I am hurt and angry to see the lack of support Jews have gotten from the Asian community with both the constant hostility on campuses, including University of Washington, in the censorship of an exhibit on anti-Semitism at the Wing Luke.
Seven million people are dead because of COVID, which originated in China. And yet during the height of that crisis, we were told we had to be very careful about our language towards China as it might cause hate crimes. Everybody condemned and blamed Chinese Americans for the despicable behavior of China, whether in relation to COVID or the treatment of the Uyghurs, Tibetans, etc. I have never seen a Chinese American condemn the Chinese government or renounce the country as evil. And yet Jews are expected to condemn the Israeli government and renounce the country as evil all the time.
Don’t Chinese Americans realize that there is no reason they couldn’t be treated with a hostility that we see treated towards Jews? Don’t they remember only a few years ago, we all condemned when they were treated in a hostile manner? As far as the Wing Luke Museum to refer to the condemnation of anti-Semitic violence in Seattle as “Zionist language” is bizarre and scary. How would Asians feel if everybody decided not to condemn anti-Asian violence that occurred in Seattle by claiming it was “Communist Chinese language”?
There are very few Jews who expect people to blindly support Israel. What most of us expected was for the Asian, Muslim, and Black community to remember that we fought for them not to be treated with abuse and hatred that we are facing. None of these groups of people apologize for the violence and abuse of people of their ethnicity or religion in other countries. None of them are told they deserve hate crimes in Seattle due to the violence of their people and other countries. And yet the Wing Luke staff was appalled at the idea of condemning violence against Jews in Seattle that was being done in the name of the Palestinian cause.
How shameful. I can’t imagine how the Asian community doesn’t realize that we’re being treated with the same mentality that the Japanese were in World War II, Chinese Americans during COVID, or Muslims after 9/11. The difference is the Jewish community stood with all these groups when they were persecuted. None of you have stood with us. Shameful, truly.
Tara J. Pines
Seattle