4.29... Where were you?

Photo credit: http://www.liu.edu/cwis/cwp/library/african/2000/1990.htm

I just read about the 1992 Los Angeles riots on Wikipedia after reading an article titled "Where were you on 4.29?" posted on KoreAm. Just like the author wrote, I, too, was very afraid of being Korean and I never felt more Korean. Where was I on 4/29/1992? It was a Wednesday so I guess I would've been at school or at home doing homework. I remember being in class and my classmates were teasing other by calling each other "looters". I didn't think it was funny.

I was born and raised in LA. I never left LA and am still living here in LA. While attending elementary school, there were plenty of Koreans. But when I went to junior high, I was 1 out of 2 Asians in the entire school. But by 9th grade, there were several more Koreans at the school but it wouldn't even total 20. I would say, the Asians wouldn't have even been 50 total. The majority were Caucasians, hispanics, and African-Americans. I attended a magnet school. The non-magnet students were mostly hispanics and African-Americans. The magnet students were mostly Caucasians, later were Asians and Caucasians. I was afraid in the morning, while waiting for the school bus and in the afternoon, while walking home after getting off at the school bus stop.

All I remember is that it was f*cked up. The cops and whatevers let the riot happen and once they saw that they were going to spread into Hancock Park and Beverly Hills, they stopped it. Why didn't they do anything? Because the riots were mainly in Koreatown and Korean owned businesses. Sad thing is, most Koreans did not have insurance. They had come to America and were on their way of achieving their "American Dream" and it was burnt to ashes, just like their business. But when I was doing insurance, it was easier for me to sell them insurance because I remind them of the riots. It's not only riots but it seems like that story alone convinces them that they need proper and adequate insurance.

Where were YOU on 4/29/1992?
Were you afraid of being a Korean?