When Donald Trump was president, he repeatedly made racist remarks, calling the virus, which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China, the “Chinese virus,” the “China virus” and other offensive terms. Within days of entering office, Biden signed an executive order condemning anti-Asian racism amid the pandemic. The largely symbolic measure directed the Department of Justice to increase efforts to address hate crimes and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Advocates for the Asian American community have been urging people not to stay silent in the face of these racist attacks: “We are in a moment of reckoning,” civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen told MSNBC last month. “Quite frankly, it is a betrayal of the very fundamental tenets of what it means to be an American if people stay silent in the face of hate.”

Source: Huffington Post March 12, 2021 01:22 UTC