rACISM AGAINST ASIANS IS NOT NEW

By Julianne Giordano, 2023

Published 4/06/21

In the wake of the Atlanta spa shootings on March 16th, racism against Asian Americans has gained national attention. Eight people were killed as a result of the shooting, including six Asians, and two white individuals. It is unknown if the shooting was racially motivated, but it highlighted the violence against Asian Americans going on in the United States.

Anti-Asian racism isn’t new, but has worsened since the start of the pandemic. According to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism (CSUSB), hate crimes against Asians have risen about 150% in 2020. The Coronavirus, which initially appeared in Wuhan, China, has been one of the causes of this rise in Anti-Asian violence. Former President Trump referred to the virus as the “Chinese Virus” or the “Kung Flu,” terms which are incorrect and increase the stigma against Asian Americans.

This discrimination and racism has been going on since Asian immigrants started arriving in the United States in the 1850s. In the court case People v. Hall, the California Supreme Court ruled that Asians could not testify against a white person in court. The decision stated that they are inferior and not developed enough to testify. This allowed for violence against Asian immigrants with no repercussions.

In October of 1871, a mob of 500 people in Los Angeles murdered and lynched 17 Chinese men and boys. This happened as a result of a shoot-out between Chinese men that resulted in the death of a civilian named Robert Thompson. All of the charges for their murders were overturned, and the discrimination against the Chinese in the city only increased.

The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese laborers from entering the United States, and made it so that Chinese immigrants already in the country could not become legal citizens. President Chester A. Arthur vetoed the initial 20 year plan, but then signed one that was supposed to last 10 years. It ended up lasting over 60 years, until it was finally repealed in 1943.

During World War II, many people started to become suspicious of Japanese Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in late 1941. They believed that they were spies working with the Japanese government. As a result, the government sent Japanese Americans to internment camps, where they stayed for the rest of the war. Families were crowded into barracks with very few of their possessions. When they were allowed to go home, they would often find their homes vandalized or destroyed. No spies were ever discovered.

These are only some of the instances where Asians in the United States have endured discrimination and violence. According to Stop AAPI Hate, an organization dedicated to addressing Anti-Asian racism, there have been around 3,800 hate incidents in the past year alone.

Racism against Asian Americans has been going on for a long time, but now we have the opportunity to help:

1. If you witness discrimination or violence against Asian Americans, speak up or report it.

2. Educate yourself and/or donate to organizations.

Stop AAPI Hate

Asian Americans Advancing Justice

NAPAWF

AAPI Women Lead

Asian Mental Health Collective

3. Sign Petitions. On the sites above, there are petitions that you can sign for free!