U.S.
Asian People Are Being Harassed, Attacked, and Blamed for Causing the Coronavirus Pandemic
Published
3 years agoon
By
Cory Ray
- Reports of racism both in the United States and internationally have skyrocketed, with many Asian people reporting discrimination and violent hate crimes from those blaming them for the coronavirus pandemic.
- The FBI has described a Texas stabbing of four people, including an Asian family with two young children, as a hate crime.
- Police in Australia arrested a 17-year-old girl Monday after a viral video showed her berating and spitting on two Asian women in public.
- Many have been quick to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump for his use of the term “Chinese” virus, which they say furthers the association between the coronavirus and Asian people.
Man Stabs Asian American Family in Hate Crime
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is warning that hate crimes against Asian American people will likely grow as the United States continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
“…hate crime incidents against Asian Americans likely will surge across the United States, due to the spread of coronavirus disease… endangering Asian American communities,” a FBI report obtained by ABC News said. “The FBI makes this assessment based on the assumption that a portion of the U.S. public will associate COVID-19 with China and Asian American populations.”
The report also classifies a March 14 stabbing at a Sam’s Club in Midland, Texas as a hate crime. That night, Bawi Cung, his wife, and their three children were shopping for groceries when the 19-year-old alleged male assailant stabbed Cung.
The man then ran off before coming back and stabbing two of Cung’s young children, a two-year-old and a six-year-old. Store employee Zach Owen then intervened and was stabbed, as well.
Meanwhile, off-duty Customs & Border Protection agent Bernie Ramirez was also and the store and heard the incident while shopping. He then stepped in, drew his gun on the 19-year-old stabber, and held that man down until police arrived.
The victims were then rushed to hospital. Reportedly, two of them were in critical condition, but besides scars, all have since recovered. Both Cung and one of his sons received stab wounds along the face, with his son’s wound stretching from behind his ear to his eye. Owen faced deep cuts on his hands and one of his legs.
Following the incident, Midland police launched an investigation. A couple of days later, the FBI took over that investigation and classified it as a hate crime.
Girl Spits on Asian Women in Australia
The Midland Stabbing is not the only incidence of coronavirus-related violence that has occurred at Asian people’s expense.
In Australia, a viral video shows two girls berating two Asian women on the street.
“I got a knife in my bag, you wanna fuck around?” one of the girls says in the video. “You fucking, you Asian dog. Yeah, yeah, get the fuck out of here now!”
The girl continues to shout at the women, and at one point kicks at them. Bystanders then rush to help. The girl jumps around the women and bystanders, holding her fists up as if she is about to punch one of them.
The girl then opts to spit instead. Reportedly, some of that spit got in one of the women’s eyes. The two victims went to the police, and Monday, police announced that they’d arrested both the girls harassing them.
The 17-year-old girl who spit is being charged with three counts of common assault, use offensive language in/near a public place, and two counts of attempts to stalk/intimidate/intend fear of harm.
The other teenage girl was reportedly released without being charged.
Other Asian People Report Various Forms of Racism
While both those stories are examples of violent harassment where police caught the alleged criminals, the reality for many more Asian people is they will continue to see various forms of racism while the pandemic is active.
Besides Texas, there have also been reports of surges of hate crimes in Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas.
“I was shopping at the Smith store for necessities, and as soon as I walk in an aisle a whole family covered their nose all of a sudden,” one Las Vegas man told CBS Las Vegas. “My son, who was living in L.A., he’s home now, but he was told to go home. We have a member whose mother was told not to touch her groceries because she doesn’t want her germs.”
In a op-ed for the LA Times published Tuesday morning, several Asian American columnists write:
“Coughing is now a doubly serious concern for Asian Americans. Like everyone else, we’re afraid of contracting the coronavirus. As a racial group, we have an additional fear: being profiled as disease-carriers and being maliciously coughed at.”
During the early days of the outbreak, many Asian-American restaurant owners reported major downturns in customers visiting their shops. In fact, many people online have “joked” about not going to Chinese restaurants in order to avoid the coronavirus.
Though many restaurants across the country are not shut down on government orders, in February, the owner of a 100-year-old historic restaurant in New York City reported a 40% drop in business. He also said that one Monday in February was the slowest Monday he’d seen in five years.
Other restaurant owners have also reported similar drops in business.
