"Yesterday was a really bad day for him, and this is what he did."
Tuesday, March 16, 2021 was a bad day.
A bad day for eight murdered people in Atlanta and for the friends and family who loved them.
A bad day for America, in our halting journey towards inclusiveness, equality, equity, and anti-racism, and away from violence.
And — especially — a bad day for Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across our nation, for whom this is the terrifying latest episode in a surge of anti-Asian racial violence.
NJ 11th for Change stands with Asian-American communities in grieving for the people whose lives were cut short.
We reject the white supremacy, racism and misogyny at the root of last week’s mass murder. The ethnicity and the sex of the victims most specifically targeted in these murders — Asian-American women — put them in the crosshairs of intersectional violence. We condemn both the racism and the sexism inherent in this horrible attack.
We also reject the systemic impulse to shift blame to ethnic minority victims, in an attempt to excuse the violent choices of a white perpetrator “having a bad day.” Asian-American people are not responsible for the hate crimes perpetrated against them. Our law enforcement officers and their spokespeople should not have to be reminded of this, no matter what a violent offender says to deflect responsibility for his actions. America should not have to be reminded of this.
Tuesday, March 16 was more than a bad day; it was a horrifying day, one of too many. NJ 11th for Change stands with all Asian-American communities in anger and sorrow over Tuesday’s losses. We call upon our members, our communities and our country to become better allies, to stand up against white supremacy and gun violence, and to insist that our elected leaders finally do what’s necessary to ensure an America that is safe for everyone.
This violence and bigotry must end.
RESOURCES AND ACTION POINTS
NJ 11th for Change always encourages taking action to support our values. Here are some ideas you can consider for supporting the Asian-American community and fighting white-supremacist violence.
Local Events:
- “Standing Up with the Asian Community”: A Vigil — Tuesday, March 23, 7:00 pm in Livingston. Please gather to support our local communities. Coordinated by The Livingston Committee for Diversity & Inclusion and Livingston Chinese Association. Visit https://fb.me/e/3qDobHEYI for more information.
- “Learning and Teaching About Anti-Asian Hate Crimes: From Pre-K to Post-Doc” — Tuesday, March 23, 8:00 pm. An educational panel coordinated by our longtime ally Dr. Khyati Y. Joshi and the Institute for Teaching Diversity and Social Justice. Visit https://fb.me/e/1ef6p6Nm2 for more information.
Anti-Asian Violence Resources
- Key statistics, educational resources, and a curated list of calls-to-action, volunteer opportunities, and organizations to support: https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co
A Selection of Calls-to-Action from Indivisible:
- If your representative is one of these 164 Republicans who voted against Rep. Meng’s resolution condemning Anti-Asian racism, or one of the 172 Republicans who voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (less than 24-hours after the murders in Atlanta), call them at (202) 224-3121 to let them know you were paying attention and their actions have consequences.
- Then, check out and share this resource on anti-Asian violence.
- If you’re able, split a donation among eight organizations that are fighting to protect and support the AAPI community. Click here to split a donation now.
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NJ 11th for Change is a 501(c)(4) unaffiliated organization dedicated to advocating for all people of New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. We foster an engaged and informed community with the power to shape our political representation so that it is transparent, responsive and accountable—and so that it reflects the values of fairness, compassion, inclusivity and a decent quality of life.
To learn more about our mission and learn about volunteer opportunities, visit www.nj11thforchange.org/join.
To make a contribution, visit www.nj11thforchange.org/donate_monthly or www.nj11thforchange.org/donate.