Ted Lieu: Trump Gave ‘Permission to Attack’ Asian-Americans

Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) said Friday on MSNBC’s “Deadline” that former President Donald Trump referring to the coronavirus the “China virus” and “Kung flu” gave people “permission to attack” Asian-Americans.

Anchor Nicolle Wallace said, “Can you just describe the connection between the smear uttered so many times by the former president, we lost track, but repeated this week in an interview on Fox News, describing the coronavirus as the ‘China flu” or the ‘Kung flu.’ What happens after that? What happens after all of his millions of supporters hear that and their frustration and anger builds about the lockdowns or the other challenges of the pandemic? What happens with those kinds of smears?”

Lieu said, “I was at the House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on violence against Asian-Americans, and we had professors present studies and reports that showed there was a link between the racist rhetoric of the former president and the increase in hate crimes and hate incidents against Asian-Americans. When the former president uses terms like Kung flu, racist terms in describing this virus, it gives people more permission to attack Americans who happen to be of Asian descent. I am not a virus, and there is really no evidence whatsoever that Asian-Americans somehow transmit this virus more than anybody else. In fact, you’ll more likely get the virus if you don’t get vaccinated, in you don’t wear a mask and if you don’t social distance.”

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