By: Rashmi Negi

Hate crimes against the Asian American community are not new, but the COVID-19 pandemic escalated growing tensions, further triggering hate. It can be easy to want to blame someone for everything that has happened since 2020, but that blame cannot be placed entirely on one person or group of people. Such terms as “Kung Flu and Chinese Flu” direct blame for the pandemic onto any person of perceived Asian descent.

There was a sharp rise in harassment and violent cases against Asians after widespread misinformation and other stereotypes. One cannot deny the systemic racism that could also be the foremost reason behind bias, discrimination, and hate.

A Shadow of Fear Looms over Asians
According to Pew Research, one-third of Asians reported fear of threats or physical attacks because of their race since the onset of the pandemic. Most Asians feared surges in crimes against their communities. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, eight in ten Asian Americans say violence against them is increasing in the U.S. The idea of normalizing racial bias or discrimination was pushed to the edge during the pandemic.

When a crime occurs, people often talk about the act but fail to see its full effect on the victim. Imagine people born and raised in the U.S. fearing for their lives or, for that matter, non-immigrants who come to the U.S. for studies or business purposes having a similar fear. Living in a democratic country with this anxiety in mind is unimaginable. It is time to unlearn the subconscious practices and habits people have been living with and learn to start rationalizing and questioning things. Start the conversation, because racial justice is in our hands to not burden future generations with social ills while living in peace and harmony.

If you witness a crime against Asian American communities, speak up and dial 911 in case of an emergency. If you want to learn more about Asian communities, refer to NAPABA.

Learn more about overcoming different types of abuse at GoARO.org, and please consider donating to help support ARO’s mission of helping the abused.

Source:
Ruiz, N. G., Edwards, K.,&Lopez, M. H. (2021). One-third of Asian Americans fear threats, physical attacks and most say violence against them is rising. Racial Bias & Discrimination.https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/21/one-third-of-asian-americans-fear-threats-physical-attacks-and-most-say-violence-against-them-is-rising/.