Community News
A closer examination of COVID-19 racism, censorship, and philanthropic power
BY SIMONE J. SMITH
“The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.” Malcom X
Everywhere you turn, there are news stories surrounding the chaos, conspiracy and controversy that are happening at a global level. There is such an influx of information; it can seem deafening at times. You don’t know who do trust, who is telling you the truth, and who has an agenda. It is hard to tell real journalism from personal sentiments, and it is why in this edition, we are going to provide recent updates on some of the top controversial stories that are happening right now. We encourage you to dissect the information in an objective way, which at times can be difficult.
Let us ask ourselves a few questions before we begin. What is the difference between a conspiracy and a conspiracy theory? Who is most likely to believe in conspiracies, and why do so many people believe them? Is there some test of truth we can apply when we hear about a conspiracy that can help us determine if the theory about it is true or false? With all the information being spread through social media and other media platforms, whom do we trust as media consumers?
I will start by saying this; make sure you are doing your research. It is easy to get caught up in your emotions, especially during this time. We are all looking for answers, and some of us may jump at a chance to deal with our anxiety by clinging on to a story that resonates with an experience that we are having. This does not make it true. We researched various sources on three major topics: racial discrimination in China, banned conspiracy theory videos falsely linking coronavirus symptoms to 5G networks, and everyone’s favourite topic (besides Trump of course) Philanthropist Bill Gates.
Racial discrimination in China
Most recently in the news, migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have become the primary target of racial discrimination and abuse in China, especially in the city of Guangzhou. Foreigners who have spent any time in China will have their own stories of racial profiling and discrimination. There can be little argument that no group has been more racially targeted than people from Africa.
There has been an all-out assault on Africans living in Guangzhou witnessed globally. There have been videos of: Chinese police rounding up Africans, beating them on the street, forcing them out of their homes and hotels, and denying them access to malls and restaurants. In one report, a pregnant woman was denied access, and in another report, an African woman was stopped at the entrance of a department store, while her Caucasian friend was allowed to go in and was not bothered at all. There have been other incidents that have drawn attention to this despicable situation.
An incident that has attracted global attention is the story of a Chinese art exhibition that compared black people from Africa with the continent’s wild animals. The show, “This is Africa,” has been on display since September 28th, 2019, at the Hubei Provincial Museau and features some 150 photographs by Yu Huiping. A visitor from Nigeria by the name of Edward E. Duke brought the exhibition to the world’s attention. He shared a video and was sure to tag all of the major media outlets in it.
Of course, word got out, and the museum owner quickly replied by saying it was the museum that made the decision to juxtapose the two sets of photos not the artists. Apparently, in Chines proverbs, animals are always used for admiration and compliment. Comparisons between people and animals are often positive in China. Interesting! Is this a matter of cultural difference? Was this exhibit truly just a misunderstanding?
Well, let’s look at another incident. The CCTV 2018 New Year’s Gala draws massive viewership each year. They can have an estimated 700 million viewers, making it the world’s most watched television show. There was a skit done that featured a Chinese actress in blackface with huge prosthetic buttocks, clearly portraying an African woman. Tribal dancers and monkeys backdropped her. We all know how taboo blackface is in the Western culture, and many other parts of the world. In China, it is normal for Chinese actors to dress up like foreigners when performing foreign plays. Again, I put to the readers; is this just a cover up for such a heinous act of racism, or is it another example of cultural misunderstanding?
Regardless, Africans are outraged. Despite the billions of dollars worth of investments that China has made into sub-Saharan Africa, there is considerable tension and concern surrounding the misuse and gorging of the continents natural resources, and now, these tensions look like they could spill over into a full-blown race war.
Conspiracy theory videos linking Coronavirus symptoms to 5G networks banned!
As of April 7th, 2020, YouTube banned all conspiracy theory videos falsely linking coronavirus symptoms to 5G networks. This came after a live-streamed interview with conspiracy theorist David Icke, in which he linked the technology to the pandemic. The interview was watched by about 65,00 people while it was live streaming. According to one source, YouTube only deleted the video after BBC questioned why they had permitted the video to be seen.
There seems to be aggressive steps being taken to silence anyone who speaks negatively about 5G. YouTube has spoken out and stated that any content that disputes the existence or transmission of COVID-19, as described by the WHO and local health authorities are in violation of YouTube policies. They have even threatened to terminate certain channels and prevent repeat offenders from earning money.
There was a study done by Oxford University’s Reuters Institute that found: politicians, celebrities and other influential figures are responsible for producing a fifth of all misinformation about the coronavirus. Some people who have been called out are: Wiz Khalifa, Keri Hilson, M.I.A, and Amir Khan. Natural News has already been kicked off most social media due to its content. They are the ones who brought to light the fact that 5G has been the reason for the symptoms most people have been feeling, especially in areas where 5G towers have been erected.
Scientific America put out a study about millimetre waves that are emitted from 5G towers. Short-term exposure can have an adverse physiological effect in the peripheral nervous system, the immune system and the cardiovascular system. The research suggests that long-term exposure can have adverse effects on humans. A U.S. Senator went, as far to state, “Since 5G is a new technology there is no research on health effects, so we are flying blind.” Flying blind! Well that doesn’t sound very good does it?
Philanthropic power and development; The Bill Gates Drama
The Gates foundation is known to be one of the single largest donors to the World Health Organization. This of course does give the organization considerable leverage in shaping health policy priorities. This is why when WHO called a complete shutdown and quarantine of the entire nation, many were questioning who was really responsible for that decision. After all, it is a fact that Bill Gates practically controls policy at the World Health Organization. You see; money gives someone that power. Really and truly, depending on what mood Bill Gates is in, it can shift the terrain of global health. That is a scary thought. A man having that much power! Rich philanthropists and their foundations have influence on decision-making and seem to be setting the global health and agricultural agenda in developing countries.
A study done by Jens Martens and Karolin Seitz claimed that many foundations enable rich countries and their corporations to achieve their own ends in developing countries. The Gates Foundation has employed numerous former Big Pharma figures, and this has led to accusations of industry bias.
I know most of us think that we are rational enough to be exposed to the press, but unfortunately we are not. We think that we can compensate with the strength of our inner contemplation. Wrong again. You have to remain cognizant of the effect that certain news has on you. Some news stories are specifically engineered to interrupt you. They are as bad as COVID-19, stealing your attention for their own purpose. It is important to learn how to filter your information intake, and if you are interested in a story, take the time to research it thoroughly. Get all sides of a story, and then make a conscious decision to have an emotion about it.
References
Oxford University’s Reuters Institute
https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/types-sources-and-claims-covid-19-misinformation)
Philanthropic Power and Development (Jens Martens and Karolin Seitz)
https://www.globalpolicy.org/images/pdfs/GPFEurope/Philanthropic_Power_online.pdf
Scientific America
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/we-have-no-reason-to-believe-5g-is-safe/?fbclid=IwAR3SqdOS2jZp6Kv_8diNdTX_EYn_EUN4zvDYFWUv-f5xUvUzQgBghLqfNnc
2018 Chinese New Years Gala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8ehjt-ZH_o
Museum Exhibit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ldrKmjNNlE