In an Ohio town meeting taking place in West Chester Township, a Chinese immigrant army veteran takes steps forward in order to combat the anti-Asian sentiment that is fluctuating throughout the United States.
The official stands up to the environment since anti-Asian violence continues to rise, this includes the incident of a mass shooting in Atlanta that took eight lives, majority were of Asian descent.
Lee Wong, 69, is a part of a Board of Trustees and decided to remove his shirt to show the results of being in the U.S. Army 20 years ago.
He stands up against the silence, for those who are “too afraid to speak out, fearing more abuse and discrimination. People question my patriotism, that I don’t look American enough, They can’t get over this face. I want to show you something, I don’t have to live in fear, intimidation, insults.”
“I’m 69 years old and I’m gonna show you what patriotism – the questions about patriotism – looks like. Here is my proof.”
With that, he removes his shirt, exposing his scars that have appeared across his chest. “Now is this patriot enough?” The reason he brings up this is to show the significance on how he got strange looks, alongside his patriotism being questioned.
The injury had been sustained at Fort Jackson, Lee Wong served the U.S. military from 1975 to 1995 and immigrated to the United States when he was 18.
“People thank me for my service. People are glad I spoke. West Chester [Ohio] is a diverse community and we don’t need that kind of rhetoric.”
He mentions this after seeing a rise in anti-Asian sentiment in his neighborhood and across the country, recently, there was a boy who had pulled back his eyelids when looking at Wong at the grocery store.
Wong tells Journal-News, “When someone comes up and says that to me, it’s like a stab in my heart. I am always considered an outsider, that’s not right and they are just getting bolder and bolder.”
He speaks up for those who have fallen during the Atlanta shootings and other victims under the anti-Asian hate crimes, hoping he will see the society that has lived before.
He tells FOX19, “Love one another, your neighbor, be kind, be gentle, treat other people with dignity and respect.”
You can watch his bravery here, in a tweet by @JimLaPorta that captions: “Lee Wong, an elected official in West Chester, Ohio & @USArmy veteran with 20-years of service, took his shirt off during a town hall meeting on Wednesday and revealed scars he received during his service. “Is this patriot enough?” #StopAsianHate ”
Lee Wong, an elected official in West Chester, Ohio & @USArmy veteran with 20-years of service, took his shirt off during a town hall meeting on Wednesday and revealed scars he received during his service. “Is this patriot enough?” he asked #StopAsianHate https://t.co/3nCwTlVGxD pic.twitter.com/0R1TX3MTtp
ADVERTISEMENT — James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) March 26, 2021