• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
People wearing face masks are seen at the escalator of a Beijing subway station Jan. 27, 2020, as the country is hit by an outbreak of the new coronavirus.The virus has spread to almost every province in mainland China during Lunar New Year. (CNS photo/Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Reuters)

With the spread of the coronavirus, be on guard against racism

February 7, 2020
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window

A boy who is Chinese-American sneezes at school, and another student laughs and says, “You must have coronavirus.”That’s not a hypothetical situation. That happened to the son of friends. And it’s racism.

As coronavirus spreads around China and starts to reach other parts of the world, we need to be on guard not to let fear of a new disease translate into racist comments and actions against Asian-Americans.

Sure, you can try to write off a racist comment by a child as thoughtless or joking. But jokes can be a difficult form of racism for a child — or a grownup — to fight. And those types of comments reflect the thoughts not just of children, but also of the adults who are raising them and the society they — and we —l ive in.

Racism comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s obvious and direct. Sometimes it’s subtle and a little slippery, a little harder to get your fingers around. But it’s important for us to name it for what it is and to look inside ourselves and consider whether we are viewing or treating others differently because of race.

At times, racism might rear its head because of fear — and concern about a new, relatively unknown illness is certainly very real. But even though it’s natural to be afraid of the new coronavirus, there is nothing natural or normal or acceptable about racism. As Christians, we are called to love our neighbor — and Jesus made clear that no matter what differences we might perceive, everyone is our neighbor.

As the parents of two children who were born in China, we have spoken with our children about the coronavirus, assuring them that Chinese-American people are not any more likely to get sick with it than anyone else and talking about racism they might encounter at school. That’s not a new conversation. It’s an ongoing one. When we were planning to adopt, people would tell us that we would need to watch for reverse racism — assuming that our children would be good at math, for example. But racism — real racism — against Asian-Americans is common enough.

This Slate story explains how avoiding people of Chinese descent because of concern about disease is nothing new. The article quotes an associate professor of history and Asian American studies at the University of Connecticut saying, “There’s a long history of thinking of Asians as disease carriers that’s at least 200 years old.”

As we wait to learn the official name of the coronavirus, it’s a relief to know that it will not be named in any way for China or any part of China. It shouldn’t be. And let’s pray that the spread of the virus can be stopped and better treatments developed so deaths can be prevented and people are healed.

Meanwhile, let’s also do our part to fight against racism in all its forms and to remember that everyone is our neighbor — and deserving of our love.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

Rita Buettner is a wife, working mother and author of the Catholic Review's Open Window blog. She and her husband adopted their two sons from China, and Rita often writes about topics concerning adoption, family and faith.

Rita also writes The Domestic Church, a featured column in the Catholic Review. Her writing has been honored by the Catholic Press Association, the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association and the Associated Church Press.

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

An invitation from God

‘Annunciation’: Salvation and the words of the air

Fully entering into the Triduum

Question Corner: Jesus became man so I could become God?

The mental health crisis crosses all boundaries and ages

| Recent Local News |

Catholic Charities’ William J. McCarthy Jr. named Loyola’s Business Leader of the Year

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

RADIO INTERVIEW: Dining with the Saints

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Memorial to modern Christian martyrs opens in Rome
  • Human composting, alkaline hydrolysis not acceptable for burial, say U.S. bishops
  • Pope advances sainthood causes of six candidates
  • Retired Milwaukee priest barred from hearing confessions over support of Delaware ‘repeal of seal’ law
  • Suspect pleads not guilty in murder of LA Auxiliary Bishop O’Connell
  • Avoid polarizing debate, promote healthy scientific discussion, pope says
  • CRS, USAID help Ethiopia ‘at a time of great need’ amid devastating drought
  • A ‘nation of immigrants’ should identify with migrants’ plight and human dignity, says Boston cardinal
  • An invitation from God

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED