By Connor James
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of The Union” Sunday, Gov. Larry Hogan called hate crimes against Asian Americans “outrageous” and “unacceptable,” adding that his family has first-hand experience with the racism sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.
Hogan, whose wife Yumi is from South Korea, said hate crimes against Asian Americans are up 150 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, which some blame on the country where the virus originated: China. Former President Donald J. Trump, for example, often referred to the novel coronavirus as “the China virus.”
“It really has been a serious problem,” Hogan said told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “My wife, my three daughters, my grandkids, all Asian, and they’ve felt some discrimination personally. But they also have close friends, friends of my wife from church, some of my daughter’s friends, who have really been treated pretty terribly.”
“Hate crimes in general last year were down 7 percent, but it was up 150 percent in the Asian Community,” Hogan added. “It’s outrageous, it’s unacceptable.”
In addition to his wife, Hogan said his daughters Jaymi, Julie and Kim are afraid on a daily basis because they do not want to be targeted for their Asian heritage.
“We feel it personally with my daughter, who is sometimes afraid to come visit us,” Hogan said. “With people who had best friends who were harassed at the grocery store or being called names, people yelling about the China virus even though they are Korean and born in America. “It’s something we have to get under control, and I wish more people would be speaking out.”
According to Statista, approximately 158 anti-Asian crimes were committed in 2019.