Ma Guiying, a Chinese female who was attacked, died in New York City on February 22, 2022. Few months ago, on November 26, 2021, the 61-year-old lady was sweeping the road outside a house in Queens, New York, when she was suddenly and violently attacked by a homeless tramp. After months in a coma, she eventually passed away. According to police disclosure, the attacker, Elysol Perez, had a long criminal record and had been considered a safety hazard by the neighborhood.
Chinese, who has always been associated with “rich” and “moderate” image, are more likely to incurred damage. The number of crimes against Asians in the United States has increased dramatically since the outbreak of the covid-19, which has further increased the sense of insecurity among Chinese.
According to NYPD data in December 2021, the city recorded a 361% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes that year compared to 2020, accumulating about 129 cases.
Hence, many Chinese living in American bought guns for self-defense.
“I support gun control, but not a gun ban.” Li Hai is a Chinese restaurant owner who once held a gun to scare off a homeless man. He is also a part-time shooting instructor and clearly feels that the number of Chinese learners in shooting is increasing.
In March 2022, Southern Weekend reporters interviewed more than ten Chinese living in New York, California, Texas and New Jersey to discover the AB side of the “gun ownership of Chinese people”. Just like the several xenophobic disturbance in the history of the United States, as an ethnic minority, the insecurity among Chinese never disappeared.

When Chinese started to pick up guns
It is a day in September 2020 when two homeless men broke into a Chinese restaurant and got into a fight in downtown San Francisco. At that time, several customers were disturbed and frightened. The Chinese owner Li Hai came from the kitchen to the lobby at the first moment.
“I rushed out with a gun. As soon as they saw the gun, they immediately ran away.” Li Hai said, “this kind of situation is very common to us.”
According to California law, Li Hai is allowed to carry a firearm in his home or workplace with a gun permit.
In May 2020, an African-American called George Floyd was killed in police custody. This matter triggered the Black Lives Matter movement that swept across the United States.
During that uneasy period, Le Hai often carried a 9mm caliber pistol – a Smith & Wesson MP Shield – in his waist while working at his restaurant.
Aside from running a restaurant, Li Hai is also a coach teaching marksmanship. Over the years, Li Hai has become a part-time instructor and provided shooting and target practice for students who purchased guns.
“From the beginning of 2020 to now, I have already taught more than ten seasons of classes, with about 20 people each. The trainees are mainly local Chinese. And according to my observation, the number of Chinese who learn to use guns is increasing.” Li Hai said.
Liu Rui is a member of the post-90s generation. After finishing college education in China, he immigrated to California along with the family and has already received the green card. As for gun ownership, his family was initially opposed to it.
When it came to gun ownership, his family was initially opposed. “They always believe that guns are dangerous, which can go off and hurt people.”Liu Rui said.
Liu Rui has been practicing at the firing range with his friends out of a natural curiosity about guns, and he is very familiar with the norms surrounding gun ownership. After the “Black Lives Matter” campaign, he and his family became increasingly concerned.
It reminds to Liu Rui that the number of thefts and assaults gradually surged on the news reports and online forums in the second half of 2020. A brand-new $600 handgun also skyrocketed to $1,000 when it is resold.
At the end of 2020, Liu Rui made up his mind to buy a gun. He successfully passed the gun permit test in one day and bought the first gun in his life – a Benelli pump-action shotgun – after the 10-day review period.
“I have a strong mind of pro-gun.” Liu Rui believes that, on the grounds of the U.S. “Castle doctrine”, the residence is the last line of defense. If someone enters without permission, you can shoot in self-defense. Today, with Liu Rui’s persuasion and encouragement, his family also goes to the range to learn how to use guns, just in case.
Since the outbreak of covid-19, there exists numerous cases of injuries against Chinese and even Asian groups. Under this circumstance, more and more Chinese in the U.S. are considering gun ownership.
On the night of November 20,2021, a Chinese man was robbed by three gunmen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Chinese man pulled out his gun and fought back, killing one of the three robbers and injuring one of them. The news of “Chinese man killed robbers” was reported by plenty of media.
Madsen has been in the United States for nearly 30 years and serves as the chairman of the ChongLou Association in American now. He told the journalists that in the recent years, guns are becoming one of the hottest topics in Chinese communities, and he often receives inquiries for help from his Chinese friends. For better defense, he stores a pistol at home for self-defense, but has not used it so far.
At the beginning of the outbreak covid-19, there were assaults n many states in the U.S.. The chairman of New York Taishan Association, Yung Yihui, told the reporter, after hearing that the Chinese community in Chicago used guns to guard Chinatown, many Chinese in New York began to apply for gun license and consult the related procedures. There are also a number of friends applied for long gun and short gun license at home.
According to the data published by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), nearly 40% of guns sold to the first-time buyers in 2020. Among them, Asian customers have increased 43% compared to the previous year.

