After being denied a meeting with the U.S. Army to discuss Lower East Side Private Danny Chen’s mysterious death, the community is now pushing for a meeting to probe the wider issue of ethnic-based harassment of Asians in the military.
“This is very important for the Asian American community in the United States,” said Councilmember Margaret Chin of the proposed meeting. “We are Americans and we love our country. We want to know that when we send our sons and daughters to fight for this country, they are not unfairly targeted by their fellow soldiers and commanders because they are of Asian descent.”
Army officials said that Chen’s autopsy report is not yet finished, according to a spokesperson for the councilmember. Chen’s parents have authorized the release of the report, once it is finished, to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez — in hopes that it will shed greater light on the cause of his passing.
Meanwhile, the army has returned Chen’s civilian clothes along with his watch, but not his cell phone or computer, which Chen’s parents have asked for as well. Purportedly, Army officials are also refusing to give back the military clothes Chen was wearing when he died — also contrary to the parents’ wishes.
