To the Editor: This week, eight people, including six Asian women, were killed in a terrible shooting rampage in Atlanta. This comes at the same time that hate crimes against Asian people have been increasing at an alarming rate.
Let’s not believe that Bennington is immune to xenophobia. Too often, we Vermonters ignore the realities of racism in our state and instead choose to view our region as a progressive haven. I want to emphasize just how untrue that is. Last fall, an Asian woman and her son visiting the Bennington Battle Monument encountered racial harassment and were met with shouts of "‘[racial slur], go home." It appeared to me that more attention was paid to the Monument statue's sword being stolen than to discussing how our community should respond to the xenophobia exhibited at the Monument.
The rise of anti-Asian racism across the country should serve as a wake-up call to our town and state that we need to be actively anti-racist. It's all too easy to say the words "that doesn't happen here" and go on our way, but it does happen here. And we need to care. I urge the governor's office, state legislature, and Bennington Select Board to make statements condemning and recognizing the realities of rising xenophobia.
Chase Dobson,
Bennington
"here" - Google News
March 18, 2021 at 10:53PM
https://ift.tt/38VuqxI
Letter: Racist acts happen here, too | Letters | benningtonbanner.com - Bennington Banner
"here" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2z7PfXP
https://ift.tt/2Yv8ZPx
No comments:
Post a Comment