A current issue about which many are outraged is a statement by Chamath Palihapitiya, tech venture capitalist and part owner of the Golden State Warriors of the NBA. He claims disinterest in the plight of the Uyghur people of western China, who are abused by the China's Han majority.
Palihapitiya is a Sinhalese immigrant from Sri Lanka. Perhaps relevant is that the Sinhalese majority in Sri Lanka won a bitter civil war with the Tamil minority. It could be that as a member of a nation's majority which had a tough time dealing with a belligerent minority, he empathizes with China's Han majority.
Or, as I wrote two years ago,
At various times we’ve noted efforts to get Americans interested in the Chinese Han majority abusing the Uighur minority in western China. Also efforts to get Americans interested in the Burmese abuse of their Rohingya minority in western Myanmar.
None of these efforts have experienced much success. Which raises the question of why not? What the two minorities have in common - the Muslim faith.
Does this make them less sympathetic figures to Americans in this post 9-11 era? While you’d have a hard time getting educated people to admit it, I suspect the actual answer is “yes.”
Palihapitiya has a reputation for being outspoken. He may be saying what many are thinking but not saying, fearing reprisals.
