History tends to repeat itself, doesn’t it? It’s true that those who are ignorant about the world around them tend to repeat mistakes of past events and movements. Even though as more people start to pay more attention and learn from such hate crimes and racist acts (especially in 2020-2021 because of the Black Lives Matter movement and currently the #StopAsianHate), it seems as if sometimes their voices aren’t reaching to those who turn their backs from evil acts. To stay positive and remind others that society IS progressing to receive justice for minorities is quite a challenge when the true people who were in the wrong WERE and ARE still getting passed with a slap on the wrist. A time in history that we can’t ignore is the pain and humiliation that the Japanese American citizens had to endure during World War II.

In a comic novel I’ve read recently called They Called Us Enemy, the narrator talks about his experience with his family who was forced to give up their comfort and end up in concentration camps because nearly all Japanese citizens in America were blamed for the attack on Pearl Harbor. In order to find a scapegoat, other civilians wanted to punish the Japanese because they believed that all of them were loyal to the Japanese leader and would someday betray America. When they were proven wrong, the Japanese survivors were paid with an apology, medals for the war heroes, and money. All of that trauma was traded with money in compensation, yet their white neighbors obviously didn’t instantly accept these Asians back into their societies. Sound familiar? As mentioned, those who don’t recognize their mistakes tend to allow history to repeat and cause the same hateful acts. An example is September 11, 2001 when a majority of the Muslim Americans were labeled as “terrorists” since an Islamic group was the cause of the hijacking attack. It’s a simple case; lots of stubborn Americans ignore the root of this problem of racism. They try to defend themselves when they are shown with evidence and data that they were in the wrong, yet are so quick to hate on others (shown where white Americans responded to BLM with ALM, or ALL Lives Matter, as if all people including white citizens are in risk of being discriminated against and attacked simply because of their race). As such ignorant people try to teach others and their children such negative stereotypes of the minorities, this is what causes history to continue in this cycle.

Therefore racism should not at all be tolerated, but it’s not that easy to solve for everyone. There will be stereotypes that people unconsciously think of when they come across people of different races because they were taught as a kid that other races were bad people. Eventually those nasty thoughts could lead to bullying and horrendous actions that lack reason. This is why I have drawn a simple comic page of my own to bring awareness to such bias against minorities that could occur at school.

I drew this because it brings awareness to racism at school and connects to They Called Us Enemy. It represents a kid who’s being bullied at school simply because of their race. In the first panel, it shows how they were trapped in a locker by the other kids who made fun of their ethnic characteristics, which leads to the second panel on the bottom left. When a person gets made fun of because of their natural features, they can start to become insecure and want to change themselves. It shows an evil, cracked mirror and it represents how victims of harassment tend to hate themselves as a result. As a kid growing up, there was no way that I wouldn’t have noticed Asians being laughed at for having smaller, almond-shaped eyes. In 2020, it became a makeup trend to draw eyeliner in a way to have such sleek “fox eyes” and especially pull back their eyes with their hands. It’s not just to show off their full eye makeup, but it’s a racist action. Yet, as a kid I remember being assumed different races because of my eyes. It made me uncomfortable, as if I’m NOT supposed to look the way I do. As a result, some of these students who are bullied for their race might try to avoid their culture and fall for those spiky traps of those haters in the center panel. The only thing this leads to is a crisis about their identity, represented in that top right panel. A huge wave of confusion might come crashing down. One shouldn’t try to change themselves to fit in with a majority because still, they won’t be viewed the same by everyone; it’s simply not worth it. So as the character in my comic page tries to allow their gorgeous, colorful identity shine through the constricted locker they’re put in, the bell rings at this moment and all students get back to class, ignoring such violence and bullying against their fellow classmate.

If there’s one way to stop history from repeating itself with all of these racist acts caused by mass hysteria, it’s to educate yourself and those around you. Take action today and recognize the harmful influences in your environment that formed your opinions on such issues. How will YOU contribute to break the silence?