This is from Al Jazeera: (March 23) US President Donald Trump has defended repeatedly calling the coronavirus the “Chinese virus” during a news conference, ignoring criticism that it is racist. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said, explaining his reasoning after a reporter told him many consider it racist. “It comes from China, that’s why.” China experts argue that labeling the virus this way will only increase tensions between the two countries and encourage xenophobia. Asian-Americans have reported incidents of racial slurs and physical abuse over the perception that China caused COVID-19.
On March 23, the United States had 43,000 cases of COVID-19 (of course, one could argue that we had a hundred thousand more lurking uncounted due to lack of testing). But China still led the world in confirmed cases. What a difference three weeks makes. America now has three times the number of cases as the next highest country, COVID-19 is now, unequivocally the American Virus.
That’s it. That’s all I wanted to write. I’ve had this sentiment in my head for a couple of weeks. Thinking back to Trump smugly pointing fingers vaguely across the ocean, explaining to the American people how Italy and Iran screwed up their virus containment.
I hoped to turn this into a story, but I couldn’t get beyond my first paragraph. Short. Maybe this is better suited for Facebook. I told a blogging friend I planned to write this—maybe that’s why I’m trying. She’s Chinese. She wrote about the dramatic increase of racism against Asians.
Al Jazeera: “And do you think, using the term ‘Chinese virus’, that puts Asian-Americans at risk, that people might target them?” A reporter asked at the news conference. “No, not at all,” Trump reiterated. “I think they probably would agree with it one-hundred percent. (The virus) comes from China.”
Maybe yes, maybe no. Things aren’t always what they seem. The Spanish Flu didn’t come from Spain. In fact, that one might have started right here in the United States. But clearly, by calling it the Chinese virus, Trump aims to foster an us versus them dynamic. Us against the Muslims. Us against the Mexicans. Us against the Chinese. Canada, Germany, England, Greenland, France. While researching Trump quotes to write my original essay plan, I thought about Trump’s America First mindset. It’s easy for him to put America first. He doesn’t like anyone else.
I keep reading advice columns that say I shouldn’t squander all of the extra time I have right now. People are exploring their creative side. My kids cook a new dessert almost every day. Eli made a really cool spear, one hundred percent lethal, but clever and beautiful too. This afternoon, Sophie cut Eli’s hair. She just started knitting. They’re actualizing. Me, I have less time than I ever did.
Work is still an eight-hour day. But now that everyone works from home, the email conversation continues after quitting time. When I knock off for the night, my kids pounce. “Hey, let’s do something,” they say. My big artistic achievement of four weeks in quarantine is the mustache I grew.
Sometimes I believe the United States’ exponential, rampant, unbridled growth of COVID-19 is punishment for the way we as a country have behaved for the past three years. We’ve mistreated the world. Karma? I imagine small snickers from out-of-the-way corners. People shaking their heads, sarcastically thinking “it couldn’t have happened to a nicer group.”
Every day, I read the peak is near. Things will start to settle down. The country is almost ready to reopen. I’ll believe it when I see it. For now, what I see is the American virus engulf country after country. I wonder when, how, if it will stop.
The Other Stuff 
Karma? Maybe so. Certainly a lot of pain is coming to roost in this country right now. At this moment, we needed a president with heart and humility. Unfortunately, he has neither.
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No, he really doesn’t. Everyday he proves his lack of maturity. It makes me sick.
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I think many of us are struggling with the sense that we should be more “productive” during this time even though we are grieving, anxious, uncertain of our future and our well being. It’s great that your kids are responding with the energy to try new things. It’s also just fine that you are doing what’s necessary to get by without the energy to go beyond that. My favorite yoga teacher always said the goal is to be a human being not a human doing. I’m taking that to heart as I feel all of the dimensions of this unprecedented situation. For once, I don’t have to do more than be present once I’ve met the requirements of keeping the household ship afloat in these rough seas. And BTW, nice ‘stacks!
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Damn autocorrect …..‘stache …!
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I like your yogi’s quote. I’ll probably borrow that.
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Trump doesn’t even care about Americans. I know we have more cases, but is it really deadlier here or is it because we have so many people?
I don’t watch or read the news. I check the stats on the County web page every few days, just to be informed.
I think at this point, it’s going to be up to the governors, mayors, local leaders… Trump is not going to do anything but blame everyone else.
Don’t worry about not being ‘productive’… you’re supporting your kids’ productivity. They are our future. And the stache is rockin’!
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It may be due to the number of people in the country, but we all know the number could be way less.
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Fantastic post…. well said, needed to be said. Thanks for saying it.
The stache rocks.
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Thank you Nadine
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I’m definitely working more, too. And feel too tired to do much else, so I get ya. As for the president, it’s a shame he doesn’t understand, or rather care, about the racism. Just one of the many things about him that makes me sick, truly. I wish I could say this would work against him in the upcoming election but I doubt it.
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Possibly the election will go better than hoped for. Trump is really getting hammered, even by ‘his people.’ Too many problems to track. An idiot in the white house seems like one of the smaller ones right now.
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Nice stache! If anything, you created that during this whole thing. Catelyn has two close school friends that are Asian and she said that before school got let out her friends were pointed at while kids would yell, “Look out! They will give us the Chinese virus!” Trump knew what he was doing.
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It’s criminal. That’s going to stay with those kids the rest of their life.
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Enjoyed your take on all of this. Liking the stache also.
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It’s already been said that the ‘stache is a good one.
And dear Donald is looking more and more like the doddery old man trying to defend his archaic opinions with the underlying knowledge/denial that he is grossly under-qualified in his role. It’s just so unfortunate that such a big segment of the US can’t see that. Sigh..
Enjoyed your take on this!
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I’m hoping the crowd that doesn’t like Trump but accept him because he’s a republican are starting to change their mindset. As much as I like Sander’s energy and vision for the future, I’m really happy Biden is the one running. I think he could do a lot to heal the country and the world.
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