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Diabierna 19 Maart 2021
Asian Americans grieve, organize in wake of Atlanta attacks

that a Facebook account tied vigil Wednesday afternoon describe it.
to Cherokee County sher- in Philadelphia’s Chinatown Numerous Asian American
iff’s Capt. Jay Baker pro- neighborhood. organizations say Trump’s
moted a T-shirt with racist “After the month and year we rhetoric has emboldened
language about China and had, we knew our folks need- people to express anti-Asian
the coronavirus last year. The ed the time to come together or anti-immigrant views.
account was deleted Wednes- safely just to grieve and heal Nearly 3,800 incidents have
day night. Asian American and mourn and speak to been reported to Stop AAPI
activists say it undermines what’s happening,” said Mo- Hate, a California-based
public trust in the investiga- han Seshadri, Asian Pacific reporting center for Asian
tion. Baker did not respond Islander Political Alliance co- American Pacific Islanders,
to voicemails and an email executive director. and its partner groups, since
(AP) – Asian Americans Long told police the attack requesting comment on the As much despair as Asian March 2020. Nationally,
were already worn down was not racially motivated, Facebook post. The sheriff’s Americans feel, Seshadri women reported hate crimes
by a year of pandemic- and he claimed that he target- office also did not respond to said, the shootings also mark 2.3 times more than men.
fueled racist attacks when ed the spas because of a “sex a message seeking comment. a flashpoint. Following the release
a white gunman was addiction.” Six of the seven Mahmood said Asian Ameri- “Our folks are pissed off and Wednesday of a report show-
charged with killing eight slain women were identified can business owners in the ready to fight,” Seshadri said. ing a surge in white suprema-
people, most of them as Asian. Atlanta area were already “The way we get through this cist propaganda in 2020, the
Asian women, at three Law enforcement needs fearful because of incidents is together by organizing our Anti-Defamation League told
Atlanta-area massage par- “some training understand- like graffiti and break-ins. people and feeling solidarity.” The Associated Press that
lors. ing what a hate crime is,” said The shootings will raise that Arizona Asian Chamber of a significant amount of the
Margaret Huang, president worry to new heights. Commerce CEO Vicente propaganda included anti-
Hundreds of Asian Ameri- and CEO of the Southern “A lot of Asian American Reid is planning a vigil next immigrant rhetoric.
cans and Pacific Islanders Poverty Law Center, which business owners in the beau- week in the Phoenix sub- The anti-hate group said 10%
turned to social media to air tracks hate groups. “This ty parlor industry and food urb of Mesa, which has a of propaganda descriptions
their anger, sadness, fear and man identified targets owned service — these are often the high concentration of Asian in its inventory contained
hopelessness. The hashtag by Asians.” most visible front-line faces American-owned shops and negative references to immi-
#StopAsianHate was a top The gunman “was very clear- in the community,” Mah- restaurants. He thinks the gration, multiculturalism or
trending topic on Twitter ly going after a targeted group mood said. slayings have galvanized the diversity. The 522 physical
hours after the shootings that of people,” Huang said. Her organization is partner- local community to go be- flyers, stickers or banners in-
happened Tuesday evening. Being Asian American her- ing with other groups such as yond vigils. cluded the use of words such
“I think the reason why peo- self, Huang said the shoot- the Atlanta chapter of Asian “I think there is this whole as “invasion, deport, disease,
ple are feeling so hopeless ings felt personal. She is wor- Americans Advancing Justice outlet of this younger genera- illegal, infection and virus,”
is because Asian Americans ried that not classifying the to offer resources in multiple tion who’s passionate and has the ADL said.
have been ringing the bell on attack as a hate crime will languages, including mental the energy. They just need There were also seven pro-
this issue for so long. ... We’ve “absolutely discourage oth- health assistance, self-defense someone to step up and lead paganda incidents with di-
been raising the red flag,” ers from coming forward and training and bystander train- them,” Reid said. rect anti-China references to
said Aisha Yaqoob Mahmood, seeking help.” ing. For the past several weeks, COVID-19.
