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SCREEN CAPTURE / KPIX Assemblymember Rob Bonta speaks at the Manilatown Center in San Francisco's old Manilatown. |
"We’re reeling," Bonta said Friday after Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced Bonta as his pick for AG. "People are hurting, scared, anxious, angry and it’s a full-on state of emergency, state of crisis and important."
"The Asian American community, and I know this from lived experience, from personal experience, as a member of the API community, is in a state of crisis right now, it’s a full-on state of emergency," Bonta said, noting how the types of crimes targeting Asian Americans have escalated from spitting and vulgarities to murder.
"It is really important for the people’s attorney, the chief law officer of the state of California, to see and value our API community, and to care, and also to take action," Bonta continued.
As Attorney General, he'll have the full support of Gov. Newsom, who said Friday that the surge of anti-Asian violence "infuriates" him since he grew up in San Francisco with many Asian American friends.
“What the hell is wrong with us?” Newsom asked.
“What the hell is wrong with us?” Newsom asked.
Newsom noted in his emotional statement that although California is known for the diversity of its people, the states also has a long history of xenophobia-driven actions against Asians.
“We have to be vigilant, this is something that’s been with us for 150 years in this state and the country,” Newsom said.
Newsom's instant history lesson recalled the California Legislature's bias against Chinese immigrants in the 1800s, passed several measures aimed at Chinese people, including requiring special licenses, labor rules and preventing naturalization. In 1882, the federal Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law.
Laws against Asians were driven by powerful Californians including Denis Kearney, a political leader and opponent of Chinese immigration, was active in San Francisco. Ironically Kearney Street, was the main street of the former Manilatown and the street where the historic International Hotel was located.
“We have to be vigilant, this is something that’s been with us for 150 years in this state and the country,” Newsom said.
Newsom's instant history lesson recalled the California Legislature's bias against Chinese immigrants in the 1800s, passed several measures aimed at Chinese people, including requiring special licenses, labor rules and preventing naturalization. In 1882, the federal Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law.
Laws against Asians were driven by powerful Californians including Denis Kearney, a political leader and opponent of Chinese immigration, was active in San Francisco. Ironically Kearney Street, was the main street of the former Manilatown and the street where the historic International Hotel was located.
According to #StopAAPIHate, in the year the pandemic has gripped the nation, that is March 2020 to March 2021, over 3800 incidents of hate has been directed against the AAPI communities, from vandalism, verbal assaults to physical attacks.
In the first two months of 2021 alone, #StopAAPIHate reports it has already gathered 500 reports of hate incidents. If this rate continues, 2021 will outdo 2020's record number of hate-driven attacks.
Some of the actions Bonta hopes to undertake when he assumes his new is to ensure that an anti-hate hotline is up-and-running and that the criminal justice system provide more training for law enforcement and work with victims and communities to better understand and address hate.
Some of the actions Bonta hopes to undertake when he assumes his new is to ensure that an anti-hate hotline is up-and-running and that the criminal justice system provide more training for law enforcement and work with victims and communities to better understand and address hate.
A peek at Bonta's legislative efforts could give us a better idea of Bonta's aims. In the month prior to his nomination as Attorney General, Bonta introduced AB 886 which would provide support for victims and avenues of restorative justice.
“The recent rise in racist and xenophobic attacks on members of the API community and the larger increase in hate crimes must be addressed with decisive action,” said Bonta. “The embers of hate have always been present, but they have recently been fanned into a fire of violence by no less than the previous occupant of the White House.”
AB 886 will fund community-based organizations that provide culturally competent mental health services for victims of hate violence and restorative justice programs. AB 886 would also expand the eligibility for victims of hate violence to access victim compensation funds and not be denied solely because the victim did not file a police report.
“All communities deserve to be seen, valued, and protected,” said Bonta. “AB 886 would assure that consultation with the victim becomes a primary focus along with community healing. AB 886 would address prevention by providing additional restorative justice tools to proactively increase the likelihood that an individual who caused the harm would not do additional harm.”
“The recent rise in racist and xenophobic attacks on members of the API community and the larger increase in hate crimes must be addressed with decisive action,” said Bonta. “The embers of hate have always been present, but they have recently been fanned into a fire of violence by no less than the previous occupant of the White House.”
AB 886 will fund community-based organizations that provide culturally competent mental health services for victims of hate violence and restorative justice programs. AB 886 would also expand the eligibility for victims of hate violence to access victim compensation funds and not be denied solely because the victim did not file a police report.
“All communities deserve to be seen, valued, and protected,” said Bonta. “AB 886 would assure that consultation with the victim becomes a primary focus along with community healing. AB 886 would address prevention by providing additional restorative justice tools to proactively increase the likelihood that an individual who caused the harm would not do additional harm.”
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