OPINION:
Annapolis, Maryland, city officials accepted 40,000 face masks from China — a gift from “sister city” Changsha that came this week in boxes decorated with American and Chinese flags alongside cheery messages that read, “Go, City of Annapolis!” and “True unity inspires people to work as one.”
Does anybody else see anything wrong with this picture?
China is the country blamed for unleashing the coronavirus pandemic on the American people — on the world, for that matter. The pandemic that led to mandates on American citizens — on citizens of the world, for that matter — to wear face masks. And Annapolis pols are willing to take free face masks from this country, ostensibly to pass along to citizens in their jurisdiction — to wear?
“Pompeo, In Landmark Speech: China Is World’s Biggest Threat,” one Real Clear Politics headline blasted in late July, about remarks made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
“FBI director: China is ’greatest threat’ to US,” BBC News wrote in a headline in early July, above a story on Christopher Wray’s views on the communist nation.
“China is the ’most serious threat’ to the United States, says former security advisor to Obama,” wrote CNBC in January, in a piece on how even a former Barack Obama official regarded China and its aspirations to replace America as the “dominant culture” of the world.
Seems some food for thought.
Seems worthy of a mull or two, at least — before taking face masks from the country that started the whole face masking movement, that is.
Annapolis City Manager David Jarrell said Changsha, which was established by a previous city administrator as the Maryland community’s “sister city,” offered the face masks in April, at a time of high need and low supplies. And now, with coronavirus case positives still a concern, plans are for about half the masks to go toward public safety employees and the other half, for citizens in need, The Capital Gazette reported.
How cozy.
“Go, City of Annapolis! Best Wishes from Changsha! True unity inspires people to work as one to overcome adversity,” the messages on the boxes read, The Associated Press wrote.
“We sincerely wish you and everyone in Annapolis continued good health, and the fortitude to persevere during this challenging period,” a note from Yani Xia, a representative in Changsha’s Foreign Affairs Office read, AP reported.
“International friendships like this bridge divides. I’m grateful for the gift of the masks, but I’m even more grateful for what it says about the hopefulness of the human condition,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said, AP reported.
That’s one way to look at it. Another?
“[The coronavirus] was a product of the Chinese Communist party and until we get some information about what happened in those labs or what happened in that wet market we know that virus was spawned in China,” said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said, in a June interview on CNN, reported by The Hill.
Another way to look at it is China’s not exactly the standard-bearer for “human condition” hopes and dreams.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter by clicking HERE.
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