8 years ago I went with my class to a local mosque. The Imam personally thanked each and every one of us.
He said his kids were in school during 9/11. With us.
He was so thankful how we reacted. His family was called by locals in the area to make sure the mosque and its people were okay. His daughters were hugged just like everyone else during that painful time.
He again said thank you to all of us for helping his family to feel safe.
What’s funny though is we were kids. We didn’t know what the Middle East was. We just saw crying people and wanted them to feel better.
Honestly it’s probably both. Some kids probably heard his folks blaming the virus on Asians, while another kid read it online or the tv.
Sorry for getting heated. I was wrong. Life is more grey than I admit sometimes.