Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) kicked off Thursday’s hearing on violence and discrimination against Asian-Americans by protesting the Chinese Communist Party and glorifying lynching parties and saying he “takes justice very seriously.”
The House Judiciary Committee hearing, originally scheduled to address the striking increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and violence in recent months, was given added urgency after a 21-year-old white man committed a murderous frenzy on Tuesday that killed eight. , including six Asian women.
In his opening statement, Roy first acknowledged that the shootings were a tragedy and that “the victims of racial violence and their families deserve justice.” From there, however, the Texas legislature immediately criticized the nature of the hearing, while using a “ whataboutist ” logic.
“The case we’re talking about here, the tragedy we just saw happen in Atlanta, Georgia,” Roy declared. “I would also suggest that the victims of cartels relocating illegal aliens deserve justice. The American citizens in South Texas, they are absolutely decimated by what is happening on the southern border, deserve justice. “
The conservative congressman continued, “The victims of riots and looting in the streets … last summer deserve justice. We believe in justice. “
And then came an admiring reference to lynching, a violent and public form of vigilante action that most often targeted people of color: “There’s an old saying in Texas about ‘find all the rope in Texas and take a tall oak tree. ‘. You know, we take justice very seriously. And we should. Collect the bad guys. That is what we believe. (The ‘old saying’ is actually lyrics from ‘Beer for My Horses’, a song by Toby Keith.)
Roy grumbled further, “My concern about this hearing is that it seems to want to venture into guarding rhetoric in a free society, free speech, away from the rule of law and taking out bad guys.”
While many have voiced growing concern that the heated rhetoric of conservatives and former President Donald Trump about the coronavirus – including the name ‘China virus’ and ‘Kung flu’ – may have led to increased anti-Asian sentiment in the states, Roy decided to revolt against the Chinese government.
“I think the Chinese Communist Party runs the country of China, I think they are the bad guys,” Roy exclaimed. “I think they harm people and I think they are engaged in modern slavery.”
“What they’re doing to undermine our national security, and what they’re doing to steal our intellectual property, and what they’re doing to rattle all over the Pacific, I think it’s blatantly bad and deserves condemnation,” he continued. “And I think what they have done to hide the reality of this virus deserves just as much condemnation.”
Later at the hearing, Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), who is of Taiwanese descent, strongly rebuked Roy, specifically speaking out his attempt to use a hearing on anti-Asian violence to complain about the Chinese government.
“I want to go back to something Mr. Roy said before,” said an emotional Meng. “Your president and your party and your colleagues can discuss issues with any other country you want, but you don’t have to do it by hitting the bull’s-eye on the back of Asian-Americans in this country! To our grandparents and to our children! “
The Democratic legislature suppressed tears and shaky voice added, “This hearing was designed to address the aches and pains of our community and find solutions! We won’t let you take our vote! “
In response to Meng’s comments and media coverage of his own comments, Roy later released a statement that doubled down: “Apparently some people are crazy that I used an old phrase about finding all the rope in Texas and a high about running justice against bad guys I meant it We need more justice and less thought police We need to stop wrongdoers like those who carried out the Atlanta attack this week, or cartels abusing small children, or those who are our Killing police in the street. We should restore order by eliminating evil actors, and not turn America into an authoritarian state like the Chinese communists who want to destroy us. No excuses. “