The pandemic has been tough on everyone. Unfortunately, more so on elderly Asian Americans everywhere. My cousin Leianne Lamb (far left top row), her husband Jeff Lamb (second from the left, top row) and their dog Bear have been volunteering with the United Peace Collaborative (UPC). UPC has been conducting safety patrols everyday since March 2020 since the pandemic started to protect the elderly, local businesses and Chinese communities of Japan town, San Jose and Chinatown, San Francisco.
Amidst all the negativity of the pandemic there is still hope and people who care. They’ve been escorting elderly Asian people to and from work, safely to get groceries and simply to get outside without getting mugged or attacked by racist, misinformed individuals. These misinformed individuals have unfortunately taken to heart negative comments made by government officials who have miscommunicated the origins of the virus referring to it as Kung Flu or the China virus.
They are taking action against hate.
Here is what is happening now:
-Statistically 31% of Asian Americans said they’ve been subjected to discrimination since the conronavirus began. All people of Asian origin are being affected not just people who are Chinese from China. This includes people who are Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Filipino etc. Although they are clearly not from China people who are ignorant don’t seem to care. To this point their ignorance knows no bounds. And not everyone who is Chinese or of Asian descent is from China. There are many of people of Asian descent who were born in the U.S. who have never even set one foot in China.
-New York Magazine cited from the New York police department that there had been a 1900% increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the city in the past year. The outlet has also cited in a UN report that in March to May 2020 in an eighteen week period, there were more than 1800 racist incidents against Asian Americans in the U.S.
-Often most of these crimes are under-reported or not called into the authorities. Attacks on the elderly have left them afraid to go outside or tell anyone about it for fear of repeat incidents from the same attackers. The attacks are usually surprise attacks leaving people hurt or shocked at what just happened.
-So many seniors living in Chinatown are afraid to come out. Some of these people are essential workers in grocery stores, banks and community clinics.
Why wait for Asian Hollywood superstars to say something before this nonsense stops?
Although I believe it is fantastic that people who have the means and celebrity status to make it known such as Daniel Dae Kim, Olivia Munn and Margaret Cho to say something to make people aware of what is happening, this should not be happening at all. Daniel Dae Kim actually offered a $25,000 reward to catch the suspect who beat up an elderly man who is actually not Chinese at all but mistaken for someone who is. He can’t continue to do this for everyone.
Fact:
In Atlanta Georgia, on March 16, 2021, 8 people were shot and killled by a complete psycho. Authorities have found the shooting to not be racially motivated. Out of those shot and killed, 6 of them were Korean Asian women. In response to that fact, I do believe there was a racially motivated bias to the shootings and that the authorities are misinformed and need to be re-educated about what racism really is and how it has affected their Asian communities. They cannot continue to turn a blind eye to something that is so obvious to other people. Especially those in their Asian communities that are directly affected by these very specific attacks.
Biden has directed federal agencies to combat a resurgence of racist attackers against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
He’s also noted that it is unacceptable what is happening and un-American. He’s asked the Department of Justice to strengthen it’s partnership with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and it’s leaders.
Everyone Asian of all ages and backgrounds is being affected, not just the elderly.
This past spring as I was walking around Brooklyn Bridge park I noticed a huge billboard of experiences put up by Photoville. It featured Asian people of all walks of life describing their experiences during the pandemic. There was a young, trendy Chinese woman living in Williamsburg in her 20’s who was afraid to ride the train to get groceries because she encountered violent people screaming at her, a Filipino nurse who encountered angry people who spat at him on his way to work and a Japanese delivery man who had expletives yelled at him as he went about his deliveries. These are people in your neighborhood just trying to survive the pandemic like you and I. Everyone has a friend, neighbor or someone in their community who is of Asian descent. Talk to them and ask them about their experiences. These negative interactions aren’t just exclusive to just people in the news.
It’s happened to me.
On a Sunny Saturday in August I decided to dress up to see the Alice Neel exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. It was a beautiful day and I was looking forward to being surrounded by art and random conversations with art lovers. To save 10 minutes instead of taking my usual route I decided to take the R train at Jay street Burrough Hall to transfer to the 4/5 since there was a service delay in downtown Brooklyn.
I had no idea what awaited me on the platform. Out of nowhere a random, large, creepy man had decided to descend on me with expletives and meaningless rants of,”You started the virus! Go back to China!” and as I tried to avoid him by walking quickly away he proceeded to follow me as I went to and fro along the platform until the train finally arrived. I wasn’t the only one on the platform. There were other people who did nothing except for one mild mannered woman who said,” Hey stand by me. You’ll be safe.” She didn’t have super powers and wasn’t a master in kung fu. The only powers she had were the powers of empathy and courage. Later on she told me I reminded her of her daughter and didn’t derserve what was happening to me.
Once the train finally arrived in what seemed like an eternity. I jumped in a car and thought it was over. When I least expected it the man came back and proceeded to scream at me from each of the open doors on the train until we started to pull away and the doors gradually shut on him.
Again the same Asian woman told me to sit by her. As it pulled away a young black woman and man asked me if I was ok. I said that I was. At last there was finally peace and silence on the train and the distant drumbeats echoed from a passenger’s headphones.
Once I stepped off the train to head to the Metropolitan Museum, I called the police to report the incident, gave a description and asked them to post security on the platform. Had that deluded individual picked someone less nimble than I, like an elderly person, he may have become violent and pushed them on the tracks. If it has happened to me it can happen to anyone.
Do your part
In order for this unacceptable behavior to end we all need to do our part to squash this behavior. If you see something suspicious being said or done to someone Asian who clearly is a mild mannered bystander, offer to help fend off this violence, stand up and say something and do something! At the very least call the police. There is safety in numbers.
If we all do, this unnecessary violence and ideology based on ignorance will finally be a distant memory of the past. Which I can’t see happening soon enough.
