Hollywood calls to #StopAsianHate after Atlanta shootings: 'Don't be silent'
Dozens of Hollywood luminaries are condemning the recent surge in anti-Asian violence after several women of Asian descent were killed this week in shootings at Atlanta-area spas.
Gemma Chan, Margaret Cho, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Shonda Rhimes, Daniel Dae Kim, George Takei and other celebrities have responded publicly to the attacks, which left eight people dead, including six women of Asian descent.
According to Atlanta authorities, Robert Aaron Long, 21, of Woodstock, Ga., was arrested Tuesday night and has admitted to shooting the victims.
"Please pay attention to what is happening," wrote "Crazy Rich Asians" and Marvel star Chan on Instagram. "Racism and misogyny are not mutually exclusive. In fact, sexualised racial harassment and violence is something that many of us face regularly.
"We need to stop the dehumanisation of Asians. We need to stop the scapegoating of Asians for Covid. We need to unite against all forms of hate. Please spread awareness, check in on your Asian friends because we are not ok.. educate yourself and others on the model minority myth and the long history of anti-Asian racism. ... Please don’t be silent."
"Star Trek" actor Takei and comedian Cho were among many who urged others to recognize the attacks as hate crimes, pushing back against Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds' claim that Long's actions "did not appear to be" motivated by racism.
A report released this week by Stop AAPI Hate found that 3,795 racially motivated attacks have been committed against Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and concluded that the number is likely a fraction of the attacks that occurred, because many have gone unreported.
"Whether the killer went in with intent to kill Asian women or he just happened to go to three different Asian establishments, miles apart, with intent to kill those inside doesn’t change the racial nature of these murders," Takei tweeted, adding, "The best thing you can do today is to speak out against violence toward Asians in this country, especially if you yourself are not Asian."
"I am so angry and full of grief because of what happened yesterday," said Cho, who lived in Atlanta for seven years. "It is a hate crime. When you kill [six] Asian women, it's a hate crime. I don't know why that's even a question. This is terrorism, and this is a hate crime. Stop killing us."
I’m angry. This is terrorism. This is a hate crime. Stop killing us. #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/rZghXp4nOQ
— Margaret Cho (@margaretcho) March 17, 2021
Others who have spoken out include "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." actress Chloe Bennet and "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" star Lana Condor, who pleaded with her followers to support and check in on their Asian loved ones.
"Wake up," Condor tweeted. "Your Asian friends and family are deeply scared, horrified, sick to their stomachs and wildly angry. ... please please please stand with us. Please. Your Asian friend needs you, even if they aren’t publicly grieving on social media."
"I’m actually so upset I don’t have much to say because, of course this happens," Bennet wrote. "How could we expect anything else considering the racist rhetoric that has been enabled and f— celebrated over the past year."
See how other celebrities — including Harry Shum Jr., Simu Liu, Ava DuVernay, Janet Mock, Mindy Kaling, Olivia Munn and Barack Obama — are calling to #StopAsianHate below.
Wake up... your Asian friends and family are deeply scared, horrified, sick to their stomachs and wildly angry. Please please please check in on us, please please please stand with us. Please. Your Asian friend needs you, even if they aren’t publicly grieving on social media. x
— Lana Condor (@lanacondor) March 17, 2021
Thank you. This video from @nowthisnews first appeared a few weeks ago, but applies all too directly to yesterday’s events in #Atlanta #StopAsianHate https://t.co/ceFLPRVq65
— Daniel Dae Kim (@danieldaekim) March 17, 2021
I will be speaking to the Congressional House Committee on the Judiciary about the Rise of Discrimination & Violence Against Asian Americans TOMORROW, Thurs, March 18th at 10AM EDT. You can watch it live at the link below. Please join me, and help #StopAsianHate. #Atlanta https://t.co/w9duQf8EFv
— Daniel Dae Kim (@danieldaekim) March 17, 2021
Yesterday's shootings are another tragic reminder that we have far more work to do to put in place commonsense gun safety laws and root out the pervasive patterns of hatred and violence in our society.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 17, 2021
How much longer are we going to tolerate, a word I never use, this madness of hate to continue!? #StopAsianHate
— Dionne Warwick (@dionnewarwick) March 17, 2021
A CRIME AGAINST ANY COMMUNITY IS A CRIME AGAINST US ALL
RIP TO THE ASIAN WOMEN KILLED#StopAsianHate https://t.co/sZmtQuaJt7— RINA SAWAYAMA (@rinasawayama) March 17, 2021
Whether the killer went in with intent to kill Asian women or he just happened to go to three different Asian establishments, miles apart, with intent to kill those inside doesn’t change the racial nature of these murders.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 17, 2021
Last night was an act of pure racist hatred. This is very personal to me as a mom of a child who is both Black & Asian. But it shouldn’t have to be personal to know its wrong. Speak up. Hashtags are nice but actions save lives. Standing w/ the AAPI community. #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/Rtx1b2AZW9
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) March 17, 2021
Asians are not a monolith.
The continent includes around 48 countries and 3 territories, all with unique cultures, food customs and traditions.
But a racist attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. #StopAsianHate— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) March 17, 2021
We need to take decisive aim at our gun laws & enact sensible reforms to ensure that those with hate-filled hearts are no longer armed to destroy lives. It’s time we put safety on the agenda in America. #StopAsianHate #StopAAPIHate https://t.co/T28bvAKpL6
— Misha Collins (@mishacollins) March 17, 2021
Take action now. https://t.co/wckddcjcwb #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/pYKolCpryR
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) March 17, 2021
To everyone amplifying #StopAsianHate today...
