IN the Philippines, we have this “mano po” tradition. When we see our elders, we reach for their hand, bow, and press our forehead on their hand. I value this tradition as it shows love and respect not just for family and the elderly but also for the generation to which they belong. And this is why I am deeply worried about the rising number of hate crimes in America.
According to a CNBC report on August 30, 2021, hate crimes targeting people of Asian descent in the United States rose by 70 percent last year compared to the number of such incidents in 2019. In March, shootings took place at three Atlanta-area spas that left eight people killed. Four of the women killed were of Korean origin. The suspected shooter was 21 years old.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defined hate crimes as those “motivated by bias towards race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity.”
On Monday, an elderly Filipino woman was shoved down the stairs of a subway station in Rego Park in New York City. Five months ago, a 65-year-old Filipina ended up in the hospital after she was violently assaulted while on her way to church near Times Square. Early this year, a 72-year-old kababayan found herself in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after she was badly beaten up while entering her apartment building in Sunnyside. Two weeks ago, a 67-year-old Filipina nurse was attacked while distributing masks in a Manhattan subway. A Filipino theater artist was spat at and subjected to racist insults while on board a subway train in Manhattan on a Sunday.
These are no longer isolated incidents but a string of purposeful, hate-driven acts of violence against people of Asian descent, especially those who are senior citizens. Law enforcers noted that the increase in hate crimes coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, which some racists in America have attributed to Asians because the coronavirus originated in China. Racism is an irrational, despicable state of mind, driven by a sense of misplaced superiority over others deemed of lesser value due to the color of their skin, age, sexual orientation, and political or religious sensibilities. For these walking time bombs to harbor so much hatred against complete strangers because of how they look like, exacerbate the fear and anxiety of Filipinos in America.
Consul-General Elmer Cato of the Philippine Mission in New York City is a seasoned diplomat, having survived difficult postings in war-torn Iraq and recently, Libya. He now finds himself in the strangest of wars while assigned in cosmopolitan New York—the war against hate.
On his Facebook page, former journalist turned diplomat Con-Gen Cato had this to say:
“We hope that before another violent incident involving elderly Filipinos or Asian-Americans happens again, the billions of dollars that Senator Chuck Schumer (Democrat, New York) said the United States Congress would be releasing to address mental health concerns would be available soon. This would be one effective way to address the surge in hate crimes in New York City.”
“While we understand authorities are doing their best to ensure the safety of the public, we also know they cannot prevent a similar incident from happening again. No one knows when and where the next incident will be taking place. This is the reason why we urge kababayan[s] to always be vigilant especially when outside their residences and when taking public transport.”
In response to the growing number of hate crimes directed at Asian-Americans, the Biden administration in partnership with Congress recently passed the Covid-19 Hate Crimes Act. The law directs the Justice department to expedite the review of Covid-related hate crimes that were reported to law enforcement agencies, help them establish ways to report such incidents online, and perform public outreach. Some civil society groups, however, questioned the strong emphasis on law enforcement in dealing with hate crimes. They prefer the inclusion of a more community-based approach to include more neighborhood trauma centers and mental health care infrastructures.
To be honest, the Asian communities in New York City and other states in America will need more than this new law to protect them. Neighborhood watch groups and support networks for victims of hate crimes need to be formed, and hotlines for embassy and government assistance must be well disseminated. Free lessons on self-defense, especially for the elderly, including the use of whistles and going out in pairs, are programs that our embassies and consulates in the United States can spearhead, with support from our own national government.
As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” How sad that during this pandemic, our kababayans in the United States must fear not only the virus, but its transmission of hate among those who see only the color of a person’s skin, and nothing else.
As the Filipino nurse who came to the aid of the elderly Filipino woman who was shoved down the stairs in Queens last Monday said, “It could have been my Mom.” Victims of hate crimes represent all of us. Hate crimes make freedom a lonely, empty word.