U. of Texas Dean: Saying ‘Chinese Virus’ Inspires Hate Crimes

A University of Texas at Austin dean argued this week that the term “Chinese virus” is inspiring hateful acts against Asian-American students on campus.

According to a report by the College Fix, Dean Ann Huff Stevens of the University of Texas at Austin made the case this week that the use of the term “Chinese virus” is inciting bigotry.

In an email to the university community, Stevens claimed that the university has received a spike in the number of harassment reports from Asian-American students on campus. Stevens argued that the ongoing pandemic has incited “xenophobia” around the country.

In recent days my colleagues and I have received several reports of harassment directed at Asian American graduate students as well as students from abroad who are seeking advanced degrees from the university.

At a time when Americans need to come together to face a serious pandemic, the COVID-19 outbreak has instead sparked anti-Asian xenophobia both here in Texas and across the U.S.

Using language that encourages others to view a crisis in overly simplistic geographic or racial terms — for example, referring to COVID-19 as a “Chinese virus” — fuels acts of hate that have no place in our university, our community, or our country.

Breitbart News reported this week that administrators at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, had told students that criticizing the Chinese government over the ongoing pandemic was “racist.” Administrators stepped in after students anonymously condemned the Chinese government in chalk messages on campus sidewalks.

“No one person, country, or ethnicity created this pandemic — disease does not discriminate,” University of Wisconsin, Madison, Chancellor Rebecca Black said. “We want to be clear that racist behaviors or stereotyping of any kind are not tolerated at UW-Madison — no matter if we are online, passing others in public, or quarantined at home.”

Stay tuned to Breitbart News for more updates on this story.