An Open Letter to Elected Officials and Candidates
April 17, 2020
In January, as news coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic took center stage, Asian Americans began receiving racial taunts on the street and in schools while being bullied on social media. As coronavirus cases spread rapidly and the death toll mounted across Europe and in the United States, anti-Asian hate crimes became increasingly brazen and numerous.
It is within this context that President Trump, willfully, repeatedly, and in defiance of the guidance of his own senior advisors, continued to employ needlessly racialized terms to describe COVID-19. Despite warnings that his rhetoric would inflame xenophobic violence, Trump continued to refer to COVID-19 as “Chinese” or “China” virus. Predictably, assaults against Asian Americans rose as was feared and foreseen. Anti-Asian incidents were not exclusive to the Chinese community but were reported in the Korean, Vietnamese, Hmong, Filipino, Cambodian, Japanese and other Asian communities as well.
The racialized fear-mongering has grown so severe that a new FBI analysis warned of an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. The report noted there has already been a surge in hate crimes, listing a series of incidents across the country, including a devastating case in Texas where three Asian American family members, including a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, were stabbed viciously and a woman in New York City assaulted with acid.
It is incumbent upon all of us to condemn the President’s language as well as the hate-filled incidents of violence he has incited.
Elected officials and those who seek public office can no longer avoid their responsibility to condemn this behavior. It is not enough to disapprove of the language without holding the author of that language responsible. There comes a time to choose decency over political expediency and we have arrived at that moment.
We call upon elected officials as well as those who seek office to rise to this occasion and not only speak forcefully against inflammatory anti-Asian language but also to directly hold President Trump accountable for the violence he has inspired. We ask that elected leaders and candidates pay attention to anti-Asian bigotry in our community and share the Stop-AAPI-Hate website on their social media platforms as a practical way to raise awareness and combat the trend.
We hope that you share our outrage and will denounce Donald Trump’s intentional and targeted racial hate speech. It is imperative that we stand together as a community in these unprecedented times and urge the President to suspend his use of these racially charged terms. We look forward to your public response to this call to action.
It is within this context that President Trump, willfully, repeatedly, and in defiance of the guidance of his own senior advisors, continued to employ needlessly racialized terms to describe COVID-19. Despite warnings that his rhetoric would inflame xenophobic violence, Trump continued to refer to COVID-19 as “Chinese” or “China” virus. Predictably, assaults against Asian Americans rose as was feared and foreseen. Anti-Asian incidents were not exclusive to the Chinese community but were reported in the Korean, Vietnamese, Hmong, Filipino, Cambodian, Japanese and other Asian communities as well.
The racialized fear-mongering has grown so severe that a new FBI analysis warned of an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. The report noted there has already been a surge in hate crimes, listing a series of incidents across the country, including a devastating case in Texas where three Asian American family members, including a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, were stabbed viciously and a woman in New York City assaulted with acid.
It is incumbent upon all of us to condemn the President’s language as well as the hate-filled incidents of violence he has incited.
Elected officials and those who seek public office can no longer avoid their responsibility to condemn this behavior. It is not enough to disapprove of the language without holding the author of that language responsible. There comes a time to choose decency over political expediency and we have arrived at that moment.
We call upon elected officials as well as those who seek office to rise to this occasion and not only speak forcefully against inflammatory anti-Asian language but also to directly hold President Trump accountable for the violence he has inspired. We ask that elected leaders and candidates pay attention to anti-Asian bigotry in our community and share the Stop-AAPI-Hate website on their social media platforms as a practical way to raise awareness and combat the trend.
We hope that you share our outrage and will denounce Donald Trump’s intentional and targeted racial hate speech. It is imperative that we stand together as a community in these unprecedented times and urge the President to suspend his use of these racially charged terms. We look forward to your public response to this call to action.
SIGNATORIES OF FAITH COMMUNITY LEADERS
Rabbi Stephen J. Einstein, DHL, DD, Congregation B'nai Tzedek
The Most Reverend Thanh Thai Nguyen, Auxiliary Bishop of Orange in California
Sister Thuy Tran, Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Shakeel Syed, Regional Director, American Muslims for Palestine
Reverend Breana van Velzen, Duke University Chapel
Sayyid M. Syeed, President, Islamic Society of North America
Reverend Dr. Sarah Halverson - Cano, Fairview Community Church
Avinder Singh Chawla, Sikh Community
List in formation - request to sign on here
Please note that individuals have added their names, with titles and affiliations for identification purposes only and this does not constitute institutional endorsement.
