Yesterday marked the one-week anniversary of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, in which 32 people were killed in the worst campus shooting in United States history.  My heart goes out to the victims and all of their loved ones.  No words can take away the pain you feel, but please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. 

As Iranian-Americans, I think it is important for us to be especially mindful of this event.  Ethnic minorities are often the media’s convenient scapegoat in the wake of tragedy.  Let us not forget how people often looked at us differently after September 11^th.  Let us not allow the actions of one severely ill individual define our perception of an entire group of people.  If you see someone speak poorly of Asian Americans because of Cho’s actions, please do not watch in silence.  Use the power of your words to speak against such injustice and correct for ignorance. 

Not only do I feel for the victims and their families, but also for the Cho family.  His sister is a 2004 graduate of Princeton University and like most immigrant families, his parents came to the United States from their homeland in the hope of a better future.  And for reasons that we will probably never know, their son became severely ill and eventually became a killer.  But instead of jumping to conclusions or judging this family, let us empathize with them, too.  They, too, are mourning the loss of their son and all of those he took with him.  And sadly, wherever this family goes, people will often look at them differently because in the minds of many, their son’s actions have forever tainted their name.