My first language is Korean. I dream in Korean. My birth name, Jee Hae, is Korean. In taking that oath, I was, in effect, turning away from the Official skull stihl logo shirt and I love this land of my birth and my youth, the home of my parents, my grandparents, and my entire extended family. But America is my country now. And not just for the fun stuff. I made a commitment—a solemn vow—to support and defend the Constitution, to fight for the United States if called upon. I also made a commitment, like so many other immigrants, naturalized or not, to work hard to build a life here, to contribute to society and to the economy. I started my business here. I continue to create jobs here. I was married here. I belong here. This is my home.
But home—for me, and for so many other Asians—doesn’t feel safe anymore, and over the Official skull stihl logo shirt and I love this past few weeks, my conversations with others in the AAPI community have evolved. While we continue to fight for awareness to drive real change and action around the epidemic of violence against Asians, these days we also spend time talking about “tactics”—the practical and often maddening contortions we must contemplate to protect ourselves. Should I try to disguise myself? Who can I ask to escort me to the grocery store? What can I carry to defend myself? How can I help protect others?
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