Why is calling Coronavirus 'China Virus' considered racist?

[Tagorford]

This whole thread reeks of non-PC viewpoints.

I think it’s simply racist and disrespectful and promotes anti-Asian sentiment and violence against asians. All nations should be helping fight this pandemic and finding together.If you can’t rise above your hatred and bigotry,God help you.

[Albrenia]

My point was that people were calling it the Chinese virus at the beginning without that having racist connotations. When the culture war people started problematising it they constructed this particular word usage as the symbolic ground through which to criticise anti-Chinese racist sentiment and as a way to identify people who believe the Bad Thing. And then most leftists stopped using it, while the free-speech crowd and populist-style patriots dug their heels in. Which in turn "proved" the point of the liberals that said group are racists because they're using the forbidden word.

In reality, where Chinese and other Asian people are getting beaten up it isn't because of this word choice. It is because it has been slotted into the wider narratives and the context of the cultural rivalry with China, as well as a natural psychological reaction from scared people who have seen the virus coming in from outside and are blaming the outsiders for the problem rather than the system of globalisation because that's a bit more complicated and also gives them iPhones.

To be honest the only people I've ever heard use the term were Trump and his fanbase. I never used it, nor heard anyone not deep in the Trump camp use it, even before people started whining about its usage.

[Punished UMN]

I don't necessarily think it's racist, but it's clearly trying to deflect criticism of a poor response on the part of the administration.

[Skyhooked]

With all those PC aspects, rather strict local policies and controversies, I'd rather call corona "Bat Virus", after all, there is a legend, that it was brought by a badly cooked bat. Besides, there are instances of some influenza strains being called after animals, like "Swine flu" or "Bird Flu".

[Borderlands of Rojava]

I'd rather call corona "Bat Virus", after all, there is a legend, that it was brought by a badly cooked bat.

Actually I heard it was from a pangolin being used as folk medicine.

Don't do folk medicine kids. Talk to a doctor instead.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I'd rather call corona "Bat Virus", after all, there is a legend, that it was brought by a badly cooked bat.

Actually I heard it was from a pangolin being used as folk medicine.

Don't do folk medicine kids. Talk to a doctor instead.

Some say bat, others pangolin. All I know is that we shouldn’t eat animals that are infection vectors for us.

[Skyhooked]

Actually I heard it was from a pangolin being used as folk medicine.

Don't do folk medicine kids. Talk to a doctor instead.

Provided ya' live in a place and conditions, where ya' can afford one, or perhaps make it to one. Or both.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Actually I heard it was from a pangolin being used as folk medicine.

Don't do folk medicine kids. Talk to a doctor instead.

Provided ya' live in a place and conditions, where ya' can afford one, or perhaps make it to one. Or both.

China has actual doctors. There's no excuse for anyone living there to do folk medicine.

[Sanghyeok]

China has actual doctors. There's no excuse for anyone living there to do folk medicine.

Superstitions must go.

[Kowani]

Provided ya' live in a place and conditions, where ya' can afford one, or perhaps make it to one. Or both.

China has actual doctors. There's no excuse for anyone living there to do folk medicine.

Rural poverty, superstition...

[Kowani]

Provided ya' live in a place and conditions, where ya' can afford one, or perhaps make it to one. Or both.

China has actual doctors. There's no excuse for anyone living there to do folk medicine.

Rural poverty, superstition...

[Borderlands of Rojava]

China has actual doctors. There's no excuse for anyone living there to do folk medicine.

Rural poverty, superstition...

Superstition is big dumb. And poverty needs to be alleviated.

How are you gonna call yourself a communist country and do fuck all about poverty? I mean really China

[Albrenia]

The best stupid name for Coronavirus is Winnie the Flu. At least it sticks it directly in the eye of the CCP, instead of tarring an entire people.

It's still stupid as fuck, but at least it actually attacks the right entity and is mildly amusing.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Didn't Trump ask why it's called Corona and say "corona is Italy. This is the China virus."

Thats some stupid shit. Especially since corona is Mexican.

[Odreria]

Because it sounds like a pathetic attempt teenagers make to sound like a mildly racist boomer.

[Skyhooked]

Superstition is big dumb. And poverty needs to be alleviated.

How are you gonna call yourself a communist country and do fuck all about poverty? I mean really China

Powerty is only a part of thing. There is also such thing as coverage and infrastructure. But this is not a case. The corona started in Wuhan, a city, not some faraway middle of nowhere.

(Well, If it actually started in the middle of nowhere, rather than a city, we wouldn't have all this shit now.)

[Major-Tom]

Why are non-issues such as these used as stupid wedge issues for people who love to moan about nothing?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Why are non-issues such as these used as stupid wedge issues for people who love to moan about nothing?

Because it serves some to keep the pot stirred.

[Geneviev]

Because it is racist. That's about all there is to it.

[Eukaryotic Cells]

Didn't Trump ask why it's called Corona and say "corona is Italy. This is the China virus."

Thats some stupid shit. Especially since corona is Mexican.

I mean, this is the guy who pronounced Yosemite as "YO-se-MIGHT" and "YO-sem-mi-NIGHT".

[Albrenia]

On the side issue of Chinese Folk Medicine, my main problem with it is that it involves doing horrible things to endangered species in a lot of cases for no real effect on the sick person beyond the Placebo effect.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

Didn't Trump ask why it's called Corona and say "corona is Italy. This is the China virus."

Thats some stupid shit. Especially since corona is Mexican.

I mean, this is the guy who pronounced Yosemite as "YO-se-MIGHT" and "YO-sem-mi-NIGHT".

Trump when his best Jewish friend shows up to his birthday party: "Yo Semite"

[Sanghyeok]

On the side issue of Chinese Folk Medicine, my main problem with it is that it involves doing horrible things to endangered species in a lot of cases for no real effect on the sick person beyond the Placebo effect.

The way to solve the issue of folk medicine is education. Too many East Asian countries do not emphasise critical thinking, and so people just listen to the prevailing attitudes.

[Des-Bal]

The actions of some Chinese people. Saying that Chinese people in general are the reason it spread is racist, especially when the target is like second or third generation Asian Americans including people who aren't even Chinese.

No it's not, racists were going to be racist no matter what anyone called anything and pretending that denying basic realities would have prevented anti-Asian people from harboring anti-asian sentiments is asinibe.

[Des-Bal]

The way to solve the issue of folk medicine is education. Too many East Asian countries do not emphasise critical thinking, and so people just listen to the prevailing attitudes.

There's plenty of education going on in China. The government has spent decades supporting traditional chinese medicine for a mix of preserving their cultural identity and having insufficient access to real medicine.