Posted on 03/19/2020 5:05:52 PM PDT by EdnaMode
Mulan star Tzi Ma is frequently recognized for his many film and television roles, including in last years indie hit The Farewell and the Rush Hour films. But it was an encounter weeks ago that has stayed with him.
Ma had visited a Whole Foods grocery store in Pasadena, Calif., when a car approached him as he made his way to the entrance.
He rolls down the window and goes, You should be quarantined, and then he took off, Ma told Variety. He said he stood, speechless, before unleashing screams at the verbal assaulter, who was by then long gone.
I just went numb. You know how you go cold? You just go cold and numb, he said. This is emotional. This affected my psyche.
Ma, who is Chinese American, is not alone. Since the coronavirus pandemic has spread around the globe, so has a virus of a different type: racism and xenophobia directed at the Asian American community in the form of verbal and physical assaults, which have undergone an alarming uptick since the outbreak started.
President Trumps insistence on calling the coronavirus the Chinese virus has many Asian Americans on edge that they will be subject to more hate crimes if theyre in public spaces, doing routine things like taking public transportation.
To combat coronavirus-related anti-Asian sentiment and raise awareness of anti-Asian bigotry, Ma and other Asian American celebrities, with IW Group, launched the #WashTheHate social media campaign on Wednesday. Participants including Ma, Celia Au (Wu Assassins), Ludi Lin (Power Rangers, Black Mirror) and Osric Chau (Supernatural) have posted videos of themselves washing their hands for 20 seconds while sharing a personal story about how the virus has impacted their lives.
The CDC says washing ones hands thoroughly for 20 seconds is an effective way to prevent people from getting sick and is considered a first line of defense for stopping the spread of viruses, like coronavirus.
Its a time for us to come together and not be racist, Au said. How are we going to fight this disease together when were all segregated and everyones pigeon-holing one another?
Korean American actor Daniel Dae Kim, who revealed on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, echoed the sentiment in video posted to Instagram, saying, Please, please stop the prejudice and senseless violence against Asian people. Randomly beating elderly, sometimes homeless Asian Americans is cowardly, heartbreaking and its inexcusable. Yes, Im Asian, and yes, I have coronavirus, but I did not get it from China. I got it in America, in New York City.
Ma added that he hopes other members of the Asian American community will continue to take heed if they head out into public spaces.
I think we all need to be very vigilant. I think we all need to be a little bit more hypersensitive to our surroundings, keep our eyes and ears open, he said.
He would also like perpetrators of anti-Asian racism to question their own motives.
Does it stop the virus? I dont think so. Does it make you immune to the virus? I dont think so. With this kind of hatred, youre going to be sick, cause it cant be good for you, Ma said.
Disneys Mulan held its premiere event in Hollywood on March 9 ahead of a scheduled Mar. 27 global bow in theaters. But coronavirus-related fears, and the closing of theaters in the U.S. and China, have delayed its release.
Ma sees the films postponement as a blessing in disguise, as he hopes a later release might put the film on the awards season radar, especially Yifei Liu, who stars in the title role.
If you look at Yifeis performance, its really Oscar worthy in my mind, he said. I believe the cast has tremendous potential in being recognized.
I detect BS on this story.
The Pasadena area has a large Asian population and to be picked out in that area sounds dubious to me.
Never mind, it was another Asian actor with Coronavirus. Damn, I can’t keep these actors straight. I guess it racism. I give up reading all these crap articles.
Well, good thing that the crazy, white racist didn’t pee on Ma’s kielbasa sandwich. Would’ve pissed off the winged Polish hussars.
At liberal Whole Foods, in liberal Pasadena, in liberal California??? Why are liberals so hateful?
He rolls down the window and goes, You should be quarantined, and then he took off, Ma told Variety. He said he stood, speechless, before unleashing screams at the verbal assaulter, who was by then long gone.
Didn’t happen. And if it did, what a snowflake!
Same here. It’s the same old first paragraph that I found on smollet news articles during the first week. Actually it’s like a carbon copy template for these woke writers.
These people should not vent their anger at the President, they should condemn the leaders of the countries doing these bad things.
Don't like terrorism, let Muslim leaders speak out against radicals.
Don't like Chinese secrecy, let Asians speak out against China.
Until the MSM lets up on the President for waking up in the morning, Trump is going to defend the United States against the slanders directed against all of us.
-PJ
In other words, how dare the President tell the truth. F*** Variety and these Chinese Communist propagandists and apologists.
Nobody’ll mess with Asians. They’ll think they know Kung Fu, and even if they don’t they can fake it enough to scare off any assailants.
Give me a freakin’ break. I’ve been punched, chased out of a video arcade, surrounded by screaming, hate-filled monsters, and I’m still here. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. “You should be quarantined” is some sort of freaking trauma? Try coughing at him next time, and get a grip.
I call bullshit on this one!
It was Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii 5-0). Kim also had a recurring role on 24 as a CTU field agent in seasons 2-3.
Who cares?
Right. Like there are no Chinese in CA. This ONE guy happened to rollup on a “famous” Chinese actor and said something stupid. ‘
Sorry, not buying it.
If this did in fact happen, and I am very suspicious of tall tales like this anymore, suck it up. Didn’t get physically assaulted and apparently wasn’t called anything hateful. These people are very thin skinned in hollyweird. Can’t tell you how many times when I was younger and even in recent years where people slurred my Italian/Polish heritage. Most of the time just slough it off because stupid people are everywhere.
If they’re on edge, it’s because left-wing fearmongering from the press and Dems is telling them to be on edge. There haven’t been actual attacks (as opposed to a rare unfriendly comment) because of the virus; yet the Dems need to whip up Asians into a state of terror to keep them in line on the Dem planation. It’s sad actually.
They played the same game 23 years ago with ChinaGate, which should’ve been THE premier crime of the Clintoon regime (not the “MonicaGate” stuff), but buried with the help of “patriots” like John Glenn. That has never been investigated as it should’ve been. Both Bubba and Gore should’ve gone to prison for that and scores of others.
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