Rabbi Stephen J. Einstein, DHL, DD, Congregation B'nai Tzedek
The Most Reverend Thanh Thai Nguyen, Auxiliary Bishop of Orange in California
Sister Thuy Tran, Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange
Shakeel Syed, Regional Director, American Muslims for Palestine
Reverend Breana van Velzen, Duke University Chapel
Sayyid M. Syeed, President, Islamic Society of North America
Reverend Dr. Sarah Halverson - Cano, Fairview Community Church
Avinder Singh Chawla, Sikh Community
List in formation - request to sign on here
Please note that individuals have added their names, with titles and affiliations for identification purposes only and this does not constitute institutional endorsement.
SIGNATORIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS
List in formation - request to sign on here
Manual Acosta, South El Monte City Council
Dawn Addis, Morro Bay City Council
Vinnie Bacon, Fremont City City Council
Ian Bain, Redwood City Council
Pete Ballew, San Leandro City Council
Michael Barnes, Albany City Council
Nikki Fortunato Bas, Oakland City Council District 2
Nathaniel Bates, Richmond City Council
Yvonne Martinez Beltran, Morgan Hill City Council
Drew Bessinger, Clovis City Council
Dan Brotman, Glendale City Council
Kim Carr, Huntington Beach City Council
Sue Chan, Trustee, Ohlone Community College
Wilma Chan, Alameda County Board of Supervisors
David Chiu, Chair, CA API Legislative Caucus
Andrew Chou, Diamond Bar City Council
Ross Chun, Aliso Viejo City Council
Kate Colin, San Rafael City Council
Sergio Contreras, Westminster City Council
Malcolm Corona, Perris City Council
Cheryl Davila, Berkeley City Council District 2
Lan Diep, San Jose City Council
Karina Dominguez, Milpitas City Council
Scott Donahue, Emeryville City Council
Adam Eisen, Half Moon Bay City Council
Rodrigo Espinoza, Merced County Board of Supervisors
Mike Fong, Trustee, Los Angeles Community College District
Melissa Fox, Irvine City Council
Lucas Frerichs, Davis City Council
Rich Garbarino, South San Francisco City Council
Santos Garcia, Madera City Council
Gary Gardner, Desert Hot Springs City Council
Juan Garza, Bellflower City Council
Sanjay Ravi Gehani, Foster City City Council
Todd Gloria, Member, CA State Assembly District 78
Arun Goel, Dublin City Council
Josephine Gonzalez, Coachella City Council
Rubio Gonzales, Pomona City Council
Scott Haggerty, Alameda County Board of Supervisors
Heidi Harmon, San Luis Obispo City Council
Ed Hernandez, San Leandro City Council
Alison Hicks, Mountain View City Council
Sue Higgins, Oakley City Council
Sam Hindi, Foster City City Council
Kellie Shay Hinze, Encinitas City Council
Lindsey P. Horvath, West Hollywood City Council
Davina Hurt, Belmont City Council
Al Jabbar, Trustee, Anaheim Unified School District
Megan Beaman Jacinto, Coachella City Council
Ed Jones, Thousand Oaks City Council
Dan Kalb, Oakland City Council
Ash Kalra, Member, CA State Assembly District 27
Jenny Kassan, Fremont City Council
Teresa Keng, Fremont City Council
Farrah N. Khan, Irvine City Council
Dave King, Petaluma City Council
Keri Kropke, Trustee, Brea Unified School District
Sara Lamnin, Hayward City Council
Marisela Lara, Soledad City Council
Amourence Lee, San Mateo City Council
Daniel Lee, Culver City City Council
Katherine Lee, Alhambra City Council
Roy Lee, Carpinteria City Council
Wayne J. Lee, Millbrae City Council
Toney Lewis, Duarte City Council
Chin Ho Liao, San Gabriel City Council
Henry Lo, Monterey Park City Council
Laura Parmer-Lohan, San Carlos City Council
Evan Low, Member, CA State Assembly District 28
Ruth Luevanos, Simi Valley City Council
Mary Luros, Napa City Council
Steve Lustro, Pomona City Council
Oscar Madrigal, Oxnard City Council
Jeffrey Koji Maloney, Alhambra City Council
Dianne Martinez, Emeryville City Council
Eduardo Martinez, Richmond City Council
Justin Massey, Hermosa Beach City Council
Michael Matsuda, Superintendent, Anaheim Unified School District
Tom McCune, Belmont City Council
Peggy McQuaid, Albany City Council
Ally Medina, Emeryville City Council
Denise Menchaca, San Gabriel City Council
Lisa Middleton, Palm Springs City Council
