Greenburgh Insider: Town of Greenburgh: Anti Asian crimes in metropolitan area deplored.

 

We must speak out and express our outrage against racism impacting those of Asian heritage. We haven't experienced incidents in Greenburgh and our police are doing whatever they can to make sure that the crimes don't spread to our area.

As more people receive vaccinations daily, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel in our fight against the COVID-19 virus.  However, we also see the virus of racism raging against our neighbors of Asian heritage.  Recently, the news has  reported a significant and troubling increase in anti- Asian American hate crimes and bias incidents related to COVID-19 stigma and misinformation around the country.  In New York City alone, according to the NYPD, 500 Asian Americans were targeted in 2020, ranging from verbal to physical assaults, including acid attacks and a stabbing this past Thursday. Three Asian women were assaulted in one day in Queens last month.  According to the Asian American Federation and Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center, since February of 2020, there have been nearly 3,000 such incidents of racism against Asian Americans in this country.

 

People of Asian-Pacific Islander backgrounds have been part of America's rich immigrant history since the mid-19th Century.  The first wave of Asians, primarily Chinese, Filipinos, Indian Sikhs, Japanese, and Koreans, came to America and contributed to the building up of the railroad, mining, agricultural and science industries.  Unfortunately, because of unjust laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and FDR's Japanese Internment Executive Order 9066 of 1942, Asian Americans have also experienced their share of discrimination and civil rights struggles.  

 

We ask that you support your fellow Asian American neighbors by denouncing anti-Asian hate crimes and harassment.  If you've experienced witnessed or any such incidents, please report them to the proper authorities.  I spoke with the Police Chjief, Chris McNerney, who advises that we have not experienced this in Greenburgh. Our police department works closely with the District Attorney's office trying to combat hate and bias crimes.

 

We all have gone through a very difficult and stressful 2020 and as we try to find normalcy, we need to be united against all forms of racism and hate.   The Town of Greenburgh has a Human Rights Committee that is very active. Their meetings are public and we welcome your involvement.

We are all neighbors in this wonderfully diverse town so let's look out for each other.

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor