Several gunshots in Atlanta this week once again touched the sensitive nerves of the Asian American community. In fact, the number of hate incidents against Asians in the United States during the pandemic has exploded compared to previous years. On the 18th local time, the US Congress held its first anti-discrimination hearing against Asians in more than three decades. However, the meeting did not take long to change.
Comprehensive US media reported on the 18th that the hearing held by the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, aimed at responding to the surge in discrimination and violence against Asian Americans during the epidemic, was finalized as early as the Atlanta shooting on the 16th. Anti-discrimination against Asians was supposed to be discussed, but Rep. Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, insisted on adding anti-China rhetoric. In his speech, he first logically concluded that the hearings might harm freedom of speech, and then attacked China on the topic of the new crown epidemic for no reason, calling China a "bad person". The remarks drew accusations from many Asian-American lawmakers, "We will not let you cover up our voices."
Although a shooting case has once again aroused the attention of all walks of life in the United States about discrimination against Asians, the US media believes that these problems have not been properly resolved compared to thirty years ago. Some Asian-American lawmakers pessimistically said that even if the epidemic ends, this phenomenon will not disappear.
Business Insider reports: At an anti-discrimination asian-American hearing, Roy complained about China
Anti-discrimination Asian-American hearings, Republicans added anti-China remarks
Not long after the opening of such an anti-discrimination hearing against Asians, Roy was forced to add anti-China rhetoric, which the Huffington Post described as a complete confusion in his thinking after calling the shooting a "tragedy."
He began by showing his "divine logic" that anti-discrimination against Asians would restrict free speech. Roy said he was "deeply concerned" about the hearing because it "seemed to want to risk regulating speech in a free-speech society, which was both "out of touch with the rule of law" and could not really get rid of the "bad guys."
"There's an old Texan saying, tie all the bad guys to oak trees with all the ropes." Quoting a Texas saying describing lynchings, the Republican lawmaker said, "We who value justice should do this and arrest the bad guys." ”
Immediately after, Roy turned the conversation to China without warning: "I think they [China] are the bad guys." Roy charged China with false charges such as "stealing intellectual property," "increasing its military power to disrupt the Pacific," and "covering up the truth about the virus." Roy's explanation of hard-hitting the arguments, which have nothing to do with the subject of the hearing, is also rather absurd: "Once we started regulating speech, we became the object of our condemnation and did the things that we had condemned China for doing." ”
Screenshot of Roy NBC video at the hearing that day
Linking anti-discrimination against Asians with the suppression of free speech, trying to glorify lynchings, and even unprovoked speculation in China, Roy's "clean" brain circuit immediately caused dissatisfaction among many people from both parties.
Rep. Grace Meng, a Chinese-American Democrat from New York, slammed, "This hearing is to address the hurt and pain in our community, to find a solution, and we will not let you cover up our voices." ”
Rep. Ted Lieu, a Chinese-American member of the California Democratic Party, joined the line of lashing, tweeting his displeasure with Roy's glorification of lynching remarks because the United States has historically carried out large-scale lynchings of immigrants from China. NBC speculates that Mr. Liu is referring to a tragedy that occurred more than a century ago. In 1871, there was a massacre of Chinese immigrants in Los Angeles, and at least 17 people were hanged.
"I just hope he doesn't say that again." Liu Yunping wrote.
Asian lawmaker Liu Yunping tweeted back against Roy
Roy's remarks even sparked resentment among Republicans. Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan said Roy's words were undoubtedly "embarrassing" to Republicans. "This is the first time I've heard a comment like this, and frankly, it's shameful and disgusting." Hogan said it was "unacceptable" and "embarrassing" to associate Roy's opposition to China's views with violent racism.
Despite the criticism he received from many sides, Roy had no remorse. He defended himself in a statement sent to the ABC on the 18th, once again involving China. Roy claimed he "would not apologize" and that his remarks were meant to "restore order by rooting out evil elements" and "prevent the United States from becoming a country like China." ”
Several Asian-American lawmakers have called for legislation against discrimination against Asians
This week's shooting in Atlanta killed eight people, six of whom were Asians, exposing a social ill that systematically discriminates against Asian-American groups in the United States. Especially after the outbreak of the epidemic last year, the number of violent attacks against Asians in the United States has increased significantly, triggering panic and protests among Asians across the United States.
According to the Forbes website reported on March 18, according to the latest report released by the anti-Asian discrimination non-profit organization "Stop AAPI Hate" on the 16th, in the nearly one year of the new crown epidemic, more than 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents were reported in the United States, including physical attacks and verbal denigration, more than 1,000 higher than the previous year.
White House press spokesman Psaki responded to relevant questions on the 17th, blaming the previous Trump administration. Psaki said he had seen some damaging remarks during his previous administration, such as accusations of calling the coronavirus 'Wuhan virus' or other names, leading to inaccurate, unfair perceptions of the Asian-American community and heightening threats against Asian-Americans.
At the hearing on the 18th, Representative Doris Matsui, Democrat of California, Rep. Grace Meng of Chinese Descent in New York State, and Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, and other Asian-American lawmakers proved to the hearing that the Discrimination and Unfair Treatment Faced by the Asian Community.
Meng Zhaowen said that the Asian community has been battling discrimination for more than a year, and discriminatory remarks such as "China virus" and "kung fu virus" have not only fueled racism, but also caused asian communities to worry about their own safety.
Chinese Rep. Meng Zhaowen Source: Wikipedia
Lawmakers such as Rep. Judy Chu of California also mentioned that Congress should push for legislation on anti-hate bills and further improve hate crime reporting in terms of language to better serve the Asian-American immigrant community that is less familiar with English.
"USA Today" mentioned on the 18th that Asian-American lawmakers had proposed legislation against discrimination against Asians in the previous Congress, but in addition to the House of Representatives passing a non-binding resolution condemning the act, no bill was finally passed into law.
"Congress must pass the Hate Act to address hate crime timing and ensure that these incidents are tracked and dealt with." Zhao Meixin said, "Only by uniting can we overcome this hatred." ”
"Violence against Asians will not go away after the pandemic is over"
The hearing on the 18th was also the first anti-discrimination hearing held by Congress in more than three decades. The last meeting dates back to 1987.
"This hearing is long overdue." Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said at the meeting that "34 years is too long for Congress to continue to let this issue go unchecked." Especially during the pandemic, this threatens the livelihoods and even the lives of [Asian-American groups]. USA Today points out that even decades later, today's Asian-American lawmakers still face many of the same problems.
For example, the husband of Rep. Doris Matsui, a Democrat of California, who attended the hearing, attended the 1987 hearing. The question he posed at the hearing was very similar to today's — "For language barriers or other reasons, there are a lot of Asian-Americans whose plight goes unnoticed by hate crime reports." ”
The report shows that there have been 3,800 anti-Asian incidents in the United States in the past year, with twice as many women as men
At the hearing, Asian-American Congressman Daniel Dae Kim called for members of Congress to stand with Asian-Americans. "Although I may not be able to persuade everyone to support us now, I hope that (MPs) will not put up a partisan posture on this issue because we need allies."
"The United States has a long history of anti-Asian racism and violence." Erika Lee, an Asian-American professor in Minnesota, said that although the hearing was scheduled before the Atlanta shooting, the case made it "more important."
"Events across the U.S. are not isolated, and they don't disappear immediately after the pandemic is over." Erica Lee said.
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