IMPACT ON RACISM

WE CAN DO BETTER

As cases in China (specifically Wuhan, China) started to rise at the beginning of January 2020 the country was uncertain what the virus was and where it was coming from. Many doctors believed it was only pneumonia for several days, causing the virus to spread to other parts of the country. Immediately after China realized the extent they put the country on lockdown, stopping the spread of the disease as much as possible. Even though China took many precautions, the virus spread quickly to other countries in Asia. Later this spread caused a high number of cases in Italy, Spain, the United States, and other Western countries. As these Western countries have become economically and socially affected negatively, I have seen the world turn into a racist place, showing hate toward China.

In our own president’s notes, “Corona” has been changed to “Chinese” blaming the virus on the people of China (Chiu). Besides Trump, many have spoken out blaming the people who live in the nation for their eating habits starting the virus. Even though the cause started from the consumption of bats, many have not processed the cultural barrier, causing racist remarks to be formed (Chiu). For example Westerners typically do not consume bats, but consume other animals such as chickens, pigs, and cows. Even though bats are not typically eaten in our Western society, eating other animals should be seen as a similar concept to eating a bat. They are both animals that have been enjoyed for food consumption. Another deathly disease could have come from a cow, pig, or chicken just as easily as it came from a bat. The people of China did not know that they would be consuming a dish that caused a pandemic. Who would purposely want to get ill?

Thankfully, many have stepped up to defend this hatred. Harvey Doug, a lecturer in Asian American and Asian diaspora studies with the University of California at Berkeley, stepped up to speak out (WHO). He claimed that Trump’s name of

the virus as well as other claims of hatred towards the country is “racist and it creates xenophobia.” Doug, as well as many others, believe that these hateful statements are very dangerous as they may destroy our relationship with allied countries (WHO). As the virus has spread to an unreal extent we must come together to help each other get through this pandemic.

Chiu, Allyson. “Trump Has No Qualms about Calling Coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus.' That's a Dangerous Attitude, Experts Say.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 20 Mar. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/03/20/coronavirus-trump-chinese-virus/.

“Coronavirus Cases:” Worldometer, www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/.

“WHO Timeline - COVID-19.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, www.who.int/news-room/detail/08-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19.