DAAPIC Column
Fear fuels the fires of
prejudice By Gil Asakawa
The coronavirus outbreak that started in Wuhan, China has be- eating there, and wondered if he got coronavirus. Facebook recome a worldwide crisis, and the virus is serious business – both moved the comments and the user. figuratively and literally. The mayor of Philadelphia dined at a restaurant in the city’s Because the world economy is interlinked and interdepen- excellent Chinatown district last month to show support for the dent, a disaster in Asia can have ripple effects across the globe’s Chinese American community. I hope other cities’ mayors and cefinancial markets. As countries including the United States cut lebrities do the same. Some other mayors of American cities have back travel to China and block people from coming from China, gone to their Chinese communities to calm citizens’ concerns. the US stock market’s been battered by the effects of the coronaHere in Denver, Mayor Michael B. Hancock has released a statevirus. Many American companies have offices in China and rely ment of support for the area’s Chinese and Asian Americans: on companies there to keep its supply chains moving. ‘We stand with and support Denver’s thriving Asian communiAnd now, it appears that the world is on the brink of a corona- ty, today and every day. virus pandemic. “In Denver, we will not tolerate discrimination of any kind. As I write this (Feb. 25), the virus named COVID-19, has infected Since the Coronavirus outbreak there have been local and namore than 80,000 people in 37 countries, causing at least 2,600 tional sentiments and actions against our Chinese and Asian deaths. It causes symptoms similar to flu or pneumonia. The US communities by people who inaccurately equate an entire race Centers for Disease Control and Prevention so far has confirmed with a disease. 57 cases in the US, and announced that it’s “We must stand up against racism, fearnot a question of if the virus will spread We stand with and support Den- mongering, and misinformation by supwidely to the US, but when. ver’s thriving Asian community, porting and embracing all residents who We can’t fault countries, including the today and every day. call Denver home. I encourage to continue US (and Japan) from limiting or blocking supporting your neighbors and their busiIn Denver, we will not tolerate travelers from China. Until there’s a sciennesses today and always. Our differences tific medical solution to treat and prevent discrimination of any kind. Since are what unite us.” the virus, one way to control the spread is, the Coronavirus outbreak there It’s always easy to target “the other” in well, to control the spread of the people have been local and national sen- times of crisis when fear is clouding our sowho may be carrying the virus. timents and actions against our cietal judgment. Unfortunately, along with the spread Chinese and Asian communities AAPIs have felt this prejudice by just sitof the virus, one side effect has been the ting down at a café, or a station, or a library, by people who inaccurately equate spread of fear that can fuel the fires of prejonly to have people around them pick up an entire race with a disease. udice. It’s one thing to be afraid of people their things and move away. Do we need - DENVER MAYOR to shout out, “I’m not Chinese from Wufrom Wuhan, or even mainland China, who MICHAEL B. HANCOCK han!” or “I’m Japanese American!” to show may have been exposed to the virus. It’s another altogether, to treat Chinese in the we’re not Typhoid Mariko? US, including Chinese Americans who were This is reminiscent of the WWII-era phoborn and raised here and haven’t gone to tographs Asians with signs pinned to their Wuhan or even to China recently, as pariahs clothes reading, “I am Chinese.” It was a who might be carrying the illness. common sight to see Chinese Americans They’re not. Neither are other Asian identifying themselves during the war, Americans and Pacific Islanders. when 120,000 people of Japanese ancesAnd yet, the media have run stories try including half of whom who were USabout how AAPIs are being treated as if born American citizens, were imprisoned they’re all Chinese who are “fresh off the in US concentration camps. boat” from Wuhan. The New York Times ran During WWII, Chinese Americans wore If you’re “The Other,” and you so much signs to identify themselves in order to a commentary about how Chinese restauas look Asian or serve any kind of Chinese avoid being sent to Japanese concenrants are being subjected to outdated food, you could have been singled out as a tration camps. Credit: Ranker.com tropes – fake stereotypes – about serving spy during WWII, or as a virus carrier today. meat that might have been the cause of the virus in the market Let’s let the authorities fight the coronavirus with science, and in Wuhan. You know, rats, bats, wolves. not bring our baser instincts of fear and loathing to the surface. Someone posted fake comments on the Facebook page of a Gil Asakawa is a member of the Denver Asian American PaDenver-area Chinese restaurant that claimed he felt sick after cific Islander Commission.
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March 2020 | DAAPIC Column