UCLA Students Triggers Firestorm With Anti-Asian Video

Alexandra Wallace has caused a firestorm of controversy and recrimination after she posted a Youtube video denouncing “Asians in the library.” The original video is below. The tirade attacks Asian students for talking on cellphones and even having their elderly parents show up on weekends to do their clothes and cook their food. The question is whether Wallace should be punished by UCLA, which is looking into the matter.

In the video, Wallace chastises Asians for bad manners on cellphones. She ends the video with “thanks for listening, have a nice day.”

The article below says that “[s]he is listed on examiner.com as an LA Style Examiner, where she is described as ‘an economics student at UCLA, with a passion for recession-friendly fashion.'” It further quotes a description of “[h]er background working in the beauty industry, along with modeling experience has given her insight into what looks great on the individual.”

Wallace has issued an apology:

“Clearly the original video posted by me was inappropriate. I cannot explain what possessed me to approach the subject as I did, and if I could undo it, I would. I’d like to offer my apology to the entire UCLA campus. For those who cannot find it within them to accept my apology, I understand.”

Wallace has reportedly received death threats.

There is some debate whether Wallace is a student at UCLA. In my view, it would be entirely inappropriate for university to punish a student for exercising her free speech in this way. While obnoxious, the statements of Wallace were made as an individual.

Source: Daily Mail

Jonathan Turley