--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got back from Toronto, where they had a…" description: "\"I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak of SARS- you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome.\" — Margaret Cho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png" --- # I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak… ![“I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak of SARS- you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome.” quote by Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png) > “I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak of SARS- you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome.” [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She satirizes the conflation of disease with racism, highlighting how fear can morph into prejudice. **In simple terms:** Disease and racism can be linked in jokes. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge hidden biases. Themes racism stigma health crises Mood critical ironic Type satirical commentary When to use this quote - public health discussions - media analysis - social activism Key Concepts social commentary satire identity politics Questions to Reflect On - How does humor affect perception of racism? - Can satire change attitudes? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay serious issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) [Outbreak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outbreak/) [Outbreaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outbreaks/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Sars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sars/) [Syndromes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/syndromes/) ## Related quotes > [I was in Toronto when they had a severe outbreak of SARS - you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome. I was in the airport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-was-in-toronto-when-they-had-a-severe-outbreak-of-sars-you-know/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [The true clerc is Vauvenargues, Lamarck, Fresnel, Spinoza, Schiller, Baudelaire, César Franck, who were never diverted from single-hearted adoration of the beautiful and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/the-true-clerc-is-vauvenargues-lamarck-fresnel-spinoza-schiller/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [We cannot think of the old days when we were dealing with SARS. It's a totally different ballgame now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chan/we-cannot-think-of-the-old-days-when-we-were-dealing-with-sars-it-s-a/) [Margaret Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chan/) > [ No department or locality may, or will be allowed to, interfere in the affairs which should be administered by \[the SAR\] on its own, ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-zemin/no-department-or-locality-may-or-will-be-allowed-to-interfere-in-the/) [Jiang Zemin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-zemin/) > [The Chinese government tried to keep a lid on the SARS crisis, but there were 160 million text messages in three days sent by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/the-chinese-government-tried-to-keep-a-lid-on-the-sars-crisis-but/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [“We know the hypocrites amongst us...it is either you Ṣòro Sókè or stay mute ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olawale-daniel/we-know-the-hypocrites-amongst-us-it-is-either-you-ro-s-k-or-stay-mute/) [Olawale Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olawale-daniel/) > [This syndrome, SARS, is now a worldwide health threat... The world needs to work together to find its cause, cure the sick and stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gro-harlem-brundtland/this-syndrome-sars-is-now-a-worldwide-health-threat-the-world-needs/) [Gro Harlem Brundtland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gro-harlem-brundtland/) > [One of the things that I realized when I left office was that in the 1990's citizens across the world applied more power than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/one-of-the-things-that-i-realized-when-i-left-office-was-that-in-the/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Gore is nature's way of saying, "There are too many human beings on the planet, and I'm trying to rectify this any way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/gore-is-nature-s-way-of-saying-there-are-too-many-human-beings-on-the/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [SARS is just made up by the Government of the United States!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bif-naked/sars-is-just-made-up-by-the-government-of-the-united-states/) [Bif Naked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bif-naked/) > [Chashkin Sar was virgin, and we climbed it for the first time, and afterwards, the people renamed it as Samina Baig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samina-baig/chashkin-sar-was-virgin-and-we-climbed-it-for-the-first-time-and/) [Samina Baig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samina-baig/) > [SARS was a very important event... And many countries have learned from SARS... The SARS event sort of gave them additional impetus and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chan/sars-was-a-very-important-event-and-many-countries-have-learned-from/) [Margaret Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chan/) > [We saw in 2003 the beginnings of an outbreak of an illness called SARS. SARS ended up killing 800 people which is a significant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-saw-in-2003-the-beginnings-of-an-outbreak-of-an-illness-called/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm the perfect candidate to be affected by SARS. I'm highly susceptible to infections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-santo/i-m-the-perfect-candidate-to-be-affected-by-sars-i-m-highly/) [Ron Santo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-santo/) > [ Behold me waiting—waiting for the knife… The thick, sweet mystery of chloroform, The drunken dark, the little death-in-life… \[F\]ace to face with chance, I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ernest-henley/behold-me-waiting-waiting-for-the-knife-the-thick-sweet-mystery-of/) [William Ernest Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ernest-henley/) ## More by Margaret Cho > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm super-obsessed with 'Intervention.' I wrote a song about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-super-obsessed-with-intervention-i-wrote-a-song-about-it/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I have 3 dogs myself - I actually have a kennel license in order to do so. I love them so much I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-have-3-dogs-myself-i-actually-have-a-kennel-license-in-order-to-do/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think self-deprecation is such a disease, and I want to cure everybody of it and so that's my contribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-self-deprecation-is-such-a-disease-and-i-want-to-cure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I don't like pot anymore -- I forget why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-don-t-like-pot-anymore-i-forget-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I'm not a mom, but I think the word 'mother' is about wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-m-not-a-mom-but-i-think-the-word-mother-is-about-wisdom/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [That we are selfish gives us the opportunity to gain the power so that, in time, we might be selfless. To give back what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/that-we-are-selfish-gives-us-the-opportunity-to-gain-the-power-so/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Why can't all different types of women be considered beautiful? Why can't we can't we all be considered possible love interests?