Senator Kamala Harris has introduced legislation that would equate the term “Chinese virus” with hate speech, and would call on government officials everywhere to denounce it.
Apparently, the use of the terms “Chinese virus,” “Wuhan virus,” and “Kung Flu” is “inaccurate rhetoric perpetuating anti-Asian stigma.”
There has been a reported rise in violent crimes against Asian Americans since the Chinese virus hit the U.S., but there have been few official crime statistics that would confirm that, only anecdotal evidence.
No doubt, there is anti-Chinese sentiment in the United States, but that’s nothing new. China angered American workers with their trade practices and trying to blame the United States for the coronavirus pandemic, with the Chinese government hinting that the virus was brought to China by the U.S. military.
And there is little doubt that the droolers, the mouth-breathers, and the yahoos have made their race-hatred against Asians more obvious during the pandemic.
But then, there’s that pesky First Amendment that always seems to get in the way of liberal virtue-signaling.
Senate Resolution 580 condemns “all forms of Anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID-19,” citing “Chinese Virus,” “Wuhan Virus,” and “Kung Flu” as inaccurate rhetoric perpetuating anti-Asian stigma. The bill calls on public officials to denounce such rhetoric in any form. It also calls on law enforcement officials to investigate, document, and prosecute the perpetrators of hate crimes against Asian Americans.
Harris’s resolution is currently cosponsored by a host of Democratic senators, including Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), but no Republicans.
What part of “Congress shall make no law…” does Harris not understand? Yes, there is some rhetoric that’s “offensive” to Asians — even “hateful.” It’s very disturbing, but why put the government in charge of policing speech?
Besides, the Chinese government itself referred to the “Wuhan virus” until well into February.
The terms “Chinese Virus” and “Wuhan Virus” were used by U.S. officials and some news outlets early in the coronavirus crisis, which led to condemnation from the Chinese government and then from members of the American news media. But a Washington Free Beacon report found Chinese state-media outlets routinely referred to the pathogen as the “Wuhan virus” or “Wuhan pneumonia” through mid-February.
President Trump defended his use of the term “Chinese Virus” in March, saying it is “not racist at all” and pushing back on Chinese propaganda saying the virus came from the United States.
“It comes from China,” he told reporters.
Yes it does and weaponizing language is among the most insidious forms of oppression there is. There is no logical reason to think that saying “Chinese virus” encourages and enables acts of violence against Asian Americans. But what has logic got to do with politics and political correctness?
Perhaps we should start referring to the Chinese virus as “The disease with no name.”
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