COVID-19 is not the only pandemic wreaking havoc across the globe. Coronavirus racism has also overtaken China and the US.
Current Events
In the United States, many have grown convinced that Chinese-Americans are automatic carriers of COVID-19 and have been exacting violence and overt discrimination against them. In fact, according to The Hill, at least 100 Asian-American attacks related to coronavirus racism occur on US soil each day.
A rider on a New York subway violently sprayed an Asian man with Febreeze. In Texas, 3 Chinese-Americans were stabbed inside a Sam’s Club. In San Franciso, a 16-year-old Asian-American boy was sent to the hospital after bullies accused him of carrying the coronavirus.
“These are very, very alarming and are not helped by President Trump who calls this the ‘Chinese virus,’ ” said Democratic Rep. Judy Chu of California. She added that although he has stopped the racial tagging of late, Trump’s label only added to the stigma and ignited coronavirus racism.
However, the US is not alone in its COVID-19 bigotry.
In China, citizens are under fire for buying into the wild conspiracy theory that Africans and other people of color are active carriers of the virus and should be shunned.
As a result, Africans have been evicted from their hotel rooms in the middle of the night and even their homes. A group of African students were forced to take COVID-19 tests and to quarantine at their own expense despite not having traveled recently. Additionally, several people of color were threatened with having their visas and work permits revoked.
In Guangzhou, blacks were denied entry into a local mall by police while other ethnicities were freely admitted. Also in Guangzhou, a local McDonald’s employee posted a sign in the window stating “black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant.”
Following the incident, the McDonald’s corporate office issued a statement saying the sign was removed and the restaurant was temporarily closed.
“This is not representative of our inclusive values,” the company said. “We will take the opportunity to further educate managers and employees on our values, which includes serving all members of the communities in which we operate.”
Fear of contracting the virus is normal during a global pandemic of this magnitude. However, conspiracy theories that certain ethnicities are more of a threat than other ethnicities in passing along the virus are not only unwarranted but ignorant.
The coronavirus can infect ANYONE and be passed along by ANYONE. So sad to see a racist level of ignorance rear its ugly head in China AND the United States.
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(Sigh!) Honestly DJ, the only form of “Racism” that Pains me more deeply than White racism against My people (Black Americans) is Black racism against *Others* of a different race. I am both angered and grieved by this incredibly disturbing revelation. Such an Ugly and Shameful reality.
Racism and hatred are diseases of the same root cause. Ignorance. Plain. Old. Ignorance.
As a people WE MUST do better.