By: Juliet Bost and Alana Bleimann
SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin joined colleagues and community leaders at Sunday’s LGBTQIA community-led rally in condemning the rise of violence Asian Americans in the past year.
Standing in solidarity with San Francisco’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, Mayor London Breed, and the larger San Francisco community gathered.
Videos of Boudin standing tall and taking the mic to denounce white supremacy have spread across Twitter this weekend.
“We will not let white supremacy tear us apart,” Boudin stated loud and clear at the rally, condemning “white supremacy” and “hatred” against the AAPI community as “absolutely intolerable.
“But it’s also nothing new,” Boudin remarked, acknowledging the long history of white supremacy and anti-Asian discrimination in the city.
“San Francisco’s Asian American community has dealt with oppression and xenophobia and exclusion and hatred for well over 100 years. It is this country’s 
biggest, most resilient, strongest AAPI community.”
The rally, organized by local San Francisco group, LGBTQ+ Asian Pacific Alliance (GAPA) and other LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, was a community response to the recent deadly shooting in Atlanta that killed eight people, six of whom were Asian women.
This violence is the latest in a wave of anti-Asian attacks and discrimination.
The rally drew a diverse group of about 5,000 community members and organizers who marched from the Harvey Milk Plaza in the Castro District through the Civic Center and ending in Chinatown.
Among featured speakers was Michael Nguyen, a community leader and organizer with GAPA.
“We’re holding a space for Asian lives,” Nguyen said, drawing lines of solidarity between San Francisco’s Asian American and LGBTQ+ communities.
“This isn’t our first pandemic.”
In addition to healing, speakers at the event also addressed community safety concerns—particularly for elders.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed was also present at the rally and spoke on her visions for community-based safety patrols “similar to the Guardian Angels” that protect and uplift seniors in the community.
The city at large has worked consistently to stop AAPI hate-driven crimes.
In a press release released earlier this month, Boudin’s office announced that they are “working with the Coalition for Community Safety and Justice in San Francisco (“CCSJ”) to promote culturally competent services for victims of crimes—particularly non-English speakers.”
Boudin stated that their goal to get to the root of crimes and recent attacks on the AAPI community is no exception.
“Together with CCSJ representatives, the District Attorney’s Office is collaborating with other stakeholders in the AAPI community to identify the root causes of violence against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.”
Alana Bleimann is a junior at the University of San Francisco majoring in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice Studies. She is from Raleigh, North Carolina. She is the team leader on the Chesa Boudin Recall – Changing the Narrative Project.
Juliet Bost is a third year at UC Davis, majoring in Political Science – Public Service and minoring in Religious Studies. They are originally from San Mateo, California. They are a member on the Chesa Boudin Recall – Changing the Narrative Project.
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Uh, huh.
Because we all “know” that white supremacy is what’s causing the attacks on Asians in San Francisco. 🙂
It most certainly is.
Would you care to elaborate?
Because one thing that I thought might be contributing to it is when a black school board member refers to Asians using the n-word, and referring to them as “help”. (Or at least, that type of belief.)
Here’s an example from the AAPI report:
● I was standing in an aisle at [a hardware store] when suddenly I was struck from behind. Video surveillance verified the incident in which a white male used his bent elbow to strike my upper back. Subsequent verbal attacks occurred with “Shut up, you Monkey!, “F**k you Chinaman,” “Go back to China” and “Stop bringing that Chinese virus over here.” (67 y.o., San Francisco, CA)
Almost all of their documented incidents involve white people.
Not seeing that referenced, but I can (once again) provide evidence of “who” is engaging in most of the attacks on Asians in San Francisco, if you think that helps. (Personally, I don’t think it does “help”, other than to dispel myths.)
And truth be told, it’s not like there’s an epidemic of attacks, by any particular group. A relative handful, which is emphasized by media coverage, itself.
If all of “their” documented examples involve white people, I’d view that organization with a great deal of skepticism, as well.
Forgot to mention that the school board member in question also stated that Asians are taking advantage of “white privilege” themselves, to get ahead. (Something like that.) Would you like for me to post a link to all of that, again?
In communicating with you, I have a sense of “deja vu”, regarding another commenter who used to participate on here. But, who (for unknown reasons) “disappeared”.
You have data? What percentage of the attacks on AAPI are whites?
You’re the one citing data, without providing any references.
The incidents that I’m referring to are only a handful, but have been covered by media. Comparative/relative data isn’t actually included in those references.
But again, why is Chesa Boudin referring to “white supremacy” (e.g., in regard to attacks in San Francisco), in the first place? That’s the question that should be asked, since that’s the only thing that he has any jurisdiction over.
I thought you were going to prove that the attacks weren’t a function of white supremacy. Without systematic data, I don’t how you can do that.
Again, I’m not the one implying that white supremacy has much (or for that matter, anything) to do with attacks in San Francisco. So, I’m at a loss as to the reason that Chesa Boudin is even bringing it up.
The examples that have been covered in the media generally don’t support it. (Actually, they don’t prove much of anything.)
I would think that others might question that as well, but I should probably know better at this point. 🙂
My fifth and last comment.
But you are the one implying that it isn’t. And you have only at best anecdotal evidence to support your assertion.
Once again Ron hits the nail on the head. Most of the attacks on Asians in SF have no relation to white supremacy.
Wow, that’s a very authoritative statement with no evidence to back it up.
Sorry Carlos but you’re only allowed 5 comments.
I see that nowhere on the site.
Sorry, that is true. Five comments per thread per person.
Effective Feb 15 2021 there is a limitation on comments per article—five comments per article per commenter.
https://www.davisvanguard.org/2021/02/cha-cha-cha-changes-the-vanguard-grows-and-now-changes/
Well, of course, racist attacks by anyone ON anyone has a connection to white supremacy in the United States, at least. Black police officers end up doing racist dirty work alongside their white counterparts. White Supremacy recruits and empresses anyone and everyone it can get its hands on. The U.S. Constitution enshrined white supremacy with the 3/5ths rule for representation. It is so deeply embedded most white people who benefit most can’t (or won’t) see it. It is everywhere. Kurt Vonnegut got it right: You can’t see the flies in your eyes because you have flies in your eyes. Then there are our dear Vanguard regulars who want to know where we get our fly data.
Maybe the flies in one’s eyes are their views of white racists being everywhere and causing all racism blocking their ability to see that racism exists across all races, not just white supremacists.
Prejudice exists across all races and people, but you are ignoring the power structure and who has the power.
Nice try, but you can’t blame all racism on whites and/or the power structure (as you say) no matter how much you try and spin it.
Actually you can because white supremacy is a system not a personal disposition.
So if I’m hearing you correctly DG, you are stating the following as universal truth:
“ALL racism is based on white supremacy”
I want to make sure I have that correct.
The more accurate statement is that all systemic racism in the US is predicated on a system of white supremacy. Part of the problem here is that several people are using racism and systemic racism interchangeably. When you talk about white supremacy (as Chesa was), you are talking about systemic rather than individual racism. That may be part of the source of confusion here.
I believe the term white supremacy has been changed or even hijacked in the last few years, so what some people say, and others hear, are two different things. That could be purposeful. So if I am understanding the use of the terms of your statement correct, I may largely agree with it. But I’m not sure 😐
That’s really f¨cking gross.
Could have been worse, Alan… referencing fly larvae… (figured you’ve already had breakfast, and a reasonable time before lunch)… but, I agree with you… I always preferred the analogy as to ‘specks’ and/or ‘planks’…
Or, “those who look without seeing”… but sometimes, there is nothing to see, even when you look…
“Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar” (attributed to S Freud)…