Hello.
This post is not the one we intended to write today. We almost didn’t post it altogether because myself and the rest of the Night Crew wanted to make sure we did it justice… and we’re not convinced that we have. We’re not convinced that we ever could. Because we know that as it stands there is so much more we should be doing on top of this one little post, but at the same time we feel helpless. As we’ve always felt helpless when these types of situations arise.
I am frequently guilty of being all talk and little action, and lately I’ve been trying to remedy that. The problem is, for me and the rest of the crew, words are our actions. Our goal isn’t just to entertain: it is also to educate, and as writers we hope to do this by showing the world through different perspectives. But each and every person in this world is a “perspective”, and each is as unique as a fingerprint. And it is because of this fact that the human race can produce so much beauty—such as art, love, and acceptance—and simultaneously so much pain: destruction, bigotry, and hatred.
This month is supposed to be a month dedicated to women and the roles they’ve played in American history. And instead it has been devastated by the murder of Sarah Everard—sparking yet again discussions of misogyny and women’s safety—172 votes against the Violence Against Women Act, and now a hate crime in which seven women, six of which were Asian-American, were murdered in a blatant act of terrorism.
How many times must we go through these motions? How many times must we make the same mistakes over and over again before we finally work to change the way things are? No act that snuffs out the life of another in such a way is worth defending. No person who walks into a building with a gun is just having a “bad day.” And no person walking home from a friend’s house is the one at fault if they’re brutally murdered on the way. I don’t care what time of day it is. That shouldn’t matter.
We were supposed to use this post to highlight some accomplishments made by women in American history. After the hate crime took place, we wondered if we should highlight accomplishments made by Asian-American women specifically, in order to help combat the highly deluded and racist narrative that is currently circulating within the states. Unfortunately, at this point any action just seems kind of empty no matter what we do. Right now, all we have within ourselves to work with is disappointment and scorn. But we’re also not surprised, which is the saddest part of all.
Here’s to the hope that next week we will have a post highlighting some notable Asian-American women and their accomplishments instead of having to commemorate yet another life lost to ignorance and stupidity and mindless hatred and mental instability that will most likely remain un-remedied in our current political and social climate…
Until next week. You and yours are in our thoughts, and we wish you well no matter your color / creed / pronouns / orientation / or anything else that makes your perspective so beautiful and unique. Stay safe.
The Night Crew
C.M., C.O., C.Q.
#StopAsianHate
#SheWasWalkingHome
