Chiu: For Asian Americans, every day is a citizenship test

The rise in anti-Asian violence in Boston and around the country is eerily reminiscent of 1950s McCarthyism.

Last week, President Biden signed a bill addressing the surge in violence against Asian Americans. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which earned overwhelming and bipartisan support in Congress, will expedite the review of hate crimes and create accessible reporting channels. As an Asian American, I am encouraged by the good-faith legislative efforts, but I also know that my community still suffers from perpetual bigotry, exclusion and otherism.

Compared to last year, anti-Asian hate crimes have increased by 60% in Boston. Nationwide, there have been over 6,600 hate incidents since the start of the pandemic, from verbal harassment to physical assault. According to a new report from Stop AAPI Hate, women have reported these incidents 2.2 times more than men. I know this experience firsthand. Hearing someone shout “go back to China” as I walked down the street was enough to make me feel like I didn’t belong in my own country. When Asian women became the targets of violent attacks, I started wearing sunglasses with my face mask so I could hide my race.

I shouldn’t need to conceal my face to avoid being kicked to the ground. But the fear is very real and justified, particularly for the most vulnerable in my community. The elderly, who stayed in their homes all year to avoid contracting COVID-19, are still isolating themselves because it is too dangerous outside. In major cities such as New York and San Francisco, Asian Americans over 60 have been targeted and assaulted without provocation. Yet, legislators like Connecticut state Rep. Michael Winkler say Asians have “never been discriminated against.”

Asians have experienced significant discrimination for over 100 years. During the 1800s, Chinese immigrants were considered the “yellow peril”: uncivilized, immoral and unfit for entry into the United States. Lawmakers passed the Chinese Exclusion Act and Page Act, which explicitly banned Chinese laborers and women. These laws coincided with public hostility and hate, as Chinese Americans were routinely beaten and killed.

In 1950, anti-communism fear sparked racial tension. During the Second Red Scare and Korean War, Asian Americans were considered untrustworthy. The public, and even lawmakers like Sen. Joseph McCarthy, believed they may be spies or communist sympathizers.

McCarthyism is still alive and well. Present-day bigotry stems from the belief that Asian Americans are not American enough, an idea fueled by politicians who have trouble distinguishing the difference between someone having an Asian appearance and being a member of the Chinese Communist Party. During a hearing about racial discrimination, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Texas used his time to denounce the Chinese government and its role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kimberly Klacik, who ran for a congressional seat in Maryland, insinuated that being ethnically Chinese is unpatriotic and dangerous when she tweeted: “Mitch McConnell’s wife is Chinese. I just post facts.” And, notably, there’s also former President Trump’s continued and unapologetic labelling of COVID-19 as “kung flu” and the “Chinese virus.” By using such divisive rhetoric, these politicians have emboldened their supporters and normalized hate and xenophobia.

As the granddaughter of a woman was enslaved for years by the Chinese Communist Party, I am troubled by today’s social environment. How is it that to avoid racism I have to prove my allegiance to America — that I’m not loyal to the regime that persecuted my family?

Leadership from both the Democratic and Republican parties need to re-evaluate how their messaging gives rise to hateful behavior — and not just violence on the street. According to the United States Census Bureau, Asians are one of the least represented racial groups, comprising only 5.9% of the population, yet they’re not considered diverse enough for the purposes of university admissions. Similarly, the NFL can reject Korean job applicants because they are “not the right minority.” Asian Americans are treated as if they are not fully Americans, but they’re not treated like minorities either.

Asian Americans like me should be able to go outside without fear of being attacked. We deserve to be seen as full and equal citizens of the United States and, thereby, treated fairly in academia, employment and especially the law. Anything less is simply un-American.

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Rachel Chiu is a Young Voices contributor who writes about technology, employment policy, and human rights. 

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3fT0rJz