Racism will never be tolerated
By Zhong
Sheng
The
solidarity and cooperation of the international society are highlighting the
global efforts to get through the hard time amid the novel coronavirus
outbreak. However, harsh and racist voices have also been made by certain media
outlets, which was nothing but a shame.
The Wall
Street Journal (WSJ) was one of them.
In a recent op-ed of the newspaper, it
slandered the efforts made by the Chinese government and Chinese people to
combat the virus, and its editors even made the title extremely racially discriminatory
- China is the Real Sick Man of Asia. The headline seemed to attract audience,
but it reflects only arrogance and contemptibility, and a lack of humanity.
Such
practice received strong condemnation from the international society. By Feb.
25, a total of over 115,000 people have signed a petition launched on White
House’s website, demanding a formal apology from the WSJ for the article, and
either a retraction of the article or a rectification of the title.
“Racism
cannot be tolerated.” The last sentence of the petition expresses the firm
stand of the signers.
WSJ’s 53
employees also requested their employer to correct the headline and apologize
to those who were offended in a recent letter they submitted to the management
board of the press. “This is not about editorial independence or the sanctity
of the divide between news and opinion. It is about the mistaken choice of a
headline that was deeply offensive to many people, not just in China,” they
wrote in the letter.
Obviously,
both readers and professionals share broad consensus on this racially
discriminatory practice. It’s totally rational and reasonable for the Chinese
side and the international society to request proper rectification from the
WSJ.
However,
the newspaper not only turned a deaf ear to such voices of justice, but also
made excuses in other commentaries it published. The arrogance and illogic it
exposed further indicated its lack of justice and righteousness.
The
consequences of publishing an opinion like this by mainstream media include
stoking more fear and anxiety, and increasing hostility against Chinese and
other Asians throughout the world, said Catherine Ceniza Choy, a professor of
ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley, adding that this is
extremely harmful and wrong. What she said exactly explained the real damage
caused by the WSJ’s headline.
Humans,
regardless of their ethnicity and nationality, should combat epidemics with
each other to jointly defeat the virus just like what the World Health
Organization (WHO) called on .
To fan
up racial discrimination and slander China will only hurt the people who are
fighting the epidemic, bring panic to the international society, and damage the
joint efforts made by the world. Such a headline is not telling truth, but
distorting it and hurting public interests. What it has exposed is the
newspaper’s arrogance and prejudices.
The
resounding efforts made by the Chinese government and Chinese people to fight
the virus have already won wide respect from the world, which is something that
will never be covered by any slandering or smearing. China’s national efforts
aim to not only protect the lives and health of its own people, but also
contain the spread of the virus in other parts of the world. The country has
made remarkable contribution to the battle against the epidemic.
“The
world is in your debt,” said Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of the
WHO and team lead for the WHO-China joint mission on
coronavirus after a field investigation in China. “When this
disease finishes, hopefully we’ll have a chance to thank the people of Wuhan
for the role that they played in it,” he noted, adding that the people of that
city have gone through an extraordinary period.
United
Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also said that the Chinese are
making efforts for humanity.
Both
news and opinions must be based on facts and shall not break the bottom line of
civilization. In the era of globalization, only by sharing the same goal and
cooperating with each other can countries forge a more powerful force to defeat
the epidemic.
Those
media that stick to racial stereotyping with distorted views on China and
contaminate the international environment can only receive forceful
condemnation from the international society, including both righteous
individuals and media, who said such discrimination is disgusting. They believe
to stop the spread of virus is by no means to indulge discrimination, and
humiliation and prejudices will only create negative impact on epidemic
prevention and control. Their voices prove that to stop the attack of racial
discrimination is also a part of the battle against the epidemic.
Biased
viewpoints hide the truth, and one must pay for his discriminatory and
humiliating practices. Only with rationality and righteousness can a healthy
environment for public opinion and cooperation be nurtured to expand common
interests.
(Zhong
Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on
foreign policy)
Racism will never be tolerated
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