Sanford Bishop: “Millions of people here and around the globe were shocked to learn of the shootings at three Atlanta spas last March…”

“Millions of people here and around the globe were shocked to learn of the shootings at three Atlanta spas last March that killed eight people and injured one. Six of the eight victims were of Asian descent. Many of us saw a link between the discriminatory and often hateful rhetoric against the Asian-American community during the COVID-19 pandemic and this unspeakable act of violence. In fact, the last year has seen an unacceptable rise in anti-Asian racism and violent attacks, especially against the elderly. There are many such incidents across the nation that are said to be unreported as well. As the Dean of the Georgia Delegation, I strongly condemn these heinous acts of violence against our Asian-American brothers and sisters. They have no place in Georgia or anywhere else in our nation for that matter. I therefore urge my colleagues to support not only this important resolution to condemn this act of violence and to remember the lives that were so tragically taken from us last March in Atlanta. I also urge them to support the bipartisan COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act to bolster the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes in the United States.”