Understanding Asian American Hate Crimes and Ways to Help

Since the onset of COVID-19, Asian Americans have had an uptick in hate crimes, most notably that which occurred on March 17th in Atlanta where a 21-year-old white man killed six Asian American women. There has, however, been much debate over what exactly constitutes a racially-charged hate crime. In order to be legally classified as such, the perpetrator has to explicitly mention or signal that he or she is committing the crime out of hatred for a certain demographic group, a component that has yet been seen in most of the Asian American-targetted crimes in the country as of late. Yet, one cannot help but notice the rising coincidence of Asian Americans being the victims of these crimes. For example, a man clubbed an Asian American woman after taunting her that “Asians have to be put back in their place” back in January 2021 in Seattle. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino also released the data that anti-Asian hate crimes have risen 149% in 2020 in major American cities.

Unsurprisingly, this hostility towards Asians stems from the fact that COVID-19 first started in Asia. President Trump’s usage of the “China virus” and “Kung Fu” further solidified the connection between Asian Americans and disease. It is interesting to note that unlike other racially-charged hate crimes, anti-Asian hate crimes have more non-white perpetrators; 26% to be exact are non-whites. In the midst of the economic recession that is COVID-19, Asians also serve as a source of scapegoat because of the model-minority myth, where Asians are collectively casted as being economically successful.

There are a couple of ways that we can actually help to combat anti-Asian hate crimes, however. Below are some ideas:

1) Promote Asian Americans to positions of power within the business and political sectors. If we have more Asian representation in this country’s leadership, then it is easier for the general public to see Asians as Americans, which could then lead to a decrease in violence.

2) Build connection between the Asian American community and that of other races. The social scientist Gordon Allport said that interaction between people from different backgrounds can mend prejudice and conflict given that they have suport from the authorities, equity, and interdependence. Communication on such a level can be achieved through public events or in an educational seetting.

3) Break down stereotypes. One of the biggest stereotypes Asian Americans have is the model-minority myth, but in reality, there are many Asian Americans who struggle educationally and economically, specifically those from Southern Asia. When society paints Asian Americans as being the model-minority, that deters the individuals from that community from seeking the help and resources they need. One solid way to destroy these stereotypes is through television. If the media can paint the many nuances of Asian Americans, then we can achieve peace and better understanding. In addition, we can break down stereotypes by seeing the

individual behind the stereotypes. There are over 20 million Asian Americans, all with their own sets of unique personalities.

4) Partake in perceptual storytelling. Asian Americans deserve the chance to tell their own stories without intrustion from the dominant classes. This helps break down prejudice as well as help the Asian American community feel heard. Media can once again serve as a platform for Asians to share their stories.

Works Cited

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-you-can-do-to-fight-violence-and-racism-against-asi an-americans

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/asian-american-racism-violence-1127876/ https://time.com/5947603/how-to-help-fight-anti-asian-violence/