Atlanta Shootings: Fears of Anti-Asian Discrimination and its Psychological Implications
By Michelle Liu | Illustration by Isabella Zee | Layout by Zoe Zheng
摘要：新冠病毒蔓延至今令全球變得愈加分化，暴力似乎無處不見。2021年3月16日的美國亞特蘭 大槍擊案引起了社會對亞裔人遭受暴力與歧視對待的關注。本篇文章深入分析了暴力歧視對亞裔人 身心健康的深刻影響以及舒緩此問題的一些方法。 On March 16th, 2021, six Asian women were killed in a series of mass shootings in Atlanta, Georgia. The incident sparked outrage both locally and internationally, and gave rise to a series of protests against anti-Asian violence across the States. While the pandemic is far from the first time Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) have been the target of hate crimes and discrimination in the U.S., it has amplified the problem as Asians are associated with the spread of the virus, as well as subjected to stereotypes and prejudice. Not only do these acts of discrimination threaten individuals physically, they can also have unparalleled mental health effeects which are much harder, but just as important to address in the long-term. The start of anti-Asian sentiments in the U.S. can partly be attributed to the ‘Chinese Exclusion Act’, a federal law signed in 1882 to restrict the number of Chinese immigrants in America. In the late 19th century, Chinese immigrants in the West Coast were often stereotyped as “degraded” and “uncivilised”, leading to the development of a collective anti-Chinese mindset within the country. Eventually, the term “yellow peril” was coined as the Chinese were considered a threat to Western values and public health. While the Exclusion Act ended in 1965, these stereotypes still persist in society. One-third of AAPIs reported experiencing discrimination before the pandemic even began. Additionally, the “model minority” myth – the belief that all Asian-
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Americans are successful, welleducated, and tolerant of racism –is extremely detrimental as the hardships and discrimination that Asians face are overlooked by the media and general public. In fact, despite the assumptions surrounding upward mobility, Asian Americans are actually the poorest group in New York city with 25% of the population living in poverty. They are also the most affected by unemployment during the pandemic – demonstrating that the model minority stereotype is indeed just a myth. These issues have been magnified during the pandemic as those of Chinese descent all around the world are accused of spreading the virus. The use of the terms “China virus”
and “Kung flu” by President Trump and the media, echoing the decadeold “yellow peril” rhetoric, gave rise once again to blatant xenophobia and unfounded hate plaguing the Asian community. According to Stop AAPI Hate, an anti-discrimination organisation, roughly 3,800 antiAsian hate incidents were reported just a year into the pandemic, with women and elders being the most affected. The persistence of negative stereotypes and surge in hate crimes could partly be explained by the need for an outlet in the face of unparalleled uncertainties and adversities – people are ready and willing to blame anything that can provide an explanation for their own misfortunes.
