March for Danny Chen - OWS Supports the Chinatown Community

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: 

Robert Lee 212.233.2154

Karanja Gaçuça 646 675 9324

Alexandra Boonekam 646 538 1193

aaacinfo@artspiral.org 

March for Danny Chen - OWS Supports the Chinatown Community

At an American Army base in Kandahar Province of Afghanistan on October 3^rd 2011, Private Danny Chen was found dead in the living quarters of the army base where he was stationed with an alleged gunshot wound below his chin. 

The US military has informed his family, a 19 year old from Lower Manhattan’s Chinatown, in NYC, that he had been beaten by superior officers and subjected to racially motivated taunts prior to his death. The military has said they are continuing their investigation. Danny Chen was laid to rest on October 13, and the family still has not received any report or explanation for their tragic loss. 

This is one of a number of recent cases of hazing in the military that has led to the deaths of Asian Americans while in service in the US military. Without strong advocacy, such cases are rarely covered adequately, except in the local press. This parallels a major problem that is now receiving attention, of bullying in schools and colleges that can have a lasting impact on young people lives. This question has now been taken up by an Asian American Initiative in the White House. 

The members of Occupy Wall Street (“OWS”) takes this opportunity to join with Asian Americans and the Chinatown community to march for justice for Private Danny Chen on December 15, 6pm.  Starting at the Army Recruiting Center at 143 Chambers St and marching to Columbus Park, members and supporters of Occupy Wall Street as the 99%, wish to demonstrate that the concerns and issues of all the diverse neighborhoods of New York City are part of what is real and important to all who are part of the OWS family.  Particularly for Asian Americans – the broad diversity of Asians in the United States, who have often been forgotten when the questions of justice and inequity are raised, OWS affirms our rich cultural diversity as assets, and wants to emphasize, that the differences of race and culture will not impede, but rather enhance the broad coming together of people for justice and change. 

OWS supports the Chinatown community’s demand for a transparent investigation, and the goals of justice for Private Danny Chen. The army and the US military must make clear what affirmative steps they are taking to integrate, support, and protect its soldiers.