A Look at Asian American Studies - Emery McKee - Ryan Caragher - Emma Rohrer - Gabe Velazquez

Filipinos were seen as “’darkies’ that are born beasts of burden for white folk and members of a ‘darker world’” (Balce 60), in the eyes of white people. White society did not treat Filipinos as humans, rather, as animals that the US should get rid of. According to Balce, “[t] he rules of civilized warfare did not apply when fighting savages” (Balce 49). Lynching occurred, discriminating against Filipinos, as well as brutal attacks and beatings. Filipinos compared their treatment to the racial discrimination of African Americans in the US.

Today, police brutality against blacks provokes the BLM protest movement. The violence towards blacks is similar to the actions towards Filipinos during the early 1900s. Dijon Kizzee was shot 15-20 times in the back for suspected “bike violation . ” Police officers didn’t hesitate to shoot the black man dead because he “ posed ” a threat. Black lives today are considered to be as expendable as Filipino lives around 1900s.