Outside of the U.S., in Canada, one doctor said her half-Chinese son was targeted by other children in school
“Today my son was cornered at school by kids who wanted to “test” him for #Coronavirus just because he is half-Chinese,” she said on Twitter in January before many schools closed. “They chased him. Scared him. And made him cry. I was the same age when I was bullied for being Pakistani. It’s 2020. I thought things had changed by now…”
Today my son was cornered at school by kids who wanted to “test” him for #Coronavirus just because he is half-Chinese. They chased him. Scared him. And made him cry.
— Dr. Nadia Alam (@DocSchmadia) January 30, 2020
I was the same age when I was bullied for being Pakistani.
It’s 2020. I thought things had changed by now… 💔
Trump Insists to Call the Coronavirus the “Chinese” Virus
As Asian-Americans have faced increased levels of discrimination, President Donald Trump has remained adamant about about associating COVID-19 with China, repeatedly calling it the “Chinese” virus.
The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus. We will be stronger than ever before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 16, 2020
I will be having a news conference today to discuss very important news from the FDA concerning the Chinese Virus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020
I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the “borders” from China – against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 18, 2020
My friend (always there when I’ve needed him!), Senator @RandPaul, was just tested “positive” from the Chinese Virus. That is not good! He is strong and will get better. Just spoke to him and he was in good spirits.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020
A reporter for The Washington Post also captured an image of one of Trump’s speeches where he crossed out “Corona” and wrote “Chinese” in its place.

Trump’s resolve to call the coronavirus the “China” virus has resulted in reporters asking him if he believes the term is racist and why he uses it.
“Cause it comes from China,” he told a reporter in mid-March. “It’s not racist at all, no. Not at all. It comes from China, that’s why. It comes from China.”
Despite this criticism, Trump has tweeted support for Asian-Americans, saying last week, “It is very important that we totally protect our Asian American community in the United States, and all around the world.”
“They are amazing people, and the spreading of the Virus is NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form. They are working closely with us to get rid of it. WE WILL PREVAIL TOGETHER!”
….is NOT their fault in any way, shape, or form. They are working closely with us to get rid of it. WE WILL PREVAIL TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 23, 2020
Nonetheless, critics say rhetoric like “China” virus is bound to fuel discrimination against Aisan people.
“Donald Trump has put the lives of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants at risk,” Senator Kamala Harris said when tweeting about the Midland stabbing.
An Asian American father and his 2-year-old and 6-year-old were stabbed because the perpetrator thought they were Chinese and had coronavirus.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) March 31, 2020
Donald Trump has put the lives of Asian Americans and Asian immigrants at risk.https://t.co/XD3dnFjVtK
See what others are saying: (News West 9) (ABC News) (10 Daily Australia)
U.S.
College Board Changes AP African American Studies After Backlash From DeSantis Amid Education Culture War
Published
3 days agoon
February 1, 2023By
Lili Stenn
As requested by DeSantis, the College Board removed lessons on contemporary topics including Black Lives Matter, queer studies, and reparations.
College Board Rolls Out Curriculum
The College Board, which oversees Advanced Placement high school courses, announced an official curriculum framework for its new, landmark Advanced Placement African American studies on Wednesday.
The announcement, made on the first day of Black History Month, has faced scrutiny for seeming to scale back a number of relevant subjects that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and other state education officials had criticized.
In January, DeSantis said that the new course would be banned in Florida unless changes were made, arguing that a draft version of the course was “woke.”
Education officials claimed that the class, which had been in the making for nearly a decade, violated a recent state law dubbed the Stop WOKE Act. The legislation regulates public school instruction on race by banning critical race theory and any education that describes some groups as oppressed and others as privileged based on race or sex.
Democrats denounced DeSantis’ action as a political stunt and urged the College Board to maintain its principles.
According to reports, many historical topics like slavery largely remain intact from the previous draft. However, important contemporary issues like Black Lives Matter, affirmative action, queer studies, reparations, and intersectionality — all of which Florida leaders objected to — were removed from curriculum requirements and are no longer part of the AP exam.
Instead, those areas of study have been downgraded to be part of a list of options students can pursue for a mandatory research project. The College Board also added a new research project idea to that list that will certainly please the right: “Black conservatism.”
It has additionally been reported that the organization pulled names of multiple Black authors the state education officials had flagged as problematic, including many famous and pioneering Black scholars who wrote about critical race theory, the queer experience, and Black feminism.
