Kevin Kim, a Korean-American student at Virginia Tech, has been hearing from family members who were concerned about the mass shooting — and what may come.

"I have been hearing from friends and family members who are afraid there will be a backlash against Koreans like there was against Muslims after 9/11," the 21-year-old senior and biochemistry major from Fairfax, Va., said Wednesday. "My mother has told me to keep a low profile, but she is always overprotective."

The news that the murderer of 32 people Monday was South Korean-born Cho Seung-Hui has added a layer of complexity to the tragedy here for Asian and Asian-American students. Some fear, even within the confines of a multicultural and inclusive college town, a stigma will migrate from the killer to a whole community.

Hyunsun Do, 30, a graduate student in engineering and mechanical science who is Korean, said, "I have been hearing from many people in Korea. They are worried for me and worried about how Koreans will be treated. This is a very big story in Korea as well." [Link]