--- title: Jeremy Lin on Atlanta Shootings, Anti-Asian Racism description: Jeremy Lin regrets not doing more to support Asian-American advocates during "Linsanity," the NBA vet writes in TIME. We must stop hate now canonical: https://time.com/5948846/jeremy-lin-atlanta-shootings-anti-asian-racism/ author: TIME article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2021-03-22T18:44:30.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:06:05.489Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Jeremy Lin: Despite Anger After Atlanta, There's Hope og:description: "It will take courage to confront what we see." og:url: https://time.com/5948846/jeremy-lin-atlanta-shootings-anti-asian-racism/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63dd23b3436fd551/698a181c656a3f5617bdb1e4/jeremy-lin-Asian-American-Advocates-memorial.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2400 og:image:height: 1350 og:image:alt: A makeshift memorial for the eight people who were killed during attacks on three Atlanta-area spas. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Jeremy Lin: Despite Anger After Atlanta, There's Hope twitter:description: "It will take courage to confront what we see." twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63dd23b3436fd551/698a181c656a3f5617bdb1e4/jeremy-lin-Asian-American-Advocates-memorial.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 05:10 video:published: 2021-03-19 section: video topics: Atlanta shootings, anti-Asian violence, Asian American communities, religious leadership, grief and mourning, racism, advocacy, repentance, community response, law enforcement narratives, civic voice genre: interview, news feature, reflection tones: somber, reflective, hopeful, frustrated, urgent emotions: grief (high), anger (high), fear (medium), hope (medium), frustration (medium) sentiment: negative audience: general news readers, Asian American communities, faith communities, people interested in racism and violence, policy and civic audiences organizations: TIME content_suitability: violence [00:00-05:10]; death [00:00-03:01]; crime [00:58-01:36]; hate [01:22-05:10]; tragedy [00:00-03:11] transcript_source: automatic transcription transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Jeremy Lin: Despite Fear and Anger After the Atlanta Shootings, There Is Hope > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Inside TIME: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Inside TIME is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories. Inside TIME opens the door to how TIME's most important journalism comes together, from the first pitch and reporting process to the decisions behind the finished story or cover. Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs takes readers inside the newsroom, revealing the journalists, ideas and editorial choices behind the stories shaping the global conversation. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=4285e343-f895-4878-b2e6-9b454bfc0d63&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Asian American Religious Leaders Reflect on the Atlanta Shootings [Watch (HLS stream): Asian American Religious Leaders Reflect on the Atlanta Shootings](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7pXH5jqG.m3u8) (5:10)  _Published 2021-03-19. TIME spoke with Asian American religious leaders in Atlanta about the March 16 shootings that left eight people dead, many of them Asian women._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary Asian American religious leaders in Atlanta reflect on the March 16 shootings that killed eight people, many of them Asian women. They describe feelings of grief, frustration, and fear, and criticize the framing of the shooter's motive by law enforcement. The speakers call for advocacy, repentance, and speaking up against hate, and express hope that the conversation about racism will lead to lasting change. ## Key points - Speakers describe the period after the shootings as one of reflection, frustration, and anger, tied to a long history of Asian American presence being unseen and unheard. (00:00) - One speaker says they are afraid for their grandparents and parents, and that the shootings caused deep despair and sorrow among many people. (00:24) - A speaker criticizes the public narratives of 'he was having a bad day' and sexual addiction, arguing the facts are obvious and should be named for what they are. (00:58) - A speaker states the shooter targeted three specific Asian-owned businesses knowing Asian people would be inside. (01:22) - A pastor says their role is to create space for people to mourn and lament, and also to advocate, drawing on Micah 6:8 to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. (01:36) - Speakers describe a groundswell of commitment not to let the tragedy go to waste, with a desire to learn lessons, experience necessary change, and repent together as a community. (02:52) - A speaker argues that second through fifth generation Asian Americans should raise their voices, stating this is as much their nation as anyone else's. (03:28) - Speakers express hope that the dialogue will expand to what racism looks like against Black, Latino, and other minority communities, and predict that long-held cultural norms of silence will be uprooted. (03:46) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:29] Reflection, frustration, and fear after the shootings. Speakers describe the emotions of anger, fear for family members, and the history of Asian Americans not being seen or heard. - [00:29 to 00:58] Pastoral role in sharing sorrow. A faith leader describes wanting to understand others' sorrow and how the shootings caused widespread despair. - [00:58 to 01:36] Criticism of law enforcement's framing. A speaker objects