The College Board defended itself against criticism in a press release announcing the changes, claiming that the process of developing the framework “has operated independently from political pressure.”
DeSantis’ Ongoing Culture War
DeSantis’ attempts to influence the national curriculum of an AP course are just his latest in a much broader effort to control what is and is not taught in public schools.
Just one day before the College Board announced the revised course, the governor outlined what The New York Times described as “his most aggressive swing yet at the education establishment.”
Specifically, he proposed a massive overhaul to higher education in the state that would defund and eliminate diversity and equity programs, mandate courses on Western civilization, and reduce tenure protections that are essential to ensure professors have freedom of expression.
Furthermore, the effects of another law DeSantis signed last year are now just beginning to materialize. The policy, which went into effect this July, requires every school book to be age-appropriate, “free of pornography,” and “suited to student needs.”
To follow those guidelines, school books have to be approved by a certified media specialist who has undergone specific training.
Notably, the law also states that teachers can be charged with third-degree felonies if they “knowingly or unknowingly” give students access to a book that the specialists say is harmful — meaning that they could face up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Last month, the state education department clarified that the rule does not just apply to school libraries, but also to any books a teacher keeps in their classroom too.
Multiple outlets reported this week that records they obtained show at least two school districts have now directed teachers to either remove their books or hide them until review to avoid the possibility of going to jail.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (The Washington Post) (The Associated Press)
U.S.
Biden Announces Plan to End COVID Emergency in May
Published
4 days agoon
January 31, 2023By
Lili Stenn
The decision would drastically change the government’s long-standing pandemic response and shift Americans’ access to COVID-related services.
Emergency Declarations at an End
In a statement Monday, The White House announced that it would be ending the COVID national emergency and public health emergency declarations on May 11.
The move will entirely restructure the federal government’s response to the pandemic to treat it as endemic and upend policies that have been in place for the last three years. Although more than 500 people in the U.S. are still dying from COVID on average each day — which is around two times the number of daily deaths during a bad flu season — life has largely returned to normal.
Most Americans are vaccinated, and even President Joe Biden himself said the pandemic was “over” back in September. The new announcement comes in part as a response to resolutions Republicans brought to the House floor last week that would end the declarations immediately.
“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the White House argued.
Lapses in Coverage and Care
Federal officials decided that a phase-out would make more sense because the U.S. has come to rely on several systems and benefits under the emergencies.
One of the most significant changes that will have the biggest impact on Americans in their day-to-day lives is access to COVID tests, treatments, and vaccines that have been free throughout the pandemic.
Once the emergencies end, a very complex wave of changes will take place that differs from person to person depending on their insurance — or lack thereof — and even possibly what state they live in.
Currently, people with private health insurance or Medicare coverage have been allowed eight free COVID tests a month and insurers had to cover those tests, even if they were administered out of network.
Once the emergency ends, some Americans will have to pay out of pocket, as well as for antiviral COVID treatments like Paxlovid.
Notably, it has been reported that vaccines will still be included for all those people covered by both private and public insurance. That, however, may not be the case for those without insurance — a group that is also more likely to be the most affected by rising costs for tests and treatments.
Jen Kates, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told The Washington Post that when the emergency declarations end, states that opted to provide Medicaid coverage for tests, treatments, and shots will lose the federal funds that matched costs at 100%.
“To me, that’s the biggest issue for the general public to think about,” she said. “The uninsured and underinsured have no guaranteed access to covid vaccines, tests or treatments.”
When it comes to vaccines, those costs could be significant. Moderna and Pfizer have both said they might charge as much as $130 per dose of vaccine once the federal government stops paying and the shots are transitioned to the private market. That figure is nearly quadruple what federal offices have paid for the doses.
The shift to the private market could happen fairly soon, especially because Republicans have refused Biden’s request that they put billions of dollars towards additional free COVID testing and shots to extend those efforts.
There could also be a spike in the number of uninsured or underinsured Americans because the $1.7 trillion spending bill passed last year ends a rule that banned states from kicking people off Medicaid, leaving millions at risk of losing coverage.
Other Possible Outcomes
Ending the declarations could also set up a battle around immigration because the Biden administration has said the move will bring an end to Title 42 — the Trump-era public health measure that placed restrictions on border crossings and other migrant policies.