executive director of the At- She also cringed at the com- Meanwhile, from Phoenix to Asian Americans have ques- Meanwhile, Asian Americans
lanta-based Asian American ments of a sheriff’s captain Philadelphia, Asian Ameri- tioned how to deal with a re- are thankfully getting sup-
Advocacy Fund, which does who said of the gunman, “It can organizations nationwide cent wave of assaults — many port from many non-Asian
political and advocacy work was a really bad day for him.” organized events aimed at on the elderly — that have allies, Mahmood said.
across Georgia. The remark “appeared to be showing unity. coincided with the pandemic. “The path forward for us is
Many were also outraged trying to explain and justify” Asian Americans United, the The virus was first identified really just standing together
that the suspect, 21-year-old the suspect’s actions. “Hope- Asian Pacific Islander Po- in China, and former Presi- and making sure we don’t let
Robert Aaron Long, was not fully it was a misstatement,” litical Alliance and several dent Donald Trump and oth- these types of tragedies divide
immediately charged with Huang said. other partner groups held a ers have used racial terms to our communities.”
hate crimes. Authorities said Since then, it has come out
Idaho lawmakers target COVID-19 rules even as they get sick

goes,” he said. the worst thing. And I was of people infected with the
A major goal of GOP law- doing that before with just highly contagious variant of
makers in the Legislature the asthma and allergies.” COVID-19 first identified in
this session has been curbing She said a doctor told her the United Kingdom.
the emergency powers of the Friday the cough was from
Republican governor to re- seasonal allergies, but she de- Dr. David Peterman, a pe-
spond to things like pandem- cided to get tested anyway. diatrician and CEO of Pri-
ics. Legislators have floated “As soon as I got the result, I mary Health Medical Group,
several proposals that would packed up and went home,” said 30% of positive tests
restrict Gov. Brad Little’s she said. on Wednesday at the health
ability to make sweeping di- She said she had been persis- group’s facilities in south-
(AP) — A fourth lawmak- be able to finish business in a rectives in the future. tently coughing during the western Idaho were the vari-
er in the Idaho House of timely fashion. Republican Rep. Julie Yama- week but mostly isolated in ant.
Representatives has tested “Of course I’m concerned,” moto said Thursday she her office at the Statehouse. “The variant is clearly in
positive for COVID-19 Republican House Speaker tested positive Wednesday She said she never wears a our community and increas-
in less than a week’s time Scott Bedke said Wednesday, afternoon and immediately face-covering. ing,” he said. He said anyone
and just as the Legisla- before the announcement of left the Statehouse. She had Republican Rep. Bruce Skaug working at the Statehouse
ture is debating a bill that the fourth COVID-19 diag- been on the House floor ear- tested positive last week. Re- should be wearing a mask.
would ban local govern- nosis among his colleagues. lier in the day without a mask publican Reps. Lance Clow The Idaho House has 70
ments from requiring that Bedke wasn’t wearing a face- as lawmakers debated a huge and Ryan Kerby tested posi- members in all, and on week-
people wear masks. covering but put one on be- tax-cut bill. tive shortly after and stopped ends they typically travel
fore getting in an elevator in All four lawmakers out with going to the Statehouse this home to all parts of the state.
The increasing number of the Statehouse. “We’re re- the illness are Republicans week. The Senate has 35 members,
lawmakers out sick with the emphasizing the safety proto- who rarely or never wear The flurry of positive tests and two of them have been
coronavirus has legislative cols. We also want to be done masks. comes as health officials in out with COVID-19 but re-
leaders in the conservative by the end of the month. I “I actually feel fine,” Yama- southwestern Idaho are see- covered and returned to the
state worried they may not guess we’ll just see how it moto said. “The coughing is ing an increasing number Statehouse.