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https://www.sfu.ca/cmns/130d1/WritingaPositionPaper.htm
Position: Asian Discrimination from the COVID Outbreak
Questions about viewpoint:
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Is your topic interesting? Remember that originality counts
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I mean it’s a relevant issue that’s still ongoing, but others may definitely be writing about it though
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Can you manage the material within the specifications set by the instructor?
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Sure
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Does your topic assert something specific, prove it, and where applicable, propose a plan of action?
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Hopefully
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Do you have enough material or proof to support your opinion?
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Probably
Outline
Introduction
The COVID-pandemic is
Due to COVID’s origination in Wuhan, China, Asians are currently receiving immense discrimination. Innocent people are being degraded, harassed, and killed for their race, and
Counter Argument
With COVID devastating lifestyles and families, it’s normal for those hurt by the outbreak to seek revenge for the things they have lost. As a result, they may put matters into their own hands and unleash their anger on the race in which the virus originated from. However, such actions lead to nowhere, and are only further burdening Asian families who may have already experienced misfortune from the outbreak.
Historical Context
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Talk about covid pandemic and its ties to asia
Why This Issue Needs to be Addressed
Fear
Creates artificial fear for asians
- Since the virus originated in China, people may believe that asians are the ones transmitting the disease, and as a result, be scared of immigrants and passerbys when outside
Transition- Wanting to overcome this fear, people turn to harassment or violence towards their self-perceived oppressors and become the oppressors themselves.
Scapegoat
Stop using asians as a scapegoat to avoid dealing with the real problems
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take it upon themselves to do what they can
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As a result, they feel empowered by taking care of the source
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However, by committing such acts to sabotage, they’re neglecting traditional protocols and are taking away time that could be used to better our situation
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Prevents cooperation
Unjustified Discrimination
Encourages unjustified acts of discrimination that add additional burdens to the asian community
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Zoom call
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Chinatowns worldwide have seen a downturn in patronage, with news accounts reporting a 50% decline in business. 2nd source
Disorder in society
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Further widens the segregation and corrupts the views towards asians
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Will result in long-lasting shifts in values
Call to Action
Be less ignorant and stop overgeneralizing
Find productive ways of handling the threat of the virus in your own lives
Speak up against asian discrimination happening in the community
Conclusion
Sources
1st source - ERASING THE HATE: Advocates combat anti-Asian bias amid COVID-19 pandemic
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Zoom call incident
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Talks about support groups for asians experiencing discrimination
2nd source - Coronavirus is not a “chinese virus”
-talks about previous asian segregation and racism to asians
3rd source - We need equity-oriented solutions to COVID-19: Asians facing stigma, discrimination, fear during pandemic
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Examples of racism
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Provides ways to help mitigate spread of covid
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Talks about trans AA
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Provides statistics about AA mental health
5th source - Media companies stand in solidarity against anti-asian racism
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John Reyes
ELA B30
Mr. Gareau
11 March 2021
Society’s Underlying Disease
Ever since the first documented case on December 1st, 2019, the world has experienced a massive shift in lifestyle; countless people have faced unemployment, fell ill, or even perished as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, due to government restrictions and a lack of social interaction, people are falling victim to chronic loneliness and severe mental deterioration. However, there is one group that is burdening extra troubles during this pandemic; solely because of their race, innocent people are being degraded, harassed, and killed. In fact, this discrimination has the potential to cause more terror than the actual pandemic itself. The fear instilled by the COVID outbreak has resulted in unjustified acts of discrimination and its accompanied reprecussions towards Asians; rather than allowing the manifestation of Asian bigotry, society needs to assess the components that comprise it and take measures towards pacifying this issue.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time Asians have been discriminated against due to an outbreak. In 2003, the world experienced a similar worldwide outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) virus. After quarantine protocols began to emerge, people “became fearful or suspicious of all people who looked Asian, regardless of their nationality or actual risk factors for SARS, and expected them to be quarantined” (Person). The stigmatization of Asian people helped mitigate the fear imposed by government restrictions and potential contraction of the virus, and this same coping mechanism is resurfacing in modern society. As COVID-19 became of greater concern, it was not long until Asians began to experience acts of discrimination as a result of such fear; according to San Francisco State University, “there were more than 1,000 reported cases of xenophobia against Asians in America and throughout the world between Jan. 28 and Feb. 24” (Ong). Along with the exponential growth in documented cases and looming fear of the virus came the rise of news articles and stories reporting Asian discirmination. The oppressors can gain a sense of justice for “eliminating the origin” or getting revenge on the perceived culprits of the virus, but in reality, such actions and mindsets provide no significant improvements in society’s management of the pandemic. Instead, innocent asians are experiencing further hindrances during this time. To prevent history from repeating itself, society must first recognize the origin of such behavior.
