The ‘Lab Leak Lie’ Is Racist
The “lab leak lie” is racist. To be clear, the unscientific surmise that COVID-19 was spread intentionally or unintentionally by a Chinese government laboratory in Wuhan is racist. From the beginning, this lie was an expression of dog-whistle politics, one that has exploited longstanding racial stereotypes, and that has in turn deepened anti-Asian racism in many countries around the world.
Stoking the fires
The fact that the Donald Trump administration promoted the lab leak lie in 2020 is not surprising. Before the outbreak, Trump had already demonized Democrats and centrists in his own party. He’d demonized black Americans resisting police brutality. He’d demonized American allies. He’d demonized people from developing countries. He’d demonized immigrants and Latinx, even
