JAKARTA - Lee Wong, a politician from Ohio, United States (US) was racially attacked recently. Lee Wong's 'Americaniness' was questioned because of his Asian physique. In response to the attack, Lee spoke publicly, showing how American he was with a number of war wounds on his body. War for the US.
Lee Wong's action went viral in the form of a video. In the middle of a West Chester Board of Trustees meeting, Lee Wong took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.
"People question my patriotism, that I don't look quite American", Lee Wong said, his hand pointing to his face.
"I wanted to show you something because I'm not afraid. I don't have to live in fear, intimidation, or humiliation".
When the button opened, a long scar stretched across Lee Wong's chest. "This is proof. This is maintained through my service to the US military. Now, is this patriot enough?", said Lee Wong.
"Prejudice is hatred", said Lee Wong, buttoning his shirt back. "And that hatred can be changed. We are human beings. We have to be kinder, gentler to each other. Because we are all the same. We are one human on this Earth".
Lee Wong has been an active member of the Army for 20 years. The 69-year-old man said, he came to the US after high school, when he was 18 years old. Lee Wong then served 20 years of service in the Army.
There is a strong reason why Lee Wong decided to open the scars on his body. "The time is right to remember what happened in this country. Back then, I didn't know what happened to me ... I just knew I had to say something", said Wong, speaking to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
The video of Lee Wong's speech was uploaded on Friday, March 26 by Associated Press reporter James LaPorta. The video received an overwhelming response. As of Tuesday afternoon, March 30, the video has been watched 4.8 million times, with 54.7 thousand Retweets and 205.6 thousand Likes.
Lee Wong, an elected official in West Chester, Ohio & @USArmy veteran with 20-years of service, took his shirt off during a town hall meeting on Wednesday and revealed scars he received during his service. "Is this patriot enough?", he asked #StopAsianHate https://t.co/3nCwTlVGxD pic.twitter.com/0R1TX3MTtp
- James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) March 26, 2021
Asian Hate in the United States
Lee Wong's speech spread massively amid increasing racism, intimidation, and violence against Asian people in the US. The media and the public are calling it the "Asian Hate".
On March 16, eight people died in shootings at three spas in the Atlanta area. One day later, a 75-year-old Asian-American woman named Xiao Zhen Xie was attacked by a white man in San Francisco, California.
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Xiao Zhen's attack also became the main topic because the woman had fought the suspect with a wooden board. The attacker was later arrested.
His name is Steven Jenkins. Before attacking Xiao Zhen, Jenkins was also known to have attacked another Asian-American elder named Ngoc Pham, 83 years old.
Sheriff Villanueva strongly condemns the shootings in Atlanta and Colorado (Source: Indonesian Consulate General in Los Angeles)
The Stop AAPI Hate report provides a broader picture of Asian Hate in the US. According to the report, there were about 3.800 incidents of hatred that took place during the pandemic.
Cited from People, a police statistical study also showed a 150 percent increase in hate crimes against Asian-Americans in 2020. Another report published by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, analyzed data on hate crime in 2019 and 2020 from authorities in the 16 largest US cities.
The study found that the first wave of violence against Asian-Americans took place last year when COVID-19 cases started surging in March and April. The findings show that New York City saw the largest increase in anti-Asian hate crimes, with a breakdown of three cases in 2019 to 28 in 2020.
*Read other information about racism or read other interesting writings from Yudhistira Mahabharata.
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