“Covid-19 amplifies insecurity”
“I’ve lived in the United States for 47 years and always felt insecure.” Zeng Xianqiu admitted that he has a slight sense of being discriminated against in this country, regardless of where he lives or what he does. And the epidemic has amplified the sense of insecurity.
Zeng Xianqiu was born in Lianjiang, Fujian Province in 1950 and moved to the United States in 1975 with his relatives. Over the years, he has served as the honorary chairman and general secretary of the Fujian Association in America.
Shortly after his arrival, Zeng Xianqiu encountered the 1977 blackout in New York. Under the cover of night, a massive robbery crime took place. According to public data, 31 neighborhoods in New York were severely damaged that night, with arson and glass-breaking crimes everywhere. On Broadway alone, 134 stores were ransacked and another 45 were burned.
Zeng Xianqiu was robbed on his way home from work at a restaurant. As a new comer, he was deeply shocked by the chaos of American. “I did never expect American society to be in such a mess”.
The chairman of the Taishan American Association in New York, Mr. Rong Yihui, also had an experience of being robbed at knifepoint.
It was a winter night in 1998. Around 11:00 that night, he and his relative had just finished construction work on a laundry hall. As he passed a street corner, he felt a sudden chill in his back. “I felt someone holding a knife to my waist. And I didn’t know much English at that time. I just heard him keep saying ‘money, money’.”
His relative were too young to deal with such situation, leaving Rong Yihui alone in place。Out of the corner of his eye, he recognized that the robber was a young white male. “He looks like a Hispanic, short and fat.” Rong Yihui manage to calm down and took out a dollar from his pocket, emphasizing that he had only “one dollar”. In fact, there are more than a hundred dollars in his wallet inside the clothes. However, his sophistication subdued the inexperienced robber.
“He was so angry that he snatched the phone pinned to my pants, turned around and ran away.“ Rong Yihui said.
Zeng Xianqiu often goes to Brooklyn’s Chinatown to participate in community activities and gatherings after his retirement. On his way home, he always avoids to pass through the areas where homeless people gather.
“When we walk past, those people will mischievously shout at you, or suddenly rush over to you and dance. You could hardly guess his behavior. And the only thing you can do is to escape and avoid.” Zeng Xianqiu said reluctantly.
On the other hand, plenty of American radicals spread rumors about the origin of the covid-19 and incited the public to despise Chinese people. Some vicious consequences have already emerged.
Whether from the personal experience or the news reports, “there is full of discrimination and violence against Chinese and even the whole Asian community”, which makes Zeng Xianqiu feels pessimistic. Although he often witnessed protests and demonstrations by Chinese communities, but the issues had never been solved thoroughly.

