Justice For Some Is Not Justice For All
Here’s the thing. If you’re an Asian American who wants to talk about racial justice, then I hope you’re here for ALL of us.
Because Pacific Islanders and Desi and Southeast Asians exist.
Because Asians who are trans, non-binary, genderqueer, and women exist.
Because queer and ace and gay and bi and lesbian and aro Asian people exist.
Because Asians of many, many, many different religious backgrounds exist.
Because multiracial Asians exist.
Because autistic Asians exist.
Because Asians with disabilities exist.
Because fat Asians exist.
Because Asians with mental illnesses exist.
Because Asians who are detained, imprisoned, deported, trafficked exist.
Because poor Asians exist.
Because Asians who aren’t like you exist.
And those Asians are Asians who still matter. We all matter. Either we’re all included in your justice movement or you’re not really here for Asian Americans.
And if you’re going to talk about racism in the US and the pandemic, you better also be talking about how Black and Brown and Native American communities have been hit the hardest. You’re worried about wearing a mask while out as an Asian person? Then I hope you’re also considering how frightening it is for Black folks to be wearing a mask while out in public.
You want to talk about racism?
Talk about what’s happening with the unhoused, the incarcerated, the undocumented, the detained, the separated, the poor. For those who can’t access aid or are trying but have no advocates. For those who have been dealing with this since long before the pandemic and will be long after.
If you’re not here for the liberation of all Asian Americans, then your movement is not truly for Asian Americans. And if you’re not here for the liberation of ALL people, period, then you’re here for Empire.
There isn’t a middle ground. You may not feel like a wolf in sheep’s clothes, but when you use the language of the oppressed to champion only for yourself, that’s what you are.
All justice is intertwined. Of course movements can specialize in who they’re advocating for (and honestly, they should), but every good justice group understands that we’re all in this together. Liberation must happen together, not for only a select few. We cannot achieve liberation by oppressing others.
A Gospel and a Good News and a justice movement that is only for some and not all is false prophecy and, frankly, theological malpractice. We rebuke that.
