Breaking Down Social Barriers Caused By COVID-19: Racism

Unfortunately, the coronavirus isn't the only thing spreading across the globe.

Until tonight, I constantly wondered why the spread of coronavirus was so greatly rupturing the calm vicinity of our society. After many case studies and much research, I finally found my answer.

On February 24, 2020, a 23-year-old man from Singapore named Jonathan Mok was allegedly attacked by four men while walking down Oxford Street in the U.K.

The attack, however, wasn't the common mugging or street fight you'd normally see in the crossroads of the U.K. It was supposed to convey a message about the ongoing spread of the "coronavirus". According to a Time article written by Suyin Haynes on March 6, 2020, Mok sustained multiple injuries from the attack, as well as xenophobic remarks from the attackers. Mok explained to BBC news that the men were apparently extremely angry over the spread of the virus and one even yelled, "We don't want your coronavirus in our country!". He later made a post on Facebook explaining his situation and advocating against racism.

Mok's case stood out to me among many others. After much thought, I finally came to the conclusion that the virus itself isn't what's causing so much chaos. In fact, no one is to blame but ourselves.

Society needs to learn to differentiate between issues and people. We haven't just alarmingly increased the spread of xenophobia and racism, we have also created a stigma associated with being Chinese, or even Asian, for that matter. We have tainted the Asian name by placing the blame on them for a situation that, in reality, no one has control over. We shamed their country, their culture, and their race for no reason other than the fact that we feel that it is their fault that the disease even came to be. And that, I feel, is far worse than the spread of the disease itself. No matter what, racism always seems to find a way to furtively slink its way back into our lives.

The way I view the situation, we should all be sticking together during these vulnerable times. Blaming one another and spreading negative vibes won't help anyone. We'll be able to accomplish a lot more if we're tolerant toward one another and listen to others rather than putting each other down and ostracizing those who seem at fault. Rather than putting each other down, we should help one another thrive, especially in the face of calamity. This would not only reduce panic, but unite the world as a whole to tackle this issue together. As renowned late-night show host Trevor Noah simply put it, "...let's act like we live in a community, not just by ourselves".

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Works Cited

Haynes, Suyin. “As Coronavirus Spreads, So Does Xenophobia and Racism.” Time, Time, 6 Mar. 2020, time.com/5797836/coronavirus-racism-stereotypes-attacks/.

“Coronavirus: Teens Arrested over 'Racially Aggravated' Attack.” BBC News, BBC, 6 Mar. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-51771355.