Before reading this kindly realize that this isn’t to uphold any race on a pedestal, we’re all equal and that’s the sole purpose of this article.
Although slavery was abolished in the late 1800s, its predicaments carried well into the next century and made it as far as surpassing the millennium.
Unlike common belief, racial injustice was never put an end to, that idea was quickly shunned following the COVID pandemic back in early 2020.
You my be thinking about George Floyd’s tragic murder, and whilst that’s a very vivid example of the injustice that consumes our society today, it’s not the only racial issue we’d like to shed light on.
Amid the Corona Virus outbreak in China late of 2019, people began to impose their uninformed beliefs and took out their confusion and anger when the virus was then deemed as a global pandemic March of 2020 on members of the Asian community.
Since then many members of the community came forward with statements of being spat on in the streets, aggrevated, assaulted and let go of their jobs ,because someone somewhere came to an understanding that Asians were the root of this problem.
That being said, Asian hate has always existed, the Asian community however, decided to remain silent and work with their heads down. That was relatively easy to do before the events of this previous year unfolded, before their culture, lifestyle were criticized, demeaned & made fun of, before their sole existence was considered a threat that needs to be eliminated & before they were subjected to full blast racism.
People immediately made the connection of Asians equaling the virus and it got to a point where members of the community had to clarify that simply because their heritage and/or ethnicity was Asian does not mean that they’re perpetuators of the virus.
I’m sure many might believe that these incidents were isolated & took place behind closed doors, much to my surprise, that wasn’t the case. It’s not so difficult to find a YouTube video or a tik tok or even an Instagram post in your feed that makes fun of Asian traditions, their foods or people who intentionally use a “fox eye” pose in which they’re perceived as beautiful and gorgeous, but to which Asians were discriminated again.
Race isn’t an aesthetic. It’s not a trend that you get to pick up. #stopasianhate isn’t to increase your post engagement.
You may think, that you aren’t racist, but in a way aren’t we all? We grew up in a society designed to teach us that white is good and anything else isn’t, stereotypes have been built to ensure that you come to an understanding that no race really equates the white race. It’s justice for all until the conversation becomes too uncomfortable, but it’s one that you’ve to have, because by refusing to be a part of the discussion, you’re allowing opportunists who benefit off of this injustice to take hold of the narrative. Being an ally doesn’t simply entail you posting Instagram stories or posts, it includes you reading up on how to combat the ideologies that were drilled into you as a child. It involves you acknowledging when someone makes a joke about (any race for that matter) and calling them out on it.
The assumption that all Asians are Chinese’s is equally harmful, by doing so you oppress the other members of the Asian community and devalidate their cultures and strip them down to their facial features, without any history, heritage or lineage. The assumption that Wasian (white-Asian) individuals are worth any more than Asian individuals is harmful and incites the perception that white people still have the upper hand. Sexualizing Asian women and promoting the “Asian Baby Girl” movement is equally harmful & degrades Asian women to their bodies, indifferent to their struggles and their accomplishments and achievements. Just like you learn the complicated names of white individuals, learn the names of Asian individuals alike. Asian people shouldn’t alter their name so that it’s easier for you to pronounce, they shouldn’t adhere their identity to please white people.
So learn their names:
Soon Chung Park, age 74,Hyun Jung Grant, age 51,Suncha Kim, age 69,Yong Yue, age 63,Delaina Ashley Yaun, age 33,Xiaojie Tan, age 49,Daoyou Feng, age 44
People with a life ahead of them and stories to tell and memories to be made, with grieving loved ones and aching hearts.
The Atlanta shooting victims serve as a reminder of how prominent Asian hate is to this day and we should not stay silent any longer.