Jack Sherlock

Reporter

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a slew of unique responses and attitudes from varying demographics across the globe. Within the United States in particular, the failure to recognize the pandemic for what it is paired with defiance to the safety guidelines established by the CDC has placed us on an international stage for observation by the global community, often resulting in feelings of mockery, ridicule and shame.

While this is embarrassing enough for those in America who are following guidelines and conveying solidarity during these difficult times, a much dark-er and more heinous outcome has been observed by social scientists since the start of the pandemic — a dramatic rise in Asian-American hate crimes.

New York City and Los Angeles are two of the largest cities in the country, both by population density and by the range of cultural diversity offered. Researchers from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism (CSHE) found that within these two meccas for diversity, there was a massive wave of hate crimes with the in-tended action of portraying an anti-Asian agenda from March and April of 2020 to the present day.

The CSHE provides a supporting statistic, showing that there was specifically a 150% increase of anti-Asian hate crimes within the past year, calculated by an astounding 3,800 separate incidents. Some are refusing to recognize this data from the CSHE as factual, assuming that the limited social interactions established by the CDC would actually cause a significant decrease in hate crimes across the board.

Per the same study by the CSHE, the organization offers a statement of rebuttal, explaining how hate crimes committed within other demographics across the country have indeed fallen, that is where the opposition is correct. However, these demographic differences of hate crime rates have actually “highlighted and created opportunities to witness the rise in anti-Asian-motivated hate crimes’’ by those outside of the CDC limitations.

In a separate study, Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and director of the demographic data and policy research-focused nonprofit, AAPI Data, explains that these outcomes are not entirely attributed to political rhetoric, but it was a “major role in fostering hate” in this amount.

Many witnessed the rhetoric used by former United States President, Donald J. Trump, when the COVID-19 pandemic first arrived in the U.S. and as it continued to plague the nation. This rhetoric was flooded with stereotypical jabs and racist, highly-offensive language. The terms “Chinese-virus”, “China virus” and “Kung-Flu” are just a few of the many derogatory terms that were used by the former presidential administration to delegitimize the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While this piece does not intend to be an active stance for or against the former administration specifically, the research shows that around the time of this kind of rhetoric being used is when the beginning of this rise in hate began to take off.

Moving on from the beginning of this rise in hate crime to the start of a movement in response, we review one of the most recent tragedies in America to date — the Atlanta Spa shootings, an attack that is up for debate on whether it was racially motivated or can be called a hate crime.

On March 16th of 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia, three salons were targeted by an active shooter. What do these salons have in common, you may ask? What was the motive? Well, they were all owned, operated, and managed by Asian-American citizens. While the motive is not confirmed as racially motivated by prosecutors, there were eight people brutally murdered that day and six of the lives lost were the lives of people with Asian heritage, identity, or status.

The echoes of this event resonated throughout the country and started “Stop Asian Hate”, a new movement that rose shortly after this horrendous incident. Now, although it is not yet confirmed whether or not this attack was racially motivated by the shooter per the law, the out-cry and call to action is mainly attributed to the disrespect towards those with Asian identity from the local police department in the area, as they say that the attacker was “having a bad day”. This poor statement was made by Cpt. Jay Baker of the Cherokee County Sheriff ’s office.

Active participants in the “Stop Asian Hate” movement are calling out the Cherokee County law enforcement captain for making “insensitive, justifying statements” seemingly in defense of the shooter and his motive. With further investigation by individuals all over social media, people tracked a post liked by Cpt. Baker that further established a history of disconnect and insensitivity towards the Asian-American community. The post contained an image of a t-shirt using the same rhetoric discussed earlier, designed in a similar brand and font style as Corona beer; the t-shirt reads “COVID-19, Import-ed Virus from Chy-na.” This type of insensitivity is condemned by political activists and justice seekers across the country, and they think there is no debate whether or not the shooter should be charged with a hate crime, even if the attacker was justified in his action by a law enforcement official with a publicly posted statement that is prejudiced and insensitive.

Following this event, the nation-wide cries for justice, action, safety, and advocacy are matched by ISU President Kevin Satterlee, who sent out a university wide statement on March 22nd titled “Confronting Hate, Racism, and Bigotry.” In this announcement, President Satterlee recalls a rather divisive and unsettling time a year ago, where we witnessed racial violence and further calls for action resulting from this violence.

Satterlee continues by addressing sympathies to the families of those who have lost loved ones in the Atlanta shootings, and goes on to highlight the environment we are expected to retain and thrive in at Idaho State University. Satterlee discusses how the principles discussed a year ago regarding the Bengal community and their expected response when faced with hatred, bigotry, and racism are “just as applicable today.”

Satterlee continues to say “This tragedy is one more terrifying reminder of hatred and violence in our nation directed at people because of their race, ethnicity, gender, or religion”, followed by a unifying statement explaining how we as a university join the voices of those across the country in their mourning, disappointment, and call for change.

To donate, become actively involved, or to remain informed on the efforts to-wards combating Asian American – Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate crimes visit an AAPI established organization page or profile today.