Although some hatred towards Asians was formed from racist views, such feelings can be originated by the influence of one’s environment. Through the overemphasis on the origin of the outbreak by public figures, society cultivated an artificial and distorted fear for Asians. For instance, when addressing the pandemic, Donald Trump “used the expression “Chinese virus” more than 20 times between March 16 and March 30” (Viala-Gaudefroy and Lindaman). Such emphasis on the origin of the virus proved to be mandatory for him when he had “crossed out the word “Corona” and replaced it with “Chinese.”” (Viala-Gaudefroy and Lindaman). For a political figure like Donald Trump to establish and advocate the country’s correlation to the virus, many of his devoted supporters inherited similar beliefs. People began to form assumptions of Chinese people being the transmitters of the disease, and became overly cautious when encountering them in social situations due to a fear of contracting the virus. Furthermore, due to the inability to differentiate Chinese people from other Asians, this cautiousness was overgeneralized to the stigmatization of the entire race. As a result, this overwhelming fear imbued by the pandemic promoted the xenophobia and racial profiling the Asian community and distracted society from acknowledging the true concerns of the pandemic.
Wanting to take action against the virus, people have transmuted their emotions into desires to reprimand their self-perceived oppressors: the Asian population. Nonetheless, using Asians as scapegoats only poses to be an unhealthy coping mechanism, and hinders society from tackling the true issues accompanied by the virus. Public acts of Asian discrimination became commonplace; for instance, an Asian woman was “attacked on the subway and accused of spreading the disease” (Ong). Despite her following social distancing guidelines, she was baselessly accused of transmitting the virus solely because of her race. Although such discrimination may prove to be futile, it creates a sense of self-empowerment for the assailants. Instead of continuing to live in fear, they have taken steps towards holding the Asians “accountable” by transmuting their fears into acts of oppression. However, by draining one’s efforts through such unethical self-relief, society fails to tackle the true problems of the virus and are instead contributing to societal disorder. As a result, such a mindset encourages inhuman and unjustified felonies towards the groups targeted.
Blinded by fear and propelled by self-empowerment, assailants are prone to committing irrational crimes. As a result, innocent Asian-Americans undergo disturbing cases of verbal and physical assault that disregard human morality. For example, the Filipino-American community of San Diego State University experienced the epitome of such unwarranted discrimination. During an online Zoom meeting to discuss the upcoming group elections, “a “flood of voices” saying racial slurs from anonymous accounts, [ran] the gamut from anti-Asian remarks to the N-word”; furthermore, a person boldly proclaimed, “[y]ou all have coronavirus. Every single one of you” (Weissman). Sadly, racist aggression implores further than just verbal harassment; according ABC news, a document reported an incident in Midland, Texas where “three Asian American family members, including a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, were stabbed … The suspect indicated that he stabbed the family because he thought the family was Chinese, and infecting people with the coronavirus” (Margolin). From the infiltration of private group discussions to the murder of mere children, it is evident that this modern manifestation of racism shows no empathy. Unfortunately, accompanying the execution of such inhumane atrocities are the consequences that result from it.
The insurgence of such brutal and discriminatory acts inflict catastrophic not only harms the victims, but the Asian community as a whole. As racist intentions rise in frequency and severity, the physical and mental wellbeing of the Asian demographic begins to deteriorate. According to the Public Library of Science, “Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness” (Becerra). In comparison to Asian-Americans, “using the Asian American Quality of Life survey … 44% of participants had mental distress [while] only 23% reported any mental health service utilization” (Becerra). Not only do these statistics illustrate the difference in mental illness probability, it also acknowledges the lack of utilization of mental health services. Additionally, Prevention Science Ph.D. candidate Suyeon Lee’s survey that received over 400 responses highlighted a 30% increase in discrimination and a 40% increase in negative health effects ever since the pandemic began (Washington State University). The results of these surveys illustrate the concerning consequences associated with the pandemic and ongoing prejudice. Consequently, it is evident that Asian communities do not only have to worry about the virus, but also the cruel actions manifested by anti-Asian bigotry and the damage that accompanies it. Fortunately, by partaking in appropriate measures, the efforts of humankind can mitigate this problem.
