Is it racist to announce that you’ve contracted a possibly deadly virus while referring to the virus by the name of the city where it originally broke out? For example, is using the phrase “I’m scared because I just found out I have the Wuhan virus” evidence of racism?
If you said “No,” or “Of course not,” or “What the hell is wrong with you,” that just proves you’re a racist. Granted, everything proves you’re a racist, but that definitely proves it. Anybody who says “Wuhan virus” is now a racist, according to our moral, ethical, and intellectual betters in the press.
A US congressman’s announcement of his self-quarantine has stirred a debate on social media after he called the new coronavirus as “the Wuhan virus”, referring to the Chinese city where the virus is believed to have originated…
Gosar, a Republican member of Congress, said he is isolating himself after determining he had contact at the Conservative Political Action Conference with a man who had tested positive for coronavirus.
1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 9, 2020
If you wish Rep. Gosar a full and speedy recovery, that just proves you’re a Republican (or a Republican sympathizer) and therefore you’re a racist. What you need to do instead is excoriate Gosar for his obvious racism:
Most people call it the coronavirus.
Some call it Covid-19.
But only the most ignorant and racist among us would call it the Wuhan virus.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 9, 2020
This is irresponsible as well as designed to prompt prejudice. I’d tell you to do better, but I don’t think you can.
— Jess Phoenix 🌋 (@jessphoenix2018) March 9, 2020
FYI: Calling #COVID19 the “Wuhan Virus” is racist.
— David Gura (@davidgura) March 9, 2020
That’s how it works. When a Republican says something, that means it’s racist. Um, it’s called logic, people. Google it.
And of course, now we need to forget about all the news outlets that have been calling it the “Wuhan virus.” Like CNN:
None of that ever happened. Neither did any of this:
Those in the media have been the ones calling it “the Wuhan virus/coronavirus” for weeks, so I guess they were being racist/bigoted this whole time. pic.twitter.com/ibogMw3rK0
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) March 9, 2020
Erase all that from your mind, because Media Matters has spoken and now you have your talking points:
“Wuhan virus” wasn’t racist, and then, overnight, it was racist. That’s how it works, you racist. The rules can change at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, and proclaiming your ignorance is no excuse. It’s just further proof of your racism.
You will say the things you’re told to say and avoid saying the things you’re told to avoid, or else you’ll be branded a racist by people who already assume you’re a racist no matter what. If that’s not an incentive to fall in line, I don’t know what is.
P.S. Ted Cruz also announced he was exposed to the virus, but he didn’t call it the “Wuhan virus.” Which, of course, is nothing but a clumsy attempt to hide his obvious racism.
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