Stop The Hate - The Rising Racist Attacks Against Asians

By now, we know the horrible ways that a pandemic can lay bare the stark inequities in this country. Lately, with the surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, Asians or Asian Americans like any other white man, have also suffered the upshot that this pandemic has caused. Like everybody else, for Asians or Asian Americans, it has claimed jobs, houses, wages and dear lives. On top of all this-to make matters worse as if it wasn't horrible enough already, thousands of hate incidents have been reported nationwide, showing that Americans or Americans of Asian descent have been harassed, spit on and even stabbed.

This heartbreaking and horrific surge in violence against Asians or Asian Americans are happening across the US. Discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, skin colour, national origin, age, disability ( including having or being perceived to have been exposed to COVID-19 ) is never and should never be an acceptable behaviour. We are all equal and we have as much right to be here as much as anybody else irregardless of skin colour, shape of the eyes, cultural practices and ethnic origin or background we all came from.

Vulgar words and actions in this hate wave are meant to silence our voices and put us in our place. General dislike or hatred against Asians can come in many forms like direct slurs or persecution, in the form of connoted micro aggressions or depictions of Asians as being inferior in some form psychologically, culturally and even financially. There should be no space for hate and bigotry in our society against anybody. Not just Asians, but everybody else.

I grew up and was raised in the Philippines. Yes, I am a Filipina and a proud one. I grew up with people who look and sound like me. As a young child, the concept of RACISM was very foreign to me. It wasn't until I lived in countries like Saudi Arabia, the UK and currently here living in the US have I actually seen how racism happens-and it happens a lot. I personally am blessed and fortunate to have not been a target of any of these hateful rants (at least not to my face ) but I cannot dare say that I am free of this things from happening in the future. I think the closest to a racist remark thrown to me was in some form of a question like..." So, if you're Filipino, how come you speak English so well?" or something like, " Do Filipinos go to school? How did you manage to get a Bachelor's degree?" Who's to say? It may just be a matter of time, but I will not let that stop me from having my voice heard even in the smallest way I know.

To be treated differently, looked down upon, discriminated against and and sometimes insulted because of the colour of your skin or the features you were born with or the thickness of your accent is truly sad. And no one should ever feel that way. We are all human beings and we all deserve respect.

Months ago, the White House was occupied by a President that continuously and consistently used racist slurs and racist attacks to insinuate violence against Asians. However, now, we find tremendous hope from President Biden condemning and combat racism against Asian Americans-one of immediate actions the new administration is taking to address racial equity in this country. It might still be a long and ardous road to take before we can really and truly say that we have won against racism but every single step is a journey towards that goal. I understand that people are afraid and hindered by cultural barriers but it is about time to combat these cancer of our society. We cannot be silent about it anymore. We have to stop turning our heads the other way and start taking a more aggressive and less passive approach to racism and let our voices be heard ( in a non violent manner, of course )

Words have power, and I am using every word I've got. I hope you will too!

XOXO,

Karen