Athletes Call for Collective Action to #StopAsianHate
March 19, 2021
Following a March 16 shooting rampage at spas in Atlanta, Georgia which left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent, many in the sports world are raising their voices in solidarity to tackle hate.
This latest attack follows a surge in hate crimes in the US – growing by nearly 150% in 2020 - against the Asian American community arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, the Stop AAPI Hate coalition released its latest national report covering March 2020 - Feb 2021. Over the last 12 months, they tracked 3,795 hate incident reports from APIs (Asian/Pacific Islander) nationally.
The researchers specifically noted that “the number of hate incidents reported to our center represents only a fraction of the number of hate incidents that actually occur, but it does show how vulnerable Asian Americans are to discrimination and the types of discrimination they face.”
Many are also outraged that the 21-year-old white gunman, Robert Aaron Long, was not immediately charged with hate crimes. Experts are warning of a rise in these types of crimes motivated by what they are calling "male supremacy terrorism."
Former NY Knicks star and current Santa Cruz Warriors’ (NBA G League) basketball player, Jeremy Lin, has been particularly vocal in speaking out against the racial violence and sending messages of support to the Asian community. He is determined to make meaningful change, and following this latest incident, is calling for unity and solidarity among minority groups in the US.
“I’ve always said that in the long run, it can’t only be Asians caring about Asian issues, or African Americans caring about African American issues. If, as minorities, we want the majority to understand what it’s like to live a minority experience, and to sympathize and change, we as minorities also have to collaborate, unify and use our voices and stand up for each other. There has to be solidarity on that front.”
This approach echoes 2020 calls by athletes speaking out against coronavirus racism, including former All-American UCLA gymnast Katelyn Ohashi and NFL safety Taylor Rapp. At the time, the two had joined global athlete activism organization, Athletes for Impact, and other social change organizations to raise awareness on the issue.
“That’s where it all starts, it’s not [just] Asians all fighting for themselves because we’re not going to get very far,” Ohashi said of the Global Call for Racial Solidarity Under Covid-19 Pandemic. “But when you see every type of background coming together, that’s where you can start spreading positivity,” Ohashi stated at the time.
Atlanta Falcons (NFL) kicker Younghoe Koo said in a social post that "now is the time to address the rise in hate crimes against ALL races over the last few years. As an Asian American, I have heard the jokes and name calling. I often dealt with it by ignoring what was said and minding my own business. I don't have all the answers, but I realize now more than ever that this is an issue that needs to be addressed and that ignoring it won't help us do that. I know this one post won't solve the problem, but I hope to raise awareness on hate crimes against all."
All the US major leagues and an abundance of individual teams have issued statements condemning the hate crimes and pledging solidarity with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
“Off hand, ignorant remarks connecting Asian Americans to COVID-19 are leading to widespread racism, which turns into violence and even murder in our communities. We all have to do our part to stop this from happening again.... We must value all human life and denounce anyone who displays racial/ethnic hatred in any form. We have to be better than this,” stated outspoken Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr.
Yesterday, it was reported that the FBI and local law enforcement agencies are under pressure to tackle anti-Asian hate crimes. US House Democrats also held a rare congressional hearing on anti-Asian discrimination on March 18.
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