Texas deputy Chip Roy under attack for referring to lynching during congressional hearing on anti-Asian violence

Congressman Chip Roy (R-Texas) is being criticized for comments he made during a Congressional hearing on discrimination and violence against Asian Americans in the United States.

The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties met on Thursday afternoon, and Roy mentioned lynching and said the hearing was an attempt to police freedom of expression.

“We believe in justice. There are old sayings in Texas about finding all the rope in Texas and getting a tall oak, ”he said before the House Judiciary Committee. “You know, we take justice very seriously and we must do that. Gather the bad guys. That’s what we believe. “

Congressman Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) Said in a tweet that Roy glorified lynching and that the biggest lynching in the country’s history was against Chinese immigrants.

Congresswoman Grace Meng, (D-NY), also testified at the hearing and was surprised by Roy’s comments.

She said Republicans helped incite violence against Asian Americans using language like the “China virus” to describe the coronavirus, just as former President Trump did, according to an NBC News article.

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“Your president, your party and your colleagues can talk about issues with any other country you want, but you don’t have to do that by placing a target on the back of Asian Americans across the country – in our grandparents, in our children. This audience was to address the pain and pain of our community, to find solutions, and we will not allow you to take our voice away from us, ”said Meng.

After the hearing in the Chamber, Roy defended his comments and said that, despite the reaction, he does not regret his statements.

“Apparently, some people are freaking out because I used an old expression about finding the whole rope in Texas and a tall oak tree about doing justice against the bad guys. I meant it. We need more justice and less thought-out policing, ”Roy said in an interview with NBC News. “We must restore order by eliminating evil actors, not by transforming the United States into an authoritarian state like the Chinese communists who seek to destroy us. No excuses. “

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The hearing was held to discuss how Asian Americans have faced discrimination both historically and since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. You can find out more about the audience here.

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