A Yale University professor said the U.S. response to the coronavirus is "close to genocide." Gregg Gonsalves , a professor ...
A Yale University professor said the U.S. response to the coronavirus is "close to genocide."
Gregg Gonsalves, a professor of epidemiology and law at the Ivy League institution, blamed the Trump administration and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the novel coronavirus pandemic in the United States, calling it "awfully close to genocide by default."
"How many people will die this summer, before Election Day? What proportion of the deaths will be among African-Americans, Latinos, other people of color? This is getting awfully close to genocide by default. What else do you call mass death by public policy?" Gonsalves said on Wednesday.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that minorities have been subjected to the virus in greater proportions because of the rate black and Hispanic people fill "essential jobs."
"The risk of infection may be greater for workers in essential industries who continue to work outside the home despite outbreaks in their communities, including some people who may need to continue working in these jobs because of their economic circumstances," the CDC said.
How many people will die this summer, before Election Day? What proportion of the deaths will be among African-Americans, Latinos, other people of color? This is getting awfully close to genocide by default. What else do you call mass death by public policy? #COVID19 #coronavirus— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) May 6, 2020
The professor then asked his followers if the government could be held responsible for the growth of the disease in the country by foreign entities under international law.
"I am being serious here: what is happening in the US is purposeful, considered negligence, omission, failure to act by our leaders. Can they be held responsible under international law?" he said.
And I am being serious here: what is happening in the US is purposeful, considered negligence, omission, failure to act by our leaders. Can they be held responsible under international law?— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) May 6, 2020
Gonsalves continued his social media thread on Thursday, calling President Trump and first daughter Ivanka Trump "monsters," who are "responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans."
"Pray for your own souls today. You are monsters who care only about yourselves," he tweeted.
You, your father and your husband are responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans. Pray for your own souls today. You are monsters who care only about yourselves. https://t.co/oR09IPpb7N— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) May 7, 2020
Earlier, Gonsalves also shared a link to a site entitled "Trump Death Clock," specifically assigning blame to the president for the deaths caused by COVID-19.
Trump’s Delayed COVID-19 Response Cost American Lives. https://t.co/0yWEE4bYXE #trumpdeathclock #covid19 #coronavirus— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) May 7, 2020
More than 3.8 million have tested positive for the coronavirus globally. At least 268,999 people have died, and more than 1.2 million have recovered.
The U.S. has seen at least 1.25 million confirmed cases, with over 75,500 deaths and nearly 195,000 reported recoveries. A total of 8,105,513 people have been tested, according to the latest reading of the Johns Hopkins University tracker.
No comments