By Christielle Jane Guiñarez
Recently, Asians became the target of the growing number of hate crimes across US and were gone viral in several social media platforms. The increase is largely due to the fact that Asians were being blamed for the coronavirus pandemic that, as we all are aware, came from Wuhan, China, in the later part of 2019.
Recently, a 65-year-old Filipino immigrant woman while walking down the street near Times Square was suddenly kicked in the stomach in broad daylight while yelling that, “You don’t belong here.” While another notable case was when a stranger suddenly cut-slit the face of a 61-year-old Filipino-American with a utility knife on a subway station.
Several Asians also posted in their social media accounts of how they are being attacked, being pushed to the ground and being yelled at telling them to “Return to China”.
With the rising number of Asian Hate crimes being recorde and reported, most of the Asians are now too afrais to go out of their homes and are not feeling safe within their communities while some Asians are ready to fight back and been preparing themselves physically or though the aid of some protective gears such as pepper sprays which is an indication of the growing number of fear from bullies in the neighborhood.
Amidst the situation, unlike the ‘Black Lives Matter’ frenzy, the support given to Asian are not as concrete as the former, leaving Asians themselves to raise their voices against the discrimination and injustice. It is like raising their own against a bully that will never listen unless someone teach him a lesson for good.
Meanwhile in the ASEAN region, it seems that China is constantly propagating Hate to its neighboring countries by flexing its muscles in the disputed areas of the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea. China blatanly ignored the 2016 Arbitral Ruling of the UN favoring the Philippines and the UNCLOS stating the exclusive 200-nautical miles for every country by sending swarm of Chines boats that as we all witness practices destructive fishing techniques. Not just the Philippines but the nine-dash line claim of Chine encompasses other countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia. For the past years, it continues to build military outposts on illegally occupied artificial islands on disputed waters and increased its military presence around the West Philippine Sea and yet claiming to be working on peace and stability.
Thus, with all their bullying tactics and aggression against smaller countires, China is really responsible for the rise of ASEAN-Hate. If we are bothered with the rising number of Asian-hate crimes in the US and other countries, then, we should also be bothered by the rising ASEAN-hate to China being spread by China because of their lack of respect to other countries.
Sincerely Yours,
Christielle Jane M. Guinarez
Malabon City, Metro Manila
