Racism against Asian Americans has surged as the coronavirus sweeps the U.S., with reports of hate crimes averaging approximately 100 per day, according to Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
Speaking live on MSNBC on Tuesday, Chu discussed the increase in assaults on Asians in the U.S. over misinformation regarding the coronavirus. She confirmed “at least 1,000 hate crimes incidents being reported against Asian Americans” after the pandemic arrived stateside.
During a public health crisis, like #coronavirus, it’s more important than ever that Members of Congress only share accurate info. That’s why today, we urged all our colleagues to stop the spread of conspiracy theories that create fear & incite violence. https://t.co/J9OrriR1Kq pic.twitter.com/uoB094ymDv
— CAPAC (@CAPAC) February 26, 2020
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MSNBC played footage of a man violently demanding an Asian man on the New York subway move away from him. Chu condemned the footage and added that, across the nation, similar attacks have occurred, citing a man being assaulted in New York for wearing a face mask, the stabbing of three Chinese-Americans at a Sam’s Club in Texas, an Asian man in San Francisco attacked while collecting cans, and a 16-year-old Asian American sent to the hospital after school bullies accused him of carrying the coronavirus.
“These are very, very alarming and are not helped by President Trump who calls this the ‘Chinese virus,’ ” Chu said.
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In recent weeks, Trump has referred to COVID-19 as the Chinese virus or the Wuhan virus, phrases that experts say reinforce xenophobia and intolerance against Asian people.
Trump says the label is “not racist” because the coronavirus originated in China, making the term accurate.
The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus denounced this terminology as dangerous to Asian Americans. Chu, the caucus’s chairwoman, reiterated this stance.
“Every responsible health care leader has spoken out and said it should be called its proper name: coronavirus or COVID-19” as a way to fight stigma, Chu confirmed on MSNBC.
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