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[otter]

I've spent some energy the past couple days inviting my white friends who have posted jokes about eating pets to consider the racism they are spreading by doing so. I'm doing this in support of friends who have posted about how hurtful it is to them as Japanese and Chinese people. For instance, one friend wrote - "There’s a lot to process today but one thing that keeps surfacing for me is the baseless accusation of immigrants eating pets. This old trope has been aimed at Asian communities for decades. Maybe it was worse in the 70s and 80s and that’s why it is poking at a personal wound." Another wrote "Okay, I am copying and pasting this, so I am making a post. Leave the bullshit pet eating thing alone. Most of the jokes about it that I have seen are sarcastic and play into it, and sarcastic racism is still racism. And it puts my kids and other immigrants in danger. Cut it out." I grew up hearing this crap pointed at the Hmong and Laotian refugee communities in my city. Coincidentally (?), it's only white friends who have been sharing the memes. Nearly all of those I've messaged directly have taken down the memes.