The Tompkins County Office of Human Rights, Chair of the Tompkins County Legislature, Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office and Ithaca Asian American Association strongly condemn recent acts of racist-motivated harassment, intimidation, verbal and physical attacks and microaggressions against our fellow Asian and Asian American community members. During the current COVID-19 pandemic communities in Ithaca and worldwide have been working together to mitigate its spread; making emergency provisions for those infected; and compassionately helping many whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted.

 

Yet there are those, locally, nationally and globally, who have seized this moment to tear at the fabric of human community. The pandemic affecting us all, directly or indirectly, is global, untethered to any one locale, ethnicity, region, continent or hemisphere. This public health emergency, during which we practice social distancing, should not be exploited to foster racist division and ethnic scapegoating that separates us as human beings. We are all in this together. And we will eventually overcome this together.

 

We stand with and in support of all Asian and Asian American residents of Tompkins County and against anti-Asian discrimination. They should not be subjected to “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”—a violation of their human rights—because of Coronavirus. Please report incidents of discrimination to the Office of Human Rights, which can facilitate the filing of complaints regarding institutions and individuals with the New York State Division of Human Rights (607-277-4080; https://tompkinscountyny.gov/humanrights/email). Report acts of intimidation, verbal and physical attacks report to law enforcement by calling the 911 Center – 911 for emergencies, and 273-8000 for non-emergencies. Contact the Ithaca Asian American Association if you seek support an affinity group at iaaa607@yahoo.com; www.ithacaasian.org;