oregon rises above hate
We’ll be celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders throughout the month of May 2024. Check out our Upcoming Events page for free museum days, musical events, artist talks and much more.
For centuries, we have watched what happens overseas be used as an excuse for hatred here at home. It happened to Japanese Americans during World War II, it happened to Iranian Americans during the Iran hostage crisis, and it happened to anyone who appeared of Middle Eastern descent after 9/11. It has been happening to Chinese Americans since the pandemic began, and Asian Americans of Muslim faith are now suffering severe hatred because of events out of their control in Israel and Gaza. And we know that anyone who looks like the targeted groups becomes victim of that hate themselves.
Hate and white supremacy are always looking for an excuse to punish people of color for existing or people of different religions for living in accordance with their faith. The recent resurgence of white supremacy has made public displays of hate acceptable, and our communities are suffering as a result. But the actions of Hamas do not reflect the actions of Muslim Oregonians. The actions of the Chinese government do not reflect the actions of Chinese Oregonians. It is just a pathetic excuse to publicly engage in a bigotry that already existed.
Hate spreads quickly when there is nothing stopping it. Our communities are living in fear, from Muslim Asian American kids afraid to go to school to Chinese American elders afraid to walk down a sidewalk. Everyone deserves to feel safe. Everyone deserves to feel their humanity is being respected. It is the wider community's responsibility to fight this bigotry and racism on behalf of their neighbors of color. Stand up for those who are afraid. Be vocal in your support. Call out racism when you see it. Ask your AANHPI friends and neighbors how they are doing. Let them know they are not alone.
White supremacy can only be defeated when the white community hears the suffering of their neighbors of color and says, "No more." Those neighbors are suffering deeply now, and they need to be heard and helped. They need to feel that they are welcome and belong – that Portland and Oregon are nothing without its people of color.
Portland, Oregon, United States
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