Asian Americans Share Their Experiences With Hate

Six Asian Americans share their experiences of hate with Quicktake.

“Even though they're kind of subtle microaggressions, they add up like a thousand cuts,” said David Lu, Cofounder of Pared and Managing Partner of Hyphen Capital.

The Senate passed by an overwhelming margin legislation designed to combat hate crimes in the U.S., as lawmakers united to respond after a sharp increase in attacks against Asian-Americans since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 94-1 bipartisan vote responds to growing calls for action, including from President Joe Biden who pointed to last month’s shootings by a white gunman at three Atlanta-area spas that left eight people dead. The victims included six women of Asian descent.

While the bill bolsters resources for addressing hate crimes more broadly, supporters said it will send a clear message to the Asian American community that steps are being taken to curb an alarming increase in threats and violence.

“By passing this bill, we’ll send a message to the country that should be all too obvious by now,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat. “Hate crimes will not be tolerated and federal law enforcement will do everything in its power to detect, deter and if necessary prosecute crimes to the full extent of the law.”

The legislation requires the Justice Department to conduct a review of hate crimes, and to provide guidance to state and local governments to enable them to establish online reporting of hate crimes and expand public education campaigns to raise awareness of such assaults. It also provides grants for states to establish state-wide hate crimes reporting hotlines and improve their training to better identify and report them.

Its lead sponsors, including Democratic senators Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, said it could help quell increased attacks on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders over the past year. Backers of the bill cited the language of former President Donald Trump and some of his allies, who routinely called Covid-19 the “Chinese virus” or the “Wuhan Virus” because of its origins, for inflaming prejudice.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, whose wife Elaine Chao is Asian American, was among Republicans who got behind the legislation. Missouri GOP Senator Josh Hawley was the lone “no” vote.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would take and pass the Senate legislation next month. President Joe Biden has said he support the bill.

An estimated 3,800 hate crime incidents against people of Asian descent were recorded between March 19, 2020 -- around when lock downs started -- and Feb. 28, 2021, according to the tracking initiative Stop AAPI Hate. Most were verbal harassment and shunning, but 11% of them were instances of physical assault.

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[현우-hp]

Us eastern asians living in a pure western country and trlling them how they need to act towards us and live is a very tought argument. It just wont register and most of thr time just be laughed at. Our hardships is never taken seriously and many say our struggles are just minor inconveniences. Through this epidemic it clearly showed our community that we do not have any alleys and that we need to unite more than ever. It seems like we were doing good with unity in the 90s with social media outlets like asian ave xanga etc..we had our own culture, music and style but it all faded away as the rush towards luxury life became more and more dominate in every household separating us and migrating us more towards western culture. We ditched out asian american culture bottom line instead of handing it over to the next gen. We need to unite and create that culture we once had again. Asian pride is a lost statement when it was once exactly what it meant. Proud of being asian. 🇺🇸🇰🇷♥️

[TheBadnewzgodz]

It's weird because I've heard an Asian woman say you nigga when I asked what do you call a Black person in your native language. I was so crushed because I was the minority in an Asian owned business

[gulfwarveteran]

What the hell is wrong with people we are a nation of immigrants united we stand divided we fall

[MiMiLooks]

What about the hate they spew out??? They can be just as rude as they want to be.

[jakescherer]

This shit i swear... My grandparents and my parents had to deal with this shit. Everyone deals with it. I cannot believe we are in a time where people actually have the gall to sit here and whine. Either suck it up and deal with it personally or fucking leave.

This is like working somewhere and being singled out by your boss cause he doesn't like the smell of your breath... Would you stay working there?

[james]

It’s true: I hate them whining and playing the victim card 24/7💯🤮👎🏽

[vanni]

As an Asian I’m genuinely scared to go outside and I’m worried for my mom and dad because they are a elder

[harry]

The powerful. The people in power that can change the narrative such the ceos of entertainment industries and powerful sports institutions co owners and owners must listen. They need to understand they have a historical moral obligation to bring in new voices and faces and people that have been underrepresented for too long. I can name several dozen players and coaches and owners that are there simply because they are related to the person in power.

[extrasolar]

its an unfortunate result of an entire global condition where leveraging insecurities and ignorance onto others is a cultural norm. the process of trying to 'challenge' it has become an even more pathetic and counter productive example of ignorance and insecurity. the bottom line is that criminal cowards and scum responsible for illegal attacks and unjust offenses will be punished and will pay, regardless.

[fatbowe]

My father always told me to be my own boss 💯...
I didn't know what he meant at the time...this was in the 50's...I don't use a net to judge...etc...

[BurtBartlow]

People called me "shaggy" when I was coming up. Where's my pity party? Btw wtf is "othering" ? For shame. Life is tough and its up to you to not to be a victim.

[stevenkerstreven]

Not one of em blamed they mother land for causing all this.
Both for all the people flopping and what's happening to them because of all the people flopping.
Blame/get angry at the president of that country. Don't sit here crying to us
The banner said "stop china bashing"? Tf

[jamesdorsey]

I guess they are getting the picture of what black people go through every day for the last 250 plus years!!!😊

[cujfugvjhffhchch]

I was completely different I was completely in love with all Asian especially Japanese and Chinese I thought they had magical powers and I dreamt of going to the magical land those of the books are read .

[passportpookie-sftk]

Me love you long time is bad I got women my race who I wouldn't love long time tell me you love me long time im gonna want your number