100 signatures reached
To: Randy and Becky Butler
Randy and Becky Butler: Stop Promoting Hate at the Huntington Country Store
Since February, when the President and his administration began labeling the Coronavirus as the “China Virus”, there has been a significant rise in violence, harassment, and abuse against Asians and people of Asian descent.
Hate incidents range from verbal assault and racial slurs all the way to actual violence. Interestingly, the AAPI Hate Report that tracks anti-Asian hate incidents around the country notes that more than a third of the hate incidents occurred in a business setting -- such as the Huntington Country Store.
Words matter. Hateful rhetoric has consequences.
Randy and Becky Butler are promoting the hateful rhetoric of "China Coronavirus" at their business, the Huntington Country Store, and on their website. They have refused to take our calls or meet with us to discuss our concerns.
Tell Randy and Becky Butler that until they remove this racist language and issue a public apology, you won't be spending your money at the Huntington Country Store.
Why is this important?
We are at a pivotal moment in our history. This is the time for each of us to decide - as individuals and as a community - which side of history we are on.
In the last four years, the country has seen unprecedented division, hateful rhetoric, racism, and increasing violence. Egged on by the President, white supremacists have been emboldened. Torch-wielding White men descend on Charlottesville, killing a protester; front line workers are assaulted over masks; police and vigilantes murder Black people in the streets and in their homes; and militias armed to the teeth take over state capitols. Just this past month, we have seen the violence escalate in Kenosha and in Portland. Hate crimes against Black, Indigenous and People of Color are on the rise across the country.
And now, the hatred is at our door, and in our community.
Randy and Becky Butler, the owners of the Huntington Country Store, use the term “China Coronavirus” in multiple places on their website and on signs in their store. People are fearful and angry about COVID-19. When store owners choose to use racially-charged language they create a target for that fear and anger, impacting the safety of Asians and people of Asian descent in our community.
According to a report by CBS News, more than 2,100 anti-Asian American hate incidents related to COVID-19 were reported in the U.S. over a three-month time span between March and June. Civil rights and racial justice organizations have issued a joint call to action denouncing the increase in discrimination against Asian Americans related to COVID-19.
We’ve urged Randy and Becky Butler to consider the consequences of their actions. We’ve called and emailed, we even went to the store in person. But Randy and Becky Butler refuse to meet with us or remove the racist language from their website. Instead, they doubled down on their hateful rhetoric and their supporters threatened us with physical violence.
Tell Randy and Becky Butler that you won't spend your money at the Huntington Country Store, a business that sows hatred and division, until they remove the offensive language and issue a public apology.
It’s time to take a stand. As a community, we must join together to reject this kind of hate.