Racism and the Coronavirus

[Renato1]

Lots of hints and messages from politicians and the media about Racism towards Chinese people, especially as evidenced by the huge drop off in people going to Chinatown and predominantly Chinese shopping districts around Melbourne.

Only problem is - when I've been to those places - 80 to 90% of the people there have been Chinese.
So, if they are avoiding the areas - exactly who is being Racist?

I took my wife to a Chinese restaurant for Valentine's Day, so it's not me.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

Lots of hints and messages from politicians and the media about Racism towards Chinese people, especially as evidenced by the huge drop off in people going to Chinatown and predominantly Chinese shopping districts around Melbourne.

Only problem is - when I've been to those places - 80 to 90% of the people there have been Chinese.
So, if they are avoiding the areas - exactly who is being Racist?

I tookmy wife to a Chinese restaurant for Valentine's Day, so it's not me.
Cheers,
Renato

There was a couple from Wuhan who visited a few places in Adelaide before testing positive for Covid. Health Dept did not release exactly where they'd been. Why would you risk it?

 

[p--and--t]

I frequently patronise Asian restaurants including Chinese and probably eat that fare more often than any other.

The establishments that I know have closed temporarily or permanently since COVID relied very heavily on tour groups from China to make a profit. At lunch time up to half or more of the tables were taken up by tour groups.

In addition, (I don't speak or read Chinese) it has been related to me third hand a lot of Chinese language media has advised their readers to stay home out of public areas to protect yourself and thus patronage of Aussie citizens of Chinese heritage have stayed home in droves.

On the surface, I have not seen personally any concrete evidence that the empty seats have anything to do with other races being biased.

Happy to listen to evidence from others of widespread impacts of racism on Australian Chinese restaurants, noting that it is a fact of life bias in food preferences and socialising does occur in every country of the world every hour of every day.

 

[Renato1]

There was a couple from Wuhan who visited a few places in Adelaide before testing positive for Covid. Health Dept did not release exactly where they'd been. Why would you risk it?

Would Chinese people visiting from Wuhan actually want to go to Chinatown and suburbs with lots of Chinese - or would they rather go and see the sites places like Melbourne are famous for (e.g. the Fairy Penguins)?

Might be safer in Chinatown.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

I frequently patronise Asian restaurants including Chinese and probably eat that fare more often than any other.

The establishments that I know have closed temporarily or permanently since COVID relied very heavily on tour groups from China to make a profit. At lunch time up to half or more of the tables were taken up by tour groups.

In addition, (I don't speak or read Chinese) it has been related to me third hand a lot of Chinese language media has advised their readers to stay home out of public areas to protect yourself and thus patronage of Aussie citizens of Chinese heritage have stayed home in droves.

On the surface, I have not seen personally any concrete evidence that the empty seats have anything to do with other races being biased.

Happy to listen to evidence from others of widespread impacts of racism on Australian Chinese restaurants, noting that it is a fact of life bias in food preferences and socialising does occur in every country of the world every hour of every day.

Very interesting and informative, thanks.

I do have a very real eating bias when I go overseas - places like Rome, San Diego and even at my parents' hometown in Italy - I eat a lot of Chinese (though Aussie Chinese is the best, as one of my Chinese mates keeps telling me).
Cheers,
Renato

 

[disruptivedolphin]

This was a clear example, but the only real conclusion to be drawn is that there are idiots everywhere:

Japanese restaurant in Paris vandalized with 'coronavirus' graffiti

With the Japanese government announcing newly discovered cases of coronavirus infection within the country several times this month, the whole country is on edge regarding the disease. That’s led to some ugly reactions, such as a Japanese candy shop banning any and all Chinese people from...

japantoday.com

 

[get me outta here]

There was a spate of the gutter press blaming the Chinese and spreading rumours which I think started it - prob really appealed to the Hansonites though. But, some people don't need to be scratched very hard to come over racist. Not frequent flyers of course.

 

[Pushka]

Would Chinese people visiting from Wuhan actually want to go to Chinatown and suburbs with lots of Chinese - or would they rather go and see the sites places like Melbourne are famous for (e.g. the Fairy Penguins)?

Might be safer in Chinatown.
Cheers,
Renato

They didnt speak English and were here only to buy a house. They attended an auction with an Interpreter. I'd suspect sightseeing wasnt their journey but eating would be.

 

[drron]

Sure there will be a few who appear to be racis and some that really are.but a great stretch to the journalist from the Channel 9 newspapers who insisted the our PM is racist because of the travel bans.Someone then pointed out if you are an UK citizen flying in from china you also will be denied entry.
Unfazed she then said that Australians are racist for not eating in Chinese restaurants.Most probably don't eat Chinese regularly,a lot of the clientele is Chinese and due to the hysteria in the media some have been scared off.definitely not racist behaviour.

However there is also the other side of the argument.Caulfield grammar in Melbourne have indicated that they might not name their new swimming complex after Matt Horton,an ex pupil, because it might upset the Chinese.

 

[love_the_life]

Would Chinese people visiting from Wuhan actually want to go to Chinatown and suburbs with lots of Chinese - or would they rather go and see the sites places like Melbourne are famous for (e.g. the Fairy Penguins)?

