I went deer hunting once. And I never went back because of the racial tension I encountered. My experience in southern Minnesota was relatively benign, involving two condescending white hunters calling the Department of Natural Resources to check up on my group, which was Hmong, even though we had done nothing wrong.

The experience reaffirmed my stereotype that small Midwestern towns are bigoted toward people of color.

It also confirmed what I had heard about white hunters' threats and intimidations against Hmong hunters. I put these experiences into a short film, "Flight," about a violent encounter between Hmong and white hunters.

White hunters have a set of stereotypes for Hmong hunters: don't know the law, don't understand private property rights, can't speak English and can't be understood. In short, they see Hmong hunters as ignorant and not to be trusted. Yet, Hmong are allowed guns to go around and hunt just like they are. This represents an unacceptable threat and just galls some white hunters and landowners to no end.

Hmong have their own stereotypes for white hunters: stupid, disrespectful, racist and violent. I've heard stories from Hmong hunters that start off with, "Man, we ran into some stupid rednecks," and ends with, "they think everything belongs to them."

In the face of hostility, Hmong continue to hunt in order to maintain self-respect. They can't allow themselves to lose face by the disrespect of white hunters. Year after year they go back and say: "Here we are again. You thought you got rid of us."

We don't know what happened near Rice Lake, Wis.

But to me racism was the spark that caused Chai Soua Vang to allegedly kill six white hunters. The wrong choices were made by all during that encounter. Instead of politely asking Vang to leave or informing game wardens to make sure that he did, the first hunter called his buddies to surround Vang and probably threatened Vang because of his race. Outnumbered, racially taunted, and according to Vang, fired upon first, Vang didn't back down.

Instead, he reacted horribly.

The media have evaded the issue of race in covering the killings. Racism is a complex phenomenon with damaging consequences. Why bother with it? It's more convenient to deny responsibility for the truth and label the tragic incident the result of a "deer stand dispute," a "clash of culture" or a "cultural gap."

Most Hmong and white folks I surveyed agree the TV coverage has been "amazingly racist." They feel the backlash against the Hmong community was partly due to the media making Vang's ethnicity a factor without a proper context. If Vang were white or black, his race wouldn't be an issue.

According to my survey, Hmong hunters don't trust the DNR. They feel the DNR racially profiles and tends to back up white claims against Hmong. They don't report intimidation by white hunters because the DNR won't do anything. Despite denials, the DNR is aware that Hmong hunters face racist threats. If the DNR hasn't been aware, then it's incompetent.

Hmong hunters feel they aren't the only ones needing training to hunt. White hunters need an education in decent human behavior. Some point out the racist history of white hunters, citing the recent confrontation with the Ojibwe to deny their right to fish.

Some feel the Hmong community shouldn't apologize for the action of one man. The support fund for the victims was shameful and admitting to guilt. Were white people held accountable when two white men beat Vincent Chin, a Chinese-American, to death? In this pivotal incident for Asian-Americans, Chin was fatally beaten with a baseball bat in 1982 in Detroit by autoworkers who were angry about the competition from Japanese car manufacturers and directed their blame to China out of ignorance.

Most feel Vang deserves just punishment. But they also feel Rice Lake and other small towns across Minnesota and Wisconsin need to take a good look at themselves. Why is it acceptable in these towns to be racist against Hmong people? They owe it to themselves to ask serious questions about race and tolerance in their communities.

For its part, the Hmong community needs to address the violence many of its men are burdened with. Despite some white folks saying Hmong aren't assimilating — as if that would change things — many young Hmong men are doing fine assimilating to the inner city where violence is an option to solving life's problems, including racism.

See also:
Chai Vang in the Media
The Group Effect of One Man's Act
Minnesota Hmong Fear Backlash After Wisconsin Shooting

Letters to the Editor in response to Thoj's column

Va-Megn Thoj has it all wrong about shootings

I am responding to the community column by Va-Megn Thoj ("Stereotypes feed bigotry in small Midwestern towns," Dec. 29).

I believe that nothing — not racism or anything else — justifies the killing of six human beings and the wounding of two more. Va-Megn Thoj states, "We don't know what happened near Rice Lake, Wis." He then proceeds to write what he believes happened.

I believe murder is murder, regardless of race or any other factor. Even if one of the hunters fired upon Chai Soua Vang first, as he has claimed, that still does not justify the shooting of six people, particularly when you consider that some were not even armed and some were shot in the back.

I hope Va-Megn Thoj will sit down and read his column again. It's really not hard to see that he is playing the race card.

Gayle Cheesebro
Roseville

I understand that the opinion page encourages the open exchange of ideas, but I wonder if you fully contemplated the possible effect of Va-Megn Thoj's column.

It left me feeling as if the author was given a free hand to dishonor the memory of those eight people shot in the woods that day. He implies that they were racist without providing any supporting evidence. At the same time, a number of his statements could be seen as racist themselves.

The upcoming trial, I fear, can't help but be an ugly affair. But it will be made even uglier if columns like this, containing accusations and freely calling others racist, cause people to take sides.

Bob Barron
Willernie

Va-Megn Thoj is not helping the Hmong cause by writing his column from a racially motivated viewpoint.

He admits that he doesn't know what happened, and then proceeds to explain how it had to be the "white" hunters at fault. In his view, they were the ones who were rude, shot first, called their buddies to "surround" Chai Soua Vang. And because of Chai Soua Vang's race, they racially taunted him and caused the whole killing spree.

