Asian American anchors eat dumplings for the New Year and are sprayed Netizens use the "very Asian" label to oppose racism

Source: China News Network

On January 4, the American Overseas Chinese News Network reported that on the occasion of the New Year, an Asian anchor of NBC News shared her custom of eating dumplings on New Year's Day on social platforms. Unexpectedly, some people commented that this practice was "very Asian" and racist. Subsequently, the hashtag of "very Asian Americans" sparked a heated discussion on Twitter. Many netizens have expressed solidarity, encouraging people to share Asian traditions and calling for social unity.

Comprehensive NBC, "Washington Post" reported on the 4th, Michelle Li, a Korean anchor in St. Louis, Missouri, has been engaged in the news industry for more than 20 years, and she has long been accustomed to negative comments. However, she was "very frustrated" when she checked her voicemail messages on the first day of the new year. One of the messages, she said, was not only rude but also full of hate and racism.

On that day, Michelle Lee shared traditional Asian New Year foods, listing cowpeas, pork, green vegetables and corn bread that people thought would bring good luck, adding: "I also ate dumplings. A lot of South Koreans do that. ”

That night, Michelle Lee received a voice message. The message said " I was offended. If a white anchor says that white people eat some kind of traditional food on New Year's Day, people will feel out of place. And you're acting very Asian. You can hide korean traditions in your heart. If a white person says so, they will be fired. ”

Subsequently, the video of Michelle Lee listening to the message was uploaded to social media and quickly fermented, with more than 3 million hits, 13,000 retweets, and thousands of likes. In response to the tweet, which has garnered national attention, Michelle Lee said she wanted to have a "sincere conversation" with the commenter, and maybe they could bridge their differences with a bowl of dumplings.

"I don't think a single individual can define America." Michelle Lee said, "Our experiences are both different and similar, and all of them should be respected." ”

Michelle Lee said she talks about dumplings to get other people to understand groups outside of herself.

In the face of this racist message, Twitter netizens set off a wave of support for the Asian tradition.

"People started sharing pictures of their families, and pictures of the New Year's feast, and they used the hashtag #VeryAsian to express their views and call for support and solidarity." Michelle Lee said: "I really think that this message with racism ends up being a real gift. ”

Dozens of journalists, activists and celebrities also stood up for Michelle Lee for the audience's racist remarks.

Michelle Lee noted that the incident came at a time when violence against Asians across the United States had reached record levels.

"It's an atmosphere that scares me." She said, "I'm still very cautious about where I go and the people I walk with, and I hate that — I have to change my behavior based on the behavior of other people." ”

Michelle Lee's television station said in a statement: "Here, we welcome diversity in our employees, encourage diversity in the stories we tell, and respect the diversity of the communities in which we operate. We will continue to support Michelle and encourage diversity and inclusion. (End)