“I am a Xinjiang Person”: Weibo users rally against stereotyping in the wake of terrorist attack

After a terrorist attack on the Kunming Railway Station, which killed 29, was carried out by extremist Xinjiang separatists, some people have expressed fearful and derogatory statements about Xinjiang people and Uyghurs. Weibo users from Xinjiang and elsewhere in China are pushing back, urging their countrymen to stand against the stereotyping of Xinjiang people.

The topic “I am a Xinjiang Person” (我是新疆人) is trending and has spawned messages that have been liked over 10,000 times.

ChinaHush has translated some of the most popular messages:

Southern Mountain’s First Snow (born in Shihezi in Xinjiang, near Southern Mountain, now lives in Xi’an): Please do not give us Xinjiang people a bad name. Those terrorists are not qualified to represent us Xinjiang people! Terrorists are not qualified to represent Uyghurs! Emphatically, do not vent your anger towards Xinjiang people or Uyghurs. That is exactly what the separatists want. 56 nationalities are all family, no matter what ethnicity, they are all mostly good people! #I am a Xinjiang Person# #Spread Positive Energy# @米可GCS @萄葡树 @念安心语 @祁梦英 @肉肉的小小空间

请不要给我们新疆乱贴标签。暴徒没有资格代表我们新疆！暴徒也没有资格代表维吾尔族！千万不要向其它新疆人维吾尔人渲泄愤怒，那就正中分裂分子下怀。56个民族都是亲人，不论什么民族，都是好人多！#我是新疆人#！#传播正能量#！@米可GCS @萄葡树 @念安心语 @祁梦英 @肉肉的小小空间
– March 2, 1:50 pm, likes: over 14,700, shares: over 2,300, comments: over 6,200

Honey Pineapple Pineapple (born in Xinjiang): #I am a Xinjiang Person# This I have to say: In Xinjiang, there are over 260 violent terrorist incidents every year, but I have never heard anyone say, “Xinjiang don’t cry, Xinjiang stand strong.” The moment this kind of thing happens in the mainland, then there is every kind of prayer. The over 16 million people of Xinjiang are all scolded along with the few terrorists as dog shit. To this unjust thing, we can only say one thing: Xinjiang, stand strong! My big home Xinjiang is the best, I never regret being born in Xinjiang. http://t.cn/8keIjgN

蜜萝菠萝菠：#我是新疆人# 这个必须要说，新疆一年发生260多起暴恐事件，从来没人说新疆不哭、新疆挺住。内地一有这样事就各种祈福.新疆1600多万人民陪着几个暴恐份子被骂成狗屎了，这么冤枉的事，我们只能对家乡的人民说：新疆挺住！我大新疆最好，从不后悔生在新疆。 http://t.cn/8keIjgN
– March 3, 3:53 pm, likes: over 11,000, shares: over 3,200, comments: over 1,500

Wang Yaqi (lives in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi): I am a Xinjiang person, get to know me. My friends from across the country, what do you think of me? If you think I am a good person, please allow me to represent Xinjiang, because this land taught me how to be a person. Please, when you curse those terrorists who deserve to die 1,000 times, remove the three words “Xinjiang person” (新疆人), otherwise, our friendship ends here. Thank you. Because I hate the murderers even more than you. #I am a Xinjiang Person# #Pray for Kunming#

王亚琦_wten是新疆人 认识我的 那些祖国各地的小伙伴们 你们觉得我怎么样 如果觉得我很好 人不错 那请允许我代表新疆 因为这片土地教会我怎样做人 我请你们在咒骂那些该死一万次的恐怖份子时 去掉新疆人三个字 否则我们的友谊到此为止 谢谢 因为我比你们更痛恨凶手#我是新疆人##祈福昆明#
– March 2, 2:23 pm, likes: over 9,100, shares: over 500, comments: over 800

Ali Mu Jiang (lives in Urumqi): #I am a Xinjiang Person# I am a Xinjiang person. I will wear my ethnic clothing. I will speak my Uyghur language. But I am not a terrorist. My name is Jiang, but I’m not terrorists.

阿力木江: #我是新疆人# 我是新疆人，我会穿我的民族服装，我会说我的维吾尔语，但我不是恐怖分子。 My name is 江 , but I’m not terrorists
– March 3, 8:50 pm, likes: over 1,700, shares: over 160, comments: over 330

奥利弗晶 (lives in Urumqi): #I am a Xinjiang Person# I am a Xinjiang person, but I am not a terrorist; Just like if you are a Guangdong person, that doesn’t make you a prostitute [a reference to the Dongguan prostitution raid]. That’s what I mean—You understand!!!!

#我是新疆人# 我是新疆人，但我不是暴徒；就如同你是广东人，你却不是小姐； 我的意思—你懂得!！！!
– March 3, 10:31 am

乔见-付小狒狒: #I am a Xinjiang Person# Enter school, and you will find: Xinjiang classmates won’t be swinging a knife, Tibetans won’t be getting into mob fights all the time, Guangdong classmates can also be picky eaters, Shanghai people can still get along well, Beijing people aren’t always spouting bureaucratic nonsense. You can’t make sweeping generalizations about everyone based on one incident. If you view at the world through hearsay, then that is a tragedy for the Chinese people.

乔见-付小狒狒: #我是新疆人# 进入学校你会发现：新疆的同学也不会拿刀乱化、西藏人也不是随时都聚众打架、广东的同学也会挑食、上海人也很好相处、北京人也不是满口官腔。不能一概而论捕风捉影以偏概全。只能通过听说来观察这个世界，这才是中华民族的悲哀。
– March 2, 4:28 pm

赞古mama- shared a beautiful compilation of photos of Xinjiang along with her photo:

赞古mama-: #I am a Xinjiang Person# I was born in Urumqi and grew up in Urumqi. I am an innocent Xinjiang girl. In order to build the frontier land, my grandfather and grandmother came here as youths. Fragrant and delicious fruits, rich and fertile resources, deep blue skies, cordial people, exciting local songs and dances, modern cities. You shouldn’t say Xinjiang people are bad. I don’t have a way, because you don’t yet understand the friendliness and beauty here. I feel proud to be a Xinjiang person. The mountains are beautiful, the water is beautiful, and the people are even more beautiful. Beautiful Xinjiang.

赞古mama-：#我是新疆人# 我生在乌鲁木齐长在乌鲁木齐 纯纯的新疆姑娘 我的爷爷奶奶为建设边疆迁出大城市把大好青春留在这里 飘香的美食瓜果 丰饶的资源 湛蓝的天空 热情的人民 风情歌舞 现代化大都市 你非要说新疆不好我也没办法 因为你不曾了解这里的善与美 我为自己是新疆人而感到自豪 山美水美人更美 大美新疆
– March 3, 8:56 pm, likes: over 1,300, shares: over 250, comments: over 890