Might be safer in Chinatown.
Cheers,
Renato

From what I have seen over the years, yes, they do visit 'Chinese' areas. They also will visit the penguins etc but for meals will want to eat in places where there are other Chinese, not just from the tour. The familiarity with the food offered/provided is important.
One would expect then that trade will be down in the stores and restaurants in places like Chinatown.
All the more for me .... if I lived there.

 

[Renato1]

They didnt speak English and were here only to buy a house. They attended an auction with an Interpreter. I'd suspect sightseeing wasnt their journey but eating would be.

II can see that if visitors and tourists are staying in Melbourne, they'd probably head to Chinatown - if only to test decent Chinese meals. But I had thought that if travelling around, we just have so many decent Chinese restaurants all over the place.

I was eating out and having one of my favourite meals the other night - at Costco.
As I sat down to hoe into my hot dog and huge meat pie, I realised I was surrounded by several dozen Chinese looking people also hoeing into their hot dogs and pizzas with gusto. Which suggests that all Chinese don't eat Chinese all the time.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Pushka]

II can see that if visitors and tourists are staying in Melbourne, they'd probably head to Chinatown - if only to test decent Chinese meals. But I had thought that if travelling around, we just have so many decent Chinese restaurants all over the place.

I was eating out and having one of my favourite meals the other night - at Costco.
As I sat down to hoe into my hot dog and huge meat pie, I realised I was surrounded by several dozen Chinese looking people also hoeing into their hot dogs and pizzas with gusto. Which suggests that all Chinese don't eat Chinese all the time.
Cheers,
Renato

I’m not really sure how to respond to your post to be honest.

 

[Renato1]

Sure there will be a few who appear to be racis and some that really are.but a great stretch to the journalist from the Channel 9 newspapers who insisted the our PM is racist because of the travel bans.Someone then pointed out if you are an UK citizen flying in from china you also will be denied entry.
Unfazed she then said that Australians are racist for not eating in Chinese restaurants.Most probably don't eat Chinese regularly,a lot of the clientele is Chinese and due to the hysteria in the media some have been scared off.definitely not racist behaviour.

However there is also the other side of the argument.Caulfield grammar in Melbourne have indicated that they might not name their new swimming complex after Matt Horton,an ex pupil, because it might upset the Chinese.

To leftist, activist journalists (are there any other type?) who view everything from the perspective of oppressor versus oppressed, even sending the plane load of medical supplies to China would somehow be viewed as racist, as a disingenuous act of atonement for our British Colonial heritage and the Opium Wars.

Though, the don't-do-anything that may offend the Chinese Communist Party mindset, seems to be something much bigger among Universities and Basketball teams in the USA than here.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

From what I have seen over the years, yes, they do visit 'Chinese' areas. They also will visit the penguins etc but for meals will want to eat in places where there are other Chinese, not just from the tour. The familiarity with the food offered/provided is important.
One would expect then that trade will be down in the stores and restaurants in places like Chinatown.
All the more for me .... if I lived there.

Same here - can't be bothered to catch the train into Chinatown, especially as I'm surrounded by Chinese restaurants where I live.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Moody]

What do you all think of having yearly AFF awards - just for a bit of fun?

If it goes ahead I would like to nominate this thread in the “Most Pointless” category.

 

[Pushka]

What do you all think of having yearly AFF awards - just for a bit of fun?

If it goes ahead I would like to nominate this thread in the “Most Pointless” category.

Never thought I’d say this but - I agree. I can’t even think of appropriate responses to some of this!

 

[RSD]

Never thought I’d say this but - I agree. I can’t even think of appropriate responses to some of this!

Just read the thread for the first time and I'm like K Wot? China's pretty quick to ban any of our meat or dairy or fruit imports whenever they suspect a diease or pest...

 

[Sabot]

Many of the negative impacts related to the Coronavirus are a direct consequence of huge over reliance on Chinese capital, immigration and tourism. It's an abject failure of business and Government to think outside the box and diversify into other markets.

When people refer to Australia as 'The Lucky Country' they are misinterpreting the intent of the books author.
We are essentially a high functioning banana republic who get by in the world by digging red and black rocks out of the ground and endlessly importing immigrants to prop up GDP.

 

[Max Samuels]

Personally, I think it is quite ironic, China pulling out the "racism" card..... please, gimme a break. This kind of language is so tiring and unproductive.

Virus comes from China. Chinese people congregate in Chinatown. Chinatown is pretty dirty (lefties please scream all you like but it is true) - people spitting everywhere. Spit is a big transmitter of the virus.... just seems like common sense based on current info. Plus, don't forget that biggest bunch avoiding Chinatown are Chinese themselves.... as someone pointed out earlier, the only reason the media is playing this card is because they want to be at odds with the Government. If the Government had a reverse stand, the media would be calling for a China travel ban....

There is a famous lefty example that is always hotly debated as to whether or not it is "racist" or not. I am paraphrasing here but was something like this...

Imagine you are walking down a street alone, and coming towards you was a group of 4 black men - would you cross the street?

The results were interesting because almost everyone (a mix of races, ages and genders) said "yes - they would cross the street".

Then they did the same test but swapped "black" for "white", and then again swapped "men" for "women"... and it turns out that everybody pretty much crossed the street to avoid "men" - race was not relevant.

So, in this case we are talking about, I think people are avoiding the VIRUS, and would do so just as much if they thought it was in Ivanhoe, Toorak or Waspywhitetown....

And for the record I went to Chinatown the other night..

 

[Moody]

... and they lived happily ever after.