Editor’s Note: International Voice is a project that Daily Orange Opinion founded in partnership with WeMedia Lab, a student media organization at Syracuse University focusing on international students on campus.

A controversial column in The Daily Orange recently made rounds on WeChat, a popular social media platform among Chinese international students. The column criticizes the punishment of professor Jon Zubieta, who referred to COVID-19 as the “Wuhan Flu” and the “Chinese Communist Party Virus” in his class syllabus. Syracuse University placed Zubieta on leave, but the columnist considers the punishment an act of suppression toward freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech and political correctness have always been two controversial topics in the U.S. Can politically incorrect words be published in legacy media? Should freedom of speech be restricted to some extent? Zubieta was certainly not politically correct — President Donald Trump has repeatedly linked China with COVID-19 to slander the country.

The meaning behind “Wuhan Flu” is not as simple as naming hurricanes after people, as the columnist argues, nor can the phrase be separated from its impact. Whether the professor intended to convey an insult to China or Chinese people is unknown, but such behavior, even when unintentional, causes harm to international students.

On the surface, the intervention of university administration in placing the professor on leave does appear to hamper freedom of speech. SU’s actions mean that, as an institution, the university forbids teachers and staff from making certain statements. But, SU is completely within its rights as a private institution.

Although the government doesn’t have the right to restrict citizens’ speech, every citizen should be responsible for their speech, and institutions such as SU have the right to restrict and deal with the speech of their employees.

Freedom of speech has always been used as an excuse for the speaker to avoid taking responsibility. Too many racists use so-called “freedom of speech” as a shield to avoid criticism and punishment. But freedom of speech is only the legal right to protect your speech from the government. After that, everyone should be responsible for their own speech, and anyone can criticize it.

As Chinese international students, we have seen few negative media reports in China about the Chinese government. It is unfamiliar for us to accept criticism of our own country and the abuse of political parties, even though the definitions are quite different.

The Daily Orange column came from someone who has no understanding of the culture of China.

Just like when we think about Trump, a lot of negative news will come to mind due to this column. At a time of tense relations between the U.S. and China, will the media really convey a multi-faceted and three-dimensional world to the masses?

This column is a perfect representation of the products of biased media, filled with false equivalences and unfair predispositions. How can we not be angry, shocked and in disbelief?

Spreading negative opinions does not mean that they are correct — it just represents the American ideal of freedom of speech that the columnist wants to uphold so well. Therefore, even though the column is ridiculous, I am willing to defend its right to appear.

Alex Wang | Editor

WeMedia Lab

Published on September 2, 2020 at 12:53 am