Why Your Treatment of Others Matters
It not only affects you later in the future, but also reflects on you.
As soon as I heard the coronavirus originated from China, I knew trouble for me remained.
I learned it happened to Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor was bombed. I had seen it happen to Middle Eastern-Americans after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I heard and read that Russian-Americans to this day are still being accused of spies as a result of the Cold War. A year ago, I was personally accused myself along with other Chinese-Americans of being technology thieves as the Trade War raged on. The news did not need to tell, history and experience had already made clear what my fate was going to be for some time.
As all but essential businesses began to close their doors, my predictions quickly transformed into reality.
People backing away from me as if I was the very virus itself as I shopped for my family.
Someone who nearly slammed into me as a pedestrian whilst driving yelling, “Hey you from China! Go get yourself run-over!” even though the stoplight indicated I had the right of way.
Hearing others, including loved ones, were hit with projectiles, and wondering if I was next.
Avoiding eye contact with others to spare another confrontation.
But I was not the only one discriminated against. Death announcements and abusive encounters cascading one after another like a waterfall at the hands of law enforcement, their ensuing protests, the recurring phrase “I can’t breathe”, and this year’s NBA season being delayed[1], all made it clear that the African-American and Black communities were too.
And we are all still demanded to stand to the anthem and the flag? I thought, remembering the movement Colin Kaepernick started for this same reason. How is that fair? It was not hard for me figure out why some kneeled in protest– why should they have to be loyal to those who treat them poorly? Why should we?
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has demonstrated thoughts like these are not uncommon, but rather normal for those mistreated and ignored. As exciting and adventurous read it is, it also has a lot of wisdom embedded…