We see you and we appreciate you.— TZE THEE CHUN (@thetzechun) March 17, 2021
We must stop violence & hate against our Asian brothers and sisters. You can take these virtual bystander intervention trainings & learn ways to intervene effectively without compromising safety. New sessions added Mar 29 + Apr 20. Click below to register. https://t.co/C8gAhUjRuw
— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) March 17, 2021
I have no words for this.... https://t.co/9HsFDrQE1k
— Daniel Wu (@danielwuyanzu) March 17, 2021
This is horrible. And completely out of control. It has been since this anti-Asian violence began. I am so sorry for these lives lost and so many communities living in fear. https://t.co/yfyZxhPgZx
— roxane gay (@rgay) March 17, 2021
Absolutely horrible. Sending love to all the loved ones of those whose lives were taken. Our nation needs to reckon with the increased threats being directed at our Asian-American brothers and sisters. https://t.co/52DCKPeDOt
— John Legend (@johnlegend) March 17, 2021
AAPI FAM :: please take care of yourself today :: it’s okay to share your grief and pain to ones you love :: heartbroken ::
— Harry Shum Jr (@HarryShumJr) March 17, 2021
The violent attacks and murders against Asians are still happening.
Please help us.
We need help to be safe in our country.#StopAsianHate. Please. pic.twitter.com/NJ3knm1hlo— o l i v i a (@oliviamunn) March 17, 2021
The targeting of our Asian brothers and sisters is sickening, but not surprising given the normalizing of anti-Asian hate speech in the past year. We have to #StopAsianHate, enough is enough!
— Mindy Kaling (@mindykaling) March 17, 2021
I don't have any coherent thoughts today. Just thinking about the difference in the mood in the AAPI community yesterday morning vs. yesterday evening.
— Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) March 17, 2021
General rule: people don't get to decide whether they are racist; other people decide this based on their actions
— Celeste Ng (@pronounced_ing) March 17, 2021
Stop AAPI hate. Please watch my conversation with the incredible Moonlynn Tsai & Yin Chang, then go to https://t.co/X3y29zuGtg to find out how you can help. #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/KQOeFUAg6Y
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 17, 2021
The hashtag #StopAsianHate is rightly trending. How do we do that beyond just tweeting? Some ideas. Examine stereotypes you hold about Asian people. Work to dismantle that within yourself. Raise your voice anywhere that anti-Asian sentiment is present. Normalize calling it out. https://t.co/KENMNCsEvy
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) March 17, 2021
Sending love to the families hurting in Georgia. If you're able, please support the #ATL organizations listed in this thread, started by @SFdirewolf https://t.co/RNVn8235OX
— Eva Longoria Baston (@EvaLongoria) March 17, 2021
8 people in Atlanta, 6 of them Asian women, were murdered yesterday. The rise of nationalism, enduring white supremacy & racist rhetoric continues to fuel hate violence. Support orgs protecting API communities:@AAAJ_Atlanta @capacd@StopAAPIHate@AAPIWomenLead@ActToChange
— Janet Mock (@janetmock) March 17, 2021
Heartbroken to hear about yesterday’s hate crime. If you are Asian - I see you, I stand with you, I hear you, I support you. You deserve better. We have to do better. ❤️ https://t.co/cAwyrQgwMI
— Steven Canals (@StevenCanals) March 17, 2021
This in itself is racist. It directly correlates to how Asian women have been overtly sexualized for ages in the media.
(Also men, WOMEN ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING, HEALING, OR HELPING WITH YOUR SEX ADDICTION!!) #YesIAmAngryAndScaredForMyFriends https://t.co/hEQYMgDuW3— Anika Noni Rose (@AnikaNoniRose) March 17, 2021
Feeling overwhelming grief at the senseless murder of 8 people in Atlanta. Still much we don't know, but it's clear to me that the shooter specifically targeted Asian women.
Praying for the victims' families, and for my Asian sisters. Action to follow.https://t.co/DjMcG0sBbv— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) March 17, 2021
Your hatred for minorities & a more diverse landscape has remained consistent for centuries. What is changing is our strength in numbers, an attack on one is an attack on all. We stand with our Asian siblings through this awful time. My deepest condolences to those we lost today.
— Rahul Kohli (@RahulKohli13) March 17, 2021
Another story of a White man * in distress * back at it again
🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣STOP ASIAN HATE
Call it what it is: A HATE CRIME against women, against non white women at the hands of a home-grown WHITE MALE TERRORIST
Solidarity and love to all our Asian friends ❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️💜❤️— Lido Pimienta (@LidoPimienta) March 17, 2021
This is horrifying. These poor women. Their poor families. 💔 https://t.co/EZN5BAJ0em
— Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) March 17, 2021
— Darren Criss (@DarrenCriss) March 17, 2021
RT if you 💚 St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀
8 Asian women were killed by a home-grown terrorist yesterday. It was a hate crime.
Next time an elected off. uses racist language to describe a global pandemic, remind them that ppl have died due to this rhetoric.
@GOP— Aimee Carrero (@aimeecarrero) March 17, 2021
Times staff writer Anh Do contributed to this report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.