Attacked for Their Race: An Ongoing Story

PARALLEL STORY

Fear and prejudice also led to the targeting of Middle Eastern and Muslim people after the devastating 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In the aftermath, anti-Muslim sentiment skyrocketed, with numerous assaults on people of Middle Eastern and South Asian ancestry. A September 2001 survey revealed that almost 3 out of 10 Americans supported the establishment of internment camps for legal immigrants from unfriendly countries during times of tension: exactly what happened to people of Japanese descent in WWII. Supporters cited the Korematsu case as legal precedent. Fred Korematsu himself spoke out against this, co-authoring two amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs. They successfully urged the Supreme Court to learn from history and reject the curtailment of Middle Eastern citizens’ civil rights following 9/11.

More recently, instances of anti-Asian hate increased again after the recent onset of COVID-19. Asian Americans found themselves accused of creating or spreading the so-called “Chinese Virus” or the “Kung Flu” simply because of their race or ethnicity. Hate crimes against Asian people increased by 145% in the 16 largest cities in the U.S. between 2019 and 2020. And, in a 2023 survey, a majority of Asian adults said that discrimination against Asians in the U.S. is a major problem.

In 2021, the Asian American Federation hosted a “Peace Vigil for Victims of Asian Hate.” An attendee holds a sign with the names of murder victims from a shooting spree in Atlanta, Georgia, that took place three days prior. Six of the eight victims were Asian American women. Andrew Ratto, March 19, 2021.