An Asian Dream

Hans Fontanilla

With the current coronavirus crisis, there has been an upswing in documented incidents of racist behavior against people of Chinese or AsianheritageintheEuropeanUnion,according to the European Union's Agency for Fundamental Rights. Similarly in the US thousands of racism episodes have been reported in recent months, ranging from being hawked, verbally abused to physical assault. These are racist attacks, according to advocates and organizers, and are frequently linked to discourse that condemns Asians the development of COVID-19.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) recognizes the existing and permanent dignity as well as the inalienable rights of every human as the foundation of freedom and justice around the world. Thus, the United Nations entitles everyone without any discrimination the freedomtheUDHRprovides.Effortstosuppress racial discrimination were everywhere to be seen, policies and legislations were reformed in a way whereeverybodywillbenefit.

In 1964, the United States Federal Government declared the 14th Amendment of the state’s provisions,theCivilRightsActof1964hadbeen the standard for the civil rights ruling in the country.TheActmadeprejudiceinpublicvenues and federally funded programs illegal. Also, it increased voting rights enforcement and school desegregation efforts. The ratification of the United States policies gave birth to a new era where everything is possible whoever they are. In addition, the European Union (EU) as well has moveditsarmsagainstracialdiscrimination.

From 1980s, EU has been one of the pioneers in combatting racial discrimination. In 1997, EU policy makers devised the Treaty of Amsterdam where matters of human rights policies were then elaborated. In the same year was the year for EU’s European Year Against Racism where the parliament started working to make a European strategy to support the national response to end racism, xenophobia, and anti-Semitism in the culture. We see, these efforts tend to create a wonderful new world for people to interact freely withnoreasonstobuildwallsagainsteachother.

It must be pointed out however that amending legislation would not change people's hearts. In many ways, racial tensions around the world are stillpresentandalarmshumanrights.Rightnow, many are still denied access to essential and basic human rights. This means we will still hear violence. Yet, our hopes for a development in cultural acceptance, in which all persons, regardless of race, are treated with respect and fairnessstillmustnotbeexhausted.

Once I hear Joe Biden address, “Hate can have nosafeharborinAmerica.Itshouldhavenosafe harboranywhereintheworld.”Wecannotlivein a promising future if we are still living with the awfulpast.