Ma’Kayla Hunter
Staff Writer
COVID-19, better known as the Coronavirus, has continued to be the main concern of all news and media outlets. Many people have reacted to this situation in a variety of ways. Through social media we can evaluate the responses of individuals, the problems they are facing during this time and attitudes and beliefs are affected. In my own experiences, this time has been very interesting to say the least.
One of the biggest elements that have been joked about is the obscene use of toilet tissue being sold out in stores. Many Americans have been going haywire, causing great debates and conversations over social media platforms. Through Facebook, I was able to note that all of my friends were finding ways to maintain through this epidemic. Comparing the demographics of my friends and the posts that were on their page, there was a common trend that I was able to find with my African-American friends.
Most of my followers who are African-American held a more optimistic view regarding this pandemic. Some of the content resembled jokes, reliance on religion, and even positive motivation that included some form of humor within the posts. As more individuals from all communities have begun to embrace these lighter methods of dealing with the situation, the first examples I saw constantly came from African-Americans. For example, there were posts making funny nicknames about the virus, making jokes on people who didn’t wash their hands and even humorous posts where people were trying to figure out what exactly is going on in the world currently.
However, one post that stood out to me was the realization amongst other African-Americans that this situation was another issue that we could handle. Though this situation has been chaotic, living a life of an African-American is chaotic within itself. Not once in history have African-Americans had a place of stability once living within America. There have been constant events, such as slavery, civil rights movement and even varied systmatic efforts to negatively impact and harm this culture. Even in modern day, African-Americans have to face continued discrimination and racism, but in a more systematic manner through decreased oppourtunities and increased hinderances based on skin color. Because of this reality, African-Americans have always had to make the best out of an unjust and wild reality.
When comparing this pandemic to historical events that have negatively affected African-Americans, this incident has not topped the list. Though this virus is being taken seriously, finding a way to prevail is not a new concept for the individuals within this culture. Therefore, though this epidemic is having a dramatic effect on individuals, it is important to find positive aspects to focus on. Even with the uncertainty that is present, harping on this reality will not improve the overall situation. Furthermore, though situations are looking grim, trouble does not last forever.
Categories: Opinions
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