Dodgers condemn anti-Asian bigotry, hatred

On Tuesday, the Dodgers released a statement condemning xenophobic violence and intolerance against Asian Americans in the wake of the increase in hate crimes against the group across the country.

“Over the last year, there has been a sharp increase in violence and hate crimes against Asian-Americans across the United States,” the statement said. “This bigotry and hatred has no place in our society and to be clear, the Dodger organization condemns this widespread xenophobic violence and intolerance. Such bullying is nothing short of cowardice.”

“Besides Jackie Robinson, the Dodgers have a legacy of pioneering Asian All-Star players like Hideo Nomo (Japan), Chan-Ho Park (Korea), and Hong-Chih Kuo (Taiwan). In addition, the Dodgers have had more players of Asian ancestry than any other Major League Baseball team. Of course, we have an extremely diverse fan base fueled by the largest Asian American population in the United States. Dodger Stadium has always been a common ground for all.”

“The Dodgers stand with every American who knows that our nation's diversity is one of our greatest strengths. We are proud that the Dodgers family spans the globe and welcomes people of every background. We all have a responsibility to call out and act against racism, and to work toward a more just, equitable and loving nation -- not only during moments of protest but always.”

The club’s release came one day after the news that Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts emailed everyone in the Dodgers’ organization condemning the increasing trend of violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Roberts, who is the son of a Japanese mother and Black father, also stood in solidarity with his team in protest of the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

“I just think that there's a lot of things going on, in and outside of our country towards Asians with racist bullying acts,” Roberts said Monday. “I just felt that it hit obviously close to home for me, and I just felt that I wanted to address it internally and show my support for the Asian Americans in our organization.”

MLB put out its own statement on Feb. 25, which read, "Across the country, there has been an alarming increase in hate crimes directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. These acts -- based on racist ideologies, xenophobia and ignorance -- have no place in our society or in our communities. It is our shared responsibility to root out this insidious hate with empathy and understanding. We condemn these targeted acts of violence and commit to taking action as we stand in solidarity with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. #StopAsianHate."

In a release issued by the Asian American Journalists Association last month, there were almost 1,800 racist incidents against Asian Americans in the period between March and May 2020 across the United States, according to the United Nations. AAJA also notes that approximately 32 percent of Americans and 60 percent of Asian Americans have witnessed blaming Asians for the coronavirus, according to a Center for Public Integrity/IPSOS poll.