Blogging from Shanghai, part 9

Hate speech/hate crimes. My discussion yesterday with law students here in China interested in the Asian American legal experience began with a review of Japanese American internment during World War II and the Korematsu case. That discussion evolved into further conversation about racial profiling, hate speech, and hate crimes. The students were quite interested in learning about the current victimization of African Americans (in spite of the election of Barack Obama) and U.S. citizens and immigrants of Latin and Asian descent. They were also interested in learning about the targeting of Arabs, Muslims, and South Asians in the U.S. after 9/11 by both the U.S. government and misguided citizens.

The regular incidents of hate crimes and hate speech in the U.S. are well documented by groups such as the Asian American Justice Center, MALDEF, South Asian Network, and National Council of La Raza. These incidents are a further reflection of the lack of gratitude and/or ignorance that many in the U.S. exhibit toward hard working immigrants who contribute to U.S. society and the economy–both documented and undocumented.

The students in China ask me what I teach my own students about how to respond to hate crimes and hate speech. I told them about legal recourses and media work and community organizing, of course, but I tell them that the most important lesson is about the attitudes of my own students. I tell them that we all contribute to the problem when we chime in or condone even innocent sounding racist comments or put downs or don’t intervene when we hear our own friends “joking” in racist or stereotypical terms. But just as we can be part of the problem, we can be part of the solution. Every time we reach out to those whom we have been conditioned to hate or exclude, we chip away at that wicked culture that leads to hate.

bh