That Sam's Club Stabbing Was Indeed a Hate Crime

And Other Things to Know From Angry Asian America.



Stabbing of Asian American Family Was a Virus-Fueled Hate Crime
Confirming what everybody pretty much suspected when this attack was reported last month, the vicious stabbing of an Asian American family -- including a 2-year-old girl --at a Sam’s Club in Texas earlier this month has been officially deemed a hate crime by the FBI. 19-year-old Jose L. Gomez confessed to authorities that he attempted to murder three Asian American family members, including the toddler and a 6-year-old, "because he thought the family was Chinese, and infecting people with coronavirus." He is now facing several charges, including three counts of attempted capital murder and one count of aggravated assault.

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House Lawmaker Proposes Resolution to Denounce Coronavirus Racism
Last week, New York congresswoman Grace Meng introduced a House resolution to denounce the racism toward Asian Americans related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, co-sponsored by more than 120 fellow lawmakers, stipulates that the House would condemn all forms of racism and scapegoating and call on public officials to denounce any anti-Asian sentiment, as well.

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Doctor Kicked Out of Gas Station in Coronavirus-Related Discrimination
A doctor who works with cancer patients says he was berated and kicked out of an Indiana gas station by an employee using the coronavirus to discriminate against Asians. The doctor stopped at a Marathon gas station in Martinsville, Indiana, for gas and a cup of coffee. But when he went inside, the clerk yelled at him, asking if he was Chinese, and told him to leave. (The doctor, by the way, is not of Chinese descent. Like it mattered.)

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The New Fear for Asian-Americans Going Out in Public
"What's scary is you wear a mask, you get targeted. You don't wear a mask, you get targeted. It doesn't fucking matter," she said. "I've literally been like, How can I make myself look less Asian when I go out?"

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Somebody decided to invite Dr. Rishi Desai onto Fox.

I don’t think they’ll be asking him back.

pic.twitter.com/7BGXo5Le9r

— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) April 2, 2020

"I don’t think they’ll be asking him back."
Dr. Rishi Desai, an Oakland physician who is treating COVID-19 patients, was invited on a Fox News segment to comment on some of the developments regarding the way the U.S. has handled the viral pandemic. And oh shit, he brought facts. Host Martha MacCallum could not cut to commercial fast enough.

Survey Says: Asian Americans experience discrimination

New survey finds Asian Americans experience and perceive discrimination in many areas of their daily lives.



From National Public Radio: New results from an NPR survey show that large numbers of Asian-Americans experience and perceive discrimination in many areas of their daily lives. This happens despite their having average incomes that outpace other racial, ethnic and identity groups.

The poll, a collaboration among NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, also finds a wide gap between immigrant and nonimmigrant Asian-Americans in reporting discrimination experiences, including violence and harassment.

"Our poll shows that Asian-American families have the highest average income among the groups we've surveyed, and yet the poll still finds that Asian-Americans experience persistent discrimination in housing, jobs and at college," says Robert Blendon, professor of health policy and political analysis at the Harvard Chan School who co-directed the survey. "Over the course of our series, we are seeing again and again that income is not a shield from discrimination."

More here: Poll: Asian-Americans See Individuals' Prejudice As Big Discrimination Problem

Asian American police officers say they were 'routinely' subjected to slurs, stereotypes

Lawsuit claims San Gabriel police maintained a "racially hostile" work environment.



From the San Gabriel Valley Tribune: A group of current and former Asian American officers of the San Gabriel Police Department claim they were routinely harassed and discriminated against -- both by other officers using slurs and stereotypes and by the department’s leadership, who they say passed them up for promotion after complaining about the alleged abuses, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The lawsuit claims San Gabriel police maintained a "racially hostile" work environment in which they were demeaned "on a nearly daily basis," including other officers using "mock Asian accents" when speaking to them, as well as comments on their physical appearance and stereotypes about Asian culture.

