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Dan Saltzstein
@dansaltzstein
When AIDS first emerged, it was called gay-related immune deficiency (GRID), as well as "gay cancer" and "gay plague." Susan Sontag wrote: "Nothing is more punitive than to give a disease a meaning."
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Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
I always treated the Chinese Virus very seriously, and have done a very good job from the beginning, including my very early decision to close the “borders” from China - against the wishes of almost all. Many lives were saved. The Fake News new narrative is disgraceful & false!
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Dan Saltzstein
@dansaltzstein
And if you want to see just one small example of the real-life results of calling it "Chinese Virus":
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Jiayang Fan 樊嘉扬
@JiayangFan
Went to take out trash.Was talking on phone in Chinese. Man walked by on sidewalk & in interest of social distancing,I said,"sorry, go ahead." "FUCKING CHINESE,"he yelled loud enough I could hear him over aide's voice on phone. I turned to look at him to make sure I heard right
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Google Doc Duvalier
@blahblahblah9tn
The CDC was tracking GRIDS early and could have squelched the AIDS epidemic by shutting down the bathhouses and targeted quarantining but did not because of the sort of symbolic sensitivity you are promoting.
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Dan Saltzstein
@dansaltzstein
That’s nonsense rewriting of history. The inaction on HIV/AIDS had nothing to do with sensitivity toward a group. If anyone, the opposite: it wasn’t taken seriously because it was believed to be “a gay disease” that wouldn’t affect the larger population. Gays were discounted.
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Mattske
@mattebphl
Nothing is more terrifying than to not give a disease a name that makes any sense to normal people I.e. “COVID-19” sounds like it was manufactured in a lab.
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SASandy
@sasasandykind
It’s also confusing people, probably intentionally. My 70+ year old m in-law asked me, “ so have you heard of the Chinese flu? It’s killing a lot of people, I’m so glad it’s only in China” 😳! I’m trying to explain “China flu” is covid 19 and she needs to stay home
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RAM (Richard Armande Mills)
@RAMRANTS
As a gay man myself, I’m disgusted that you would compare the two. China is a country, not a race or sexuality. And assigning a point of origin to viruses like the Wuhan coronavirus helps hold the country of origin accountable for essentially being ground zero. Not new or hateful
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