Biden has previously tried to cut the program, but the Supreme Court kept it in place. House Republicans rejected the White House’s claim that the program would be terminated, arguing it is not tied to the public health emergency.
Beyond that, the termination of the declarations would require health providers to make numerous adjustments because many of the flexibilities they were allowed in a number of areas would be cut.
As a result, the administration says a phase-out of those policies over the next few months is necessary, arguing that hospitals and nursing homes “will be plunged into chaos” if they are cut immediately. House Republicans, however, are insistent on moving forward their legislation that would do just that, though the Democratic-controlled Senate could block their proposals.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (The Washington Post) (The Associated Press)
U.S.
Conservatives are Mad at “Woke” Xbox for Minor Climate-Related Updates
Published
1 week agoon
January 25, 2023By
Lili Stenn
The fury comes after Xbox announced it was slightly altering existing consoles to better utilize and save energy.
Same War, New Battlefield
Mere days after M&M canceled their “spokescandies” due to backlash from the right, led largely by Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, conservatives have found a new front for their ongoing culture war: Xbox.
Carlson spent months complaining that small character redesigns were “woke” because they made the animated anthropomorphized M&M’s — in his own words — “less sexy.” His campaign finally proved successful on Monday when the company announced it would be doing away with the spokescandies and replacing them with actress Maya Rudolph.
A message from M&M'S. pic.twitter.com/EMucEBTd9o
— M&M'S (@mmschocolate) January 23, 2023
Conservatives, now facing a sudden dearth of non-issues to complain about, quickly found a new issue to rage against. Xbox announced in a blog post earlier this month that it is making minor updates to lower its environmental impact as part of an effort to reach Microsoft’s goal of being carbon-negative by 2030.
Now, instead of having an Xbox wake up to update games, apps, and software during random times of the night, it will do that at a time of night when a user’s local energy grid is generating the most power it can from renewable sources.
Xbox also said it would automatically update some older consoles to a power-saving mode that aims to reduce electricity consumption when it is turned off — a feature that is already the default on newer consoles.
According to The Verge, the only difference for users is that an Xbox in power-saving mode takes around 15 seconds to boot up instead of doing so immediately as the console does in “sleep” mode. The change is a small price to pay for what the outlet described as “significant” energy savings.
Xbox Under Fire
To many leading conservative voices, the minimal shifts were just another example of “woke” culture.
While discussing M&M’s spokescandies Tuesday morning, “Fox and Friends” co-host Ainsley Earhardt brought up Xbox’s new changes with Fox radio host Jimmy Failla.
“So Xbox has also announced that they’re going woke too, you know, because of climate change,” Earhardt said.
“I mean, it’s crazy what they’re doing, but we understand what this is. It’s not that it’s actually going to offset emissions, okay — the level of reduction is infinitesimal,” Failla claimed, without evidence. “But they’re trying to recruit your kids into climate politics at an earlier age; make them climate conscious now.”
“Yeah, I didn’t think of that — you’re right, they’re going after the children,” Earhardt agreed, despite the fact that internal data from Microsoft shows just around 10% of Xbox owners are under the age of 18.
Other prominent conservatives also did their part to bait Americans into anger on social media, including America’s Foundation, which posted a tweet stating that “the woke brigade is after video games.”
Lol now the woke brigade is after video games all in the name of climate change.
— YAF (@yaf) January 24, 2023
Xbox will force gamers to power down to fight climate change, touting the first 'carbon aware console' https://t.co/wIwbCTh2Zy
The post linked an article from the right-wing website TheBlaze, which asserted that “Xbox will force gamers to power down to fight climate change.” That, however, is false — Xbox has said users can switch back and change the settings any time they want
Still, top lawmakers continued to share the article and spread its false claims, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tx.).
“First gas stoves, then your coffee, now they’re gunning for your Xbox,” he wrote in the post, which was flagged by Twitter and given an “added context” warning.
First gas stoves, then your coffee, now they're gunning for your Xbox. https://t.co/MpaH2ntWAz
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) January 23, 2023
The same warning, however, was not placed in a very similar post by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Tx.), who also shared the article.
“They want to take your guns. They want to take your gas stoves. And now they want to take your Xbox. What’s next?” he wrote.
— Congressman Troy Nehls (@RepTroyNehls) January 23, 2023
See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The Daily Beast) (VICE)

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