More here: 5 San Gabriel police officers say they were ‘routinely’ subjected to Asian-Americans slurs, stereotypes

Sikh football fans harassed for wearing turbans

Also, someone called the cops on them for being brown and standing next to a car.



More idiocy in the name of "safety." In San Diego, three Sikh football fans say they were harassed and nearly barred by security from entering Qualcomm Stadium on Sunday because they were wearing turbans.

Fans: We were hassled at Qualcomm stadium over our turbans

Varinder Malhi and his friends drove seven hours from Fresno to see the Denver Broncos play the San Diego Chargers. They were decked out in Broncos jerseys, hats and other fan gear, right down to the color-coordinated turbans they were wearing in accordance with their Sikh faith.

But when they tried to enter the stadium, security guards told Malhi and his friends that they couldn't enter the game unless they removed their turbans. They were ultimately allowed in, but were warned they wouldn't be able to wear their turbans again if they ever returned to the stadium.

On top of that, some overly nervous fan apparently got jumpy and called the cops when they saw Malhi and his turbaned friends in the parking lot, rummaging in the trunk of a car. They were just putting a bag back in the car when they realized they couldn't bring it inside the stadium.

Is the government racially profiling Chinese American scientists?

Sherry Chen and Xiaoxing Xi were both falsely accused of espionage.



This week, congressional leaders held a press conference calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the recent cases against Chinese American scientists who were wrongfully suspected of economic espionage.

Backed by California Democrats, Chinese American scientists arrested on espionage charges demand answers

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33), Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), and Rep. Michael Honda (CA-17) were joined by Sherry Chen, a U.S. citizen and employee of the National Weather Service in Ohio, as well as Dr. Xiaoxing Xi, a U.S. citizen and Interim Chair of the Physics Department at Temple University.

Jerk customer's anti-immigrant "tip" draws internet fury

"Tip for U.S. citizens only."



There are big tippers, there are stingy tippers... and there are just plain assholes. Big fat middle finger to the asshole who left this "tip" for a waitress at a Southern California Thai restaurant.

'Tip' Left for a Waitress Leads to Fury Online

After dining at Bamboo Thai Bistro in Redondo Beach, the customer wrote his server an anti-immigrant message , rather than a monetary tip, in the gratuity line of his check: "Tip for U.S. citizens only."

Students file lawsuit alleging voter intimidation

Chinese American students accuse town supervisor of voter intimidation and group defamation.



In upstate New York, a group of Chinese Americans college students have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against a local town supervisor, alleging voter intimidation after he challenged their right to vote.

Chinese-American students sue Deerpark supervisor

Ten Chinese American students at Fei Tian College are suing Deerpark Town Supervisor Gary Spears, accusing him of voter intimidation, group defamation and violation of their civil rights after he challenged their new voter registrations in an apparent effort to suppress voter turnout.

In August, Spears challenged thirty new voter registrations by students at Fei Tian, which is located on the grounds of a local religious enclave, Dragon Springs Buddhist Inc.

Disney accused of segregating Sikh employee

Gurdit Singh was barred from delivering mail in view of Disney World guests because of his turban and beard.



In Orlando, a Sikh American employee of Walt Disney World, who claimed his delivery routes were restricted and hidden from public view of Disney visitors because of his religious appearance, has won the right to have the same routes as other delivery workers.

Disney Allows Sikh Worker to Show Turban and Uncut Beard

Gurdit Singh, a mail carrier at Disney World, wears a turban and unshaved beard in accordance of his Sikh faith, which allegedly violate Disney's strict grooming guidelines, known as "The Disney Look." Because of his appearance, Singh says he was segregated from co-workers, denied career advancements and barred from delivering mail through Disney's resorts and theme parks in view of guests.

Sikh student files discrimination lawsuit against U.S. Army

"Choosing between one's faith and serving one's country is a decision that no one should have to make."



A Sikh student at Hofstra University has filed a lawsuit against the United States Army, claiming that he was refused a religious accommodation that would allow him to enlist in his school's ROTC program in accordance with his faith -- without shaving his beard, cutting his hair and removing his turban.