to narratives describing the shooter as having a bad day or having sexual addiction, arguing the targeting of Asian businesses is obvious. - [01:36 to 02:41] Advocacy grounded in Micah 6:8. A pastor explains that ministry includes advocacy and cites Micah 6:8 on justice, mercy, and humility, while expressing heartbreak over the violence. - [02:41 to 03:21] Community commitment to change and repentance. Speakers describe empathy for victims and a community-wide commitment to learning lessons and repenting, alongside a reference to a Japanese proverb about conformity. - [03:21 to 03:46] Asian American voice and belonging. A speaker argues that later-generation Asian Americans belong in the nation and should raise their voices. - [03:46 to 04:30] Hope for broader dialogue on racism. Speakers hope the conversation about racism will extend to other minority communities and expect action in coming weeks. - [04:30 to 05:10] Long-term hope and changing cultural norms. A speaker expects lasting change as Asian Americans reject accepted norms of silence and speak up against injustice for all people. ## Key quotes - [00:10] Speaker: "Some of the things that I personally am feeling are, which has really been the history of our Asian American presence here in the United States, is just not being seen, not being heard, dismissed." - [01:22] Speaker: "This shooter targeted three specific Asian owned businesses knowing that Asian people will be inside." - [03:28] Speaker: "this is as much of our nation as it is anyone else's nation." - [03:38] Speaker: "And we need to and should have a voice. And I think it's time for us to be willing to raise our voice." - [04:38] Speaker: "we're going to pivot and use our voice and speak up when we do see these injustices happening, not just for Asian Americans, but again, I think for all Americans, for all people." ## Questions this video answers - How do the speakers feel about the public response to the Atlanta shootings? [00:58] - What did the speakers say about the shooter's targeting of Asian-owned businesses? [01:22] - How does one pastor describe the role of faith leaders after the shootings? [01:36] - What lessons and changes do the speakers hope the community will adopt? [02:52] - Why do some speakers believe Asian Americans should raise their voices more? [03:28] - What future do the speakers hope for regarding conversations about racism? [04:30] ## Content suitability - violence [00:00-05:10]: Discussion of a mass shooting that killed eight people, many of them Asian women. - death [00:00-03:01]: References to people murdered and families deprived of mothers and sisters. - crime [00:58-01:36]: Discussion of the shooter's targeting of Asian-owned businesses and public narratives about motive. - hate [01:22-05:10]: Discussion of racism and violence directed at Asian Americans and other minorities. - tragedy [00:00-03:11]: Expressions of grief, despair, and sorrow over the killings. by [Jeremy Lin with Patricia Sun](https://time.com/author/jeremy-lin-with-patricia-sun/) ## Jeremy Lin with Patricia Sun Mar 22, 2021 6:44 PM UTC  A makeshift memorial for the eight people who were killed during attacks on three Atlanta-area spas on Tuesday, at Gold Spa in Atlanta, March 21, 2021\. Now last week's shootings, in which Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged with eight counts of murder, are providing a major stress test for when the legislation can be applied, what it can achieve and how it plays into the state's increasingly polarized politics. A makeshift memorial for the eight people who were killed during attacks on three Atlanta-area spas on Tuesday, at Gold Spa in Atlanta, March 21, 2021\. Now last week's shootings, in which Robert Aaron Long, 21, has been charged with eight counts of murder, are providing a major stress test for when the legislation can be applied, what it can achieve and how it plays into the state's increasingly polarized politics. Chang W. Lee—The New York Times/Redux by [Jeremy Lin with Patricia Sun](https://time.com/author/jeremy-lin-with-patricia-sun/) ## Jeremy Lin with Patricia Sun Mar 22, 2021 6:44 PM UTC What else is there to say? In a terrible way, this felt almost inevitable. Like when your worst fears come true. Even as Asian Americans watched with dread as “Kung Flu” and “China Virus” got [thrown around last year,](https://time.com/5858649/racism-coronavirus/) we hoped that things would calm down again, that people would see our calls for action and see the racism in plain view. But it didn’t happen. It kept getting worse. On March 16, news of the [Atlanta shooting](https://time.com/5948259/atlanta-shooting-victims/) made my heart sink. The world felt darker and more frightening than ever before. And then there was anger. So much anger. Anger at how long we’ve been told that even though we are always the butt of racist jokes, these are just jokes, and geez, please don’t be so sensitive. Anger at how our beautiful, rich cultures and vastly different histories are ripped apart and mashed into one giant, demeaning, “exotic” stereotype. Anger at how the model minority myth allows people to write us off as “doing great” when the most vulnerable of us—our precious elders and Asian Americans struggling to get by—continue to suffer, be dismissed and be targeted. Anger that the dangerous objectification of Asian women is regularly dismissed because “isn’t it a compliment to be considered attractive?” Anger at how even after murdering EIGHT people in cold blood, a white male shooter somehow deserves more empathy than the innocent women and men he killed and the devastated families they left behind. Anger that suddenly all of the same Asian celebrities and authors and representatives are now being asked to speak out because