Chinese Communities Across the Country Support South Asian Americans’ Call for Full Investigation of Possible Hate Crimes Committed in Olathe, KS and Kent, WA

UCA向国会议员递交128个华人社团抗击种族仇恨声援信

In the morning of Wednesday, 03/23/2017, Haipei Shue of United Chinese Americans (UCA) visited Capitol Hill as the representative of the 100+ Chinese organizations who endorsed the Solidarity Letter. He attended the Congressional Briefing: “Power, Pain, Potential” and presented the Solidarity Letter to the leadership of SAALT and several Congressional members.

3月23日，在国会山由SAALT举办的通报会上，薛海培先生应邀出席，代表128个签名的华人社团，向SAALT和数名国会众议员，现场递交了华人社区的联合声援信，并向SAALT和国会议员们的关切支持表达敬意，得到了与会国会议员和SAALT负责人的肯定和赞誉。
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While the Kansas shooting on February 22nd is still under investigation as a possible hate crime against two immigrants from India, we are shocked to learn another Indian was shot at his own driveway after being told “Go back to your own country” by a gunman in Kent, WA on March 3rd.

Chinese communities across the country express our deepest condolences to Srinivas Kuchibhotla and his family, and our sympathy to Alok Madasani and the victim in Kent for the violent crimes committed against them. We also praise Ian Grillotan, a true American hero, who was wounded when risking his life to apprehend the gunman in the Kansas shooting.

These shootings remind Chinese Americans of the bitter memories of the 1982 killing of Vincent Jen Chin in the suburb of Detroit. Chin was mistaken for Japanese and was beaten to death by a Chrysler plant superintendent and his stepson. The killers were convicted of manslaughter through plea bargain, and served no jail time, with 3 year probation and $3,000 fine and were cleared of all federal civil rights charges.

Facing the increasing racial tension, hostility, and senseless killings of Asian Americans and other minorities, we support the call by the South Asian Americans for full investigation of possible hate crimes committed in these shootings. We also urge the federal and local authorities to condemn all hate crimes committed across the country.

We, Chinese Americans, shall stand in solidarity as always with all Asian Americans. Together, we shall work with all people who look for a safe and peaceful life in the United States and with the government to confront the rising hatred and divisiveness across the country.

3月23日，由南亚美国人领导联盟（South Asian Americans Leading Together，简称SAALT）主办的国会通报会在国会山召开。会议特邀3名国会参议员作为会议共同主席、8名国会众议员出席，共同严厉声讨当前针对南亚、穆斯林、锡克教、印度教、阿拉伯和中东美国人的仇恨暴力激增的事件。会议提交了一份名为“Power，Pain，Potential”主题报告，报告显示，近年伴随总统大选各地频发的200多起仇视暴力事件和言论，比3年前增长了34%。会议号召，各族裔组织立即联合起来，化悲痛为力量，严厉打击种族仇视和犯罪行为，呼吁政府切实担负责任、保护所有美国公民的平等权利。

美国华人联合会（United Chinese Americans，简称UCA）负责人薛海培先生应邀出席此次会议，发出了来自华裔社区的支持呼声，并向大会呈送来自128个华人社团签名的联合声援信。

2月22日，堪萨斯州一名印度工程师被枪杀，另有一名印度人和一名试图解救的美国人也当场受伤。3月3日，又一名印度裔锡克教美国人在西雅图郊区遭一蒙面男子开枪射伤。而这两起案件中的开枪男子都在枪击前高喊：“Get out of my country!”(滚出我的国家）。

连续发生的种族仇恨案件举国震惊，尤其引发亚裔社区的强烈抗议。如此与华人命运攸关的重大暴力事件，华人社区岂可缺席？在UCA负责人薛海培先生和UCA领导成员之一、休斯顿大学白先慎教授，以及网名为大自然在内的多名志愿者，发起了“亚裔正义互助行动”。他们通过华人社区的各个微信群，很快发布了声援信，创建网上声援签名链接，呼吁各华人社团积极参与，把签名后的声援信迅速转发到身边的印度裔同事、邻居、朋友中，表达华人同胞们的安慰和支持，强烈谴责种族主义的仇恨犯罪。

声援信义正辞严地指出：“华人们要一如既往与亚裔各族裔紧密团结，为追求平等、公正、包容的社会环境，为美国的强大与进步尽每个公民的义务！” 这一号召道出了华人们的心声、赢得华人社区的热烈回应。

征集声援签名的号召发出后，短短5天，就收到了来自APAPA、UCA、80-20、NCCA、CACA、OCA等128华人社团的支持签名。在薛海培先生的积极努力下，联系到在亚裔维权上有较大社会影响力的南亚美国人领导联盟（SAALT），参与到亚裔社区共同抗击仇恨犯罪的行动中。

3月23日，在国会山由SAALT举办的通报会上，薛海培先生应邀出席，代表128个签名的华人社团，向SAALT和数名国会众议员，现场递交了华人社区的联合声援信，并向SAALT和国会议员们的关切支持表达敬意，得到了与会国会议员和SAALT负责人的肯定和赞誉。

当薛海培先生向大会介绍“亚裔正义互助行动”和签名声援信的时候，来自华盛顿州、新当选的国会议员派拉米·贾亚普尔（Pramila Jayapal）恰巧走进了会议室。她认真听取薛海培先生的演讲，之后走上讲台，首先赞扬了华人社区的支持和努力，她激动地说：“这一份声援信，让我们仿佛看到黑暗中的希望之光，弥足珍贵！”

在国会通报会前后，薛海培先生代表UCA及128个签名声援的华人社团，先后走访了多名印度裔国会议员，其中包括：伊利诺伊州的拉贾•克里希纳穆尔提议员（Raja Krishnamoorthi），华盛顿州的派拉米·贾亚普尔议员（Pramila Jayapal），加州的罗康纳议员（Ro Khanna），向议员们递交了联合签名的声援信，表达来自华人社区的关切和呼吁。他还向这几位国会议员介绍了UCA的使命和愿景，特别是UCA将在国会推出的“外国留学生科技人才移民法案”，这几位国会议员都表示赞赏和支持。

薛海培先生表示，UCA将不断促进加强亚裔社区的沟通交流、互助合作，共同维护华裔、印度裔社区以及美国民众的平等权益，共建各族裔团结发展的美好未来。
The list of endorsed organizations arranged by alphabetical order:

? List of organizations