Why Black People Should Avoid China IV: Coronavirus Edition

▼As COVID-19 Ferments Pre-Existing PRC Racism & Xenophobia▼

iTHiNKLabs #118 Recommendation: Avoid China If Black ⬆ Images Hyperlinked

MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS | 2020 EDITION | VOLUME 38

There's a time for denialism and/or debates. The latter is not why this was filed.

 

The videos in this blog and readers' ability to tell rot and facts apart should suffice.

 

There's a reason this is Part 4 in a series (check the title above) link to Part 3 at bottom.

 

As a black man with over 16 years experience in China, I'm mentally and physically too exhausted to go on about racism and discrimination in China. Bottom line pragmatic recommendation: 

 

If you're Black, can afford to, and are wise, avoid Mainland China for the foreseeable future. Hotels too.

McDonald's had no choice but not only apologize but also temporarily close the Chinese restaurant in question.

Nevertheless, persistently intrusive secret filming by local patrons aside, I was personally hounded by a McDonald's manager/owner angling to secretly film me while I ate one night in a favorite corner/balcony of her restaurant with no CCTV cameras, that I simply stopped going there.

 

In fact, I don't remember the last time I physically ate inside a Mainland Chinese McDonalds, or restaurant. Period. 

 

With regard to hotels, including those accepting foreigners, you'd have to be naïve to.

Some of the victims including those featured in news reports had over a decade to take the advice to leave.

 

Many are still not able to. But others I met or personally advised — with stronger safety nets — were in better financial or familial position to make arrangements to leave much earlier.

 

And yet COVID-19 being the ruthless equalizer it's been, it took this pandemic to drive reality home. Reality, I personally wouldn't waste precious time educating or persuading Victor Gao (above) about.

I have no axe to grind here, nor do I have the time, luxury or energy for grudges or prejudice.

 

Just hard, stubborn data, the Black Experience (google if you don't know, and be humble in learning) and wisdom. Or, if you like, common sense.

 

From the United States to China, we're all ALL immigrants. But “confederate sympathizers” will always be racist degenerates and enemies of human progress. Just as brainwashed nationalists, “useful idiots” and apologists of repressive regimes will always deny or trivialize reality, human experience, human wickedness, and facts regarding racism and discrimination while spewing whataboutisms and vitriol, — without shame or genuine interest in solving the problem in question.

Although I never lost complete faith in him, I never thought I'd feature the above Youtuber's videos in my blog. But here we are.

 

It took him a way too long to clearly see what many of us already knew. Yet there he is, not only finally speaking the truth and sharing what I can personally confirm: That Mainland Chinese are “chilling in Africa” and enjoying personal and digital freedoms alongside their prosperity in Africa, while their fellow countrymen — not all, but most — are misled through propaganda to hate and be suspicious or Black people.

 

Like other foreigners you'll see below, Wode Maya came to China naïve, then plunged headlong at considerable risk to his privacy apparently unbeknownst to him, youtubing.

 

Except, if the practicalities and inconveniences of the Black Experience in China doesn't affect you, sooner or later, toxic, intrusive, dehumanizing Mainland Chinese nationalism soon violates you.

 

And for many unable to simply up and leave — due to financial and other complex circumstances — over, and over again. For as long as one is stuck in China.

The last time I ventured out freely in China, I was, thankfully, not going to a McDonald's like the above.

 

I'd been working on a research project all day neglecting food as I tend to do when I'm all in. It was close to 10 PM. I hadn't shaved. Needed to freshen up before stepping out. Finally managed to do all that and step out just in time to buy food as I'd run out of supplies with no time to do groceries either.

 

I never made it to my Chinese mifen dish buddy's stand.

 

Instead, and I'll spare readers the details, I was violated the same way black McDonald's patrons would have felt violated and betrayed by locals led to believe they could get away with uncouth behavior and inhumane treatment, — in a country where both well-meaning and the average deceptive person would swear you're not being discriminated against, no matter how quickly and irrefutably evidence to the contrary piles up.

 

After another similar incident too close for comfort, I resolved to remain in self-imposed house arrest for the remainder of my time in China.

 

A security and lifestyle choice that made surviving China's Coronavirus lockdown, a breeze.

 

Moreover, with very few exceptions, I've never had a heated disagreement with a Mainland Chinese who didn't consider, utter, or in the case of my best Mainland Chinese friend, politely suggest after trying to jovially silence me, one or all of the following as THE only solution:

 

① You can't think or say this/that because it means you hate China. (stupid logic of course)

 

 

② If you don't agree: You shouldn't live here, you shouldn't do business here!

 

 

③ Go back to your country! Or, Chinese should boycott you [or the laowai or business!

 

 

For those of us who grew up accommodating foreigners from around the world and treating them with dignity, such mentality is a sign the person, or people involved, no matter how affluent, their position in society, educational level, or size of their wallet, is yet to evolve, and lacks self-awareness.

 

The above may sound academic, irrelevant, even esoteric until you live it and realize how exhausting it can be, and if not mentally and physically healthy, how detrimental it can be to one's health.

 

This is why, unlike the former South African and American expats below, I don't at all recommend going to China if black and absolutely don't have to.

 

Life is short. And there are other ways to have an adventure.

 

The interview below meanders at first, but gets in-depth and instructive once underway. 

 

Don't be like some COVID-19 victims. Don't take it lightly. Surrender your complete attention and learn.

 

Happy to answer questions and share experiences in detail.

 

As mentioned above, I filed this in an exhausted state. So, errors will be corrected.

For consultation, I can be reached here. Follow me here.

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Why Black People Should Avoid China (3)

PEACE

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