On Sep. 17, the United States House of Representatives passed a resolution denouncing "all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to the Covid-19 pandemic".

According to The Hill, the resolution came a response to phrases such as "Chinese virus" — frequently used by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Such rhetoric, proponents of the resolution believe, have encouraged discrimination and instances of harassment targeting Asian Americans.

Reuters reports the resolution as calling on all public officials to denounce anti-Asian sentiment in any form. It also condemns all forms of racism and xenophobia while asking for law enforcement to investigate hate crimes.

In addition, the resolution notes that U.S. health officials find the phrase "Chinese virus" inappropriate and inaccurate.

It was introduced to the House of Representatives — the lower house in the U.S. Congress — by Democratic Party representative Grace Meng.

Vote largely along party lines

The resolution passed in a 243 to 163 vote that largely followed party lines; only 14 Republicans voted in favour of the resolution.

Republican Party representative Jim Jordan — who voted against the resolution — was quoted by The Hill as labelling the move an attack on Trump.

Jordan added that Democrats had used the term "Wuhan Virus" as recently as January and criticised "the new woke world" as stifling "the truth".

"Did the virus start in China? Yes. Did it start in Wuhan, China? Yes. Did China lie to the United States about the severity and origins of this virus? Yes. Did China lie to the world about the virus? Yes, they did. Did the World Health Organization lie to the United States? Yes, they did," he said, according to The Hill.

Democrat leader in the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi spoke before the vote on "the bigotry" fuelled by "some in Washington".

"Even from the White House itself, which uses dangerous, false, and offensive terms to describe the coronavirus," she said.

Racist abuse directed at Grace Meng

Meanwhile, Meng, an Asian American, took to Twitter to write about the racist abuse she'd received since the resolution's passing.

Last week my resolution condemning anti-Asian sentiment passed the House.

After that, I got many racist voicemails saying the very things we collectively condemned.

164 Republicans voted against #HRes908 & couldn’t condemn this hate. Words & actions have consequences. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/lCFgVb8zoo

— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) September 25, 2020

"I got many racist voicemails saying the very things we collectively condemned," she wrote.

Accompanying her post was a video which featured the voicemails she'd allegedly received.

One taunted Meng saying: "Hey, you look like a Chinese virus, you fat slob. Or maybe ‘Kung Flu,’ you fat slob".

"164 Republicans voted against (the resolution) and couldn’t condemn this hate," Meng said.

The representative from New York was not alone in pointing out the number of Republican politicians who had opposed her resolution.

Asian American celebrities speak out

NBC reported that several high profile Asian American personalities also expressed their dismay.

This included "Lost" and "Hawaii-Five-O" actor Daniel Dae Kim who said the resolution basically called all anti-Asian sentiment, racism, and discrimination wrong.

"It asks for nothing more than that," he wrote.

https://twitter.com/danieldaekim/status/1307062299568623617

Author Celeste Ng told her Twitter followers to "take note" of the members of Congress who did not vote in favour of the bill, while filmmaker Philip Wang made a photo collage of those who voted "no".

I compiled the 164 House Repubs who just voted AGAINST a resolution to condemn anti-Asian sentiment, racism, & discrimination. An easy slamdunk vote to publicly support our community as attacks on us rise. They were the ONLY "NO" votes. This is what unashamed racism looks like. pic.twitter.com/gaxFOIpiJl

— philipwang (@philipwang) September 22, 2020

"An easy slamdunk vote to publicly support our community as attacks on us rise. They were the ONLY 'NO' votes. This is what unashamed racism looks like," he said.

Top image from Donald Trump's Twitter page

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