Anti-Asian racism

Public expressions and demonstrations to support Asian-Americans who have experienced discrimination, insults, and hostility have been growing. Due to the stereotypes of Asians as a model minority, coupled with dynamics and cultural expectations that result in Asian-American citizens remaining silent about their treatment, their concerns have often been unrecognized or ignored. 

The U.S.A. has a long history of government and private actions that marginalized Asian immigrant groups, and the diversity within these groups is significant. What we now see is young Asian Americans speaking up on behalf of their elders and themselves. In addition, academics have identified ways that faculty can begin to address Asian-American racism that is so common in higher education, including recognizing the power of language and stereotypes as well as pursuing scholarship that focuses more clearly on what can be done to combat it.

Initiatives to address Asian and Asian-American prejudice and discrimination are increasing across a variety of campuses and a new guide is available from the National Center for Institutional Diversity. Grace Bautista, a senior at George Washington University commented, "Most of my friends and I have had an experience this year where we've been harassed on the street for being Asian or experienced some kind of anti-Asian sentiment." The result is greater pressure for campuses to revise curricula and address campus environment concerns. Asian-American faculty, staff, and students are likely to continue to push for greater awareness, with a level of urgency not seen before.

Right-wing students affiliated with the Emerson College "Turning Point USA" organization distributed stickers reading "China Kinda Sus" resulting in the organization's suspension. The Turning Point USA organization claimed that their free speech rights were abridged but the Emerson University President declared that the stickers included "anti-Chinese messaging that is inconsistent with the College's values and will not be tolerated." In her continued flagrant racism, Penn Law Professor Amy Wax called for fewer Asians in the U.S.A., rationalized by a stereotype that Asians are more compliant and therefore do not have the "spirit of liberty" that compels them to question authority.

Occidental College was slow to respond to anti-Asian text messages that occurred in late 2020, handled it as a matter of free speech in 2021, and took little action other than offering platitudes. An open letter from Oxy Law Society to College administration asserted, "By informing the student body that these words did not constitute harassment, you failed in your roles as administrators to take harassment at any level, through any medium, seriously." Ken White, a First Amendment lawyer and parent of an Asian American student at Occidental, defended the administrations action as "legally and philosophically appropriate."

Georgetown University Law Professor, Franz Werro, used an anti-China slur in class. A video of the incident attracted considerable attention with over 140,000 views. Although Werro claimed ignorance as a non-native English speaker in an email apology, students protested and the University's Dean of Law responded with an apology.