“The laxity of the law breeds the soil of crime”
On Jan. 31, 2021, Li Hai’s restaurant suffered a night-time theft. Up to now, he is still impressed by the “big scene”.
“Around 2 a.m., I received an unexpected call from a police officer informing me that my restaurant had been smashed. When I arrived, I noticed that one side of the store’s floor-to-ceiling glass window had been broken, and there were crumbs all over the floor. On the other side, ten police officers with ten guns were pointing at my restaurant and refusing to let me get close, claiming that there were still thieves inside.”
At that time, the cops first took the restaurant key from him and opened the front door. Subsequently, a few police dogs were brought in to investigate the route to ensure there was no danger, and the officers went in one by one, and check inside and out.
It was still dark when the cops left. Li Hai decided to guard the restaurant after seeing the broken glass window. “Because I was afraid whether the thieves would return, so I took a shotgun and sat in the store until dawn.”
Li Hai later examined the items and discovered that the main damage to the store was the smashed glass and a few iPads used to take online orders. There was no missing cash or other valuables. In the end, the insurance company paid out approximately $1,000. As a result, the restaurant was forced to close the following day.
“The loss is not significant, but it is more tiring. Because, according to the ‘950 decree’, this type of thief, even if caught, will face no punishment and will not be imprisoned.” Li Hai expressed his dissatisfaction.
By passing Proposition 47 in 2014, California voted to reclassify property crimes under $950, reducing theft, shoplifting, receiving stolen property, and forging checks to misdemeanors. The lax enforcement of the law has resulted in “petty” vandalism, such as robbing supermarkets and smashing cars. Some car owners even place a “no property in the car” sign on the window, requesting that thieves be more generous and do not break the window.
In addition to the “950 decree”, California also passed a “recreational marijuana legalization” decree since 2016. Californians can sip soda containing tetrahydrocannabinol, relax in marijuana cafes, and enjoy home delivery services. At the same time, many people are still engaged in the sophisticated underground marijuana business.
Living in California, Liu Rui feels that these loose ordinances have definitely strength his sense of insecurity.
“In a rational state, it is easy for people to follow the basic bottom line of the law and avoid escalation if there is an argument between two sides. However, can someone who has smoked marijuana keep this kind of sober perception?” Liu Rui believes that these lenient ordinances reduce the cost of crime objectively, while increase the likelihood of impulsive crime by ordinary people.
From 2018 to now, New York State has phased out bail payments for suspects of misdemeanors and non-violent felonies, which means robbers can be released from jail on bail without being incarcerated.
Several interviewees complained that the circumstance that psychopaths wander around the city and attack the passersby are more and more common after the epidemic, which is inseparable from the loose ordinance.

“Afraid of being targeted”
It has been 237 years since the first Chinese landed on America in 1785. According to the United States Federal Census Bureau, the total population of Asian American is approximately 21.4 million, with 5.08 million of Chinese, who centralized in New York, California, and metropolitan cities.
Chinese people have participated in significant historical events in America, such as the Western Gold Rush, the construction of the railroad, the Civil War, and significant modern political and economic events, etc.
Generations of Chinese immigrants have rooted in the United States, inheriting the qualities of diligence and frugality from their ancestors and gradually accumulating wealth. Thus, they are usually dubbed “model minorities” in the country.
He discovered that some newly immigranted Chinese families were accustomed to placed Chinese-themed ornaments outside their dwellings or inside the cars. Spring couplets, Chinese New Year paintings, porcelain, vases, Guanyin, Buddha statues, and many other items are examples. Some people specialized in reinforcing their apartments, doors, windows, or installing security gadgets like they were in China.
“If you notice that the windows and doors are reinforced, then you may probably recognize that it is a Chinese family.” Madsen said with a laugh. When he and his family work and travel outside, they are often vigilant to avoid any “Chinese traces”. “We are afraid of being targeted.”
When the Chen En and his family first arrived in Addison, U.S., they were concerned about the security of their apartment. Many of the windows and doors were made in wood, and some even just set a piece of glass on a wood-paneled door.
After living for a long time, Chen En gradually understood this kind of culture. “The Americans has no concept of security doors and windows here.”
An African American rapper YG released his debut album, My Krazy Life, in 2014, which included a controversial song called “Meet the Flockers”. He began the song with a verse strongly offensive to Chinese people.
“First, you find a house and scope it out. Find a Chinese neighborhood, ‘cause they don’t believe in bank accounts……” The lyrics even suggest “You tryna get paid? Go take that jewelry box to the Slauson they’ll give you cash back in the same day”. A version of the song’s music video shows a number of black males breaking into a Chinese neighborhood, ringing the doorbell to learn that no one is home, then entering the house and rummaging through the property, finally driving home “loaded”.
A version of the MV shows that a number of black males broke into a Chinese neighborhood after rang the doorbell to learn nobody was home. Then they enter the house to plunder the property and drove home loaded.
When the song was first released, it received little attention. However, as the number of burglaries targeting Asian Americans increased, the song was perceived as inciting robbery against Asians, sparking protests from the Chinese community.
As a result, on Nov.15, 2016, when YG held a concert in Philadelphia, nearly 2,000 Chinese demonstrated from Pennsylvania.
Following the outbreak of the covid-19, there recorded an increase in attacks against ethnic Chinese. Consequently, the song was thrust back into the spotlight.
Under pressure from both internal and external public opinion, the American video platform Youtube uploaded a new version of the song in April 2021, removing the reference to Chinese.
The controversial song seemed to epitomize the stereotypes of the Chinese community in the United States.
“Using cash is kind of a tradition in our generation, and it did become a habit.” Li Hai confessed. Compared with the rapid development of electronic payment in recent years, the older generation of Chinese middle-class immigrants prefer to use cash. And they got used to store cash spare at home and workplace.
Chen En discovered that the majority of foreigners keep most of their money in banks rather than at home. Women also prefer inexpensive jewelry while insuring expensive pieces. Furthermore, many white American families have legal access to firearms. According to U.S. law, the owner has the legal right to shoot trespassers in self-defense and is not liable for criminal prosecution.

