Asian American leaders joined others in San Francisco condemning a billboard from long shot Mayoral candidate Ellen Zhou which depicts Mayor London Breed smoking a cigar surrounded by wads of cash.
“We’re here to deliver one message: Behind us is a vile and reprehensible political ad that is invoking racist, misogynistic and sexist perspectives,” the San Francisco Chronicle reported Assemblyman David Chiu (D-San Francisco).
“I stand with my fellow Asian American colleagues to condemn this type of racist propaganda and also to say to other voters, especially to Chinese American voters, do not vote for this candidate,” said Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer. “This is harmful. This is hurtful. This is damaging.”
Zhao says she has no plans to take the billboard down and says it points to the inaction of Mayor Breed to confront homelessness and drug dealing on the streets of San Francisco.
“This is a campain ad,” Zhou said to KTVU. It’s called freedom of speech. This is America.”
Mayor Breed says there are ways to criticize her policies without resorting to Black stereotypes.
“African American women are oversexualized” and far too often, Blacks of both genders are seen holding stacks of money and spending it frivolously,” said former San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen.
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce has also come out against the billboard.
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RE: AsianAmericans push back on “racist” billboard in mayoral campaign: I like the billboard! We Chinese should vote out the fake chinese who are so coward, not able to stand up for us.
Can we pay more taxes? Do we want to continue to fix the theft-broken windows of our cars? Do we want to continue to have our children to have this level of education in school?
We need more leaders like Ellen Zhou! She will take our City back!