Yang & Anti-Defamation League CEO: Avoid coronavirus racism and scapegoating We have to join together to fight this virus effectively. Now is not the time to be torn apart by hatred.

Andrew Yang and Jonathan A. Greenblatt | Opinion contributors

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As the fast-spreading coronavirus pandemic threatens to tax our public health systems, takes a toll on the economy and upends nearly every aspect of our lives, there’s a serious risk that the compounding public anxiety around the virus could lead to the spread of another serious contagion: the scapegoating and blaming of Asian, Jewish and other minorities for this public health crisis.

In fact, the blame game already has started: We’ve seen politicians seeking to politicize the virus — decrying it as the “Wuhan virus” for example, or suggesting that foreigners solely are responsible for spreading it; we’ve seen Asian Americans and Jewish Americans and other minority communities blamed for the pandemic; we’ve seen some pundits pointing the finger at prominent Jews as if the virus was the product of some conspiracy; and we’ve seen internet chatter from white supremacists suggesting the disease is spreading in America thanks to an influx of foreigners.

While, fortunately, none of this has yet to enter the mainstream in a significant way, there’s now a serious risk that this kind of hateful rhetoric and outright scapegoating of minorities will take on a life of its own. We know from history that at times of real crisis in society, the voices of reason and logic can be drowned out by those who wish to spread hatred or sow discord. Rarely has there been a more opportune moment to seize on fear and spread hate.

We can't let this issue to go on unchecked

This is the kind of situation that, as an Asian American former presidential contender, and a Jewish American civil society leader focused on fighting hate, both of us realize can spiral out of control quickly unless we all appeal directly to our leaders and the American people. Now is the time for Americans to summon the better angels of our natures: We need to stop the demonization of minorities, call out scapegoating for what it is and come together as one nation indivisible so we can beat this together.

We share a common history here: Both Chinese and Jewish immigrants experienced xenophobia in the 19th and early 20th centuries as large-scale immigration to these shores fueled Sinophobia and a range of antisemitic reactions.

Starting in the 1870s, anti-Chinese invective became politicized by elected officials and some labor leaders who blamed Chinese “coolies” for depressed wage levels. This led to a series of increasingly restrictive anti-Chinese laws nationwide. In the late 19th century, some intellectuals and writers promoted the notion of a “Yellow Peril,” suggesting that Asians were in a contest of racial superiority with Americans. Such fears, and others, led to the passage of laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, prohibiting the immigration of virtually all Chinese people to the United States.

Likewise, blaming Jews for the spread of diseases and other societal ills has remained a key feature of antisemitism for centuries. Throughout history, Jews have often been directly blamed for the spread of diseases, from the Black Plague in the 14th century, when Jewish people were accused of “poisoning the wells,” to the present, when Orthodox Jewish communities have been demonized and attacked in relation to a recent measles outbreak.

And now we have COVID-19, where both Jewish Americans and Americans of Chinese descent are being blamed for spreading the virus, even when scientists are telling us emphatically that this disease is not being transmitted by any one religious or ethnic group but can be spread by anyone coming into contact with someone who already has been infected.

A different world: I can't believe how much coronavirus has changed America in a week

There have been posts on notoriously extremist-friendly platforms like Telegram, 4chan and Gab linking the coronavirus to racist and antisemitic slurs and memes. Users across these channels regularly share racist messages or caricatures of Chinese people, mocking their eating habits, accents and hygiene. Posters on Telegram and 4chan appear to be cheering on the virus, hoping it will spread to predominately non-white countries.

It has also started to enter the mainstream, as political leaders and those in positions of influence have picked up on these themes. Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, who has been tied to extremist groups, lamented that no major media outlet has asked about “George Soros’s involvement in this FLU panic. He is SOMEWHERE involved in this.” Here, we believe the former sheriff is invoking the antisemitic conspiracy theory of “Jewish power,” insinuating that the Jewish philanthropist is somehow using his influence and wealth to create a global pandemic.

Finding opportunities for racism

Similarly, people are using coronavirus news as an opportunity to disparage Jews on social media. After news broke that George Washington University had quarantined students who attended this year’s American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference, some students reported they were being harassed on Twitter — and even in person — with antisemitic messages. And we have seen hateful messages directed at Jewish communities in New York where a COVID-19 outbreak started last week.

Beyond the antisemitic incidents, we have seen attempts by some elected officials and others in positions of authority to eschew generic medical terms for the epidemic, such as Coronavirus or the World Health Organization's name for it “COVID-19.” Instead, some are opting to refer to it as the “Wuhan Virus,” seemingly to emphasize its origins in China. Others have referred to COVID-19 as a “Chinese coronavirus” or the “Kung Flu.” While some might think it reasonable to describe the disease in this manner, such descriptions have real consequences, because they can contribute to scapegoating and xenophobia.

In just one example, a 59-year-old Asian man was kicked in the back and told to go back to his country. There’s also been a rise in racist, anti-Chinese incidents overseas, and a troubling protest outside Sacramento International Airport. And we know that hate crimes historically are underreported, so this likely represents just the tip of the iceberg for incidents of harassment and violence.

A differing point of view: No, calling the novel coronavirus the 'Wuhan virus' is not racist

While we deal with this national emergency, civic leaders and people in positions of authority should refer to this virus by its clinical and factual name. It is likewise important for all Americans to come together and stand against the anti-Asian and anti-Jewish blame game that’s playing out in some corners of society.

Scapegoating is something we never should tolerate, especially not now. We can and will come through this crisis but only if we work together.

While our top scientists, medical professionals, first responders and policymakers continue to develop and implement plans and rules to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, let’s do our part as a people and as a country to prevent hate and bigotry from becoming a side effect of the virus.

Andrew Yang is an entrepreneur and former presidential candidate. Jonathan A. Greenblatt is CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. Follow them on Twitter: @AndrewYang and @JGreenblattADL