Megan Varner/Getty Images |
The Big Picture: Beyond A New Tone |
The killing of eight people, including six women of Asian descent, in the Atlanta area has put a focus on the increased violence against Asian Americans in this past year.
“There are simply some core values and beliefs that should bring us together as Americans,” President Biden said Friday in Atlanta after meeting with Asian American and Pacific Islander advocates. “One of them is standing against racism and hate.”
And while the motivations of the shooter in Atlanta are not yet clear, the divisive politics surrounding the violence against Asian Americans can’t be avoided.
Throughout the pandemic, which originated in China, former President Trump embraced and has continued to use racist language about the virus.
In 2020, attacks against Asian Americans increased 149% in America's largest cities, one study found.
“Words have consequences,” said Biden, who also spoke out against violence against Asian Americans during a prime-time address last week. “It’s the coronavirus. Full stop. Hate and violence often hide in plain sight and are often met with silence. That has to change because silence is complicity.”
But this week, advocates might have preferred the silence of Rep. Chip Roy. During a hearing about hate crimes against Asian Americans, the Texas Republican used offensive language, referring to lynching and saying he was against policing “free speech.”
It highlighted not just the insensitivity but lack of regard from too many Americans. Even a sheriff’s spokesman with a visible role in the Georgia case was found to have made anti-Asian posts and was criticized for saying the shooter had a “bad day.”
Advocates say Biden’s tone is a welcome change from Trump, but they want to see concrete steps, including, as NPR’s Juana Summers reports: - a point person at the Department of Justice to interface with AAPI advocacy groups,
- speed up DOJ reviews of hate crimes and pursue lowering the bar for the legal definition of one,
- make resources available in different languages, and
- more Asian American representation in the Biden cabinet.
“One thing that we know he does well is serve as a healer and a person that understands grief," John Yang of Asian Americans Advancing Justice told Summers. "A person that understands we must first center ourselves on the victims and their families and make sure that they are taken care of. That's certainly what our community is hoping for. And then, from there we talk about solutions." |
| — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent |
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| IRS deadline extended: The IRS is expected to delay the 2020 tax filing deadline to May 17. The filing deadline for 2019 taxes was extended to July, and the IRS is still behind in processing those returns.
Border detention: A Department of Homeland Security document obtained by NPR shows more than 500 migrant children have been held in detention facilities at the U.S. border for more than 10 days. Under law, minors are only allowed to spend 72 hours in detention.
Biden and the filibuster: In an interview with ABC News, President Biden threw his support behind changes to the Senate filibuster, saying he would support a change to require senators to verbally speak on the floor to delay action on a bill. It’s unclear if Democrats have the votes necessary to change the filibuster, but Senate Republicans have already said they will work to grind the Senate to a halt if a change is made.
Becerra, Haaland confirmed: Two more of President Biden’s Cabinet nominees were confirmed this week: Xavier Becerra was confirmed as secretary of Health and Human Services, and Deb Haaland was confirmed to lead the Interior Department. Thirteen of Biden’s appointees still have yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
Immigration bills: The House passed two bills this week aimed at overhauling the immigration system, including one that would create a path to citizenship for thousands of DREAMers. Though the bills passed the House with bipartisan support, the fate of the bills in the Senate is uncertain.
Violence Against Women Act: In a bipartisan vote, the House passed a reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. But new provisions, including one to bar those convicted of domestic abuse or stalking from purchasing guns, have drawn opposition from Republicans, which could imperil the bill’s chances of passing in the Senate. |
| — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer |
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images |
Rioters were armed: The narrative that the Jan. 6 insurrectionists were not really “armed” has become popular in some conservative circles, but a review of the federal charges against the alleged rioters shows that they did come armed, and with a variety of weapons. Here are some of the myths about the weapons used in the riot and what court documents can tell us about what actually happened.
Focus group on vaccines: Nearly half of the people who voted for Trump in the previous election still say they are not planning on being vaccinated, according to a recent NPR poll, creating a huge roadblock in the path to herd immunity. A focus group with hesitant Trump supporters and various medical professionals seemed to show that more scientific information was able to change minds. |
| — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern |
A Rare Interview With Wray |
| FBI Director Christopher Wray broke his usual silence Thursday in an interview with NPR's Carrie Johnson. Wray spoke about the rise in violent domestic extremism, the FBI’s handling of the Jan. 6 attack and its role in the Atlanta-area shootings. |
| — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern |
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