Washington, D.C. — OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) released the following joint statement on the one-year anniversary of the January 6, 2021 insurrection:
A year ago today, a mob incited by former President Trump rampaged through the halls, offices, and chambers of the U.S. Capitol, seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election. It was a failed but deadly attack on our country that threatened the peaceful transfer of power and undermined the will of the people.
But the insurrection’s nightmare scenario—the loss of democracy—still looms. An alarming number of Americans, driven by political polarization and disinformation, are increasingly detached from reality and view violence as justifiable. Bills making it harder for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to exercise the right to vote are being proposed in nearly every state. And some extremist lawmakers are taking coordinated actions to sabotage future elections while gaslighting us about the horrors of January 6th.
This past year has shown how perilous a time this is for marginalized and underrepresented communities, and efforts to disenfranchise AAPI voters coincide with the tragic violence that Asian American elders and other vulnerable people continue to endure. Now, more than ever, we must stand united in our commitment to protect democracy through civic engagement and community building. Congress must swiftly pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act to restore critical protections that have been gutted in the last decade. Your voice and our communities’ hard-earned progress are at stake.
The root of these dangers is white supremacy, and we will continue to fight it through every medium of advocacy, art, and organizing. We will not tolerate any kind of discrimination or suppression of AAPIs and other marginalized communities by any individual or institution.
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