Sikh student sues U.S. Army, says ROTC enlistment blocked because of his faith

As a practicing Sikh, Iknoor Singh keeps his hair long and wears a turban. However, he was told by ROTC recruiters that he would not be able enlist unless he complied with all Army grooming and uniform rules, which would require him to immediately cut his hair, shave off his bear and remove his turban.

Singh, learning that the Army had previously granted religious accommodations to several Sikhs and soldiers of other faiths, applied for an exemption but was denied. The lawsuit, filed jointly by the ACLU and United Sikhs, says the Army's policy is a violation of Singh's religious freedom.

Dallas bar accused of racist business practices

Former employee says she was instructed to turn away customers who "sounded ghetto or too Asian."



In Dallas, an uptown bar is facing allegations of racist business practices, as some minority customers say they were denied entry based on a dress code, while white customers weren't held to the same standard. And according to a former employee, she was instructed to screen potential customers based on their ethnicity.

Former employee claims reports of racism at Kung Fu Saloon accurate

Stephanie Guidry, a former employee at the Kung Fu Saloon (yeah, seriously, epic eyeroll), says that she was told by managers to discern over the phone -- based on perceived accents -- whether customers attempting to make reservations "sounded ghetto or too Asian." If so, she was supposed to say the bar was booked.

Sikh and Muslim families file discrimination complaint against go-kart track

Company policy bars attendees from wearing religious head coverings



In California, five families of Sikh and Muslim faith claim they were discriminated against at a popular amusement park when they were barred from riding go-karts because of their religious head attire.

Livermore: Sikh families claim discrimination at Boomers go-kart track

The families have filed multiple public accommodation complaints with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing against the Boomers! amusement park chain. The complaints, filed by United Sikhs and CAIR-CA, allege violations of California's Unruh Civil Rights Act based on Boomers! unwillingness to permit park attendees wearing religious head coverings from riding Go-Karts.

Both Muslim and Sikh park attendees have repeatedly been denied access to the rides.

Yet Another Hateful Act Against Sikhs: Mississippi Judge, Cops Harass and Unlawfully Detain Sikh Man

By Rohin Guha. Cross-posted from The Aerogram.

Not all hate crimes necessarily involve bloody noses and broken jaws. Some combine the one-two punch of hateful language and government-sanctioned bullying. What happened to Dr. Prabhjot Singh in Manhattan last Saturday is terrifying — and his ability to recover with grace is inspiring. A little bit trickier to parse is the Sikh man in Mississippi who earlier this year was harassed, humiliated, and arrested by several police officers and a judge in that state. We'll tell you now that this one at least ends with a little bit of justice.

In January of this year, Jageet Singh (no relation), a commercial truck driver, was pulled over for a flat tire by several cops. They then proceeded to mock him for his appearance, searched his vehicle without just cause, and even tried to get him to remove his kirpan -- laughing when he explained the significance of the article in the Sikh faith. Eventually, they arrested him -- not for the kirpan or even for the flat tire, but for "disobeying an officer." When Singh returned to Mississippi in March 2013 for a court date, he was waiting in the back of the courtroom for his attorney to arrive and was again accosted by four highway officers who told him to leave. They were acting on the orders of Judge Aubrey Rimes who wanted Singh ejected because he "didn't like his turban."

But wait, it gets better.

Judge rules Abercrombie & Fitch wrongly fired Muslim employee over hijab

Abercrombie claimed her headscarf violated the company's "Look Policy."



You know I am happy anytime Abercrombie & Fitch gets kicked in the balls. And this is a good one. This week, a judge ruled that the company violated federal law when it fired a Muslim worker who refused to take off her hijab: Muslim clerk wins hijab fight against Abercrombie and Fitch.

Hani Khan, an employee the Hollister store in San Mateo, California, was fired in February 2010 for not removing her religious headscarf for work. Abercrombie claimed the hijab violated the company's "Look Policy," whatever the hell that means. Khan filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued Abercrombie & Fitch on her behalf in 2011.

