“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“The language of humanity and empathy needs to drown out the language of dehumanization. In this process of rehumanization, words do, in fact, matter. Words can heal. Words can re-engage people’s morality.” C|M|LAW Professor Reggie Oh
Last Friday morning I called on all of us to join together as a C|M|LAW community to stand in solidarity and allyship with our Asian students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends and stand up against anti-Asian hate and violence. We unequivocally condemn the surge in anti-Asian violence throughout the nation, most recently with the horrific shootings of six Asian women in Atlanta this week. We mourn their senseless murders.
Tomorrow evening, we will have a listening session with our students. The purpose of the session is to create a space for all who have been affected to talk about the recent acts of violence targeted at members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, and for those of us who wish to be allies to listen and to offer our support.
I am especially proud of the powerful voices of our students, student organizations, staff, and faculty such as Professor Reggie Oh, Professor Angelin Chang, and Professor April Cherry who have spoken out against this hate. See the below link for the statements of our Student Bar Association (SBA), Black Law Students Association (BLSA), National Lawyers Guild, and the Arab Law Student Association.
https://www.law.csuohio.edu/newsevents/news/anti-asian-racism-we-stand-solidarity
Please read Professor Oh’s op-ed published last Friday on the Atlanta shootings and anti-Asian violence, in which he provides some context for what’s occurred this past year: Thoughts on the Dehumanization of Asian-Americans
We must acknowledge the fear and anger caused by these horrific acts of violence. We must recognize that if we do not speak out, Asian Americans will feel more isolated, unseen, disregarded, and alone. We must stand by, support, and lift up the Asian community now more than ever.
We are committed to creating a community where all feel supported and valued and where each of us listen to the lived experiences of each other. Please reach out to me or any member of the C|M|LAW administration, faculty, or staff if you need support of any kind.
We are tied in a single garment of destiny.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay Committed to Living Justice.
Have a great day. Have a great week.
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For copies of past messages, please go to this link: Monday Morning Messages.
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My views in all my Monday Morning Messages are my personal views alone and do not reflect the views of our law school or our university.
My best,
Lee
Lee Fisher
Dean, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law | Cleveland State University
Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Chair in Law