Several Democrats voiced worries about the potential for racism in the context of the House Republicans’ first hearing of the new year, which was scheduled to explore the danger presented by China.
On Tuesday, at a hearing on the economic threat from China, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), the leading Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, gave a speech decrying violence against Asian Americans and blaming it on former President Donald Trump.
She introduced herself in a convoluted manner, saying:
Further, I’d want to point out that the surge in anti-Asian American violence following the COVID-19 breakout may be traced back to the divisive and xenophobic statements of former President Donald Trump and that the Chinese government should be held accountable for its harmful acts. We should avoid using language that might inspire viewers to hostility toward Asians or even violence against them.
Moreover, Representative Steven Horsford (D-NV) advised lawmakers to use “proper language” during Tuesday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing on the national security danger from China.
Before I conclude, Mr. Chairman, I want to emphasize the significance of everyone on the committee utilizing the correct language when addressing the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Communist Party. Even while there are valid reasons to criticize the Chinese Communist Party, we must not conflate the actions of a political party with those of the Chinese people.
A good example of this is the 339 percent spike in reported anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic, which suggests that anti-China sentiments may feed xenophobia and bigotry against the greater Asian community. As the current legislative session proceeds, members of the House of Representatives have a responsibility to use proper language while holding the Chinese Communist Party accountable.
Democratic politicians have regularly blamed Trump and white supremacy for anti-Asian violence in the United States, even though many violent instances have included non-white offenders.
Author Ying Ma called for a discussion of black Asian violence to be brought up as an “overdue topic” in the May 2021 issue of the Washington Examiner. These are the scribbled words she recorded:
As anti-Asian violence has increased in frequency and intensity in 2015, the hashtag “Stop Asian Hate” has become a rallying cry for those who oppose it. While racism and anti-Asian violence have been handled elsewhere, they have been mostly ignored in the United States.
Such horrific acts of violence are unfortunately become the norm in our major metropolitan areas. San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle are just a few of the cities that have been hit by major assaults. Many times the victims are defenseless, the assailants are individuals of color, and the crimes are utterly unprovoked.
Hate crimes have increased since former President Trump’s use of the terms “China virus” and “Kung fever,” which have been met with widespread condemnation from politicians, activists, and the media. But did Trump promote racial violence in areas that overwhelmingly rejected him and tend to vote Democratic? Opponents of his are at a loss for words.
Even though there is strong evidence that the Chinese coronavirus pandemic originated in Wuhan, China, Democrats have issued a similar call for caution against using racist language when discussing the pandemic. They have criticized Trump for using the term “Kung-Flu,” and they argue that the virus should not be called the “Wuhan Virus.”