“Unknown, mysterious and dangerous”
Before deciding to own a gun, the majority of interviewees had gained extensive knowledge of firearms or were familiar with firearms in their daily lives. More Chinese people, however, believe that guns are “unknown, mysterious, and dangerous.”
Chen En lives in Edison, New Jersey (NJ), just an hour’s drive from New York. He lives in a community of over 100 households, about half of which are of Asian descent. His parents has lived here for more than 20 years, while he along with his wife and son moved here six years ago. “The security here is good. I have never heard of any break-ins in six years.”
At the start of the covid-19, when Chen En saw the violent attacks happened in New York and Chicago through WeChat group, he felt a little bit nervous, but the peaceful life in the town was unaffected.
He and his family had gone to a nearby gun store to practice, and it was his first time to touch a real firearm.
Holding the butt of the gun, pulling the trigger, hearing the sound, and hitting the shooting target are all new sensations for him. However, he decided not to purchase a gun eventually. “Considering the current situation, there is no need to hold a gun now. Furthermore, it is dangerous to store a gun at home.” In his opinion, metropolis is associated with higher crime rate, whereas small towns with acquaintances are much safer.
Wang Hao lives in Dallas, the third largest city in Texas. He is an experienced firearms player with a diverse collection of guns. “Having over 60 guns worth $60,000 to $70,000.” Unlike the other owners, Wang Hao has a gun permit and often carries a Glock pistol with him. “I will take it around the park, grocery, shops …… as long as the place is allowed to bring a gun.”
Wang Hao deems that the modern firearms is relatively safer, and the possibility of misfiring is very low as long as you obtained professional training. Moreover, a suitable holster will cover the trigger, which will greatly reduce the possibility of misfires as well.
From his perspectives, the reason why Chinese people are afraid of guns is that they are unfamiliar with them and lack of expertise. “Buying a gun and not practicing is the biggest worry we have as instructors.” Li Hai believes that target practice is also indispensable for safe gun ownership.
“As instructors, the biggest concern we have is that the learners buy a gun but seldom practice.” According to Li Hai, target practice is also essential for safe gun ownership.
Residents in the United States have a constitutional right to bear arms. However, due to the proliferation of guns, the debate over “gun control” has never ceased. “I support gun control in the United States, but I oppose gun prohibition at the same time.” Li Hai said, legal citizens is allowed to possess a gun after background investigations. However, if guns are all prohibited, law-abiding citizens have no weapons for self-defense while lawbreakers can acquire illegal firearms through lots of approaches, putting the former in danger.
A number of Chinese gun owners mentioned that the proportion of young people and new immigrants possessing a firearm is growing larger and larger in their community.

“What scares people is the unknown situation. If proper and safe guidance is equipped, I believe that people will gradually understand and the mystery impression upon guns will consequently fade.” Wang Hao said.

Translator：Catherine Zeng