Reports of anti-Asian hate incidents have been on the rise in recent months and Asian American lawmakers are asking their Republican colleagues to tone down rhetoric in the wake of attacks on their community. GOP Rep. Chip Roy used a hearing on anti-Asian violence to invoke lynching by bringing up an “old saying in Texas” about finding “all the rope in Texas and get a tall oak tree.” Democratic Rep. Marilyn Strickland, who is half Korean, joins AC360 to react to Rep. Roy’s comments and says “what we need to do is speak out against that ignorance and hate.” Plus, Republican Sen. Rand Paul went off on Dr. Anthony Fauci about masks and called them “theater.” Dr. Fauci responded by saying “masks are not theater. Masks are protective.” Dr. Leana Wen is an emergency room physician and the former Baltimore Health Commissioner. She tells Anderson Cooper masks are our ticket back to normalcy.

Airdate: March 18, 2021

Guests:

Rep. Marilyn Strickland

Dr. Leana Wen

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