To the editor: Asian American advocacy in the course of the Trump period faces challenges as anti-Asian violence rises. A possible hate crime in opposition to historian Aki Maehara in Los Angeles highlights systemic xenophobia, fueled by divisive COVID-19 rhetoric and financial issues tied to the commerce battle with China (“Asian American professor who teaches history of racism attacked in possible hate crime,” Might 13). Insurance policies like Cease CCP VISAs Act, which seeks to dam scholar visas for Chinese language nationals, intensify distrust, linking Asian People to espionage and financial competitors throughout downturns. The administration’s lack of emphatic condemnation of anti-Asian violence additional compounds the problem.
Whereas President Trump’s communications director Steve Cheung defends the administration’s dedication to inclusivity, its actions and rhetoric typically fail to deal with deep-rooted prejudice. Management calls for a agency stance in opposition to hate crimes and systemic reform to make sure dignity and safety for the Asian American and Pacific Islander group. Maehara’s tragedy underscores the necessity for real advocacy, transferring past symbolic gestures to confront xenophobia and foster unity.
Jane Tanaka, Tehachapi, Calif.
