HarperCollins, one of the largest publishing houses in the world, has chosen to give a megaphone to Senator Tom Cotton—a politician known for promoting racism and driving war. His new book, “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China,” is not a work of insight or truth. It’s a calculated piece of propaganda designed to stoke fear, justify aggression, and push the U.S. toward dangerous conflict with China.
Add your name to demand that HarperCollins stop publishing dangerous, pro-war propaganda and take accountability for the harm they’re causing.
Dear HarperCollins Editorial Team,
We are writing to express our outrage and deep concern over your decision to publish Senator Tom Cotton’s book, “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China.” The book is not a work of courageous inquiry, but a dangerous piece of propaganda that spreads anti-China hate, stokes the fires of war, and platforms a man with a track record of racism, xenophobia, and warmongering.
The book promotes paranoid, conspiratorial claims, starting with the baseless theory that COVID-19 was a “deliberate” bioweapon from China. Cotton admits he relied on “common sense” rather than facts, evidence, or science. He then proceeds to paint China’s global presence as an existential threat, calling it an “evil empire” bent on destroying the American way of life. These are not reasoned arguments. They are dangerous lies designed to whip up fear, justify aggression, and create a scapegoat for America’s problems.
By publishing this book, you are giving legitimacy to some who:
- Openly advocates for military confrontation with China.
- Strongly supports unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, despite ongoing genocide.
- Encouraged deploying U.S. military against peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020.
- Said the U.S. should put more prisoners in Guantanamo Bay to “rot in hell.”
- Called for bombing Iran in multiple op-eds and public appearances.
- Referred to slavery as a “necessary evil” upon which the U.S. was built.
- Advocated for invading The Hague if U.S. or Israeli officials were ever prosecuted for war crimes.
- Consistently pushes for expanding U.S. military force globally, including more weapons in Asia and more defense spending.
- Someone who has denied the existence of systemic racism in America.
- A man who voted against LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant protections, and women’s safety.
- A warmonger who advocates sending troops against U.S. protesters and detaining people indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay to “rot in hell”
- Denied the existence of systemic racism in the U.S. criminal justice system after the murder of George Floyd.
- Opposed federal legislation to investigate COVID-19 hate crimes, amid rising anti-Asian violence.
- Consistently votes against immigrant rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and reproductive rights.
- Received millions in campaign support and bundled donations from AIPAC and pro-Israel lobbying groups while aggressively defending Israeli military actions and opposing Palestinian human rights.
- Has financial ties to defense contractors and arms manufacturers through PACs that support his campaigns, aligning with his consistent push for military escalation.
- Uses dehumanizing language and paranoia as weapons to promote war and rewrites history to suit a U.S. imperial narrative.
You have chosen to amplify a voice that represents racism and hate. Tom Cotton is the poster child for a calculated campaign to manufacture consent for hostility toward China, and to deepen division and suspicion at home.
Your publication of this book helps normalize pro-war rhetoric. It contributes to the growing climate of anti-Asian hate. And it tells the public that stoking fear and demonizing entire nations is acceptable, even profitable.
We urge you to:
- Acknowledge the harm this book causes to Asian American communities and U.S.-China relations.
- Commit to editorial standards that reject hate, fear-mongering, and imperial warmongering.
- Stop giving a platform to public figures who promote racism and war.
- Develop a better fact-checking department to thoroughly analyze all academic literature prior to publishing.
The world does not need more conflict. It needs understanding, cooperation, and truth. You have the power to help shape that future.
We call on you to take responsibility. Stop publishing hate. Stop driving war.
Sincerely,