Jeremy Lin: Violence against Asian Americans ‘strikes differently’ amid pandemic

Advertisement


“Growing up, it was always something that could be a little more subtle or verbal, but I think what we’re seeing right now is a lot of physical, real, lives taken,” Lin said. .

“A lot of Asian Americans looking over their shoulders when they go out, when they go to the grocery store, and we’re starting to see more and more reports of what’s going on.

“But it’s something that is definitely striking.”

Visit CNN.com/sport for more news, videos and features
Police say Robert Aaron Long, 21, is suspected of having opened fire at spas late Tuesday afternoon and early evening, first at a business located about 30 miles north. west of Atlanta, followed by two more at spas in northeast Atlanta.

According to Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds, preliminary information indicates that the murders may not have been motivated by race, but could instead be related to the suspect’s claim of a potential sex addiction.

But because of the victims’ backgrounds, public officials have raised concerns that ethnicity comes into play amid rising anti-Asian violence amid the pandemic.

“It feels like it’s happening more, and it feels like it’s getting worse and even for me I’m starting to wonder, ‘Oh, if I talk more, I encourage more people to have even more. hate, by other people seeing these headlines? ”Lin said when asked about the Atlanta shootings.

Advocates and authorities have received reports of thousands of xenophobic attacks on Asians since the start of the pandemic.
Lin currently plays for the Santa Cruz Warriors in the NBA G. League.
Advertisement

Lin, who became the first Asian American to win an NBA title in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors, says he has been repeatedly targeted by racist slurs during his college basketball career and that Covid-19 has escalated a pre-existing problem.

“We see all of these micro-attacks throughout history,” Lin said.

“Asians have always been projected as being other or foreign and you can hear and see these micro-attacks, like, ‘Where are you really from? “or talk about how we look or our complexion or things like that.”

Lin also pointed out how he believes certain rhetoric around the virus has contributed to anti-Asian discrimination. Former US President Donald Trump, for example, has been criticized for calling the coronavirus a “Chinese virus” during his presidency.

“There are so many micro-attacks that contribute to this and over and over again, calling it the China virus, the Kung flu virus, which adds up and fuels the fire,” he said.

“Now we’re starting to see a lot of these micro-attacks turn into acts of violence. It’s really hard to watch. I encourage people to watch these videos to see that this is actually happening. These are real stories, real lives. “

You Can Read Also

Politics News

Advertisement

Malek

মন্তব্য করুন

আপনার ই-মেইল এ্যাড্রেস প্রকাশিত হবে না। * চিহ্নিত বিষয়গুলো আবশ্যক।