JOHN CHO, APRIL 22, 2020, Los Angles Times

I called my parents a few nights ago to tell them to be cautious when stepping out of the house, because they might be targets of verbal or even physical abuse. It felt so strange. Our roles had flipped.

My plea mirrored the admonitions I received from them as a child growing up in Houston. The world, they cautioned, was hostile and it viewed us as strangers. So they warned me to stick close to my family. Close to my kind.

We have found unity during the COVID-19 pandemic: we as human beings are all vulnerable.

The coronavirus outbreak has revealed how critical it is for all of us to find common ground in today’s polarized world.

There has been a dramatic difference in the success of various countries in fighting this virus. In South Korea, the leaders assembled quickly, resolved their differences, implemented essential measures and effectively controlled the infection.