Donald Trump Ignites Fresh Round of Backlash for Repeatedly Calling Coronavirus the 'Chinese Virus'
President Donald Trump came under fire again on Wednesday morning for referring to COVID-19, the [...]
'Scapegoats'
He is going to keep calling the coronavirus the “Chinese Virus” until it becomes an acceptable term for all Americans. When an Asian American schoolgirl sneezes because of an allergy, all the kids will bully her for having the Chinese Virus. We’ll be subjected to hate crimes too.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 18, 2020
Many people expressed worries about how the term "Chinese virus" would incite contempt, bias or even violence against Asian-Americans. Some cited anecdotes of experience racism already, and said that the president was making "scapegoats" out of Chinese and Asian-Americans.
prevnext'Trump Pandemic'
The entire Republican Party owns this response, not just Trump. We should call it the #RepublicanPandemic
— Mitch McConnells’ Ark (@NickWohlleb) March 18, 2020
Others responded to President Trump's new term with new terms of their own, including "Trump Pandemic." They argued that it was the president's fault that the virus had reached these heights, and it should carry his name, if any.
prevnextAlternate Names
.@RichardEngel: "This is a virus that came from the territory of China but came from bats. This is a bat virus, not a China virus. It doesn't speak Chinese. It doesn't target Chinese people. It targets human beings who happen to touch their eyes, nose or mouth." #AMRstaff
— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 18, 2020
Many people pointed out other alternate names for COVID-19 that were equally as logical as "Chinese virus," including "bat virus" or "seafood virus," arguing that it may have started with those sources.
prevnext'Dog Whistle'
Even in a time of extreme crisis, trump can't control his impulse for using the dog whistle branding of "The Chinese Virus," instead of the widely-used term COVID19.
"Because it comes from CHY-NA."
He is the WORST "human." pic.twitter.com/fNrIu2trt6
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) March 18, 2020
Many users accused President Trump of using the term "Chinese virus" as a racist "dog whistle" — meaning it is a way of relaying a racist feeling or ideology without endorsing it outright.
prevnextStop
FFS Really gotta stop calling it the “Chinese Virus”
— William Jackson Harper (@dubjackharper) March 18, 2020
Whatever the reasons or justifications, there were lots of people online that just wanted the president to stop referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese virus." They argued against even debating the topic, as it only served as a distraction.
prevnextPointless
There is nothing to be gained at this point from focusing on China. The virus is here. It's now as American as the air you breathe. And calling it the "Chinese virus" fuels racism, as Americans bearing the brunt of this racism can attest. Trump's dog whistling is intentional. https://t.co/KWe2dKOADL
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 18, 2020
Others added that there was no point in adopting a new name for COVID-19 at this point, for any reason. With official names already in circulation, they thought that the president had no justification for using any other name, regardless of his intentions.
prevnextCDC Weighs In
The CDC Director has agreed that it is "absolutely wrong & inappropriate" to use labels like "Chinese coronavirus.” Let’s all take his advice. This is not the time for public officials to be creating divisions between Americans. We must all work together to beat this virus.
— Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) March 18, 2020
Finally, many people pointed out that medical experts and leaders have condemned the term "Chinese virus," including the Director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Robert Redfield. According to a report by NBC News, Redfield said that it was "absolutely wrong and inappropriate" to refer to COVID-19 this way.
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