COVID and race

There are times when I cannot figure out LA Parker, and yesterday was one of them. Where does LA get the idea that the news media should report COVID-19 fatalities on the basis of the color of the victim’s skin? What difference does it make if the color of the victim’s skin is white, black, brown, yellow, or something else?

The news media is correctly reporting the number of COVID-19 victims, regardless of their race. The news media does not report the skin color of crime victims, accident victims, fire victims, sexual abuse victims, etc., so why should COVID-19 victims be treated any differently? A victim is a victim, and the skin color does not matter.

— Hamilton Reader

L.A. isn’t the only person asking for reporting the stats including racial breakdown. That’s a push from democratic lawmakers around the country right now. I can’t speak for L.A., but I know it would be a helpful bit of information so we can show people that myths that certain ethnic groups might be more susceptible are incorrect. As L.A. discussed, it’s a disease that doesn’t discriminate, but somehow people think that if you’re hispanic or black, you have less to worry about for some reason. The reality is that people who live in urban areas are more at risk because social distancing is much harder in more densely packed areas.

Cities all over the country are going to be facing massive portions of this death toll, and the sooner people take this seriously, the better our chances are of having less deaths.

— Ed Note