In order to produce significant change, the magnitude of this issue requires the entire cooperation of society; the public must effectively address the origin, development, actions and effects that constitute Asian xenophobia. First off, solutions must be provided to help possible oppressors cope with the fear of the pandemic. Once the feelings of fear are placed with rationality, they will no longer feel endangered, and will be more open-minded to dissociate Asians with the virus. Once they no longer feel threatened, they can redirect their desire to protect their communities; by producing and advertising educational media regarding effective practices, people can find ways to produce positive change. To combat discrimination, such acts can be publicized to provide awareness of the issue, influencing advocates to discourage similar practices in their communities. Adding on to this idea, repeating offenders can be prevented through the government’s prosecution of such hate crimes. However, not everyone can be as open-minded, and acts of discrimination will still occur. To cope with the harm inflicted, groups can be formed to reach out towards victims and provide counseling for the trauma Asians may be experiencing. Through a sense of community, victims will realize they are not alone, and will have the support necessary to persevere. For instance, Jason Chang, an Asian American Studies associate professor and director at the University of Connecticut, provides context and support for students during a time of online learning where campus support systems are unavailable (Weissman). By changing people’s mindsets, suggesting effective practices, taking action against discrimination, and assisting those who are mistreated, society can take it upon themselves to restore peace in Asian communities.
It is evident that the unprecedented emotions from the pandemic has introduced further obstacles for the Asian population. Consumed by immense fear of the pandemic, positions of power provide a false source of fear. As a result, Asians are used as scapegoats to unhealthily cope with fear and provide further disorder in society. Some acts of discrimination go beyond human rationality, and inflict irreversible harm on innocent lives. After falling victim to such tragedies, Asians experience higher levels of physical and mental deterioration in comparison to the average population. To effectively deal with this ongoing problem, society must band together to address the components that comprise this racism. By eliminating fear, promoting healthy pandemic practices, inhibiting discrimination, and assisting victims, society can treat not only the Asian community, but humankind as a whole; curing humankind’s underlying disease of xenophobia allows society to concentrate their efforts and cooperate towards the resolution of another: COVID-19.
Works Cited
Becerra, Monideepa B., et al. “Experiences of violence and mental health outcomes among Asian American transgender adults in the United States.” PLoS ONE, vol. 16, no. 3, 2021, p. e0247812. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A653840644/STOM?u=saskschrcssd81&sid=STOM&xid=d36ab12a. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Margolin, Josh. “FBI warns of potential surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans amid coronavirus.” ABC News, ABC News Internet Ventures, 27 Mar. 2020, abcnews.go.com/US/fbi-warns-potential-surge-hate-crimes-asian-americans/story?id=69831920. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Ong, Elena. “We need equity-oriented solutions to COVID-19: Asians facing stigma, discrimination, fear during pandemic.” The Nation’s Health, vol. 50, no. 3, 2020, p. 10. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A627277975/STOM?u=saskschrcssd81&sid=STOM&xid=2c8cf6d4. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Person, Bobbie. “Fear and Stigma: The Epidemic within the SARS Outbreak.” National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2004, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3322940/. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Viala-Gaudefroy, Jérôme, and Dana Lindaman. “Donald Trump’s ‘Chinese virus’: the politics of naming.” The Conversation, Academic Journalism Society, 21 Apr. 2020, theconversation.com/donald-trumps-chinese-virus-the-politics-of-naming-136796. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Washington State University. “Discrimination increases against Asian and Asian American population, affecting health.” Science Daily, 2 Nov. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201102155412.htm. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Weissman, Sara. “ERASING THE HATE: Advocates combat anti-Asian bias amid COVID-19 pandemic.” Diverse Issues in Higher Education, vol. 37, no. 6, 2020, p. 12+. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A625411196/STOM?u=saskschrcssd81&sid=STOM&xid=132bb118. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
Wu, Frank H. “Coronavirus Is Not a ‘Chinese Virus.'” Diverse Issues in Higher Education, vol. 37, no. 6, 2020, p. 44. Gale OneFile: High School Edition, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A625411220/STOM?u=saskschrcssd81&sid=STOM&xid=6405ce31. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
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