President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the growing racism and violence against Asian Americans Friday in speeches outlining the long history of racism against Asian Americans and calling on the country to treat Asian Americans with respect.
Biden and Harris’ joint trip to Atlanta was previously planned as part of the nationwide tour to commemorate the passing of the latest coronavirus virus relief package. But their plans changed after a gunman killed eight people, including six Asian women, on Tuesday. The rallies for supporters were postponed after the shooting which drew the country’s attention back to anti-Asian violence. Biden and Harris met with AAPI lawmakers and community leaders at Emory University.
Harris, the first Asian American to serve as vice president, said she learned Tuesday night that “eight of our neighbors died in a horrific act of violence.”
“Racism is real in America, and it always has been. Xenophobia is real in America, and has always been so. Also sexism, ”she said, setting out the periods of history in which Asian Americans were singled out, including Japanese internment camps she calls” self-evident and absolute abuses of their civil and human rights. “
Harris and Biden both referred to people in power blaming the spread of the coronavirus on Asian Americans as a cause of the escalating violence.
‘Asian Americans attacked and scapegoat. “People who are considered Muslims know what it was like to live in our country after 9/11,” Harris said. “For the last year, we have had people in incredible powers who have asians as scapegoats. People with the largest pulpits who spread this kind of hatred. ”
During the pandemic, former President Donald Trump often referred to COVID-19 as the “China Virus” and “Kung Flu.” He argued that the terms were not racist.
A recently released report by Stop AAPI Hate found that there were at least 3,795 reported hate incidents that targeted Asian Americans from March 19, 2020 – shortly after the pandemic was declared – to February 28.
Biden did not mention the shooting in Atlanta hate crimes, but acknowledged the violence that Asians faced.
“Whatever the motivation, we know this: Too many Asian Americans have walked up and down the streets and become anxious, waking up every morning of the past year and feeling that their safety and the safety of their loved ones is on. the game is, “Biden said. “They warn again what we have always known: words have consequences.”
Biden has asked the Senate to approve the COVID-19 hate crimes law, which requires review of reported hate crimes across the country and the Department of Justice to provide guidance on the introduction of online reporting systems.
“For all the good that laws can do, we need to change our hearts,” Biden said. “Hate can have no safe haven in America.”