The attacks in Atlanta on March 16th were not a random, isolated hate crime against Asians. Before the attacks in Atlanta, Asians were blamed for the spread of the COVID19. They were harassed and assaulted on pedestrian walkways, supermarkets and other public spaces.
A myriad of catalysts can be attributed to these anti-Asian crimes, which have disproportionately affected Asian women (68% of the 3800 incidents in 2020). From national leaders and countless social media posts that carry strong anti-Asian messages for the sake of political favor, to people chanting “China virus” or “Wuhan virus” over and over again and spreading baseless rumors for the origin of COVID19— the list goes on. Unfortunately, none of these events raised much discussion nor action, until March 16th, when this brewing volcano of anti-Asian sentiment erupted, taking eight lives in a single night. Suddenly, my social media was booming with Asian hate crime discussions. Even celebrities suddenly started posting anti-Asian crime awareness like it’s a new thing.
As part of the Asian community, I am deeply affected by this event. I was horrified, sad, angry…but not surprised. I, and many of my fellow Asians have experienced and continue to witness these anti-Asian sentiments creep into our personal and professional lives. The culmination of anti-Asian propaganda foreshadowed these tragedies.
When this type of discriminatory rhetoric is employed, whether in soft racial remarks or sinophobic news titles, I urge you as graduate students to start recognizing their implications and reflect on how they can marginalize people of different ethnicities who are otherwise very similar to you.
It’s easy to condemn a hate crime, but much harder to find a preventative solution. We must reflect on the reasons why these events occurred, and address the deeper roots nested in sinophobia, misogyny, and propaganda. As we move forward, be thoughtful, empathetic, and do not contribute to the hatred. Think!
Acknowledgement: I’d like to thank my dear friend and college mate, Chinh H. Duong for editing this piece.
References:
NY Times: Asian-Americans were targeted in nearly 3,800 hate incidents in the past year https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/us/hate-crimes-against-asian-americans-community.html
NBC News: There were 3,800 anti-Asian racist incidents, mostly against women, in past year https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/there-were-3-800-anti-asian-racist-incidents-mostly-against-n1261257
First posted on March 22, 2021
See also Asian Voices at Carolina April 6. 2021
Author: Shu Zhang, Biochemistry and Biophysics graduate student
Media Contact: Carolyn Clabo, Director of Communications and Development