Protect Ourselves

After reading about the rampage shootings that killed eight people including six Asian-American women, I was devastated. I needed to talk to someone and I knew the exact person to call. I reached out to my cousin who is a gun owner to seek his advice on how to get one for myself.

We talked for an hour. As he explained the laws and the mechanical details, I furiously took notes. From the sound of the gunshots to the smell of the gun smokes to the type of Glocks to the design of Critical Defense ammunition, the knowledge he passed on me filled with passion and enthusiasm. He often reminded me to “respect the gun.”

Although we have completely different perspectives on politics and policies, we have tremendous respect for each other. Over tequila shots and delicious Vietnamese dishes, we discussed openly about our positions during our late-night gatherings at our in-law’s annual family reunions. We could never convince each other, but we agreed to disagree.

Unlike him, I hate guns and I had never thought of owning a weapon, but I feel the need to protect myself and my family in this critical moment as violence against Asian Americans is rising and deadly. I urge all Asian Americans to do the same. If you’re qualified and eligible to own a gun, give it a shot. Asian-American women, in particular, need to protect themselves and guns give them the equal power in these life-and-death situations.

Let’s face the reality. Asian-American communities are one of the most vulnerable minorities in America. Even after eight lives were murdered, the cop said that the killer was just having a bad day. He was just a poor white guy with sex addiction. Get the fuck out the here. Sex is part of American culture as apple pie. From music to movies to media to magazines, sex is everywhere you turn to. In fact, most American men suffer sex addiction. There was an incident in which a writer at a respected publication caught jerking off during a Zoom staff meeting. Even a famous athlete had to seek therapy for his sex addition. For poor sex addicts, Pornhub is freely available 24/7. If you can’t control your sex addiction, get help. Don’t use sex addiction as an excuse to murder innocent people.

Let’s call the senseless killings for what they were—hate crimes. They were the results of white privilege fueled with sexism and racism. Until America can come together to #StopAsianHate, we need to continue to raise our voice and protect ourselves.