圣路易时报

聖路易郡衛生局局長Faisal Khan遭種族歧視、威脅行為
聖路易亞裔社區聯名聲援譴責

St. Louis County health chief says he faced racial slurs after presenting on mask mandate

【聖路易時報訊】因為戴口罩與否而引起的政爭和口水戰越演越烈,聖路易郡衛生局局長Faisal Khan醫師在7月27日(週二)晚聖路易郡郡議會會議中,報告聖路易地區新冠病毒疫情狀況和有關戴口罩衛生命令說明,不料在他講話時受到會場群眾發出噓聲對待,群眾中還有兩人一直 試圖阻撓影響他的講話。

這兩個人分別是去年用槍向示威群眾揮舞的Mark McCloskey,和2020年競選聖路易郡郡長失利的候選人Paul Berry,當Khan局長向郡議會議長Rita Days要求阻止他們兩人的行為時,議長沒有指責搗亂的人,反而批評衛生局局長。

當演講結束後,Khan局長離開郡議會的時候更面臨人身攻擊和更多的言語和種族歧視嘲諷,不止一次被人推撞,用種族歧視和不雅字眼向他大喊大叫,為此Khan 局長不得不用中指表達了他對這些威脅及種族歧視誹謗行為的不滿。

Khan局長也表示,自他就任以來,郡議員Fitch曾經在公開和私下場合對他進行種族歧視諷刺,他要求郡議會調查這些事情並採取措施防止類似事件再次發生。

針對自新冠病毒疫情爆發以來的亞裔社區仇恨和種族歧視,再加上這次的聖路易郡衛生局局長Faisal Khan受辱事件,聖路易亞裔社區挺身而出,聯合其他各族裔社團聯名發表聲明,強烈譴責任何形式的種族主義和種族歧視,並呼籲聖路易郡所有民選官員和政治領導人,包括聖路易郡郡長和郡議會所有郡議員,在政治協商、討論和意見分歧時,明確而有力地的譴責並排除任何形式的種族主義和種族歧視。

St. Louis Minority Communities Statement Against Racism

July 29, 2021

The minority communities of St. Louis strongly condemn racism in any form, and any setting, including in civic forum discourse involving varying political opinions and beliefs.

We are very concerned to learn that St. Louis County Health Director, Dr. Faisal Khan, was subjected to racist attacks during and after his presentation to the St. Louis County Council on July 27, 2021. Regardless of anyone’s political beliefs or viewpoints, the COVID-19 pandemic affects all citizens and residents of Missouri and the United States, and there is no place for racism of any kind in our political discourse. The AAPI and South Asian American communities have been subjected to racist attacks and violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and it must stop immediately.

We are calling on all of our elected officials and political leaders including the St. Louis County Executive and all members of the St. Louis County Council to clearly and emphatically denounce racism including in our political discussions, forums, and disagreements.

Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis
Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis
Mound City Bar Association
South Asian American Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Pakistani American Association
Muslim Bar Association of Missouri
Missouri Asian American Bar Association
OCA Saint Louis Chapter – Asian Pacific American Advocates
St. Louis Chinese American News
St. Louis Vietnamese Community
Chinese Service Center
Institute of Tamil Performing Arts
Korean American Association of St. Louis
Japanese American Citizens League
Jewish Community Relations Council
Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America
International Institute St. Louis
Muslims for a Better America