Due to the coronavirus outbreak, many people in the United States have become xenophobic towards Asians. This is because of an unproven claim that was broadcasted about how the virus originated in China due to some Chinese people eating bats. According to the Oxford dictionary, xenophobia is the “dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.”
Xenophobia towards Asians has been around throughout the history of the United States. One of the most known times was during WWII after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. After that incident, many propaganda artists began luring the citizens of the U.S. to fear any type of Asian person whether they were Asian-American, or fully Asian.
Because of the claim of where this virus originated, xenophobia against Asians is making a come back. For example, President Trump in many of his interviews about COVID-19 named the virus the “Chinese Virus” rather than using its proper names like COVID-19 or the coronavirus. By doing this it makes some people believe that all Asians have the virus. Which, in turn, makes people xenophobic towards Asians.
Violence against Asians has been on the rise because of this. According to a report conducted by the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council there were “673 reports of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) discrimination from March 19 to 25 alone.” Cases of harassment towards Asian-Americans have been filed throughout the country. There have been cases of Asian grade school students who were bullied by their xenophobic classmates who believe that they are carrying the coronavirus. Also, there has been a financial crisis in Asian businesses, specifically Chinese businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, and nail salons. Even the nations many Chinatowns located in California and New York have noticed a decline in customers because of this pandemic.
All of this hate is unnecessary, needless, and counterproductive. Instead of focusing on where the Coronavirus originated, people need to start uniting together in order to prevent the virus from spreading and keeping one another healthy. This is a vital time where people need to stop looking for someone to blame and actually come to their senses in order to help flatten the curve. People need to stop trying to find a scapegoat based on ethnic and cultural origin. Instead, they need to try to concentrate and educate themselves on how to protect and support one another.
During these tough times, people are just trying to find answers to this newly profound virus, but that does not mean people have the right to be prejudiced against one another. This is a time where humanity is at its lowest point and needs to be united as a whole.