Quincy MA: Racism Re-raises Its Head

by Tracker

Recent incidents in Quincy, a city that has been changing from a white ethnic to Asian population. indicate that race lies just beneath the surface.

Recently the pole at the Chinese United Association flying the flag from the People's Republic of China was cut down while the one with the U.S. flag was left standing. In the past, some veterans and other (white) groups have protested the Chinese flag. While the Sons of Italy have long flown their Italian flag, it's never become the same object of controversy.

Also, Brian MacNamee, a candidate for city council has begun questioning the loyalty of a competing Asian candidate, Jimmy Liang, because he belongs to the association.

As we walk through Quincy, we still see racist graffiti, and Asian elderly are periodically harassed. Quincy was also the site of police abuse where four young Chinese Americans were pepper-sprayed and beaten leaving an engagement party. The police department, which had one Asian cop in this large city. charged the victims, and they were convicted of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

Quincy, the municipality with the largest percentage of Asians in the state, is a changing city that has posed as accepting the new population. However, resentment simmers just below the surface, and its institutions are slow to change. Asian Americans need to take a stronger stand to fight such acts, but for now such local leadership is conscipuously absent.