The naming of COVID variants invites another pandemic – of racism

[jacko45k]

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

So back to my original post -  banning foreigners getting in buses is NOT racist, as it includes all colours and ethnicities. 

 

 

And by default would allowing 'only Thais' to ride these buses be considered a racist policy?

[Neeranam]

43 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

And by default would allowing 'only Thais' to ride these buses be considered a racist policy?

No, because Thai is not a race. Also, I can ride on the bus and I'm Caucasian. 

[nong38]

This whole racism thing is getting ridiculous, perhaps we should ban the word as you can be branded a racist for stating the obvious! An Irishman comes from Ireland, a Chinaman comes from China etc, it may be a fact but you cannot say it because some woke item will turn on you and accuse you! The world has gone mad and its going to get worse and dafter, freedom of speech is a thing of the past.

[Marsupienemi]

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

And by default would allowing 'only Thais' to ride these buses be considered a racist policy?

I think it's called appartheid

[tifino]

11 hours ago, ozimoron said:

11 hours ago, tifino said:

So Okaeee  lets from now one 'correctly refer to the Wuhan - as the CPC virus 

 

 

What's the problem with just calling it coronavirus instead of "kung flu" or "wuflu"?

my angle; was the removal of the 'racist' overtones the CCP were alluding to. In using the CPC flu terminology, takes away their thunder in complaining of the racism - but still points the finger at them

[Marsupienemi]

12 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The word Farang comes from the word France. Farance but because the people could not say France it became Farang

I thought it was Farangset souding like Français no ? 
I know it's a little difference but I am curious to know. 
And by the way, I saw in some posts that Farang is used for non Thai, I think it's non Asian. Can you confirm ? 

[ozimoron]

5 hours ago, tifino said:

my angle; was the removal of the 'racist' overtones the CCP were alluding to. In using the CPC flu terminology, takes away their thunder in complaining of the racism - but still points the finger at them

 

Fair point. It is important of course not to demonize Chinese people in general for the virus. The government should be accused if and only if its proven that the virus did originate in a lab and wasn't an accident in nature.

[tifino]

37 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

Fair point. It is important of course not to demonize Chinese people in general for the virus. The government should be accused if and only if its proven that the virus did originate in a lab and wasn't an accident in nature.

hence the use of the CCP/ CPC Virus term 

 

 The general heritage chinese populace itself is suffering alongside the rest of the world...

[Fex Bluse]

8 hours ago, sirineou said:

You mean there are non mainstream, new sources , more credible than the mainstream sources,  who claim that the rise in Asian hate crimes is Fake news?  Please provide some links,.

  of what value is it to "regular people" to call a virus by a name that identified a particular area? 

 

If you are preparing to travel to London where there is a deadly epidemic emerging, do you think it would be easier to catch the fact in the news if it was called

Virus-19 or

London Virus-19 ?

[JamieM]

1 hour ago, tifino said:

hence the use of the CCP/ CPC Virus term 

 

 The general heritage chinese populace itself is suffering alongside the rest of the world...

I think most people realise that they are using our morals and western sense of fair play against us.

 

They shout racism because they know we are decent people with morals and that we try to be fair to people of all colours and creeds (most of us anyway) but if you have ever been to China you will know how they treat people of colour / ethnic minorities first hand. If you have not been to China do a little research and you will realise they are using your own sense of fair play against you as some kind of weapon.

 

Also if you have Indian friends or black friends go for a night out with them in Bangkok (once the lockdown is over) and see how they are treated for one night ( I have ) it's shocking. Spoiler alert you will be charged to enter the club while Thai's will get in for free and your Indian / black friends will be flat out turned away at the door, when you leave the club (after paying) to go find what happened to your Indian / black friends, observe as you travel throughout the evening (trying to find somewhere that will let them in) you wil notice them being treated badly everywhere by the Thai people (not by all of them but by a majority) no matter what they do or how they behave.

 

They don't believe in equality themselves but they view it as a tool to be used as a against the west whenever we say anything they don't like.

 

This uproar around the naming of the Thai variant is a perfect Thai example of this it just goes to show that Thailand is aware that the CCP tactics of crying racism play into our very sense of fair play and so they use the very same tactic themselves.

 

Thai variant naming, racism? come on, give me a break!

 

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by JamieM

[sirineou]

19 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

 

If you are preparing to travel to London where there is a deadly epidemic emerging, do you think it would be easier to catch the fact in the news if it was called

Virus-19 or

London Virus-19 ?

If you are preparing to fly anywhere you better check with the appropriate agencies rather than depending on your local news. 

[WaveHunter]

There are so many valid reasons that a virus or epidemic SHOULD be named with a geographical reference for the general public, and that's why they have always been named that way.  Knowing the geographic origin of an outbreak is always critical in the early stages of an outbreak in order to contain it, and protect against infection.

 

The key thing that changes a local outbreak to an epidemic, and an epidemic to a pandemic is ALL about geography!  There is nothing xenophobic about naming a virus or variant after it's geographic origin.  It's no more xenophobic than saying a car made in Detroit is an American car.

 

When a novel virus or variant is first detected there is really no time to wait for some organization to come up with a non xenophobic name for it.  Take the latest variant detected in VIetnam for example.  It is a more or less thought of as a hybrid of the UK and Indian Variants in that it has features of both but way more transmissible than either.

 

Knowing WHERE it originates from is certainly the most important thing to those in surrounding countries so calling it the Vietnam variant is a valid thing to do.

 

All of this "political correctness" nonsense in virus nomenclature is simply nothing more than political gamesmanship by organizations like the W.H.O. that should be more focused on epidemiology than international politics.

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by WaveHunter