These are the 8 people tragically killed in Atlanta last week: 

Soon Park, 74

Hyun Jeong Park/Grant, 51

Suncha Kim, 69

Yong Yue, 63

Xiaojie Tan, 49

Daoyou Feng, 44

Delaina Ahsley Yaun, 33

Paul Andre Michels, 54

Yesterday, Captain Jay Baker, the spokesman for the Atlanta shooting investigation, was removed from the case after it was revealed that he promoted a T-shirt with racist remarks about China and the coronavirus. He is the same man who described the shooting as a result of Robert Aaron Long “having a bad day.” The comment was definitely insensitive and wrong to say since it entirely downplays the incident. CNN says that Capt. Jay Baker’s phrase about the shooter “having a bad day” is dehumanizing the victims. If the targeted people were all white, the victims’ lives would have been taken more seriously and prominently. 

People don’t kill others when they’re having a “bad day.” My sisters and I eat ice cream and watch funny movies when we’re having a bad day. My friends and I go out to eat and talk when we’re having a bad day. My dad and I go on drives and listen to music when we’re having a bad day. My mom and I go shopping and sleep when we’re having a bad day. There are plenty of things to do to cure a “bad day” and murdering people is not one of them. 

Although there is no official statement on the real motive of killing these 8 people of primarily Asian descent, the fact that the shooter traveled to specifically 3 Asian spas to target these people should be considered as a hate crime. Some argue that the Asian women were a temptation to his sex addiction which he was trying to get rid of, while others, such as the Korean media, claim that the shooter said, “I’m going to kill all Asians,” according to a local interview with a surviving witness. This story is now reported in one of South Korea’s top newspapers, Chosun Ilbo. Asian women all over the world are now in fear of going to work or simply just leaving their homes. Supposedly, the killer was also planning on driving down to Florida to kill more Asians after he killed some in Georgia. This is disgusting. 

This act was terrorism. If this shooter had been any other race besides white, he would have been labeled as a terrorist on the spot. When the police see white terrorists, they try to excuse their actions and make them seem like they were a good person who struggled with their mental health. Not to mention, the Atlanta murderer was referred to as a “kid,” even though he’s 21 years old. Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old African American boy, was playing with a toy gun when he was shot to death by a police officer because the gun looked “real.” After the incident, he was named a “grown man” and a “thug.”

Robert Aaron Long deserves to be given 8 life sentences for the 8 lives he stole on March 16, 2021. He wasn’t “having a bad day”; he senselessly took 8 precious lives. Jay Baker also does not deserve the position he currently holds. He is a sheriff and sheriffs have the responsibility to maintain peace. A racist man should not be in charge of a whole county since racism doesn’t promote peace, but rather division, hate, and murders. 

On Friday, March 19th, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with Asian American leaders in Atlanta to discuss this ongoing issue in America. Many Asian and non-Asian Americans have volunteered to walk the elderly and watch over them in Asian-populated areas such as Chinatowns across the nations. Celebrities and influencers are speaking up and out about the issue on their social media platforms, condemning these hateful acts as well, and even students from Abington are spreading awareness about anti-Asian hate crimes online. Although there is still some debate and division about these recent attacks on the Asian community, I’m happy to see others educate themselves and take action to fight racism.