Carmen Montano, Milpitas City Council
Kevin Muldoon, Newport Beach City Council
Deidre Thu Ha Nguyen, Garden Grove City Council
Kim Bernice Nguyen, Garden Grove City Council
Cottie Petrie-Norris, Member, CA State Assembly District 74
Jim Oddie, Alameda City City Council
Bryan Osorio, Delano City Council
Sunny Y. Park, Buena Park City Council
Priya Bhat-Patel, Carlsbad City Council District 3
Andy Pease, San Luis Obispo City Council
Bert E. Perello, Oxnard City Council District 1
Mikke Pierson, Malibu City Council
Nick Pilch, Albany City Council
Dave Pine, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors District 1
Jamison Power, Westminster School Board
Victor Preciado, Pomona City Council
Harry T. Price, Fairfield City Council
Jason Pu, San Gabriel City Council
Rigel Robinson, Berkeley City Council
Andrew Rodriguez, Walnut City Council
Rita Rogers, Perris City Council
Hillary Ronen, San Francisco Board of Supervisors District 9
David Ryu, Los Angeles City Council
Jesse Sandoval, Fontana City Council
Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana City Council
Richard Schneider, South Pasadena City Council
Jesus Silva, Fullerton City Council
Rod Sinks, Cupertino City Council
Dirk Slooten, Clearlake City Council
Wes Speake, Corona City Council
Rene Spring, Morgan Hill City Council
Adele Andrade-Stadler, Alhambra City Council
Charles P. Stone, Belmont City Council
Darren Suen, Elk Grove City Council
Ali Sajjad Taj, Artesia City Council
Sheng Thao, Oakland City Council
Chuck Timm, Fairfield City Council
Phil Ting, Member, CA State Assembly District 19
Rafael Trujillo, Rialto City Council
Michael D. Tubbs, Stockton City Council
Tom Umberg, Member, CA State Senate District 34
Hong Alyce Van, Stanton City Council
Malia Vella, Alameda City Council
Aisha Wahab, Hayward City Council
Allen Warren, Sacramento City Council
Meghan Sahli-Wells, Culver City City Council
Mark West, Imperial Beach City Council
John Knox White, Alameda City Council
Kevin Wilk, Walnut Creek City Council
Jon Wizard, Seaside City Council
Gilbert Wong, Trustee, Foothill-De Anza Community College
Thomas Wong, Board President, San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District
Betty Yee, CA State Controller
Frank Aurelio Yokoyama, Cerritos City Council
Ahmad Zahra, Fullerton City Council
Francisco Zermeno, Hayward City Council
SIGNATORIES OF CANDIDATES SEEKING OFFICE
List in formation - request to sign on here
Judy Chu, Candidate for Congress CA-27
Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., Candidate for Congress CA-39
Sergio Contreras, Candidate for O.C. Board of Supervisors District 1
Lou Correa, Candidate for Congress CA-46
Leah Ersoylu, Candidate for Newport Mesa Unified School Board District 1
Melissa Fox, Candidate for CA State Assembly District 68
Pauline Hale, Candidate for Mission Viejo City Council
David Kim, Candidate for Congress CA-34
Mike Levin, Candidate for Congress CA-49
Alan Lowenthal, Candidate for Congress CA-47
Carlos Manzo, Candidate for Westminster City Council
Natalie Moser, Candidate for Huntington Beach City Council
Dave Min, Candidate for CA State Senate District 37
Josh Newman, Candidate for CA State Senate District 29
Deidre Thu-Ha Nguyen, Candidate for CA State Assembly District 72
Vilaska Nguyen, Candidate for San Francisco Board of Supervisors District 7
Lauren Johnson-Norris, Candidate for Irvine City Council
Thai Viet Phan, Candidate for Santa Ana City Council Ward 6
Katie Porter, Candidate for Congress CA-45
Scott Rhinehart, Candidate for CA State Assembly District 73
Andrew Rodriguez, Candidate for CA State Assembly District 55
Harley Rouda, Candidate for Congress CA-48
This letter is being circulated by Asian Americans Rising, a nonpartisan federal political action committee with a mission to elevate the political voice of the Asian American community and raise our visibility through representation in government.
Paid for by Asian Americans Rising. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
220 Newport Center Drive #11-173, Newport Beach, CA 92660
220 Newport Center Drive #11-173, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Proudly powered by Weebly