87R13794 BPG-D
By: Wu, Vo, Button, Jetton, et al. H.C.R. No. 66
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Asians account for five percent of Texas' population
and are the fastest growing racial group in the state; and
WHEREAS, Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there has been a
dramatic increase in the number of hate crimes and incidents of hate
directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), with the
use of terms such as "Chinese virus," "Wuhan virus," and "kung-flu"
perpetuating this disturbing escalation; and
WHEREAS, The group Stop AAPI Hate began collecting incident
reports on March 19, 2020, and in under four months, it received 63
from Texas alone; while shunning and verbal harassment, including
racial slurs and name-calling, accounted for most of the incidents,
physical assaults constituted 22 percent of reports from the state,
more than twice the national rate of nine percent; and
WHEREAS, One high-profile act of violence occurred on March
14, 2020, when a 19-year-old man, looking for someone to blame for
the COVID-19 pandemic, attacked an Asian American family with a
knife in Midland; the FBI called the case a hate crime; and
WHEREAS, In Houston's Chinatown, rumors spread on social
media falsely claiming that an Asian supermarket in the area was
shut down by the government due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19);
customers avoided the area, driving losses that reached 70 percent
for many Asian American businesses; businesses owned by Asian
Americans have also been targeted for vandalism during the COVID-19
pandemic; and
WHEREAS, Nationally, Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800
firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate by the end of 2020; over 7
percent of these involved Asian Americans over the age of 60;
attacks have continued to occur in 2021, leaving many seniors
afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods; two terrible incidents
captured on video include a vicious assault on a 91-year-old in the
Chinatown neighborhood of Oakland, California, and another on an
84-year-old San Franciscan, who later died; and
WHEREAS, The number of victims is likely higher than official
tallies, since many incidents are not reported to law enforcement,
due to past negative experiences with law enforcement or a lack of
faith in a response; nevertheless, Asian American families are well
aware of the growing frequency of violence and harassment,
prompting many to keep their children at home learning remotely,
rather than returning to schools as they reopen; and
WHEREAS, The pandemic has brought the problem of anti-AAPI
racism to the forefront, and it is imperative that this issue be
addressed; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby strongly condemn racism against Asian Americans and Pacific
Islanders; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
call on state law enforcement officials, working with federal and
local officials, to investigate and prosecute all credible reports
of hate crimes and incidents and threats against AAPIs in Texas;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas
express its support for public and private efforts to eradicate
anti-AAPI racism in all its forms.