Introduction
An outbreak of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans after the outbreak of the pandemic has led to thousands of violent episodes against members of the group. This situation is a consequence not only of long-term historical racism towards the Chinese and other Asians in the United States but also of the political course of the administration of former President Trump. Hate crimes not only lead to the further development of racism but also cause psychological and economic harm to members of the community. Thus, it is necessary to take measures that would have a long-term effect on the root causes of the phenomenon.
Incidence Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on social relations around the world, most notably in the United States. According to the data, 2019 marked the highest level of hate crimes against Asian Americans in a decade (Cabral, 2021). In the first quarter of 2021, the number of incidents increased by 168% compared to the same period of the previous year (Kutlu, 2021, para. 2). In March 2021, the number of reports of hate crimes reached 6,600, while in March last year, their number was almost two times lower (Kutlu, 2021, para. 5). It is noteworthy that over 40% of all incidents occur with Chinese individuals (Kutlu, 2021, para. 6). Thus, the reasons for the surge in the number of hate crimes are a complex of interrelated causes.
Historical Racism
The spread of the virus has been widely discussed and has been linked to outbreak at the Wuhan laboratory in China. Hate crimes are part of a long tradition of discrimination against Asian Americans as foreigners in the United States. In particular, during the Gold Rush in the mid-19th century, Chinese immigrants to the United States were blamed for unemployment and low wages (California Department of Justice, 2020). In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned immigration and citizenship for Chinese people in the country (California Department of Justice, 2020). In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, residents of Chinatown San Francisco were also blamed for the spread of smallpox and the beginning of the bubonic plague epidemic (California Department of Justice, 2020). These episodes laid the foundation for the current difficult situation of anti-Asian racism in the United States.
Politics and Media
This perception was further supported and disseminated by the media and politicians during the outbreak of the coronavirus. The situation has worsened since “former President Donald Trump and members of his administration often referred to COVID-19 as ‘Wuhan Virus,’ ‘Chinese Virus,’ or ‘kung fu.’” (California Department of Justice, 2020, p. 4). Thus, Asians living in the United States became a target for accusations at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the widespread perception of Asians as a general large group has led to hate crimes not only against Chinese but also against Filipinos, Koreans, and representatives of other ethnic groups. The current situation worsens the attitude towards the Asian community in the United States, which leads to the further spread of systemic racism.
Consequences
For many Chinese people in the United States, this issue has a direct negative effect on their quality of life. In addition to threats to their dignity and life, many Asian Americans are experiencing financial hardship due to an increase in negative attitudes towards the group. In particular, about 40% of Chinese people now experience a decrease in income due to job loss or reduced working hours (Reinicke, 2021, para. 4). This situation is exacerbated by increased spending on security due to the hate crimes for some Asian households and businesses (Reinicke, 2021). Additional costs also arise in connection with the inability to go outside for food, as well as the decision to move due to safety concerns. In addition to the economic consequences, members of the Asian American Community experience psychological hardship due to the violence.
Measures
Only legislation and a system of punishments can stop hate crimes. However, at present, “the law punishes acts of physical violence, but it doesn’t yet have a way to punish acts that leave lasting marks on one’s soul” (Stop violence, 2021, para. 10). Any manifestation of racism and hatred towards Asian Americans and members of other ethnic minorities should be punished. Thus, existing measures do not address the causes of hate crimes and entrenched racism. It is necessary to pursue a large-scale policy to educate the population about the needs of racial and ethnic minorities. Joe Biden is currently taking the right steps to control the outbreak of hate crimes, but the long-term influence is needed.
References
Cabral, S. (2021). Covid ‘hate crimes’ against Asian Americans on rise. BBC News.
California Department of Justice. (2020). Anti-Asian hate crime events during the COVID-19 pandemic [PDF-file]. California Department of Justice.
Edmondson, C. (2021). The House passes an anti-Asian hate crimes bill, clearing it for Biden’s signature. The New York Times.
Hutchinson, B. (2021). Asian hate incident data shows discrimination skyrocketing in pandemic: Report. ABC News.
Kutlu, O. (2021). Hate incidents against Asian Americans rise in US: Reports. Anadolu Agency.
Reinicke, C. (2021). How the pandemic and a rise in targeted hate crimes has shifted spending for Asian Americans. CBS News.
Reja, M. (2021). Trump’s ‘Chinese Virus’ tweet helped lead to rise in racist anti-Asian Twitter content: Study. ABC News.
Stop violence against Asian Americans. (2021). Fifteen Eighty Four.
Terrell, E. (2021). Chinese Americans and the Gold Rush. Library of Congress.