We Must Address Anti-Asian Racism
The idea that the pro-life movement can or should only encompass issues related to abortion could not be more wrong. Pro-life advocates should speak out in defense of all human life, including on issues of racial justice. The rise of anti-Asian sentiments and attacks amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is something that cannot be ignored, and one that every pro-life advocate should care about.
According to a Stop AAPI Hate report, almost 3,800 hate incidents against Asian Americans were reported over the span of about a year. These included verbal and physical assaults, as well as civil rights violations and cases of online harassment. The rise of anti-Asian attacks has left many feeling increasingly vulnerable and unsafe, and has provoked widespread questions about how these attacks are reported and treated.
These hate crimes have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as much anti-Asian xenophobia has been normalized and many racist attacks have gone unpunished. However, understanding the true scope of this issue isn’t easy. The wave of attacks that has sent shockwaves of fear through the Asian American community has revealed gaps in how data is collected and how law enforcement responds to these incidents. Underreporting is a huge issue with hate-based crimes.
Language barriers, immigration status, and distrust of legal institutions have deterred victims from reporting their experiences, leading to inaccurate statistics on how often these hate crimes actually occur. When a community has spent so long feeling alienated, they become less likely to actually reach out to law enforcement and report these incidents, which manifests in inaccurate statistics. Without comprehensive and precise numbers, the extent of this behavior cannot be truly understood.
It shouldn’t take such acts of violence for people to pay attention to the blatant discrimination that still rages in our society, but it’s an unfortunate reality that we must address. Pro-lifers cannot remain silent in the face of such great injustice. We cannot sit idle as human life is threatened in such a way.
Adriana Salem is a Sophomore in the College studying Government. She currently serves as Social Chair on the GU Right to Life Board.
