Earlier this week, in recognition of the alarmingly disproportionate impact of COVID-19 related hate crimes and incidents on the Asian-American community, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passed, with bipartisan support of 94–1, a bill denouncing such discrimination and created a new position at the Justice Department to expedite reviews of COVID-19 related hate crimes. The legislation also encourages the creation of hate crime hotlines, provides states with grants for training to law enforcement agencies to identify hate crimes, and introduces a series of public education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of hate crimes. The bipartisan vote is the first legislative action by Congress to bolster the response to rising attacks on the Asian-American community during the pandemic. The legislation now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration before it can be signed into law by the President. If passed as expected, the legislation would be known as the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.
Hate and violence have no place in our communities. Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani recognizes that the pandemic has had a disparate impact on communities of color, including the Asian-American community, and applauds this bipartisan effort to enact reform. Over the last year, we have unfortunately seen that racism targets no one specific group, as the entire Asian-American community has faced and continues to face inflammatory rhetoric, threats, acts of violence, and murder across the country in thousands of reported incidents of hatred, such that Asian-Americans have to fear for their safety in their home towns just because of their appearance.
As a law firm consisting of more than 1,500 attorneys and staff, Gordon & Rees seriously embraces its obligation and role in fostering an environment of inclusion, understanding, acceptance, and justice, and understands that more must be done. As such, we are committed to not being a mere bystander and continuing to do more. Gordon & Rees pledges to support our colleagues of all races and ethnicities in exploring ways to further our collective commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Gordon & Rees pledges to support our colleagues in membership in organizations that support the Asian-American community and to help combat the anti-Asian-American rhetoric and violent incidents across the country. The firm also pledges to support national platforms dedicated to addressing these issues. Gordon & Rees looks towards a positive, accepting, and inclusive future both as a firm and as a society.