Tribunal finds restaurant guilty of racial discrimination

The Shark Club is ordered to pay Indian complainants $10,000 each for denying them entry.



News of discrimination out of the Vancouver area... The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal recently ruled that a restaurant in Langley racially discriminated against three patrons of Indian descent when they were denied entry: Human rights tribunal finds men were racially discriminated against by Langley Shark Club.

Surinderjit Rai, Manjit Gill and Manjinder Gill tried to get into a graduation party at the Shark Club two years ago, but were told they could not join the rest of their party already in the restaurant and given bogus excuses by the doorman about reservations and tickets, while white customers were not given the same treatment.

The tribunal ordered to the Shark Club to pay the three complainants $10,000 each for injury to dignity and self-respect:

Customer kicked out of McDonald's for limited English skills

Somebody call corporate. They've got an asshole running this restaurant.



Today's edition of racist restaurant news... In Vancouver, a woman is demanding an apology from McDonald's after a manager refused to serve her because they apparently couldn't understand her English: McDonald's customer says she was booted due to English skills.

51-year-old Hai Xia Sun, who is a Chinese immigrant, says she was mistaken given a mocha coffee after she ordered a hot chocolate. When she tried to correct the mistake, the McDonald's manager allegedly berated Sun and her friend over their limited English skills, ordering her to get out of line and leave. Really?

Yes, it's true. Like a lot of people who eat at McDonald's every day, English is Hai Xia Sun's second language. But that definitely doesn't justify treating some like s$%t over a friggin' mocha.

Assistant editor sues over discrimination on The Muppets

A Hollywood film editor who worked on The Muppets has filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney Pictures and editor James Thomas, alleging harassment, gender discrimination and wrongful termination: Disney Sued For Harassment & Discrimination By 'Muppets' Editor.

According to the complaint, assistant editor Cecilia Hyoun was discriminated against, subjected to a hostile work environment, and terminated "because of her gender, race and family responsibilities and because she made good faith complaints and opposed Defendants' unlawful conduct."

Professor sues Macalester College for discrimination

Discrimination! At Macalester College in Minnesota, an Asian American professor is suing the school for discrimination in the promotion process: English professor brings discrimination suit.

Wang Ping, who teaches creative writing, poetry and fiction at Macalester, claims that she was unlawfully discriminated against by the college on the basis of gender, race and national origin.

In the lawsuit, filed under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Wang is requesting ompensation for all earnings, wages, and other benefits she contends that she would have received if it weren't for the alleged discriminatory practices of the college.

She is also requesting damages for the mental anguish and emotional distress she has suffered, and a declaratory judgement that the College's practices related to her promotion process are unlawful:

boss banned employees from speaking vietnamese -- even off the job

For real? In Orange County, a Vietnamese American man recently filed a discrimination lawsuit against his employer after his boss allegedly banned him from speaking Vietnamese anytime on the job: OC Company Boss To Asian Employee: You Can't Speak Vietnamese Even On Private Time.

Hung Trinh, a lab assistant at Quest Diagnostics Inc., says his supervisor Estela Comba had it out for Vietnamese employees, and made things particularly hostile for him in the workplace. He suffered "constant harassment" and was prohibited from speaking Vietnamese -- even on breaks or at off-duty functions. Whaaaat:

asian american joins civil rights lawsuit against arizona immigration law

Meet Jim Shee, the Asian American man who has joined the federal civil rights lawsuit challenging Arizona's ridiculously tough immigration law, SB 1070: Asian-American says Latinos not only ones hit by Ariz. immigration law.

The law allows police to ask the immigration status of a person, stopped, detained or arrested if there's a reasonable suspicion the person is in the country illegally. This is racial profiling, straight up. But it doesn't just target and affect Latinos.

Shee, the only Asian American among ten individuals named in the lawsuit, joined the fight when he too became the victim of racial profiling -- twice within the span of two weeks -- during traffic stops where he was asked for his "papers."