Asian-American Hate Crimes

   In the U.S. alone we have a lot of Asian-Americans living among us.  Asian-Americans are definitely more now in this country than ever before. "According to the 2000 census, over 12 million Asian Americans, almost 70 percent of them either immigrants who came to the U.S. after 1970 or their children, comprised an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse population that was more regionally dispersed throughout the U.S. than ever before" (Kim,2007,p.75).  With this being stated we know that lot of Asian-Americans live among the U.S. in various communities.  Also Asian-Americans seem to be doing pretty well for themselves in this country.
        However, when the World War II broke out there was a lot of hatred towards Asian-Americans for various reasons, but with this being said even though times have changed their still is some animousity felt towards Asian-Americans. "A legal defense fund representing Asian Americans also is asking for a federal probe of alleged hate crimes in the State University of New York system." (Dervarics,2000,p.7).  There is very little known about Asian-Americans hate crimes, because it is not talked about as often as other ethnic groups, but they still recieve hatred.
     Asian-Americans are very hard-working and truly make themselves successful when they come to the U.S. or if they have already been brought up here they want to achieve the American dream.  More and more Asian-Americans are coming to the U.S. and even our neighboring country Canada and they are no longer residing in their own communities i.e. chinatowns.  As a result of this "case of hate crimes directed at Asian-Americans in a largely Jewish neighbourhood with a growing Asian-American immigrant population" (Bangarth,Hall,Hwang, 2001,p.176).  North America in general needs to be more opening of intermixing our people and not stay ignorant and keep repeating history by remaining intolerant



References:

Dervarics, C. (2000). Congress takes on hate crimes. Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 17(11), 7.

Kim, Barbara. (2007). The ties that bind: asian american communities without "ethnic spaces" in southeast michigan. Ethnic Studies Review, 30(1/2), 75.

Bangarth, S, Hall, P, & Hwang, V. (2001). Anti-asian violence in north america: asian american and asian canadian reflections on hate, healing and resistance. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 33(2), 176-177

Native-American Hate Crimes

    Native-Americans are the group that does not get showcased when it comes to hate crimes, but it does in deed happen to them.  Native-Americans have been in this country long before Europeans even touched down and ventured the new land.  They also do well off for themselves as a people especially with their modern success of casions which ventures in a lot of money.  This could be make them a target for hate, because of their prosperity that people assume they have. Native Americans discrimination occured at its severity back from when the Europeans came to the Americas up the 1970s.  There is a book that outlines the hate on Native-Americans called Silent Crimes: Hate crimes agaisnt Native-Americans  "One instance is the section on forced steralization of Native Women, which is not common knowledge for many readers" (Johnson-Jennings,2009,p.414).  I surely did not know this and it is sad that they would restrict Native-American women to have children.
     There has even been evidence that Native-Americans have been targeted the most for hate crimes. "Crimes of hate against American Indians totaled 75 incidents in the nation during 2007, said a Federal Bureau of Investigation report" (Ruckman,2008,p.2).  That is a high number of incidents and some believe it to be, because of Native-Americans "high-style" life that many assume that they have.  This was said by Brenda Golden, an Indian Activist: "'People think we get all these benefits when don't," she said. "And they also associate us with the past...that we killed white people indiscriminately when we were fighting for our land'"(Ruckman,2008,p.2).  This could result from many people in America thinking that Native-Americans get huge reparations for territory taken away from them many years ago.
       It is, because people are ignorant and think that they know a certain people's situation and know far from it.  Luckily there is being some progress made from the Government to reduce hate crimes directed towards Native-Americans. "The new initiative would provide a minimum of $100 million, over current funding levels, for activities which reduce violence and hate crimes against American Indians and incidents of those crimes on tribal lands. These grants could be used for counseling and social work services relating to tribal courts or prosecutors and programs to reduce hate crimes"(Stocks,2001,p.A1).  This is big step in the right direction, because it shows that America is trying to make an effort in helping out the Native-Americans which at times feel neglected.


References:


Stockes, B. (2001 , April 18). Hate crime legislation introduced: grants would target indian country. Indian Country Today, p. A1

Ruckman, S.E. (2008, November 14). Fbi hate crime report shows indians remain most often assaulted. Native American Times, p. 2.

Johnson-Jennings, M. (2009). Silent victims: hate crimes agaisnt native americans. American Indian Quarterly, 33(3), 414-416.
     

Hate Crime Effects and Overcoming

    Hate crimes can have tremendous effects and the level of severity can be different.  The world can witness this with things such as the Holocaust and the Rwanda genocides.  These two examples are very extreme and the hate crimes commited in the U.S. are by far not that extreme.  Hate crimes, nonetheless, are bad and can have negative affects in our community.
   America has a form of extremism entering into the country.  Extremism by definition is a tendency to go to extremes.  "This is not about freedom of speech. This is about hatred in one of its "worst forms. In fact, rightwing extremism is so prevalent and extensive today that it may appear to some to be just a natural backlash to the progress that has been accomplished during the last 50 years toward a more just and equitable society" (Chavis,2011,p.19).  Especially when it comes to the acceptance of Gays in this country that have been coming out rampidly, because of the way our society is.
     Even in our country today there needs to be more acceptance of people that are different from us.  We are all individuals not one person is the same.  When we learn to accept people it brings society together, but first the acceptance of different people comes within the household, which is where we base our morals and values in life from.  The youth are very influencable and easily swayed in their opinions on life. In the article titled Honoring Differences and Fighting Hate it states: "hate seems to be happening spontaneously among kids who feel it's OK to terrorize and assault people"(Holman,2005,p.33).  This is a not a good thing by any means and it is saddening that even young children can stir up so much hatred, tolerance needs to be instilled when you are young for accepting people of any culture.
     There needs to be a reduction in hate crimes in our society.  "Every day 8 Blacks, 3 Whites, 3 homosexuals, 3 Jews and one Hispanic person become victims of a hate crime, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center" (R.A.,2005,p.5). This is very upsetting and needs to change.  Our country has come to far to resort back to its old ways of true racisim. 

References:
R., A. (2005, Jan/Feb). Reducing violence in our society. Skipping Stones, 17(1), 5.
Holman, S. (2005, Jan/Feb). Honoring differences and fighting hate. Skipping Stones, 17(1), 33-34.
Chavis, B. (2011, January 20-26). Violent rightwing extremism continues in america. Washington Informer, pp. 19,34.