Film's intense nature surprises audience

After a viewing of Who Killed Vincent Chin? sponsored by the Law School last week, several students said they were surprised by the fierce, intense nature of the film. The film, sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Law Students' Organization, is based on the racially motivated manslaughter of a Detroit, Chinese-American man just seven years ago, said third-year Law student Kam Wong. Wong, outgoing vice president of the Asian Pacific American Law Students' Organization, said the event's purpose was to promote awareness. "APALSO organized this viewing and the discussion forum as part of our goal to create Asian awareness at the Law School," said Wong, who coordinated the film's viewing and the discussion which followed at the Law School on Friday. "We are giving back to the Asian American community," he added. The film attempted to reveal both sides of a complex story. The work alternates between Chin's mother pleading for justice following the death of her son and Ronald Ebens' insistence that his confessed manslaughter was not racially motivated. Following the film, Asian-American United member John Fong led a discussion and role-play forum where students argued both the defense and prosecution side of the case. In his presentation, Fong wanted to highlight the difference between "institutionalized racism versus individualized racism." "[Ebens] still to this day has not served a day in prison." "[This] is the type of injustice our organization tries to combat," he added. Students said they enjoyed the film and the discussion. "The documentation was excellent. Watching it was sad, but meaningful," said Brad Enna, a first-year Law student. The viewing and discussion were organized to "make [students] more aware of the situation, and what types of things have occurred," Enna added. First year Law student Ed Park said he learned much from Fong's role-playing and discussion. "The discussion was well done and effective in serving [Fong's] purposes in bringing out the issues," said Park.