An unfortunate incident involving racial slurs abruptly interrupted a political event in San Francisco this weekend, reports
KRON, but calmer heads have prevailed.
San Francisco Mayoral candidate Jane Kim was speaking at an event in San Francisco’s Fillmore District, a neighborhood that was once largely African Americans, but has been hit with Black flight largely caused by gentrification and San Francisco’s expensive housing prices.
Also present was Mark Leno, a White LGBT candidate. Not present was London Breed, an African American candidate.
A Breed supporter screamed out racial slurs at Kim and wondered aloud why Breed was not invited.
Both Kim and Breed issued comments that hopefully will calm the situation.
Yesterday, an unfortunate incident, was caught on video at a venue in Fillmore. I do not take it personally *and* I’m not going to let this divide our city, no matter who you support for mayor. My statement is below: pic.twitter.com/s6sOL5VRF2
— Jane Kim 金貞妍 (@JaneKim) May 13, 2018
“We have enough divisive, homophobic, xenophobic, anti-black comments coming from the White House,” Kim said to NBC Bay Area . “We here in San Francisco are better than that.”
“I think what’s most important to do is not focus on what divides us, but focus on what brings us together.” said Breed. She condemned the remarks and said she does not condone or support them.
Leno and Kim are both from the city’s progressive community while Breed is considered moderate. Under San Francisco’s complicated rank choice voting system, voters get to rank their choices for mayor. Kim and Leno have urged their supporters to make them their first and second choices.
Breed who is president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, automatically took over as interim mayor following the death of Ed Lee. However, the position was only temporary until the Board of Supervisors, could choose a permanent interim mayor pending the upcoming June special election. In a surprise move, the board chose not to select Breed saying it would give her an unfair advantage going into the election. Instead, the progressives struck a deal with moderate Supervisor Mark Ferrell and made him the interim mayor. The decision was made after the filing date for the election-meaning Ferrell would be unable to declare for the mayor’s race.
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RE: Asian American candidate hits with racial slurs by rival’s supporter: “Unfortunate” and “cooler heads have prevailed”? Can we as Asians bend over any more than what we’re doing when faced with full in your face racism? What was yelled at her was not some innocuous remark but overt racism directed at the “meek” Asians again. It was so far beyond the bounds of acceptability that to hear you try and talk in such a conciliatory tone infuriates me to no end. It just tells me that you’re another self loathing Asian liberal democrat obsequiously bowing to all other races. Please, do like me and do reality, not causes…