From the Boston Tea Party to current movements like Black Lives Matter, the Activism and protest have cultivated American society. The American people voiced dissent and forced change, which moved the country forward. Asian Americans have been at the forefront of some of these pressing issues, including U.S. intervention in Vietnam, political unrest in the Philippines in the 1970s, and racism and hate crimes in the United States. United. Asian Americans used activism as a tool to fight policies and practices that threatened individual liberties, both at home and abroad. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Vietnam War divided America into opposing forces as many disagreed with the role the United States assumed. Asian Americans felt particularly connected to the conflict; it was difficult for Asian Americans to see American soldiers killing thousands of Southeast Asians. Not only were Vietnamese soldiers under fire, but innocent civilians also suffered. Asian Americans, after seeing Southeast Asians portrayed as enemies, insisted that America's involvement in the war was linked to racism, and that the killing of innocent Asian civilians proved that Asian lives were considered less valuable than American lives. In response, the UC-Berkeley Asian American Political Alliance emerged in 1968 and included Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino activists. AAPA provided students of Asian descent a platform to discuss their political views and U.S. foreign policy and allowed them to influence other college campuses across the country. Although these activists did not end American intervention in Vietnam, they inspired other universities, such as San Francisco State, to develop similar organizations. Their activism contributed to the national anti-war movement, which may have impacted the American decision to withdraw from the war years later. Another foreign affair that Asian Americans became involved in was the political situation in the Philippines. Martial law was imposed in the Philippines in 1972, causing many Filipinos to flee to the United States. To support democracy and protect the freedoms of Filipinos, organizations like Freedom Collective and the Support Committee for a Democratic Philippines in New York were born. These groups discussed anti-martial law issues and other topics that affected Filipino Americans, ultimately prompting the United States government to withdraw its support for military governance in the Philippines. Activists in this movement were motivated by the importance of democracy as Americans and fought for the value of Filipino lives and liberties in America and abroad. Asian Americans were also active in raising awareness about national issues. Racism and mistreatment are recurring themes in the Asian American experience, and many of the notoriously racist events of the late 20th century may have had their roots in anti-immigrant sentiments. One such situation occurred in 1998, when Twin Cities radio host Tom Barnard included racist segments on his show and proposed that the Hmong ".