From Africa’s Ebola to China’s Coronavirus. What’s next?

The boat is sinking and none of us is spared. What else do we need to witness for us to finally realize that we all are in the same boat called humanity? The other day it was Ebola Africa that made the headlines to the point that Africans were easily pointed at in airports, public transportation (you remember Trevor Noah’s joke?) or simply denied a visa. It was one more issue with those Africans. On top of their other issues: wars, conflicts, famines, dictators…

Coming from a country in Africa that had experienced Ebola and having dealt with such biases, I know how it feels like being at the center of a conversation.
Then you wake up one day and read something like this: “China Coronavirus: 1st death outside Epicenter”. 

I happened to read a friend’s status on WhatsApp who overheard a conversation between two students on campus. One student was suggesting to the other to avoid getting in contact with Chinese students for the risk of being infected. But guess what! These two students are of an Asian appearance. Wait a minute! It seems that over a sudden the spotlights have turned from blacks, Africans to Chinese and anybody looking like one? They are now the target.

Here is my take. “If you are among those that still think that the others are the problem or the target or the victims, you are wrong.“

Them, the republicans. Them, the democrats. Them, the Christians. Them, the Muslims. Them, the illegal immigrants… Them, they are the problem.

Devasting fires, Katrina, Ebola, Coronavirus, HIV, Hurricane, Cholera, genocides, illegal immigration, famine… If you think others are to be blamed and not you, then think twice. The wheel is still spinning, and God knows what is next and where this one is going to strike.

It is high time we remember the words of Dr. Martin Luther Jr saying,

“We must learn to live together as brothers, or we will perish together as fools”.

Dr. Markin Luther King Jr.

You don’t need infrared glasses to realize that the lights are all red around us. They are signaling that it is high time we wake up and have a hard look at the realities around our planet, our one and only boat.

If we don’t act together now, …