Letters to the Editor: Potential hate crime ‘underscores the need for genuine advocacy’ for Asian Americans

To the editor: Asian American advocacy during the Trump era faces challenges as anti-Asian violence rises. A probable hate crime against historian Aki Maehara in Los Angeles highlights systemic xenophobia, fueled by divisive COVID-19 rhetoric and economic concerns tied to the trade war with China (“Asian American professor who teaches history of racism attacked in possible hate crime,” May 13). Policies like Stop CCP VISAs Act, which seeks to block student visas for Chinese nationals, intensify mistrust, linking Asian Americans to espionage and economic competition during downturns. The administration’s lack of emphatic condemnation of anti-Asian violence further compounds the issue.

While President Trump’s communications director Steve Cheung defends the administration’s commitment to inclusivity, its actions and rhetoric often fail to address deep-rooted prejudice. Leadership demands a firm stance against hate crimes and systemic reform to ensure dignity and security for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Maehara’s tragedy underscores the need for genuine advocacy, moving beyond symbolic gestures to confront xenophobia and foster unity.

Jane Tanaka, Tehachapi, Calif.