Is Quarantine Causing Xenophobia?

Hundreds+of+people+are+participating+in+a+rally+in+support+of+the+Chinese+and+people+around+the+world+fighting+against+the+Coronavirus.+The+protest+seen+here+calls+for+the+understanding+of+communities+and+support+of+businesses+in+the+United+States.%0A

Time

Hundreds of people are participating in a rally in support of the Chinese and people around the world fighting against the Coronavirus. The protest seen here calls for the understanding of communities and support of businesses in the United States.

As the Coronavirus started to spread out of control, people have been asking so many questions. Especially that one big question: how did the the whole pandemic start and where did it come from? Every person in the world knows where it all started. The Coronavirus all started out with an outbreak in Wuhan, China, where it was an animal to person spread. However, is it causing many people to have more hate for people from other countries?

It turns out that many Americans seem to be struggling with xenophobia during these times. Xenophobia is a fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign. According to The New York Times, Asian-Americans have been yelled at, spit on, physically attacked and more, leading at least three organizations to begin tracking the episodes. Hundreds of people have filed reports, the groups say, though an untold number of incidents have most likely gone uncounted as victims have chosen to keep quiet.

The fact is, it is not right to be treating Asian-Americans like this.

“I feel like a lot of people have xenophobia because of fear and being miseducated. They think the virus is one group’s fault when really they could not control a virus outbreak and their race or ethnicity does not make it their fault,” Grace Peters (‘23) said.

Many people are living in fear at this time and continue to blame it on the Chinese. There have been many incidents of punishment and harassment that has occurred around the world.

“We cannot blame the entire country and its people for the virus because most of the people in China had nothing to do with it,” Mary Elliott (‘23) said.

If the discrimination and harassment keeps happening around the world, it is not going to stop the pandemic. We all need to know that no one is alone in this, we are all going through this tough time. Anytime we get a certain sickness during our time, that does not give people the right to criticize or get angry for something that we cannot control. As the days go by of the Coronavirus times, we still need to stay strong and have hope that this will end one day. Stay safe, stay strong, and stay hopeful during these dark times.