Coronavirus

Stop using Coronavirus as an excuse to be racist

Adalia Luo

Staff Writertaff Writer

Regardless of how much you know about the Coronavirus crisis, you know it exists. From there, the ignorance and miseducation surrounding it ranges from simple misunderstandings to the exacerbation of Coronavirus’ severity.

Th e Coronavirus is not a tool of justifi cation for your shameless racializing. Whether manifested in your racist jokes disguised as “dark humor,” or in the infl ux of hate crimes against Asian people in America, none of it is, and has ever been excusable, and especially not by the Coronavirus.

Let me clarify: it is not my intention to trivialize the crisis in any way. Th ere is no doubt that this outbreak of the Coronavirus is a public health emergency, or has the potential to be, and I encourage everyone reading this to take a moment and stay safe. Th at being said, if you start only taking these checks when you realize you’re in close proximity to an Asian person, we’re going to have a problem.

Recently, UC Berkeley, a public college in California, which also happens to have one of the largest Asian student bodies in the United States, released an informational pamphlet two weeks ago about “Managing Fears & Anxiety around Coronavirus.” Listing feelings and reactions described as “regular,” such as anxiety, worry, panic, and helplessness, this innocuous pamphlet would have stayed that way had “Xenophobia: fears about interacting with those who might be from Asia,” not been at the bottom.

Since then, the college has released an apology, but the fact that an institution with an Asian population as signifi cant as UC Berkeley’s ever even considered that an acceptable thing to say only serves to refl ect the deep-rooted, and mostly unaddressed, racism that people of Asian descent face in the United States.

Demonized, racialized and blamed for eating wild animals,

Emily Augustine/Prowler

Clarissa Shin

Girl Scout cookies bite my heart

Ever since I was fi ve, sweets have always been my favorite food, more specifi cally cookies. Girl Scout cookies were fi rst introduced into my life during my elementary school years, and looking back as a senior in high school, I can say with confi dence they remain my favorite brand of cookies.

As the cookie-selling season for Girl Scouts runs from January through April, I have plenty of time to stock up and enjoy my favorite treat. Lemonades, Samoas and Th in Mints are three staples in the Girl Scout cookie chain and are my go-tos when I have an opportunity to get my hands on some.

First, Lemonades bring the perfect balance between tangy

Sports Editorports Editor

Asian populations have been forced to face an unreasonably signifi cant rise in racist abuse. Western media outlets calling Coronavirus one of the most extreme virus outbreaks in all of history are only fueling the amplifi cation of anti-Asian sentiment. Th ese headlines that incorrectly profi le the issue have only resulted in one thing: unnecessary mass hysteria.

I get it: the coronavirus is scary, it’s serious and it’s important to fi ght. But that will never, ever give you the right to make me worry that sharing the same airspace as you might incite a racial attack, just because of my face. It will never, ever, give you the right to shout “dirty ch*nk” at me from your car, or on Twitter to your two followers. And it will never, ever, give you the right to ignore a dying Chinese man on the street because you thought he had the virus.

Every single Asian person you see walking the streets isn’t a carrier of the virus. You’re just racist. Get it together; people are dying. Spread love and masks, not hate.

and sweet, giving the cookies a “kill two birds with one stone” nature. Th ese cookies are my number one and are not only appetite pleasing, but provide a cute imprint of a face of a lemon on the top. I love being able to crunch into these perfectly sized cookies to satisfy my sugar cravings.

One of the next best Girl Scout cookies is the Samoas. With the caramel, chocolate and coconut shave coating, these cookies have the ideal balance of sweet and savory. Th ese cookies taste delicious alongside a glass of milk and compliment every snack or meal I eat.

Th in Mints are probably the most iconic and well-known Girl Scout cookie out there. Th eir simplicity allows people who eat the cookie to focus on the minty crunch, as well as the thin layer of delicious chocolate. Th in Mints are light and do not weigh down on you aft er you eat them, so every cookie you can walk away guilt free. Along with being a fan favorite, these cookies have been a primary factor in helping young girls learn money management and social interaction skills.

Girl Scout cookies can be eaten on various occasions, such as with friends, while doing homework or as an evening treat while binging your favorite show. I love how consistent the Girl Scout cookies are in that each year I buy them, I can always purchase my favorites without worrying about them running off the menu. I have grown up with these cookies, and am looking forward to eating the Lemonades, Samoas and Th in Mints for the rest of my life.

Jessica Zhou/Prowler

Time flies by, spend itime flies by, spend it wisely

Jacob Malone

Back Cover Editorack Cover Editor

As I enter the second half of my senior year, I am able to refl ect on not only my high school experience, but my childhood as a whole. With college looming over me, I cannot help but worry about leaving my family to study in an entirely new place. Sure, a change in scenery will be nice, but saying goodbye to my childhood? Th at’s a whole other story.

I have been truly lucky throughout my childhood. My mother and father are happily married, and I have two awesome younger brothers that I can joke around with; not to mention, I have a furry sixth member of my family: my dog, Scout.

I took all this for granted throughout the majority of my childhood, never really putting any thought into everything that I have going for me, and how lucky I am to have all this.

However, in roughly 8 months when I embark to further my education in college, everything I have will be diff erent. My family and friends will still exist, but I won’t be able to be with them daily. Sure, FaceTime will still let me “see” my family, but being with them in person is far superior.

I most recently thought about this during the holiday season. I realized that this Christmas would be the last Christmas in which I am a kid living at home with my parents. Growing up can really sneak up on you. I remember my eighth grade “promotion”, when I believed that high school graduation, college and the adult life was so far away, yet here they all are now, lined up right in front of me.

I know that everything I’ve done throughout my childhood and the lessons I’ve been taught have all led up to this point, but I am terrifi ed to leave behind the routine that has been established as I’ve grown up. Despite my concerns, I am aware that independence is necessary, and I cannot live my entire life within the confi nes of my family. Until I leave for college I am going to savor the remainder of the time I have left with my family and friends.

For those of you who think graduation is far away, it is coming faster than you think. Before you know it, you’ll be sitting among your peers with your graduation cap wondering how time went by so fast. Adulthood will be liberating, but childhood is a fi nite period of everyone’s life that should be cherished before it’s gone.