NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng on Thursday called out a Republican colleague for using rhetoric that put “a bullseye on the back of Asian Americans.”
During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on the rise in anti-Asian violence, Republican Congressman Chip Roy agreed that those who commit violent acts against Asians should be punished but, said the government shouldn't try to control what people think or say.
That didn't sit well with New York Congresswoman Meng, who slammed Republicans for supporting former President Donald Trump, who often referred to coronavirus as the “Chinese Virus.”
“Your president and your party and your colleagues can talk about issues with any other country that you want but, you don't have to do it by putting a bullseye on the back of Asian Americans across this country – on our grandparents, on our kids,” Meng told Roy.
Getting visibly upset, the congresswoman concluded with: “This hearing was to address the hurt and pain of our community, to find solutions. And we will not let you take our voice away from us.”
Earlier in the hearing, Roy, a Texas representative, asked whether the committee's attempts to prevent hate crimes would hamper free speech.
The committee meeting began with a moment of silence for the eight people who were killed in this week's shooting at an Atlanta massage parlor, in which six of the victims were Asian women.
Congresswoman Meng later spoke with WCBS 880’s Michael Wallace about the hearing, saying it is crucial that the country address the rise in hate against Asian Americans.
“I know that incidents like these against Asian Americans are not new in our history however, you can't ignore the numbers where they've really skyrocketed in the last year or so,” Meng said. “I believe that a lot of this has been emboldened by the former president who used words like ‘Chinese Virus’ and ‘The Kung Flu.’ And, in a time where we did not know much about this virus – where people were fearful, losing their loved ones, losing their jobs and their homes – people may have been looking for a scapegoat. So, when a leader with the wide platform uses inflammatory words like that, it will lead to hateful incidents like the ones that we've been seeing.”
She said that while Congressman Roy made some “insensitive” comments, she was optimistic that change will come about thanks to the hearing.
“We are pushing two pieces of legislation and I was heartened to see committee members talk about it but also, the Biden administration mentioned some of these bills are earlier today too. So, we are hopeful,” the congresswoman said.
Among the bills is the “No Hate Act,” which Meng explains would provide funding to local community organizations who “are on the ground taking care of people.”
The other legislation is the “COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act,” which was recently introduced by Meng and Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono.
“[It would] establish dedicated personnel at the Department of Justice to focus on these sorts of issues, hate incidents, hate crimes and also find ways to make it easier for everyday people to report these incidents,” she said.
The congresswoman, who represents multiple Asian American communities in Queens, says she has heard reports of her own constituents being victimized by hate crimes and while she is thankful that the NYPD is stepping up to protect vulnerable communities, she thinks more should be done.
“What we really need is more resources for the community,” Meng said. “We need to make sure that they know how to report. We need them to know just more information about these incidents.”
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