The Asian American Christian Collaborative's Statement on Anti-Asian Racism in the Time of COVID-19
- Thread starter Tek7
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CowRocket
Well-Known Member
Umm... Actions like this only exacerbate the non-problem into an actual problem.
While the details of each individual report aren't publicly available, it's difficult to believe that "1,100 incident reports of verbal harassment, shunning and physical assault in two weeks" could reasonably be classified as a "non-problem."
While even my sometimes cynical view of humanity has trouble processing that people would channel their fear and anger regarding COVID-19 into hostility toward Asian Americans, a brief glimpse at history (in this case, we could study the internment of Japanese Americans in the United States during World War II) and a Biblical understanding of human nature (Jeremiah 17:9, for starters) makes it painfully easy to believe.
So while you or I may not personally witness racist speech or actions, our very limited personal experience is insufficient to say whether or not it's an issue, especially if we ourselves are not the targets of such activity.
Unfortunately, however we want to view this, the reality is that I have a number of Asian-American friends across the country, and I'm pretty sure this fear is real for most of them, whether they have been the immediate recipient of wrong behaviors or not. Even if the problem isn't as bad as some make it out to be, it behooves me as a Christian to say "I'm not okay with anti-Asian racism, or racism of any kind, regardless of whether it is microaggression or outright assault."
CowRocket
Well-Known Member
1. If you really think this is a real problem you MUST go into the inner city and have conversations with the citizens. After that, tell me who the racist really are and who they are racist against.
2. Just because some folks "feel" that they may be targeted, that doesn't make it true. It's likely they're own feelings being reversed. "If I would feel this way, they must too"
I'm done with this topic and you'll should be too.
2. Just because some folks "feel" that they may be targeted, that doesn't make it true. It's likely they're own feelings being reversed. "If I would feel this way, they must too"
I'm done with this topic and you'll should be too.
At the very least, I think we can agree that racism, regardless of the target, hurts people and relationships and that racist attitudes, speech, and actions run contrary to the clear instructions found in Scripture to love others as Christ loved us.
Jesus purposely chose to share a message of redemption with a Samaritan woman during a time when Jews looked down on Samaritans and women were marginalized. His behavior serves as a model for the rest of us: Share the truth, identifying the problem of sin and God as the only source of salvation, with love and compassion, regardless of social boundaries.
While it's true that our feelings do not dictate reality, I strongly believe it's dangerous to dismiss 1,100 incident reports without more careful consideration.
To clarify, these incidents were reported by Asian Americans rather than by others on the behalf of Asian Americans:
Source: http://www.asianpacificpolicyandplanningcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Press_Release_4_3_20.pdf
No one is obligated to participate in the discussion, but anyone is welcome to participate so long as the conversation remains civil and the thread remains open. You're welcome to excuse yourself from the thread, but I don't plan on locking it without cause.
CowRocket
Well-Known Member
My apologies for not explaining this further.
This is a complete non issue, it is being released to assist the world elites to make normal folks look and/or feel bad. Even if it is 100% true and real, its only 0.00000314285% of the population of the USA (statistically irrelevant) and likely the norm.
Meanwhile, most folks are completely ignoring the collapse of the economy which effects all of us. Want to change something that actually matters? Read, watch, and listen then tell your friends about this.
This , this, this, this..... and thousands more like it.
I'll try to put aside some time to chime in but it takes a while to edit and compile a wall of text and I need to sleep. The short of it is China, the CCP government, is bad people which cannot be allowed to use accusations of racism as a defense. It's more complicated but I all I have time for ATM.
Krissa Lox
Active Member
Well that's something I never thought I'd see... Tek being accused of not being concerned about the economy.
Maybe the end really is nigh after all...
Maybe the end really is nigh after all...
Ember
Mrs. Tek7
I think we need to be careful not to read something that no one actually said. Tek shared a link here. We're a Christian forum and it's relevant to current events. I'm sure it's not a majority, but statistical significance is really not by any stretch an argument when it comes to racism. Even once is one time too many. Can our hearts hurt for even one? It's a pretty weak argument imo to say it's not important because it's not that many. Let's encourage our Christian brothers and sisters. They are sharing their concerns and experiences and it's not really up to us to decide whether or not we think it's valid. It's not like they are positing something anti-Bible here, so why can't we just offer our prayer and support and take a moment to try to view life from another perspective? It won't harm anything. What is harmful though is being tone-deaf and callous to another person's pain, even just one person's.
And let's also not attack the straw man here. Again, let's not read something that no one actually said. If it's necessary to veer off topic, maybe it should be another thread.
Let's not confuse firmness and "tough love" with undue harshness and closed ears. Let's always think how we may attract unbelievers with our love. It is not for anyone's good to minimize these issues. Percentages don't make anything less real. If you have an earnest disagreement with how your fellow believer is viewing things, approach the subject with gentleness.
And let's also not attack the straw man here. Again, let's not read something that no one actually said. If it's necessary to veer off topic, maybe it should be another thread.
While I won't dispute that officials within our government as well as other governments can benefit from polarizing their constituents across political party lines, I can't quite make the leap necessary to believe that this specific document was drafted with that purpose in mind.
More specifically, I briefly looked in to the home churches of Pastor Raymond Chang and Dr. Michelle Ami Reyes, the lead drafters of the document.
Raymond Chang is the pastor of Restoration Community Church. You can find their Statement of Belief here.
Michelle Reyes co-planted Hope Community Church in East Austin. You can find their Statement of Belief here.
Nothing in those statements of faith begins to suggest that the leaders of such churches are working to "assist the world elites to make normal folks look and/or feel bad."
I'm unclear on how percentages relate to the conversation. If even one Asian American is assaulted solely on the basis of his or her ancestry, we, as Christians, should be quick to identify that as unjust and wrong.
Just as a reminder, the subject of the document linked in the original post was the Asian American Christian Collaborative's statement on racism in the time of COVID-19. I didn't see any reference to the government of China, in either a positive or negative context, or the global or US economic fallout in the statement linked in the OP.
Anyone wishing to discuss broader topics regarding COVID-19 is welcome to reply to the COVID-19 community check-in and discussion thread.
To try to keep things orderly and post where Tek wanted me too I posted my response to this thread here . Frankly Tek can move it here, or keep it there, whatever floats his boat 
. Just a friendly FYI that is all.
. Just a friendly FYI that is all.
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