Biden, Harris celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month with White House gathering

WHITE HOUSE

President Biden (at podium) addresses the gathering of AANHPI leaders at the White House.

After speaking out against white supremacists, hate and rightwing extremists in a speech in Buffalo where a gunman killed 10 Black shoppers in a neighborhood market, President Biden continued the message at a White House gathering of AANHPI leaders from media, entertainment, business, politics and community advocates. 

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday (May 17) condemned violence and hateful rhetoric toward minority communities at a White House celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with scores of movers and shakers from the AANHPI communities.

Both Biden and Harris spoke out against the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic and linked the issue to the mass shooting over the weekend in Buffalo, N.Y., where authorities said the gunman specifically targeted the neighborhood because of its high density of Black residents.

FYI: For complete remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris, click here.

“We must always speak out against violence, against hate crimes and against discrimination whenever and wherever it occurs. And we must do everything in our power to end this epidemic of hate,” Harris, who is the first Asian American to serve as vice president, said in remarks at the Rose Garden.

Both Harris and Biden called out GOP leaders and rightwing pundits for helping fuel the rising racism in the country.

RELATED: AANHPI communities have benefited from the Biden Administration

“Hate can have no safe harbor in America. And every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” said the President. “But you know, you have folks on television stations talking about the replacement theory, scaring the living hell out of people who don’t have a whole lot of emotional stability.”

'It was ... only last year that we — that I was with the President in Atlanta, mourning the murder of eight people, including six who were Asian American women," said Harris.

"And, sadly, what I said then remains true now: Racism is real in America. It has always been. Xenophobia is real in America. It has always been. Sexism too.

"I said last year and I sadly say again today: We have had people in positions of incredible power in our country scapegoating, people with the biggest pulpits spreading this kind of hate.

"This requires — these moments — sadly, tragically require us to ask, 'Who are we as a nation? And what do we stand for?'"

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.