Sympathy is not enough when dealing with hate crimes against Asians

Dear Ah Mei, 

During Covid, I began to feel a heightened sense of fear regarding my safety.  How was it that even in diverse states like California and New York, hate crimes against Asian Americans were rampant?  I was wondering, did you feel this way too?  

When I talked to my non Asian friends about feeling afraid to be out and about, they were sympathetic to the horrible hate crimes against Asians elsewhere but perplexed by how this impacted me.  “Were you hurt or threatened they’d ask me?”  No, but… I still felt unsettled.  This feeling persists even today to a much lesser degree though as some people have reminded me, it’s 2024… What are your thoughts?

Sincerely,

Still Unsettled in 2024

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