The metro Atlanta shooting on massage spa salons on Tuesday evening has shocked the AAPI community in Georgia. Here are some reactions and comments:
“My family and I are shaken by the senseless murders of eight Georgians yesterday, including members of our Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.
And while it is too early to ascribe the motivations behind these shootings, we will continue gathering information as the investigation unfolds. Meanwhile, we are holding the families of those affected in our hearts, and are committed to supporting them in any way we can.
Our AAPI community has been living in fear this past year in the shadow of escalating racial discrimination and attacks. This latest series of murders only heightens that terror.
We are scared for our families, we are scared for our friends.
I implore all Georgians, and all Americans, to reach out to your Asian-American neighbors and to pledge to stand with them in solidarity. Recognize that we need support, we need protection, and we need your voices raised with ours against hate.” – Senator Michelle Au, M.D., Georgia Senate (District-48)
“We Love (Buford Highway) sincerely appreciates the support and solidarity of our communities. We are working diligently with sister AAPI community leaders to process, organize, and mobilize initiatives to counter the rising anti-asian hate crimes. Any crimes targeted towards people’s race, religion and beliefs cannot be tolerated. The accountability of identifying these as hate crimes is what we fight for, together.” – Lily Pabian, Executive Director, We Love BuHi
“The investigation will find more details but this is another un-American act of terror against good neighbors. Walk into a stores and shoot innocent neighbors because he doesn't like Asian American ethnic neighbors is undeniably a loser's act. The Asian American community is mourning for the deaths and condemn the crime and demanding the crime to justice. I would like to remind all our neighbors that Asian Americans are integral tax-paying Americans and hard-working good neighbors. Also, Asian Americans understand that this loser does not represents all of our Atlanta neighbors,” – Sunny K. Park, Chief Janitor Officer & Chairman, General Building Maintenance, Inc.
“In lieu of recent violence against Asian Americans in this country and the shooting and murders occurred yesterday in Atlanta, the Chinese Business Association of Atlanta and its Board of Directors condemn any hatred, violence and discrimination against Asian Americans and their businesses.
We are in contacting with the business organizations of other Asian American communities in Metro Atlanta to form an alliance to fight back against this violence and to protect our businesses and our lives.
We will work with federal, state and local governments, legislators and law enforcements to increase their presence and protections.
As soon as there are details on the next event, we will notify the press and the public.
– Jian Ni, President, Chinese Business Association of Atlanta
Listed below are screenshots of comments found on social media:
