March 30, 2020
In an essay in America magazine, Paulist Fr. Ricky Manalo recounts his experience as a target of anti-Asian bigotry in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak:
“I was out for an evening walk on Monday, March 16, the very first day President Trump used the term ‘Chinese virus’ to describe the new coronavirus, Covid-19. An enormous, black pick-up truck pulled up beside me. At first, I ignored the pulsing and blaring radio that sought to defy its closed windows. The air was thick and cold. I tried to focus on my walk, but within seconds the side window lowered and, over the deafening music, a man began shouting at me, ‘Virus!… Asian virus!’ More words followed, but they all jumbled together in seeming slow motion as my instinctive fear took over amid the racial slurs being hurled my way. At first, I froze. Then, as the man continued to taunt me, I ran into the closest shelter I could find, a nearby liquor store … “