Rep. Jerrold Nadler said the blame for an uptick of attacks on Asian Americans falls in part on leading lawmakers “who have demonized China” during a House hearing on the matter.
Activists participate in a vigil in response to the Atlanta spa shootings in the Chinatown area of Washington, DC. Alex Wong/Getty Images“It is important to recognize that this surge did not spontaneously arise only out of fears regarding the coronavirus pandemic. Some of this blame lies squarely on political leaders who have demonized China — both because of the virus and ongoing geopolitical tensions — and in turn Asian Americans have fallen in harm’s way,” Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Thursday.
“Words have power. What we say matters. How we treat each other matters,” Nadler (D-NY) said at the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler says blame on attacks against Asian Americans falls in part on lawmakers “who have demonized China.” Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images“The conversation we are having today is long overdue, and it is vital that Congress shine a light on this issue.”
Nadler did not name any one politician for criticizing China or the Chinese Communist Party.
Flowers rest outside a spa where four people were shot and killed on March 17, 2021, in Acworth, Georgia. Elijah Nouvelage/Getty ImagesThursday’s hearing was scheduled to examine the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, which jumped 149 percent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.
