BTS say ‘you and I have a right to be respected and we will stand together’ over Asian hate

Boy band condemns hate against Asians in emotional letter

K-pop royalty BTS have spoken up against the massive surge in hate crimes against Asians and posted a heartfelt letter expressing their support for the Stop Asian Hate movement.

“We send our deepest condolences to those who have lost their loved ones,” read the letter. “We feel grief and anger. We recall moments when we faced discrimination as Asians. We have endured expletives without reason and were mocked for the way we look. We were even asked why Asians spoke in English.”

“We cannot put into words the pain of becoming the subject of hatred and violence for such a reason. Our own experiences are inconsequential compared to the events that have occurred over the past few weeks. But these experiences are enough to make us feel powerless and chip away our self-esteem,” they wrote.

“What is happening right now cannot be disassociated from our identity as Asians,” BTS wrote, ending their message with a call to end racial discrimination.

“You, I and we all have the right to be respected. We will stand together,” they added.

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“We stand against racial discrimination. We condemn violence. You, I and we all have a right to be respected. We will stand together,” the wrote. 

BTS are not the first celebrity Asians to speak up against hate crimes. Tennis star Naomi Osaka wrote: “If people loved Asian people as much as they love bubble tea, anime, mochi, sushi, matcha, etc... Imagine profiting/enjoying things that come from a culture and then attacking/diminishing the ethnic group that created it.” she wrote.

Actress Lana Condor additionally asked her supporters to “wake up.”

“Your Asian friends and family are deeply scared, horrified, sick to their stomachs and wildly angry. Please please please check in on us, please please please stand with us,” she tweeted.

Crazy Rich Asians actress Gemma Chan, renowned Korean actor CL, and Riverdale star Charles Melton have also shared their views on this subject.

Many demonstrators reportedly gathered outside the Georgia State Capitol wearing masks, waving American flags, and carrying posters that read “We are not the virus” and “#StopAsianHate.”

File image: Demonstrators at the #StopAsianHate rally (REUTERS)