4 ms·

Or a whole bunch of scared people were trying to do something to help their family back home. I'm an expat, living abroad, with a large group of expat friends.

Or a whole bunch of scared people were trying to do something to help their family back home. I'm an expat, living abroad, with a large group of expat friends. Everyone is doing the same thing - thinking about what resources we have access to relative to our families and friends back home, and wondering what we can send them and they can send us.

seh4 7y ago
>Or a whole bunch of scared people were trying to do something to help their family back home. These people bought pallet-loads of masks, gloves, thermometers, and other supplies: >https://old.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/comments/euijsd/man_at_a_local_home_depot_clearing_out_all_n95/ https://old.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/comments/euijsd/man_at_a_... This wasn't people buying supplies for their family and friends back home. At best, it was profiteering (hoping to resell at a steep markup), and at worst, it was an organized effort by the CCP to weaken other countries, including the US.
- zxcmx 7y ago
  I just don't think the assumption of malice is required, or particularly credible. People want to help! Do you believe if a virus started in, I don't know, Seattle with 10's of thousands infected, that U.S. citizens, foundations and companies wouldn't be shipping in all the PPE they could get their hands on from everywhere in the world? Would you assume they were doing this maliciously or that there was some nefarious government plot?
  - eitland 7y ago
    Support this. When Finland was last attacked by the Russians many in my (grand-)grandparents generation collected and shipped gear as best they could. Many also traveled for days to join the Finnish resistance. We also have a tradition of sending aid elsewhere as well. I'd expect others to do the same, especially if it is yhwir families who are caught in the middle and they are safe (for now) like most assumed back in January and February. I guess the reaponse just became extreme this time.

seh4 7y ago

>Or a whole bunch of scared people were trying to do something to help their family back home. These people bought pallet-loads of masks, gloves, thermometers, and other supplies: >https://old.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/comments/euijsd/man_at_a_local_home_depot_clearing_out_all_n95/ https://old.reddit.com/r/SeattleWA/comments/euijsd/man_at_a_... This wasn't people buying supplies for their family and friends back home. At best, it was profiteering (hoping to resell at a steep markup), and at worst, it was an organized effort by the CCP to weaken other countries, including the US.

zxcmx 7y ago
I just don't think the assumption of malice is required, or particularly credible. People want to help! Do you believe if a virus started in, I don't know, Seattle with 10's of thousands infected, that U.S. citizens, foundations and companies wouldn't be shipping in all the PPE they could get their hands on from everywhere in the world? Would you assume they were doing this maliciously or that there was some nefarious government plot?
- eitland 7y ago
  Support this. When Finland was last attacked by the Russians many in my (grand-)grandparents generation collected and shipped gear as best they could. Many also traveled for days to join the Finnish resistance. We also have a tradition of sending aid elsewhere as well. I'd expect others to do the same, especially if it is yhwir families who are caught in the middle and they are safe (for now) like most assumed back in January and February. I guess the reaponse just became extreme this time.