Furthermore, as a property owner and hunter, I don't have to be polite to a trespasser. The ones I've caught have faced my wrath, and I could care less about their race, color or creed.

Barry W. Tungseth
Stillwater

I know nothing about hunting or hunters, but bigotry is everywhere; in small Midwestern towns and large Midwestern cities like St. Paul.

Va-Megn Thoj wrote a commentary about stereotypes regarding Hmong people, and then exhibited his own bias and stereotypes of others. For example, when referencing the "racist behavior of white hunters," he indicted an entire group when, in fact, he was referring to a specific incident that involved white hunters. He also made broad generalizations about what happened in the Chai Soua Vang incident, even though he had no personal knowledge of what took place.

Can't he see that this is the same problem that he is complaining about — making assumptions based on a person's race?

Yes, the media have gone out of their way to sensationalize this murder, perhaps because mass shootings rarely happen in a small Midwestern town, or perhaps because racial innuendos sell newspapers. As a community columnist, Va-Megn Thoj should have used his voice to offer positive solutions or thoughtful insight, instead of more of the same from a different racial perspective.

Kathy Newman
Stillwater

Va-Megn Thoj portrays Chai Soua Vang as a victim of racism. This is ridiculous.

Va-Megn Thoj's statement that Chai Soua Vang was "probably" threatened because of his race is in itself a racist comment. Furthermore, he states, "We do not know what happened near Rice Lake, Wis." He then proceeds as though he knows what happened, insisting that it was entirely about race.

Language — not racism — is why many non-Hmong people distrust Hmong people and think they are ignorant. English is the language of the United States. When two cultures cannot easily communicate, distrust and misunderstanding will be the result.

Learning and using the English language will change things. It is up to the Hmong to learn and use English. The United States is not going to change its language, and that is not racism.

Ken Pilkenton
Little Canada

Va-Megn Thoj seems to have a chip on his shoulder regarding the Chai Soua Vang shooting incident. I have read his piece several times and have yet to come up with a single sentence condemning Chai Soua Vang for the crimes he is accused of committing. Instead, I am treated to paragraph after paragraph essentially excusing Chai Soua Vang's actions due to unsubstantiated "evidence" of white people's habitual racism against the Hmong.

I have no doubt that it is hard for Hmong people to adjust to American society. I'll even grant that there is probably considerable resentment against Hmong hunters in certain circles.

However, no amount of racism suffered by a single man or an entire race justifies the shooting of eight innocent people. I am not asking Va-Megn Thoj or the Hmong people as a whole to apologize for the Chai Soua Vang incident, but I am insisting that they unanimously condemn the unspeakable actions he is charged with committing.

Tom Bonnett
Minneapolis

I was particularly bothered when Va-Megn Thoj wrote, "Why is it acceptable in these towns to be racist against Hmong people?" He should have attended the funeral services for the six victims or the prayer service. At all the services it was mentioned that we need to pray for all of the families, including the family of Chai Soua Vang.

Did it ever occur to Va-Megn Thoj that five families had six members die that November day and that the relief fund he condemned will enable them to carry on until they can get back on their feet?

I can't believe that Va-Megn Thoj's column was printed. Perhaps he should have waited until after the trial.

Kathy Arneberg
Haugen, Wis.

Va-Meng Thoj cites racism as the only mitigating factor at work during Caucasian/Hmong interaction while hunting or fishing. I must disagree.

I'm certain Chai Soua Vang absolutely knew he didn't buy or set up that deer stand. He also knew he did not have permission to hunt on that property.

The Hmong are a very smart people, quick to learn, and are good workers. For the most part they have been well-received.

Let's try — on both sides — to get along. We all live here.

Dennis C. Kessler Sr.
St. Croix Falls, Wis.

Va-Megn Thoj got it right

Those letter writers who responded to Va-Megn Thoj's Dec. 29 column can't relate to his opinion because they probably have never been on the receiving end of a racist act or discriminated against. Chances are they never will know what it feels like to be looked down upon because of the color of their skin. Just because my skin is yellow, don't automatically assume that I can't read, speak or understand English.

It's quite difficult for me to imagine racist acts or discrimination toward Caucasians in the United States. Who in their right mind would discriminate against Caucasians? The fact is, the majority of Caucasians will never face discrimination the way the majority of non-Caucasians will.

I will never know what it's like to be a Caucasian; so don't pretend to know what it's like to be a minority in America. You've never walked a mile in our shoes. The sad truth is that I've come to realize that because of my skin color, racist acts and discrimination will always be only a shadow away. We will always be seen as "foreigners" who don't belong in this country, no matter what great sacrifices were made or achievements we've accomplished.

Tou Thai Lee Buafue
St. Paul

Va-Megn Thoj's Dec. 29 column hit the nail on the head. The people who live and hunt in the rural areas of our state think it is only for them; all others stay out.

Imagine if a descendant of European immigrants had been the shooter — would that have been the primary focus of the story? I think we all know the answer.

It is absolute ignorance of other races that keeps whites in the Dark Ages. I am convinced that many whites like it that way because they want to feel superior.

Racism is taught at home; that's why it still exists today and will always be. Keep writing your great column. As a first-generation American, I look forward to reading it.

Carl Despiegelaere
St. Paul