guess what— as a society we never let that many Asian people be represented in mainstream media in the first place. Anger at how much real and justified hurt there is between the Asian and Black communities even though the system that hurts us is one and the same. Anger at how demoralizing it is to have to draw analogies and make artwork and tell stories and attend rallies just to hope we can prove to other people that WE TOO, ARE HUMAN. So, where do we go from here? I ask myself that a lot. I don’t feel qualified to speak for all Asian Americans. I don’t know all of the history, the nuances, the statistics, the intersectionality. I’m not brave for having been called [slurs](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jeremy-lin-not-naming-or-shaming-anyone-after-claim-he-was-called-coronavirus-during-g-league-game/) [before](http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,1953708,00.html). I didn’t do enough when I was [“Linsanity”](http://content.time.com/time/covers/asia/0,16641,20120227,00.html) to break down barriers for the next generation. I just wanted to play basketball during that time in 2012 when I was suddenly thrust into the global spotlight with the New York Knicks. I didn’t recognize the built-up trauma and the multigenerational, systemic injustices. I failed to appreciate and better support the work of advocates fighting for Asian Americans to be seen and heard. It’s one of my biggest failures and one of my biggest regrets. But for whatever reason, I still have this platform. And I have to believe that things are starting to change. I think of[ Benny Luo](https://twitter.com/bennyluo?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and his team at NextShark, of [Dion Lim,](https://twitter.com/DionLimTV?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) [Vicky Nguyen](https://www.today.com/news/nbc-s-vicky-nguyen-reporting-amid-anti-asian-hate-violence-t212189),[ CeFaan Kim](https://twitter.com/CeFaanKim?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) and all the other Asian-American reporters that work long hours and set aside their own grief to make sure Asian-American stories get told. I think of Sarah Wan and her team at [Community Youth Center of San Francisco](https://www.cycsf.org/) who mobilized Vietnamese-speaking staff right away after 83-year-old Ngoc Pham was attacked and sent to the hospital. I think of Russell Jeung and[ Stop AAPI Hate ](https://stopaapihate.org/)who had the foresight to know that if they didn’t count the hate incidents happening to Asian Americans, no one would believe us. I think of Mandy Sun, Sarah Xu and other youth at [Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center](https://bcnc.net/), who under the leadership of Joann Lu Yung and other youth leaders, [wrote a letter to their superintendents](https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/29/metro/coalition-students-urge-school-leaders-around-boston-address-anti-asian-racism/) asking for anti-Asian racism to be addressed in their schools. I think of so many others, in so many different walks of life, working hard to make sure our humanity is recognized. And I realize we have to keep on pushing and not lose hope. Hope that we can all set aside our egos for a moment to see where we might have casually dehumanized someone else. Hope that we would listen when a group of people share their pain and seek to empathize before we dismiss. Hope that we would each, whatever our race, one day be able to be known in the fullness of who we are. This past year has seen some of our worst fears come true and revealed some of the ugliest parts of our society. And it will take courage to confront what we see. In the nine years since Linsanity, people challenged me, educated me and forgave me. Everyday, I’m trying to learn more, listen more, judge less. And if we fight TOGETHER, I truly believe some of our greatest hopes can be realized. We owe it to the people who fought before us and the generations that come after us to make this world a better place. History is in our hands. So I ask again. Is anyone listening??? _Ways to help: Support_ [_AAJA’s AAPI Journalists Therapy Relief Fund_](https://www.gofundme.com/f/AAPI-journalists-therapy-relief-fund)_, youth programs like_ [_CYC SF_](https://www.cycsf.org/)_,_ [_BCNC_](https://bcnc.net/)_, and_ [_Stop AAPI Hate_](https://www.instagram.com/stopaapihate/) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5948846/jeremy-lin-atlanta-shootings-anti-asian-racism/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5948846/jeremy-lin-atlanta-shootings-anti-asian-racism/"},"headline":"Jeremy Lin: Despite Fear and Anger After the Atlanta Shootings, There Is Hope","datePublished":"2021-03-22T18:44:30.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:06:05.489Z","description":"\"It will take courage to confront what we see.\"","url":"https://time.com/5948846/jeremy-lin-atlanta-shootings-anti-asian-racism/","keywords":["Race"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63dd23b3436fd551/698a181c656a3f5617bdb1e4/jeremy-lin-Asian-American-Advocates-memorial.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jeremy Lin with Patricia Sun","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jeremy-lin-with-patricia-sun/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt63dd23b3436fd551/698a181c656a3f5617bdb1e4/jeremy-lin-Asian-American-Advocates-memorial.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A makeshift memorial for the eight people who were killed during attacks on three Atlanta-area spas.","caption":"A makeshift memorial for the eight people who were killed during attacks on three Atlanta-area spas.","creditText":"Chang W. 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