By Tahir Mahmood

Due to a racial discriminating commentary published earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal is arousing growing anger in the international community. The fire has now burned into its own home.

53 employees of the Wall Street Journal recently sent a joint e-mail to the newspaper's management, requesting that the title of the commentary "China is the real sick man in Asia" previously published be amended, and an apology be made to the offender. The employees said in the email that this is not a matter of editorial independence or the division between news reports and comments. This is a wrong title and it deeply offends many people, including the Chinese.

This kind of understanding is objective and permissive, showing that rationality and conscience are always the shining point of human nature, and they leave no place for maliciousness and prejudice.

On February 3rd, the Wall Street Journal published a commentary written by Walter Russell Mead, a conservative diplomat in the United States, who used extreme arrogance and ignorance to denigrate China's efforts to fight the epidemic. At the same time, the editor of the Wall Street Journal gave the article a racist headline such as "China is the real sick man in Asia." This caused great indignation among the Chinese people and was widely condemned by the international community.

As we all know, the United States is a multi-ethnic country. Racial discrimination is not only politically incorrect, but also a morally prohibited area, which violates universally acknowledged Codes of Conduct. The Wall Street Journal, for an eye-catching publicity, blatantly adopts racist headlines, violates basic professional ethics, subverts the objective, fair and accurate reporting principles advertised by the newspaper, and even loses the most basic compassion and conscience.

Because of this, Mr. Ocampo, an associate professor at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, criticized the title for describing the epidemic in an inhumane way, "where is their humanity?" Joe, a professor of Ethnic studies at the University of California, Berkeley further pointed out that "The views expressed by a mainstream American media will cause more fear and anxiety, as well as hostility to the Chinese and other Asians around the world, which is extremely harmful and wrong."

What's even more outrageous is that in the face of China's repeated solemn representations and a White House petition launched by hundreds of thousands of overseas Chinese to demand an apologize, the Wall Street Journal adopted an "ostrich policy", refusing to apologize and to deal with those responsible with the so-called relatively independent news reports and comments. Is this arrogant or lacking courage?

In the face of malice and discredit, China is not a "silent lamb." Recently, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the revocation of three Wall Street Journal reporters' press cards in Beijing as a response to the newspaper's slanderous, discriminatory report and refusal to apologize. This is a consequence of China's handling of foreign journalists' affairs in accordance with laws and regulations, and is also a consequence that the Wall Street Journal must take for its own actions.

It is ridiculous that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned China's legitimate move to defend its rights and interests in the name of "free speech". Did the Wall Street Journal's racist headline speak of Mr. Pompeo? If so, that is really the sadness of American politics.

Now, the joint e-mail of 53 employees of the Wall Street Journal strongly proves that this incident is not a question of freedom of speech as Mr. Pompeo said, nor is it simply a matter of news business, but naked racism.

At the critical moment of the current epidemic prevention and control, what the Wall Street Journal is doing is actually sending a red flag: in the United States and some western countries, racist words and deeds against China or the Chinese are resurgent. This will not only undermine current global efforts to prevent and control the epidemic, but will also create hidden dangers to world peace and development.

It is noticed that the 53 employees of the Wall Street Journal, in the joint email, also analyzed the stakes and pointed out that if the relevant actions are not taken, the Wall Street Journal's brand, reporting ability and staff morale may be damaged. Regarding these cautionary words, the newspaper's senior management should carefully consider and reflect, and give, as soon as possible, practical explanations to these calm and rational employees, to China and the world, so as not to damage its old reputation as well as basic moral conscience.

The author is Tahir Mahmood, a senior producer of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.