SAH: Stop Asian Hate
Sorry, not talking about brain bleeds today.
I hope my audience to this post is actually from more non-Asians than Asians.
I don’t understand the animosity towards Asians at the moment. It comes in the form of physical violence, verbal abuse, assault, written abuse, and the lesser known one, indifference. And to add fuel to the flames, this animosity is unleashed on our ELDERLY — our parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles. Asian culture isn’t the only culture that teaches our children about respecting our elders. I’m pretty sure most cultures in-grain at least some degree of this during their upbringing. So that makes me think that the perpetrators aren’t to be reasoned with and are probably medically insane. Maybe they don’t wake up thinking, I’m going to commit some horrible hate crime today! But they do come across a human being who looks Asian and think, I’m going to push this 80 year old so hard that they fall and bleed; or I’m going to stab them with a knife (not because I want to steal from them but it looks fun). Until I have some dialogue with someone I like that, they’re all crazy people to me. I’m sure there’s no reasonable dialogue even to be had.
As an Asian-American medical professional, I personally felt this tangible uneasiness and loathing at the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 had just originated from Wuhan, China and people were starting to die from it in the US. I was working in COVID intensive care at multiple hospitals at the time. Essential workers and medical personnel have not yet been declared “heroes.” I remember crossing the street and some people would create distance between us on the crosswalk (with or without me wearing scrubs). I felt the double-whammy where they steered clear of me because a) I was a health care worker likely working with +COVID patients and b) because I was Asian and maybe brought it from China…And then we were declared heroes and then everyone clapped and hit metal pots and pans together on their collective fire escapes. So now they only created half the distance they used to on the cross walk. Never before have I felt this.
So the next step is what we were all made aware of after the murders of Eric Garner, George Floyd, and the rest of whose were before, in-between and followed: to fight indifference. We must fix the indifference, which I’m still slowly addressing myself. Lately, it has occurred to me that “sitting or being on the fence” is not enough. You still have one foot straddled on both sides (and that one side being “hatred”). So either be on the side against hate or the side for hate. Be an ally or you can stand by while you see that 90 year old grandma, with a walker with tennis balls as rear wheels, buying groceries (probably to make an amazing meal for her family) being knocked to the floor or hit in the head with a blunt object.
I’m nervous for my family and friends (especially my parents, grandparents, and sister). I don’t feel comfortable with my dad going out to buy his bone-in hot buffalo wings at our wings place because what if some derranged psychopath smacks him in the head from behind? My sister is a strong-willed, NY-native who is feisty at times but resilient. However, that doesn’t keep her from harm if a hooded guy comes at her. She shouldn’t be subjected to more verbal abuse by a “Karen” at the Trader Joe’s in her neighborhood (all the Karens I know, I appreciate you and adore you so not talking about you). You get the picture. And to hear from my friends who grew up in NYC Chinatown feeling uneasy walking through their neighborhood of 20+years because some random dude will come at them, crushes my soul.
What should you do with this information now that I’m presenting it as a primary source?
Ask how I’m doing. I’m doing fine and I’m thankful for that. I’m fortunate to not have been subjected to hateful racism at work in my last 5 years of working as a physician assistant. Sure, I’ll get questions like, am I Korean or what country am I originally from, but right back at you! What country are YOU from (not in a spiteful way but to create dialogue)? That is a privilege for me. But ask how your other Asian friends are doing. It’s okay to ask and bring it up because 1) we’re Asian 2) it’s a real thing going on. It’s not a taboo topic and it shows that you care and acknowledge what is going on around us. I’m not requesting for you to share and post #stopasianhate memes and news on your IG story (although that’s nice and helpful), but to slowly edge away from the indifference. I’m thankful that my workplace environment is so great and that my colleagues, peers, and coworkers are good people. But for those on the fence, I urge you to come over the fence and be an ally and not idly standby.
Dk
#stopasianhate #blm
