Janie Ye
Wayzata High School
Anti-Asian hate and racism often lead to violence. Unfortunately, America has no shortage of hate stories, especially recently. The negative impacts of violent incidents on the Asian community and American society overall have extreme repercussions. The deep roots of prejudice and bias in America have resulted in suffering and oppression for Asian Americans and other groups. Discrimination has many different forms and can occur at school, in the workplace, and within the community. Experiencing discrimination in any setting is unsettling and can have unintended results.
There are multiple ways in which Asian Americans experience racism, and although not all of them are violent, any type of discrimination will have negative consequences. Asian Americans encounter discrimination through incidents in daily life. According to Pew Research Center, “About six-in-ten Asian adults (58%) say they have ever experienced racial discrimination or been treated unfairly because of their race or ethnicity.” These include cases at restaurants, hotels, and even public and government buildings like police stations and libraries. Race related Incidents such as offensive name calling, aggressive language, and even physical force are all considered racism. In addition, Asian American adults have stated that some strangers act like Asians are dishonest or are afraid of them. One of the prominent examples is airport security checkpoints. Although these statistics may also vary by ethnic groups, “20% [of Asian adults] say they have been held back at a security checkpoint for a secondary screening because of their race or ethnicity” (Pew Research Center). South Asians especially face extreme racial profiling, with many being pulled away for hours of interrogation because of their race. Even within their communities, Asian adults are often stopped and questioned by the police because of their ethnicity.
Another major issue that Asians face is discrimination in the workplace. Asian Americans are often denied jobs and promotions because of their race, and stereotypes such as the model minority influence others’ view on Asian Americans and their character. Also, Asian Americans face challenges with language and culture in the workplace, and this negatively affects their opportunities in the workplace. For example, Asian Americans have said that their accents when speaking English caused others to treat them differently. Asian Americans also face social discrimination when buying homes and in neighborhoods. They are not always welcomed in neighborhoods and are sometimes even prevented from moving into a specific neighborhood because of their race. Race should not be a factor that is considered in any of these situations. Every group should have equal opportunities and feel safe in their communities.
The impacts of these experiences (and many more) have caused Asian Americans to feel unwelcome and unsafe in America. Although America is a diverse country with many immigrants, it is important to note that we should treat others with respect and kindness. Asian Americans have contributed great achievements to American society that should be recognized. However, treating others with respect is the bare minimum and should be universal knowledge.
