MSNBC Live host Ayman Mohyeldin concluded his Friday show by talking to actor and writer Alan Yang of Parks and Recreation fame to discuss the uptick in hate crimes against Asian-Americans and postulated that President Trump's COVID messaging has something to do with it.
Mohyeldin asked Yang, "President Trump has repeatedly used the term 'China Virus' and other frankly racist nicknames to refer to COVID-19. How difficult does it make it to fight Asian-American bias when that's the message that is coming from the White House to this country?"
Yang was more mild in his criticism than the journalist: "It's not helping. Let's put it that way it's definitely not helping." He then repeated the idea that labeling COVID-19 as the China Virus is unhelpful because the virus doesn't know nationality and that, "It doesn't help to label it and doesn't help to discriminate against people. I can't believe I have to say that, but we're all human beings and all fighting against the same common enemy."
Of course, the point of labeling the virus as the China Virus is more of a messaging tool to warn the rest world that this is what happens when you put the Chinese Communist Party in control.
Still, Mohyeldin wondered if the feds were doing enough:
Have you been satisfied at all by the response from law enforcement or at least what you're hearing and reported through your network of friends and activists and others, whether the Department of Justice is dealing with these anti-Asian comments and attacks appropriately, or are they dragging their feet?
Yang replied that he hopes the DOJ will take the matter seriously and cited an example of, "an incident in Monterey where a family eating at a restaurant was basically attacked and insulted by a fellow diner. One of the servers at the restaurant helped kick the guy out its actions like that that we need to help. It shouldn't be incumbent upon the group being discriminated against to shoulder all of the burden."
As bad as racist restaurant hecklers are, calling in the feds to deal with them is a bit excessive, especially when the restaurant proved capable of dealing with the problem themselves.
This segment was sponsored by Colonial Penn. You can find their contact information linked.
Here is a transcript for the July 24 show:
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
10:54 AM ET
AYMAN MOHYELDIN: As you’re probably aware, President Trump has repeatedly used the term “China Virus” and other frankly racist nicknames to refer to COVID-19. How difficult does it make it to fight Asian-American bias when that's the message that is coming from the White House to this country?
ALAN YANG: It's not helping. Let's put it that way it's definitely not helping. At this point, there's no difference between anyone who has the virus. The virus doesn't discriminate. The virus doesn't know what race you are, and there's no reason anyone who looks a certain way or comes from a certain country is more likely to have it at this point. If you're in this country, we all need to work together to fight the virus. It doesn't help to label it and doesn't help to discriminate against people. I can't believe I have to say that, but we're all human beings and all fighting against the same common enemy.
MOHYELDIN: Have you been satisfied at all by the response from law enforcement or at least what you're hearing and reported through your network of friends and activists and others, whether the Department of Justice is dealing with these anti-Asian comments and attacks appropriately, or are they dragging their feet?
ALAN YANG: I hope so. Again, it's just really we're incipient here. Journalists, like you’re mention there, Kimmy Yam, are just getting the word out and really hoping that people are not only aware, but they start to take action. There was an incident in Monterey where a family eating at a restaurant was basically attacked and insulted by a fellow diner. One of the servers at the restaurant helped kick the guy out its actions like that that we need to help. It shouldn't be incumbent upon the group being discriminated against to shoulder all of the burden.
