WHEREAS, June 23, 2012, is the 30th Anniversary of the death of Vincent Chin; and
WHEREAS, Chin, a Chinese American from Detroit, was the victim of a hate crime, beaten to death on the day before his wedding by two men who stated he was Japanese and blamed him for the loss of American automobile manufacturing jobs; and
WHEREAS, Chin, ran away from the two assailants on more than one occasion, yet the two men continued to pursue him, taking a baseball bat from their car and beating Chin to death in the middle of the street in front of a crowd in McDonald's restaurant; and
WHEREAS, Chin's killers were offered manslaughter in a plea bargain and received a sentence of three years probation and a $3,000 fine; the prosecuting attorney was absent in court and not a single witness was called to testify. Subsequent federal civil-rights cases brought against them were appealed and the juries acquitted them without Chin's killers ever serving a jail sentence for the crime; and
WHEREAS, Chin's death became the primary catalyst for mobilizing for the first time people who traced their ancestry to different countries in Asia and the Pacific Islands for a unified, pan-ethnic Asian American movement bringing together people from all communities and walks of life to fight against discrimination and racism; and
WHEREAS, Thirty years later, the tragedy of Chin's death is an important reminder of the need for more education and dialogue about the challenges of hate crimes to move forward as more just and empowered citizens of our country; and
WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, the Asian Pacific Americans for Progress is holding an event on June 23rd with leading civil rights leaders from around the country to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the death of Vincent Chin and to increase public awareness of hate crimes and bullying; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, THAT IT HEREBY Recognizes and commemorates June 23, 2012 as Vincent Chin Remembrance Day in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, further evidencing the sincere support and admiration of this legislative body.
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