Racism appended to COVID-19 discussions, and how to respond.
These may appear in your news feeds as they have in mine. If you find them troubling but can't work out why, allow me to provide some starters. I will try to update this list, but do send me any others you may find.
I've seen the 'hold/held to account' wording the most. It usually lays the foundation for:
...
I will not speculate on intent, but statements in the above vein are not genuine contributions to COVID-19 discussions.
At best they are outlets of prejudice.
At worst they threaten unrest if anti-Chinese action is not satisfactorily taken.
Now that you know how to combat them, you need not do so. At least, not externally.
Just do not let them infect you, and do not pass them on.
People of Asian appearance have long been called to answer for Asian governments. When an Asian government falls under the spotlight its diaspora - initially portrayed as victims - are soon scrutinized for acquiescing to its legitimacy, similarly to how refugees are blamed for not standing up to the regimes they flee.
Nevertheless, I have over time internalised a sense that I am overreacting. I am going to set that aside.
These statements made ostensibly about COVID-19 did not sit well with me. I now know why: they're more about China/Asia. I'm sharing that with you.
These may appear in your news feeds as they have in mine. If you find them troubling but can't work out why, allow me to provide some starters. I will try to update this list, but do send me any others you may find.
"China should be held to account..."
Confrontational and vague. Accusing China is not a cure. Be careful what you wish for: China shut down Chinese New Year in January. If your country is uncertain right now, China on close inspection may not be to blame.I've seen the 'hold/held to account' wording the most. It usually lays the foundation for:
"...Review supply chains"
Vague, disproportionate, and beside the point. The virus is not transmitted by trade. The only other aim is punitive. Anyway, what supply chains are within the poster's power to review?"... But wetmarkets."
Appeal to sentiment. Banning wetmarkets will not stop viruses jumping from animals to humans. Refer cowpox and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease for 'Western' examples. Reveals assumption that wetmarkets are widespread enough to represent Chinese culture."[X policies] only work in China/Asia" or "[X] wouldn't work here."
Backhanded compliment that perpetuates stereotypes of Asian docility. Isolation policies have clearly not worked where governments chose not to implement them. This statement is then used to argue that China should have accounted for other governments' perceived relative inability to govern their own citizens."CHINESE virus"
Too ambiguous to be factual. Associates the virus with Chinese practices and people....
I will not speculate on intent, but statements in the above vein are not genuine contributions to COVID-19 discussions.
At best they are outlets of prejudice.
At worst they threaten unrest if anti-Chinese action is not satisfactorily taken.
Now that you know how to combat them, you need not do so. At least, not externally.
Just do not let them infect you, and do not pass them on.
Background
Am I reading too much into innocent statements or attacking straw men?People of Asian appearance have long been called to answer for Asian governments. When an Asian government falls under the spotlight its diaspora - initially portrayed as victims - are soon scrutinized for acquiescing to its legitimacy, similarly to how refugees are blamed for not standing up to the regimes they flee.
Nevertheless, I have over time internalised a sense that I am overreacting. I am going to set that aside.
These statements made ostensibly about COVID-19 did not sit well with me. I now know why: they're more about China/Asia. I'm sharing that with you.
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