.

However, as this letter from the Board of Admissions states, while Kinji's application was "carefully considered," he was rejected because the university was "not permitted to accept students of Japanese parentage":

Anonymous racist flyer sent to UCLA Asian American Studies

Student groups call on UCLA leaders for support of Asian Pacific Islander community



For a school with a significant Asian student population, UCLA has dealt with its share of recent anti-Asian incidents, from the now-infamous "Asians in the Library" video to last year's vandalism of the Vietnamese Student Union office. This week, the school received another reminder that these incidents weren't isolated, pointing to an ugly, underlying and ongoing trend of discrimination and hate on campus.

UCLA groups call for support in response to offensive flier

On Wednesday, the UCLA Asian American Center received an anonymous document containing a multitude of racist and sexist slurs directed at various groups, echoing the sign that was left at the VSU office in fall of 2012. This one literally "agrees" with that flyer. I hate to say it, but from the looks of it, this near-nonsensical screed appears to be the work of some bitter asshole Asian guy, maybe.

Here's the full flyer (warning: it contains offensive language and imagery, as well as poor design):

Jim Lee's rejection letters from Marvel and DC

"Your work looks as if it were done by four different people."



Artist, writer and editor Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Comics, is hands-down one of the most important figures in the comic book industry. He's had a hand in creating some of the medium's most iconic characters and stories, and his unique style and technique have influenced a generation of artists.

To this fanboy, he's a personal hero -- not only as a comic book professional, but also as one of the first Korean Americans I ever saw working in a nontraditional, creative career. He's the best.

But he wasn't always at the top of the game. While cleaning out some file cabinets, Jim recently came across a bunch of old rejection letters he received as a young hungry artist trying to break into the biz. Naturally, he snapped photos of the notes -- correspondence from both DC and Marvel Comics -- and posted them on Instagram. They're definitely humble evidence that even the greats must start at the bottom.

Take a look:

Market receives cash and letter apologizing for robbery

"I hope you will accept this money and find forgiveness."



This is pretty cool... You hope it never happens, but groceries and convenience stores have to face the reality that getting robbed is a possibility. It happens. But you never expect the robber to come back, apologize, and return the money: Apology letter begins, 'I am a drug addict,' seeks forgiveness for robbery.

About twelve years ago, the owners of the InterAsian Market Deli in Nashville were robbed at gunpoint. The robber threatened them with a handgun and made off with all the cash in the register, but nobody was hurt.

Last week, Somboon Wu and his father Keosavanh Xayarath, who were working at the store on the night of the robbery, were handed one hell of a surprise: an envelope with $400 cash and an apology letter, dropped off by an anonymous man -- an apparent attempt to make amends for the 12-year-old robbery:

Assemblywoman condemns racist anti-Filipino letter

Some more on that racist letter that was recently mailed out in the Bay Area city of American Canyon... Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, who represents California's 4th Assembly District (including American Canyon), has responded with a statement condemning the letter, which uses racist language and falsely purports to be from a state agency. From the Assemblywoman's press release:

A racist letter to the "filthy" Filipino community

What the hell? This was shared on Facebook and passed along by several readers... This letter, purporting initially to be from the "California Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Barbering & Cosmetology," was apparently mailed to Derek Valencia, who lives in American Canyon, California.

It starts off with a bunch official-sounding legal speak about a revoked cosmetology license, but if you read on, it quickly devolves into some real racist bullshit directed at the "filthy" Filipino community, signed by "Concerned American Canyon Neighbors." Here's the full text of the letter, transcribed:

"My Definite Chief Aim": Bruce Lee's Letter to Himself

He forgot to include "be one of the baddest dudes ever to walk the earth."


Behold, Bruce Lee's ten-year plan. This is a hand-written note written by Bruce Lee proclaiming to the world -- and mainly, to himself -- his goals for the next decade. It's definitely one of those "set your mind to it" kind of things, and if there's anyone who had the will to make it happen, it was Bruce Lee: