Responding to San Francisco Chronicle Rhonda Williams letter ‘Asian Americans need to be more inclusive’
This morning’s Rhonda Williams’ Letter to Editor is disappointing.
She states: “You cannot be invisible when it does not directly affect you and then be front and center when it serves your best interests.”
Her statement is belied by the fact that progressive Chinese and Asian-Americans and groups have been out front in supporting the Black Liberation struggle. We have been in the thick of the Civil Right Movement in the South in the Sixties; we have been strong supporters of the Black Panther Party; we have been strong supporters of African liberation leaders like Lumumba, Nkrumah, Sekou Toure. More recently, Asians for Black Lives Matter was formed in support of BLM.
And contrary to what the writer says about only “being front and center when it serves your best interests”, Chinese organizations have affirmatively supported increasing Black and Brown participation in higher education.
I agree that we should be all shouting ‘Stop Hate’.
But to counterpose ‘Stop Hate’ against ‘Stop AAPI Hate’ is directly comparable to counterposing ‘All Lives Matter” against ‘Black Lives Matter’.
Both result in diminishing the relevance of violence against specific populations.
Alvin Jay
“We are troubled and saddened by Rhonda Williams’ letter and the Chronicle’s heading: “Asian Americans Need to Be More Inclusive”. These types of messages create wrong assumptions, raises racial mistrust, and ignores the fundamental problems of racism in the US. Each ethnic community should speak out against prejudices and discriminations about their own and other communities. Many Asian Americans have done so. In the Black Lives Matter movement, Asians joined Latinos, Whites, Blacks, and others to fight together for justice. On October 1, 2021, in NY Chinatown, an African American sang the “Chinese March of the Volunteers” to a happy Chinese crowd celebrating China’s 72nd birthday. When rampant anti-Asian hate crimes were occurring, many of us spoke out that it is the wrong message to call it an African vs. Asian American issue. This year Ashlyn So, a 13-year-old Chinese American, organized a “Black and Gold” rally that joined Asian and African Americans against racism and featured mainly African American singers. The LGBTQ community also rallied against anti-Asian hate. We need to unite to fight racism against all races and stop the blame game. Stop Hate and Stop AAPI Hate are not inconsistent. “United We Stand, and Divided We Fall”.
Lillian Sing, retired judge
Julie Tang, retired judge
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/letters-editor/item/How-to-submit-Letters-56188.php
Johnson Choi Biz 