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A Long History Of Anti-Asian Racism, Aggravated By The Pandemic, Has Led To A Surge In Discrimination And Hate Crimes In The U.S.

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Mike Nguyen looks at his store, Noodle Tree in San Antonio, after it was vandalized with racist remarks.
Tyler Prince
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214 Digital
Mike Nguyen looks at his store, Noodle Tree in San Antonio, after it was vandalized with racist remarks.

In the year since COVID-19 emergence in the U.S., anti-Asian xenophobia and bigotry has grown exponentially.

Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose by 150% in 16 cities in 2020, fueled by false information and resurfaced racist stereotypes and tired tropes.

A ramen shop in San Antonio was recently vandalized with graffiti that promoted anti-Asian violence, invoked the same racist language used by former President Trump and echoed sentiments of other prominent GOP leaders, including Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, who continue to blame China for COVID-19.

But this is not new — it's the culmination of more than a century of false stereotypes, racist tropes, targeted political rhetoric and even state-sanctioned discrimination against Asian people in the U.S.

How can we stem the rise of race-based propaganda and crime? How does silence and inaction perpetuate hate?

What can our past tell us about this rise in anti-Asian attacks? Does media play a part in perpetuating racism against Asian people?

How can we break the cycle?

Guest: Mark Toubin, Southwest Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League

"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.

*This interview was recorded on Thursday, March 18.

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