Thread by @DawnXianaMoon

Here's the thing: This kind of violence and hatred isn't new.

It's escalated (exponentially) thanks to conversatives blaming China for COVID. But American violence against people who look like me has been happening for 200 years.

#StopAsianHateCrimes

This country never wanted us. The very first immigration ban was put in place because the US didn't want Chinese people. The entire concept of "legal" vs. "illegal" immigration exists because of American xenophobia toward us.

Anti-miscegenation laws listed us specifically.

The US had laws specifically prohibiting Asians from becoming citizens. And laws specifically barring us from owning property. The latest one was passed in 1943, and many of them were not stuck down until the 1950s.

This country imprisoned thousands of Japanese American citizens because someone in their family line had come from another country.

Many of them had been born here. Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two white men who mistook him for being Japanese and were angry at Japanese car manufacturers for "stealing" jobs. They did not serve any jail time even though they never denied what they did.

Trump et al blaming us for COVID is just the latest in a long history of xenophobia. And it has always had consequences.

If you have racial privilege, you have the power to stop this before it gets even worse.

#StopAAPIHate

Don't allow your fellow white people to pretend this isn't about racism. Don't stand for Model Minority BS, and don't laugh when people make jokes about bat soup or "kung flu."

Don't allow the media to minimize this. Believe us and listen to us. Intervene if you see someone being racist (even if it's "nice," "polite" racism). Don't be a bystander.

Stop this before it becomes even more violent. We need you.

#StopAPPIHate