In Germany, soccer fans chanted “Ebola, Ebola” when a black player took the field. Mothers in Rome organized a drive to keep a 3 year old black girl away from their kids in kindergarten after her family visited Uganda. Simultaneous outbreak of Racial Discrimination seems to have been erupted with the Ebola virus. Individuals have found ways to use the virus to discriminate against blacks.
The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by the United Nations states that “… all human beings are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law against any discrimination and against any incitement to discrimination.” Thus, all state parties to the convention are urged under Article 2 of the convention “not to sponsor, defend, or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations.”
Germany is a state party to the convention and what happened in their soccer field highlights the racial tensions surfacing since the Ebola outbreak. Under the convention, Germany should be required to take action to rectify what happened. They should have racial sensitivity classes for the public. Also, more importantly, the state should sponsor more information about the Ebola virus. The most severely affected countries from the virus are Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia which have very weak health systems and have only recently emerged from long periods of social and political instability. Thus, to automatically associate a black man with the Ebola virus is not only ignorant but also racial discrimination.
Should U.S intervene in these international racial discrimination cases? What happens to the black individuals who return to U.S and subject to racial tension here? Should U.S send a clear message by not supporting the Germany incident so that no one in U.S attempts to act the same?
Unfortunately, Germany is not the only country that has elicited such behavior. While Ebola is a horrible excuse to foster racist views, the United States has witnessed similar acts as well. At the end of October the media reported a 13 year old Bronx boy, of Senegal decent, was “punched in the face and relentlessly bullied” as classmates chanted “Ebola” and told him repeatedly to return to his country.
A Connecticut middle school also banned a Nigerian student (who elicited no sick-like symptoms) from school after her and her family returned from a wedding in the country. While the ban was lifted, the family has brought suit claiming “She’s not a girl who was sent home because she had Ebola. This is a girl who was wrongly sent home because of irrational fear, ignorance and overreaction.”
I suppose some of this could be chalked up to the typical antics of children, but there must be a line. Additionally, how are we to draw a line for other countries like that of Germany if we are not setting the correct example ourselves.
It is horrible that individuals are using the Ebola virus to discriminate against African Americans. I believe the Untied States should intervene in these international racial discrimination cases in order to send a message to other countries that this is not acceptable. Under Article 2 all state parties of the convention are urged “not to sponsor, defend, or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations.” I believe the United States should intervene and declare that it does not support racial discrimination. If the African Americans return to the United States and are subject to racial tension then I believe the United States should take action and punish the individuals who participate in this discrimination.
Additionally, I think the United States should send a clear message by not supporting the Germany incident because we do not want the United States to give an impression that this is acceptable. This kind of treatment towards African Americans should not be tolerated. Associating African Americans with the Ebola virus is ignorant. I believe something should be done to educate the public about the virus so people do not come to false conclusions and discriminate against African Americans.
We are at a point in which one would think racism was in the past. But it is ever current, and as horrible as ever. It is sad to think that the human race still cannot see beyond skin color. Now with Ebola outbreaks in African countries, it is just giving people more reasons to be racist. This behavior is unacceptable. Not only should the United States do something about this, but other parties to the U.N. Convention should as well. It is clear under Article 2 that no state should “sponsor, defend, or support racial discrimination by any persons or organizations.” State parties simply cannot condone this behavior. The mere fact of associating the Ebola outbreak with African Americans is beyond ridiculous. It is unacceptable, and something needs to be done worldwide to inform people properly about the virus and to let them know that it has nothing to do with race. Ebola does not discriminate; humans shouldn’t either.