As the coronavirus spreads, so does online racism targeting Asians, new research shows

[SummerMadness]

As the coronavirus spreads, so does online racism targeting Asians, new research shows

Fears of the coronavirus have fueled rising anti-Chinese sentiment online as a combination of traditional slurs and new terms such as “kungflu” conflate the pandemic with ethnic and national identity, say social media researchers who tracked surging expressions of hostility for papers published Wednesday evening.

The researchers fear online hatred and distrust toward China and people of East Asian descent are contributing to an increasingly well-documented rash of real-world incidents, including verbal attacks, violence and boycotts of Asian-owned businesses.

“The words are like a virus,” said Joel Finkelstein, director of the Network Contagion Research Institute, a New Jersey-based nonprofit group that tracks hate speech online. “That leads to actions that are visible.”

Finkelstein’s group, which reports its findings as alerts to government officials, documented a rise of conspiracy theories featuring both anti-Chinese sentiment and words such as “bioweapon” on 4chan’s notoriously racist “Politically Incorrect” message board and, to a lesser extent, on Twitter, according to a white paper published Wednesday evening.

When you promote racialized language, it should be of no surprise that racism follows. You are not responsible for the actions of others, but you are certainly responsibly for inspiring them with your own racial propaganda.

 

[IceJad]

As a Chinese (ethnic not national) myself, I don't think it's a big deal. People are allowed to say what they want so long they don't go overboard and start a lynch mob. Words are just that words.

In fact I find it funny the term "kungflu". We have to laugh of ourselves sometimes. And don't kid yourselves that naming it Wuhan or Chinese virus has any racist connotation. Because we have Japanese Ensyphilitis, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Spanish Flu. All name after a place or people.

Racists will find things to complain regardless whether the virus is here or not. Just so happen this coronavirus gave them the opportunity to voice it more openly. To that I would say "so what?".

 

[coffee4u]

As the coronavirus spreads, so does online racism targeting Asians, new research shows


When you promote racialized language, it should be of no surprise that racism follows. You are not responsible for the actions of others, but you are certainly responsibly for inspiring them with your own racial propaganda.

Asian's are the ones with the best knowledge of controlling this thing, countries should be looking to them as the guide on this not targeting them. They have been through pandemics before. I would listen to the Korean doctors over the CDC and WHO any day.

As to China itself, that's the government and nothing to do with the people.

 

[SummerMadness]

As a Chinese (ethnic not national) myself, I don't think it's a big deal. People are allowed to say what they want so long they don't go overboard and start a lynch mob. Words are just that words.

In fact I find it funny the term "kungflu". We have to laugh of ourselves sometimes. And don't kid yourselves that naming it Wuhan or Chinese virus has any racist connotation. Because we have Japanese Ensyphilitis, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Spanish Flu. All name after a place or people.

Racists will find things to complain regardless whether the virus is here or not. Just so happen this coronavirus gave them the opportunity to voice it more openly. To that I would say "so what?".

If they were just words, sure. But there is more violence directed at Asians in the US, so it's not simply language.

 

[Rescued One]

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

 

[Rescued One]

As a Chinese (ethnic not national) myself, I don't think it's a big deal. People are allowed to say what they want so long they don't go overboard and start a lynch mob. Words are just that words.

In fact I find it funny the term "kungflu". We have to laugh of ourselves sometimes. And don't kid yourselves that naming it Wuhan or Chinese virus has any racist connotation. Because we have Japanese Ensyphilitis, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Spanish Flu. All name after a place or people.

Racists will find things to complain regardless whether the virus is here or not. Just so happen this coronavirus gave them the opportunity to voice it more openly. To that I would say "so what?".

Words hurt me deeply at times, but they taught me to be careful of the words I use. I want to be kind and pray that God will help me.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

 

[IceJad]

If they were just words, sure. But there is more violence directed at Asians in the US, so it's not simply language.

I have to be fair to some of them. Some act out of fear because of the nature of the virus (from its symptoms, incubation period, transmission rate to death rate). The Chinese government hasn't been totally blameless. They tried to cover up the early stages of the virus outbreak. During the crucial first 2 weeks, many Chinese nationals fled to other nations infecting the locals. I have read somewhere that most Western cases first patients are Chinese tourists or people who have visited their Chinese relatives in Wuhan. It may be irrational to think all Asians have the virus but better safe than sorry.

Some act out of malice. Especially those who resort to physical violence. If the virus is transmittable from human to human why get close and physical? These I will not defend.

 

[IceJad]

Words hurt me deeply at times, but they taught me to be careful of the words I use. I want to be kind and pray that God will help me

Of course it will. It is designed to be hurtful. That's why the Lord has asked us to guard our tongue. But at the end of the day they are still only words. I have forgotten how many times I have been disparaged because of my race and faith. I don't keep it at heart.

Having said that, I'm not going to stop others from excising their right to freedom of speech no matter how deplorable. We must learn to live in a world of broken morals. We are in this world but not of it the Lord said.

If we force only things that we deem moral then we have become the immoral one. For all fall short of the Glory of God. Those who curse me today may be the Paul of tomorrow.

 

[SummerMadness]

I have to be fair to some of them. Some act out of fear because of the nature of the virus (from its symptoms, incubation period, transmission rate to death rate). The Chinese government hasn't been totally blameless. They tried to cover up the early stages of the virus outbreak. During the crucial first 2 weeks, many Chinese nationals fled to other nations infecting the locals. I have read somewhere that most Western cases first patients are Chinese tourists or people who have visited their Chinese relatives in Wuhan. It may be irrational to think all Asians have the virus but better safe than sorry.

Some act out of malice. Especially those who resort to physical violence. If the virus is transmittable from human to human why get close and physical? These I will not defend.

There is always talk about Chinese tourists, but in the United States, especially in NY, it wasn't spread by Chinese people.

Most New York Coronavirus Cases Came From Europe, Genomes Show

New research indicates that the coronavirus began to circulate in the New York area by mid-February, weeks before the first confirmed case, and that travelers brought in the virus mainly from Europe, not Asia.

“The majority is clearly European,” said Harm van Bakel, a geneticist at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who co-wrote a study awaiting peer review.

A separate team at N.Y.U. Grossman School of Medicine came to strikingly similar conclusions, despite studying a different group of cases. Both teams analyzed genomes from coronaviruses taken from New Yorkers starting in mid-March.

The research revealed a previously hidden spread of the virus that might have been detected if aggressive testing programs had been put in place.

Milan Fashion Week was at the end of February...

Yes, there is reason to criticize the Chinese government, but that should not extend to people for simply being Chinese. And the spread of this virus was partially due to focusing on Chinese people when it was apparent the virus had already gotten out of China. The travel bans came to late, and then extensive testing never followed. Instead there was an attempt to propagandize the virus.

 

[ruthiesea]

Interestingly, genetic research shows that the New York virus came here via Europe.