President Trump said Wednesday that his use of the term “Chinese Virus” was “not racist in the least .” Among those that might strongly disagree thereupon, the assertion would be Jeremy Lin, given his criticism of the president on Tuesday.
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Lin, a California native of Taiwanese descent who last year became the primary Asian American player to assist a team win an NBA title as a member of the Toronto Raptors, posted several tweets accusing Trump of “empowering” racism by using the term and saying the president was contributing to a menacing climate for Asian Americans within the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The longtime NBA player, set to resume his 2019-20 season with the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association, began by reacting to a tweet from the day before during which Trump said, “The us are going to be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines et al. , that are particularly suffering from the Chinese Virus.”
“I wish you'd powerfully support the vulnerable folks that will suffer thanks to our mismanagement of this virus, including people who are going to be suffering from the racism you’re empowering,” Lin replied.
“And I don't wanna hear about no German measles/Spanish flu [because] everyday Asian-Americans [including people] I do know are threatened and physically attacked,” Lin said during a subsequent tweet Tuesday. “I don't provide a crap about the history of names [right now]. What I do know is that this subtle anti-Chinese message only empowers more hate towards Asians.”
🤦🏻♂️I wish you would powerfully support the vulnerable people that will suffer due to our mismanagement of this virus, including those that will be affected by the racism you’re empowering https://t.co/QfRHiOFGEm— Jeremy Lin (@JLin7) March 17, 2020
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“I wish you'd powerfully support the vulnerable folks that will suffer thanks to our mismanagement of this virus, including people who are going to be suffering from the racism you’re empowering,” Lin replied.
“And I don't wanna hear about no German measles/Spanish flu [because] everyday Asian-Americans [including people] I do know are threatened and physically attacked,” Lin said during a subsequent tweet Tuesday. “I don't provide a crap about the history of names [right now]. What I do know is that this subtle anti-Chinese message only empowers more hate towards Asians.”
At a White House press conference Wednesday, Trump was asked if the alleged use of “Kung-Flu” was “acceptable,” also as if his frequent use of “Chinese Virus” put Asian Americans “at risk.”
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“No, not in the least,” Trump replied. “I think they probably would accept as true with it one hundred pc. It comes from China.”
Earlier within the press conference, the president used an equivalent line when asked about the terminology, also as about remarks before a congressional committee last month during which his secretary of Health and Human Services said, “Ethnicity isn't what causes the novel coronavirus.”
After denying there was any racist bent his part, Trump said, “It comes from China. i would like to be accurate.”
Later on Wednesday, the White House posted a tweet during which it said, “Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places. Before the media’s fake outrage, even CNN called it ‘Chinese Coronavirus.'
Spanish Flu. West Nile Virus. Zika. Ebola. All named for places.— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 18, 2020
Before the media’s fake outrage, even CNN called it “Chinese Coronavirus.”
Those trying to divide us must stop rooting for America to fail and give Americans real info they need to get through the crisis.
In addition to HHS Secretary Alex Azar, another top administration official recently took issue with the term “Chinese coronavirus” and its variants, which are used recently by not only Trump but members of his administration and Republican congressmen.
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During House testimony last week, the top of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was told by Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), “It’s absolutely wrong and inappropriate to call this the ‘Chinese coronavirus,’ I assume you'd accept as true with that.”
“Yes,” replied CDC Director Robert Redfield.
In a tweet earlier this month, the planet Health Organization said, “DO — mention the new #coronavirus disease (#COVID19). DON’T — attach locations or ethnicity to the disease, this is often not a ‘Wuhan Virus’, ‘Chinese Virus’ or 'Asian Virus.'
“The official name for the disease was deliberately chosen to avoid stigmatization,” the WHO added.
This week didn't mark the primary time Lin indicated he was upset with terms expressly linking the viral outbreak to its place of origin; in January, he retweeted a comment during which Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu declared, “Just reminding you that the coronavirus doesn’t offer you an excuse to be a [expletive] to Asian people.”
Lin has also shared encouragement on social media for people to talk “less out of hate, more out of empathy” amid the coronavirus crisis, and he recently praised “doctors and nurses fighting [on] the front lines” against outbreaks round the world.
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“For every fear-inducing headline, I see hope,” he wrote in an Instagram post last week while announcing that he was donating approximately $150,000 to assist procure medical equipment for the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus is assumed to possess first jumped from animals to humans. Lin said he was giving a further $150,000 “towards fighting this virus.”
In his series of tweets Tuesday, the 31-year-old Lin said that he was “not good with the old fashioned Asian model minority stigma where we won’t speak up or get up for ourselves.”
“In times like now, we truly got to stay united,” continued Lin, who couldn't be reached Wednesday for comment. “Let's fight this virus TOGETHER! Wash your hands, practice social distancing, take this seriously, stay safe.”
To another Twitter user who told him, “Every major media outlet called it Wuhan virus before trump,” Lin replied, “Can you honestly tell me there are ZERO anti-Chinese sentiments altogether his characterizations of the virus? are you able to honestly tell me Asians aren’t being unfairly physically attacked today within the US?
“Is it that tough to use coronavirus or COVID-19?” Lin added. “We play in the blame game during a crisis.”
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