Anti-Asian violence rising nationwide Professors, students and community respond to hate crimes

BY DOMINIQUE DUNGO

Hate crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community have increased since March 2020, causing the AAPI community to come together in protests.

According to stopaapihate.org, the Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council (A3PCON), Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA) and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University launched the Stop AAPI Hate reporting center on March 19, 2020.

Librarian and professor Michael Habata wrote in an email after hearing the news about an assault against an elderly Asian American woman.

“She was walking to church in Manhattan when a man knocked her to the ground and brutally kicked her in the head multiple times while yelling at her that she did not belong in this country,” Habata said.

Habata said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, discrimination and racism towards AAPI was exacerbated by the scapegoating and blaming by former President Donald Trump. “His blaming of the virus on China calling it the “China virus” and the “Wuhan virus” helped create the climate that existed when the pandemic started,” said Habata.

Habata said that racism and discrimination are so deeply rooted in this country’s history, and it’s difficult to have a multicultural society where systematic racism can be overcome.

“It’s important for us not to normalize hatred or scapegoating against members of a group,” said Habata. “It’s never okay to commit acts of violence and hatred against members of a community, whether it’s on racial, ethnic, gender-based, religion, or sexual identity.”

Habata said he wrote a resolution for the Academic Senate on March 22 in support of AAPI faculty, staff, and students.

“The resolution calls on all campus leaders including faculty and administrators as well as the student body to promote respect, inclusion, and a welcoming climate, and reject acts of hatred and intimidation,” Habata said.

Chemistry Professor Benny Ng said through a Zoom interview that it isn’t clear why people behave a certain way.

“Anything that has to do with violence is not acceptable in any means in our society,” Ng said. “Violence against any group, not just AAPI or African Americans, is unacceptable especially with the behavior and aggression.”

Ng said that the movement brings more attention to the issue and it has been ongoing for a long time.

“I think we need cognitive effort through different education to get the facts correct,” Ng said. “And for the law, legislation, and enforcement to really stop that.”

Ng said there’s no evidence that COVID-19 actually originated from China.

“I think that also has to do with the media, reporting, and how people keep referring to it as the kung flu, China virus, or the Wuhan virus,” said Ng. “That really gave a bet on notation or implicit implication and that belief got into peoples heads.”

Ng expressed the only reason the hate crime against the AAPI community is noticed and acknowledged is because in recent news, it’s more exclusive violence.

“Back then, you walk past someone who says something to you and it wasn’t to this level of crime to where they’re shooting people, pushing elders, and looking for the weakest victim to try to pick upon,” said Ng. “It’s just not the way it’s supposed to be.”

Ng says without COVID-19 and the Anti-AAPI hate crimes, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders may not have gotten that attention.

“We’re getting more exposure because now we are facing our vio- lence,” said Ng. “I hope things will get better.”

Pierce student Lauren Eldib wrote through email on how it is to be an Asian American living and growing up in the U.S..

“Invisibility is a word I would use to summarize the Asian American experience and the way Asian Americans have been treated by American society,” Eldib said.

Eldib adds that lack of Asian American representation is severe in politics, Hollywood, entertainment, and media.

“Us Asian Americans have few popular actors, singers, models, and politicians to look up to and see ourselves in,” said Eldib. “As a political science major, it is painstakingly obvious that Asian Americans are missing from politics.”

Eldib said that during the election, Asian American votes are rarely heard even though they are making up more of the country’s population.

“If you ask someone if they know an Asian politician, they may say Andrew Yang or may even tell you they’ve never heard of one,” said Eldib. “That means non-Asians are making laws decisions for Asian Americans on our behalf, and I think this invisibility comes from the assumption that Asians are quiet, docile, nerdy, and lack leadership skills.”

Eldib said that she fears for her mother, grandfather, and uncle who lives in San Francisco.

“Our voices go unheard and our history seems erased based on the extent to which it’s taught,” said Eldib. “Asian American oppression has existed ever since Chinese immigrants came to America in the 19th century.”

“They don’t even teach about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 in most schools in which Chinese people were banned from coming to America for years much like former President Donald Trump’s Muslim ban,” said Eldib. “I cope by educating and informing myself, friends, and family about current events and history.”

CSUN student Reema Haque spoke about the xenophobia and discrimination on Asian Americans in a Zoom interview.

“With the rise of hate crimes against Asian Americans, it’s not an isolated incident,” said Haque. “This xenophobic ideology has been happening for centuries and I definitely think what is rooted in this is white supremacy.”

Haque said elected officials have even expressed those universal big ideologies.

“When it’s from Asia, people are always so against us,” said Haque. “We’ve been called being dirty or being curry lovers and these stereotypes have gone on for centuries and espe-