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/why-can-t-all-different-types-of-women-be-considered-beautiful-why/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I think that failure is just as important as success. In a way, failure is a kind of success if you can look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-think-that-failure-is-just-as-important-as-success-in-a-way-failure/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I could never make a joke about somebody unless I could say it to their face and they'd laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-could-never-make-a-joke-about-somebody-unless-i-could-say-it-to/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [Sometimes when we are generous in small, barely detectable ways it can change someone else's life forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/sometimes-when-we-are-generous-in-small-barely-detectable-ways-it-can/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ Something as important as marriage equality, which is now a constitutional right \[in the USA\], is something that cannot be denied. It's also very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/something-as-important-as-marriage-equality-which-is-now-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's not the best between my family and me. There are so many crimes left unpunished, debts unpaid, white elephants in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-not-the-best-between-my-family-and-me-there-are-so-many-crimes/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [It's okay for you to have relationships, but it's not okay to talk about them. It's not okay to be out or to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/it-s-okay-for-you-to-have-relationships-but-it-s-not-okay-to-talk/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [My attitude toward peace does not depend on which war we are discussing. I think that words should do the work of bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/my-attitude-toward-peace-does-not-depend-on-which-war-we-are/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) [Explore all 285 Margaret Cho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) ## More Asian quotes > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [If you do a black character or a female character or an Asian character, then they aren't just that character. They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/) [David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/) > [When you are in America, at least for me, as an immigrant, I try to be as Americanized as I could. I just want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-you-are-in-america-at-least-for-me-as-an-immigrant-i-try-to-be/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [I always tell Asian actors, especially Filipinos wanting to break into Hollywood, to study, study and study and show their best. I haven't stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-lee/i-always-tell-asian-actors-especially-filipinos-wanting-to-break-into/) [Reggie Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-lee/) > [The narrative needs to change. Asian-American actresses don't want to be the damsels in distress anymore. We don't want to be saved, especially by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-chung/the-narrative-needs-to-change-asian-american-actresses-don-t-want-to/) [Jamie Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-chung/) > [It's always fun to see faces that are either familiar or resemble yours. I was fascinated by movies like 'Big Trouble in Little China'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-chin-han/it-s-always-fun-to-see-faces-that-are-either-familiar-or-resemble/) [Ng Chin Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-chin-han/) > [In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia's permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/in-view-of-china-s-growing-military-strength-and-intentions-the-best/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [I think Li Na and some other Chinese ladies have done so many amazing things for Asian tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/i-think-li-na-and-some-other-chinese-ladies-have-done-so-many-amazing/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [I don't want to have people brought in simply because they are black or Asian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-phillips/i-don-t-want-to-have-people-brought-in-simply-because-they-are-black/) [Trevor Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-phillips/) > [We grew up in rural Arkansas without any Koreans close by, and when I go to Korea feel out of place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/we-grew-up-in-rural-arkansas-without-any-koreans-close-by-and-when-i/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [I've been lucky to come up when there's such a huge explosion of women, and especially Asian women, in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-zauner/i-ve-been-lucky-to-come-up-when-there-s-such-a-huge-explosion-of/) [Michelle Zauner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-zauner/) > [I knew I was half Chinese, but Iceland is so homogenous that I wasn't able to identify with the Asian part of myself. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laufey/i-knew-i-was-half-chinese-but-iceland-is-so-homogenous-that-i-wasn-t/) [Laufey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laufey/) [Browse all 1,157 Asian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak of SARS- you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Cho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a-severe-outbreak-of-sars-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Asian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a-severe-outbreak-of-sars-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68b/margaret-cho-1136_asian_i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a_1362783.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I got back from Toronto, where they had a severe outbreak of SARS- you know, Severe Asian Racism Syndrome.” — Margaret Cho", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Cho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I got back from Toronto, where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a-severe-outbreak-of-sars-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/i-got-back-from-toronto-where-they-had-a-severe-outbreak-of-sars-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```