Black People Are Anti-Asian Too
Being explicitly clear that we also play a role in anti-Asian racism is a necessary step in my solidarity
When I caught wind of the dramatic spike in violence against Asians, a thought came to mind: how much of the violence and assaults have come from Black people?
Initially, to avoid confronting reality, I didn’t bother to find the answer. I preferred to stay in my ignorant bubble where statistics on these hate crimes are severely lacking, and the news articles exclude the attackers' race. That way, I could assume they’re all acts by White supremacists. After all, by calling COVID-19 the “Chinese virus,” their prophet Trump emboldened their scapegoating hate towards the Asian community.
Conveniently enough, Robert Aaron Long, the White murderer in the Atlanta Spa Shootings, became the face of anti-Asian racism. Regardless of the debate on whether or not gunning down 6 Asian women was a racially-fueled hate crime, White supremacy is a factor — the factor, really. Ultimately, as a friend of mine perfectly stated, “…we’re all caught up in the lies we internalize in a white supremacist world.” More thought on that later.
But the questions still nag me when I see assaults and murders that show Black perpetrators like this or like this. I wonder, should the conversation on anti-Asian hate be a bit more nuanced? Should we be a bit more explicit about who is involved? If we’re going to call it out to move towards healing, shouldn’t we specifically address Black people's role in perpetuating this hate? Because from what I’ve witnessed in my short life, we do play a role.
I was blessed with a childhood in Jersey City, the best slice of the diversity the world has to offer. I loved the street I lived on, which consisted predominantly of Asian and South Asian families. At the risk of sounding like the “I’m not racist. I have a Black friend” trope, my best friend growing up was Vietnamese-American. The reality was I found solace and community among my Asian peers when I felt rejected in the Black community for not meeting the standard of Blackness.
Although childhood friendships were harmonious, I wasn’t oblivious to the tension. No one can deny that anti-Blackness exists in the Asian…
