Someone you know might have thought of shooting someone else
Read and share the stories of Issue #192 today, March 20, 2026.
Rebels,
Today’s stories include lawmakers highlighting the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies on Asian Americans, a new study revealing that millions have seriously thought about shooting someone, Trump’s Pearl Harbor joke in the presence of Japan’s prime minister, the Oscars speech cutoffs that drew widespread backlash and more.
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Millions of Americans have seriously thought about shooting someone, study finds
A University of Michigan study published in JAMA Network Open this week found that more than 19 million American adults have, at some point, seriously thought about shooting another person. The findings carry particular weight for Asian Americans given how the community’s relationship with firearms has shifted in recent years. Researchers say the warning signs of gun violence are emerging far earlier and far more widely than reported incidents would suggest.
What else we’re tracking
Lawmakers sound alarm on toll of Trump’s immigration crackdown on Asian Americans
ICE arrests of Asian and Pacific Islander people have surged to nearly four times prior-year levels, and the situation on the ground is more alarming than the numbers alone convey. The question of who is actually protected may surprise you.
Model minority myth tied to ongoing anti-Asian discrimination in Houston, study finds
A new Kinder Institute study finds that nearly 40% of Asian residents in the Houston area reported experiencing discrimination in the past year. Advocates say a familiar myth is a big reason the problem keeps getting overlooked. The accounts from respondents are striking in both their variety and their frequency.
Asian travelers face longer airport lines, higher fares at U.S. airports
The government shutdown is now hitting airports, and Asian American travelers face a particular kind of vulnerability that goes beyond longer lines. The disruptions may be more costly than most realize.
Trump jokes about Pearl Harbor in front of Japanese PM
President Donald Trump invoked Japan’s 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. For Japanese Americans, the remark connects to a chapter of history whose consequences are still being reckoned with today.
Oscar producer addresses backlash over “Golden” team victory speech cutoff
The songwriting team behind “Golden” made history with the first Oscar win for a K-pop track, but not all of their remarks made it to air. The contrast viewers pointed to online is difficult to explain away.
First Asian American rabbi draws on life between cultures to redefine belonging
Angela Buchdahl, the first Asian American ordained as both a cantor and a rabbi in the U.S., speaks candidly about the exhaustion of constantly having to prove your place. It is an experience of exclusion, she says, that extends well beyond her own story.
China eyeing Rimae Bode volcanic plain for first crewed moon landing
A new study in Nature Astronomy identifies a volcanic plain on the moon’s near side as a prime candidate for China’s first crewed lunar landing. The science is compelling, but the geopolitical backdrop is sharpening fast.
Why read Issue #192?
Each of these stories is a thread of the same larger one. Together, they reflect the compounding pressure of being Asian American in a moment that is testing the community’s safety, belonging and visibility all at once. The crackdown on immigration is reshaping who feels safe on American soil, while the discrimination data out of Houston suggests that feeling is not new, only sharper. And the cultural moments, from the Oscars to a rabbi’s memoir, reveal a community still fighting to be seen on its own terms.
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The Rebel Yellow is supported in part by funding from The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). Funders do not influence story selection, reporting, or editorial decisions. All editorial content is independently produced by The Rebel Yellow team.