WH official calls coronavirus ‘Kung-Flu’ to Asian-American reporter

[Charlemagne]

White House official calls coronavirus ‘Kung-Flu’ to Asian-American reporter as Trump defends ‘Chinese flu’

By DAVE GOLDINER

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

MAR 17, 2020 | 5:37 PM

A White House official reportedly used the racist term “Kung-Flu" Tuesday to refer to the coronavirus pandemic in a conversation with a television reporter.

CBS News correspondent Weijia Jiang, who was born in China and grew up in West Virginia, reported the disturbing exchange with the unidentified official.

“Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back," Jiang wrote on Twitter.

Weijia Jiang

@weijia

This morning a White House official referred to #Coronavirus as the “Kung-Flu” to my face. Makes me wonder what they’re calling it behind my back.

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10:35 AM - Mar 17, 2020·Washington, DC

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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Far-right wing supporters of President Trump are seeking to portray the global coronavirus as a Chinese phenomenon even though it now affects most of the world.

Trump defended his referring to coronavirus as the “Chinese coronavirus” Tuesday and other Republican leaders have at times called the virus “Wuhan virus,” a reference to the Chinese city in which the pandemic was first identified.

“It’s accurate because that’s where it originated," Trump told reporters.

Trump and other right-wing leaders have sought to highlight their actions to cut off travel from China. But experts say that was of limited value, especially when the virus was already spreading unchecked within the United States.

https://www.nydailynews.com/coronavirus/ny-coronavirus-kung-flu-white-house-weijia-jiang-cbs-20200317-etnt6uhoojharhykdsblkn7dta-story.html

 

[kkelso]

"Kung Flu" that I had not heard.

 

[kstanb]

lol, that is the funniest name for Wuhan's coronavirus

 

[onthebottom]

That’s not racist, that’s funny....

 

[bver_hunter]

Maybe this Whitehouse did not remember the name Corona Virus, because the rest of the staff have decided to call it this racist "Kung Flu" Virus terminology when discussing it with one another.

Nothing funny about it, and just stupid ignorance that this staffer then let the cat out of the bag when he then misspoke!!

 

[glamphotographer]

That’s not racist, that’s funny....

ReallY? You think that's funny?

 

[WyattEarp]

Easy cowboys, it's an "unidentified official" Who it was makes a difference. Could it have been a junior staffer? In fact, there's always the chance that it never happened.

Before you go all conspiratorial on this, remember there is an ethnic Chinese woman in Trump's cabinet.

 

[jcpro]

Fucking racist!! ROFLMAO!! Are we running out of the things to be outraged about? Looks that way. Btw, I saw it on one non extremist news network the 1918 influenza pandemic referred to as the "Spanish" Flue
Should I fire off a strongly worded tweet to express my outrage at the racial insensitivity?

 

[wazup]

That's not funny at all, that's damn funny

 

[apoptygma]

Fucking racist!! ROFLMAO!! Are we running out of the things to be outraged about? Looks that way. Btw, I saw it on one non extremist news network the 1918 influenza pandemic referred to as the "Spanish" Flue
Should I fire off a strongly worded tweet to express my outrage at the racial insensitivity?

Living in the past, as always?
Try to stay in the correct century, will you?

 

[Frankfooter]

Fucking racist!! ROFLMAO!! Are we running out of the things to be outraged about? Looks that way. Btw, I saw it on one non extremist news network the 1918 influenza pandemic referred to as the "Spanish" Flue
Should I fire off a strongly worded tweet to express my outrage at the racial insensitivity?

Yes, its similar to using racist language from a time where there was full segregation in the US.
Good point.

 

[jcpro]

Yes, its similar to using racist language from a time where there was full segregation in the US.
Good point.

Oh, yeah? Read the first post in this thread https://terb.cc/vbulletin/showthrea...rough-global-pandemic-exercise-in-2017-report

 

[onthebottom]

ReallY? You think that's funny?

I do, it’s been on social media for more than a week. Lighten the fuck up already.

 

[Charlemagne]

Kellyanne Conway Spars With Reporters Over ‘Kung-Flu’ Coronavirus Slur
https://www.thedailybeast.com/kellyanne-conway-spars-with-reporters-over-kung-flu-slur

“I’m married to an Asian. My kids are, partly.”

 

[Dutch Oven]

Someone please explain why it is racist to blame the Chinese for this pandemic? Is someone else really responsible? If China needs to take responsibility for this, it seems to me they are getting off light by people merely making jokes about it.

 

[Frankfooter]

Someone please explain why it is racist to blame the Chinese for this pandemic? Is someone else really responsible? If China needs to take responsibility for this, it seems to me they are getting off light by people merely making jokes about it.

Is Africa responsible for Ebola?
You gonna sue them?

 

[toguy5252]

That’s not racist, that’s funny....

That response is racist.

 

[onthebottom]

That response is racist.

Untwist your panties

 

[onthebottom]

Is Africa responsible for Ebola?
You gonna sue them?

Those who eat primates are....

 

[Dutch Oven]

Is Africa responsible for Ebola?
You gonna sue them?

What has responsibility got to do with suing? Non-sequitur after non-sequitur with you.

To remind you, the issue is whether it is racist to blame China for this pandemic.