People of colour?

Letter to Scientific American Dear Editors I have just read your editorial on the December issue of your magazine in which you focus on how the current Covid pandemic affects “people of colour” much more adversely than it does whites. Clearly the intent of the editorial is to highlight a condition that needs to be brought to the awareness of all—particularly of those who have the knowledge and ability to remedy the situation. I do wonder, though, if your basic thesis is correct, given that the incidence of people affected by the Corona virus in some notable non-white countries is much, much lower than it is in the US and in other Western countries—in Japan, for instance, where, so far, only about 2500 people have died of the virus, let alone China where (if we believe the reports that come from there) hardly any people have tested positive since last April. Given these facts, should not Sci-Am revise its position by making its claim valid only for the US, or for North America? I wonder, too, about your journal's insistence on referring to non-whites as “people of colour.” It would be nice to think that in drawing a distinction between people of colour and white people, the editors intend to highlight the colourfulness and vibrancy of the former and the blandness and dreariness of the latter. But I am afraid I would be kidding myself to think that way. What Sci-Am is doing, instead and alas, is the opposite: it perpetuates a distinction between us and them, between us privileged and them non-privileged—a distinction which, sadly, is the essence of racism. Ermes Culos Ashcroft BC Canada (Ps. You may find the attached article of some interest.) https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/adam-why-the-term-people-of-colour-is-offensive-to-so-many