Page 2 - JR March 3 21 FINAL

Confronting Hate explores anti-Asian history

BY DEBORAH MOON cans, many elderly, have been
“Who would I have become attacked since the onset of the
if my life had not been affect- pandemic in America. Locally,
ed by racist policies?” asked recently over a dozen Asian
third-generation Japanese businesses were vandalized.”
American activist and artist The surge in hate incidents
Chisao Hata. against the Asian American
It is a question that could community since the start of
have been asked by any of the the pandemic was set aflame
minority speakers in the six- last year when Trump and other
part Confronting Hate webinar officials referred to COVID-19
series created by the Jewish as the “China virus” or the
Community Relations Coun- “Kung flu.” A United Nations
cil of the Jewish Federation of report noted that more than
Greater Portland and co-spon- 1,800 racist incidents against
sored by several other groups. Asian Americans in the Unit-
Webinars on the history of ed States were reported in an
discrimination against Blacks, eight-week period from March
Native Americans, immigrants, to May 2020 alone.
LGBTQ+ and now Asians can The Confronting Hate we-
be seen at jewishportland.org/ binar was moderated by Judy
uncovering. A March webinar Margles, director of the Oregon Chinese merchants arrived in Portland early in the city's history. But
will explore anti-Semitism. Jewish Museum and Center for stereotypes and the Exclusion Act led to violence against the com-
“How much did I lose, did we Holocaust Education. Judy said munity. Now new stereotypes blaming Asians for COVID-19 have
all lose?” asked Chisao during the museum teaches about all sparked a new wave of violence. Attacks have soared nationwide
the Feb. 23 webinar Uncov- forms of discrimination “and and a dozen Asian-owned businesses in downtown Portland have
ering the Hidden History of stereotyping is certainly one of been vandalized. Below, Judy Margles moderates a discussion
Anti-Asian Discrimination in them.” with Chisao Hata and Jackie Peterson-Loomis. JCRC Director Bob
Oregon. “A child who experi- The webinar also featured Horenstein introduced the Hidden History program.
ences … rejection is a loss for Jackie Peterson-Loomis, vol-
our country.” unteer Executive Director of
Chisao is the daughter of the the Portland Chinatown Muse-
first Japanese American nurse um, which she cofounded with
in Oregon. Her parents were a group of Chinese American
married in Poston, Ariz., in an elders with deep family roots in
internment camp where her Chinatown.
mother was paid $19 a month Jackie traced the arrival of
as a camp nurse. Her parents, Chinese immigrants to the West
like the other interned Japanese Coast to the California Gold
Americans, lost their homes, Rush. The first arrivals were
businesses and communities. entrepreneurs who created an
Japanese internment camps extensive merchant culture
were established during World including laundries. It didn’t
War II by President Franklin take long for discrimination to
Roosevelt through his Execu- set in. She said it arose from By 1900, Portland’s China- distorted,” he said. “To be ef-
tive Order 9066 in reaction to the fact that Chinese workers town had become the second fective in addressing current
the bombing of Pearl Harbor. who arrived after the early largest on the West Coast (only issues of racial injustice, it is
The order and camps are wide- merchants soon became the San Francisco’s was larger). really important to look back
ly viewed as the most atrocious preferred workers because they But the very successful Chinese before we move forward into
violations of American civil were modest, sober and could merchant community “collaps- the future.”
rights in the 20th century. be paid less. es after 1900.” Stereotypes The final webinar on March
“My parents and 120,000 Jap- “It disturbed the ability of comparing Chinese to vermin 18 will explore the history of
anese Americans lived three Irish … and other Americans to and rats helped create a very Jews and anti-Semitism in Or-
to five years in 10 concentra- get jobs they thought they de- violent era for the community. egon, featuring Bob and Pro-
tion camps in America,” says served,” said Jackie. Now a new stereotype of Asians fessor Ellen Eisenberg from
Chisao. “That happened to The Chinese Exclusion Act as the cause of COVID-19 has Willamette University, again
American citizens.” of 1882 suspended Chinese led to new waves of violence. moderated by Judy. Register at
That discrimination continues. immigration for 10 years and Bob said that emphasized the jewishportland.org/uncovering.
Introducing the webinar, declared Chinese immigrants importance of the Hidden His- On May 26, the JCRC and the
JCRC Director Bob Horenstein ineligible for naturalization. tory series. many partner organizations that
said, “Tonight’s program is es- The Act was renewed in 1892 “We did not learn this history have participated in the history
pecially timely and significant. and made “permanent” in 1902; in our schools… It has been webinars will gather for a virtu-
Three thousand Asian Ameri- it was repealed in 1943. whitewashed, ignored or even al summit to confront hate.

2 Jewish Review March 3, 2021