Palm Desert Greens Democratic Club Approves Resolution Regarding Xenophobia and Racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Whereas, the COVID-19 crisis has led to a drastic increase in anti-Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) attacks across the nation, with over 2,800 attacks since March 2020 being reported by the Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center, while also recognizing the California Democratic Party’s commitment to supporting “a just and inclusive society by speaking out with a public and unified voice against all forms of racism, discrimination, harassment, hatred, and violence directed at racial and ethnic minorities”, as stated in the Equality of Rights and Opportunity plank of the California Democratic Party’s 2020 Platform;

Whereas, Asian American Californians, who account for approximately one-third of the nation’s Asian American population, are all vulnerable to the growing number of xenophobia-fueled attacks, which continue to be fueled by former President Trump and his supporters. This is exemplified by a now-broad use of the racist reference to COVID-19 as the “China virus” despite the World Health Organization’s guidelines in disease naming;

Whereas, the history of California and the United States as a whole relating to our Asian American population is one of discrimination, restriction, and xenophobia, as seen in the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II, the formation of the “Asiatic-Barred Zone” in the Immigration Act of 1917, and more;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Palm Desert Greens Democratic Club denounces the rise in racist acts that strike fear into the hearts of our own communities, as well as the forces which have facilitated that rise, and urges leaders to counter anti-AAPI hate crimes by bringing communities together;

Be it further resolved that the Palm Desert Greens Democratic Club strongly urges the California Democratic Party to adopt this resolution, while calling upon the Biden administration and California elected officials to work with the AAPI community in addressing the rise in anti-AAPI attacks.

 

 

Image Sources

  • Stop Asian Hate: Shutterstock