‘Hate needs to stop’: Cleaver, area leaders host KC event supporting Asian Americans
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II on Friday offered a message of support to Asian Americans affected by the mass shooting spree in Atlanta that claimed eight lives earlier this week, calling for everyone to be aware that the words they use make a difference.
Cleaver referenced the tragedy as a case of what may happen when hateful rhetoric goes unchecked. And he said the world should understand that “the people of goodwill are in the majority.”
“God has been so good to this nation — far better than we deserve,” Cleaver said. “And yet, we still can’t get over skin color.”
Cleaver’s comments came in the wake of despair and outrage following the killing spree at three different massage parlors. Robert Aaron Long, 21, the white gunman, was charged earlier this week, and his actions quickly touched off a national conversation around acts of racially motivated violence toward Asian Americans.
The killings marked the deadliest mass shooting event in roughly two years.
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is calling on Congress to quickly pass COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which aims to increase government reporting and response to hate crimes and provide more resources to Asian American communities.
Cleaver, who is co-sponsoring the legislation, said he is confident the bill will pass the House, though he is worried about its likelihood of surviving a Senate evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans.
“When legislation comes up like that, there’s a very strong likelihood that 140 (or) 150 people will vote against it,” Cleaver told The Star shortly after his Kansas City community event. “And I think that that sends out such a horrible message.
“If we had to decide whether or not we were going to eat cheeseburgers or hamburgers for lunch, it would become a political issue,” Cleaver added.
In Kansas City, Cleaver and other area community leaders banded together to deliver a message of support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The public event, attended by roughly two dozen people, was held in The Gem Theater in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine neighborhood.
Others speaking publicly included Missouri state Rep. Emily Weber, a Democrat and Asian American lawmaker whose state House district covers parts of Kansas City.
Weber pointed to research that shows a rise in acts of violence and verbal harassment against Asian Americans as an example of the consequences of using racially-charged language. She said she has been harassed herself because of her race amid the coronavirus pandemic, saying her office received threats after she called out another House lawmaker for using the phrase “China virus” during a floor speech.
“This is the verbal harassment that we face and are facing due to rhetoric that is happening right now,” Weber said. “And it must stop. These are people’s lives. This hate needs to stop and we need to listen to the communities that are affected by it.”
Activists around the nation have seen a rise of racist attacks, according to the Associated Press. Nearly 3,800 incidents have been reported to Stop AAPI Hate, a California-based reporting center for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and its partner advocacy groups, since March 2020.
In a statement, Kansas City Police Department spokesman Jake Becchina said local police would be engaging with contacts in the Asian American community to ensure they are aware of the resources police can offer.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas also spoke Friday. He offered a few words of advice to Kansas Citians, encouraging everyone to be decent to each other.
“I ask all of you to make sure you’re inspiring goodness, not hate; to make sure you’re inspiring collaboration, not dissension,” the mayor said. “And to make sure you’re inspiring peace, not violence. Our words and your words matter.”
The Star’s Katie Moore and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 5:37 PM.
