ASCP Statement on Violence Against Asian Americans

In the past year, we have seen our country ravaged and torn apart by an unrelenting pandemic and violence against Blacks, Asian Americans and other persons of color. This week, the unthinkable happened again. 

On Tuesday, March 16, a gunman killed eight people in Atlanta, including six Asian-American women who were targeted based on their ethnicity. It is unimaginable that in 2021, racism, misogyny and xenophobia continue in our society. As we stated in June 2020, the American Society for Clinical Pathology condemns any sort of brutality, discrimination, prejudice or hate crimes toward any individual.

Structural racism against Asian Americans is still pervasive in our country. Over the past year, hate crimes against Asian Americans have been on the rise. Conspiracy theories blaming Asians for the global pandemic have led to the increase in violence against our fellow humans. Let us be clear: Hate is the most dangerous virus of all. Left unchecked, it would bring detrimental consequences to the health of our patients.