美国亚太联盟赞赏华裔国会议员孟昭文的反歧视决议案

2020年3月25日星期三，川普总统在推特上发表推文，表示他将避免使用“中国病毒”一词，因为美国许多立法者和AAPI组织都抗议这样的言辞会导致亚裔美国人遭受言语攻击甚至暴力。

美国国会华裔众议员孟昭文在周三提出她的反歧视决议案（H.Res.908）时说：“越来越多的人使用反亚裔言论，尤其是总统等国家领导人的反亚裔言论，频繁使用'中国病毒'、'武汉病毒'和'功夫流感'等字眼，不仅不负责任、鲁莽和彻头彻尾的令人作呕，还威胁到亚裔美国人社区的安全；这样的语言暴力，会将亚裔美国人变成新冠病毒的替罪羊。”

“亚裔美国人与全国其他亿万人民一样，都为新冠病毒感到担忧；然而，在对亚裔人的威胁和攻击急剧增加之后，许多亚裔美国人生活在恐惧之中。在围绕COVID-19的焦虑和恐惧加剧的这段时间里，我们不应该忘记保护每个人的健康和安全 - 无论他们的种族背景如何。众议院必须坚决反对令人恶心的狭隘、偏执和暴力，这会给我们国家的历史留下可怕的烙印，尤其是在这前所未有的公共卫生危机时刻。我感谢今天与我一起联署该决议的同事，他们与我一起大声而清晰地宣告：仇外心理和歧视是绝对不能接受的。我强烈敦促众议院全体同事支持和通过这项决议。”

孟昭文的决议案得到124个国会众议员的联署支持。APAPA与其他许多亚裔美国人组织一起赞赏孟众议员的努力。请大家打电话给国会议员，来支持这个决议。下面是决议的英文原文。

Condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19 

Whereas 23,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders account for 7 percent of the nation's population in the United States;

Whereas over 2,000,000 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are working on the frontlines of this COVID-19 pandemic in health care, law enforcement, first responders, transportation, supermarkets, and other service industries;

Whereas the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID-19, such as the “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” and “Kung-flu,” have perpetuated anti-Asian stigma;

Whereas since January 2020, there has been a dramatic increase in reports of hate crimes and incidents against those of Asian descent; 

Whereas according to a recent study, there were over 400 cases related to COVID-19 anti-Asian discrimination between February 9, 2020 and March 7, 2020;

Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID-19 pandemic;

Whereas as of March 2020, anti-Asian violence includes: a woman wearing a mask was kicked and punched at a New York City subway station; two children and two adults were stabbed at a wholesale grocery in Midland, Texas; a couple was assaulted and robbed by a group of attackers in Philadelphia; and a 16-year-old boy was sent to the hospital after being attacked by bullies in Los Angeles, California;

Whereas the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric has also resulted in Asian American businesses being targeted for vandalism;

Whereas there are approximately 2 million Asian American-owned businesses that generate over $700 billion in annual revenue and employ nearly 4.5 million workers;

Whereas the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognize that naming COVID-19 by its geographic location or linking it to a specific ethnicity perpetuates stigma;

Whereas in 2015, the WHO issued guidance calling on media outlets, scientists and national authorities to avoid naming infectious diseases for locations to avoid stigmatizing groups of people;

Whereas on February 27, 2020, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated “ethnicity is not what causes the novel coronavirus” and that it is inappropriate and inaccurate to call COVID-19 the “Chinese virus;”

Whereas on February 28, 2020, Dr. Mitch Wolfe, the Chief Medical Officer of the CDC said, “Stigma is the enemy of public health;”

Whereas on March 10, 2020, Dr. Robert Redfield, the Director of the CDC, testified that use of the term “Chinese coronavirus” is wrong and inappropriate; and

Whereas the United Nations Secretary-General called for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded discrimination of the outbreak’s victims: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

1. calls on all public officials to condemn and denounce any and all anti-Asian sentiment in any form;

2. recognizes that the health and safety of all Americans, no matter their background, must be of utmost priority;

3. condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, anti-Asian sentiment, scapegoating, and ethnic or religious intolerance;

4. calls on Federal law enforcement officials, working with State and local officials—

   (A) to expeditiously investigate and document all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against the Asian American community in the United States;

   (B) to collect data to document the rise of incidences of hate crimes due to COVID-19; and

   (C) to hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring such perpetrators to justice.

5. recommits United States leadership in building more inclusive, diverse, and tolerant societies—
   (A) to prioritize language access and inclusivity in communication practices; and
   (B) to combat misinformation and discrimination that put Asian Americans at risk.

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