The June 5 story “‘Get your knee off our necks’: George Floyd mourned in Minneapolis” does a great job in giving a fair and accurate perspective to the protests in the United States. We have all witnessed the gruesome murder of George Floyd on the TV. Floyd’s last words will be forever ingrained in the memories of all Americans. The protests show the power of American democracy and the will of the American people. The pandemic did not stop Americans from protesting the most horrible killing of an unarmed citizen.

What is ironical and disturbing is that the Western media has been silent about the 100,000-plus Americans (dis-proportionally African Americans) who were unable to breathe under the COVID-19 pandemic. It is indisputable that while China was preventing domestic travel, it allowed international travel from Wuhan. China was also stocking up PPEs to sell them for profit. More than half a million have lost their lives due to the Chinese cover-up and greed. Unfortunately, such discussions in Western media are immediately branded as racist!

If Americans boycotted Chinese products with the same zeal as they are protesting police racism, the Chinese Communist Party would have to kneel to the Chinese people and the world. However, the media is unwilling to accept the truth about 60,000-plus African Americans who could not breath because of the Chinese cover-up. Being economically disadvantaged, African Americans disproportionally lose their livelihoods to Chinese imports. The path to racial equality in the U.S. begins from a boycott of Chinese imports. Seeing the resolve of American people in the protests, such a boycott can take place very quickly. Only if the media is willing to tell the truth.

Gaurav Pandey

New York

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.