Civil Rights leaders in San Jose are calling for Assemblymember Kansen Chu to resign over “racist and bigoted” comments he made in a Chinese language newspaper, The Mercury News reports.
Chu allegedly made the comments in a World Journal article published on June 11 about ACA 5, a constitutional amendment would that would ask voters to decide whether to repeal California’s ban on affirmative action in November. The San Jose-Silicon Valley NAACP provided a translation of the article. They say Chu said that Hispanic American parents told him“ they did not care about their children’s education, they are busy with their livelihoods, and they did not intend to let their children attend college.”
They allege Chu said that, “many Hispanic and African ethnic groups are unable to compete or have the ability to continue their studies due to unresolved structural economic and educational problems.” Chu also allegedly mocked young Asian Americans who support repealing the ban on affirmative action, San Jose Inside reports.
Chu’s comments have been condemned by leaders throughout the Bay Area.
“It’s absurd for him to even say that. No parent would even dare say that about their kids,” Victor Garza, Chairman of La Raza Roundtable de California said in an interview Tuesday, according to The Mercury News.
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Chu’s opponent in the Santa Clara County supervisor race, Otto Lee criticized Chu for using non-English media to make racist statements.
“To use non-English media to make racist statements and mislead his Chinese-speaking constituents about this vote is incredibly troubling,” Lee added. “To speak with such openly prejudiced rhetoric hidden under the veil of a language barrier is both unacceptable and tone deaf to this moment in our nation’s history.”
Chu has denied making those comments claiming his remarks were translated incorrectly and that the reporter inserted their own opinion, San Jose Inside reports.
“I unequivocally deny saying that Latinos do not value education,” he said. “I did say that there are systemic barriers for Latinos and African American students.”
But many aren’t buying Chu’s denial.
“Most people that are in trouble when they are elected officials, the first thing they say is, ‘They took it out of context,’ and that is not true. No, he’s lying. Blatantly lying to the people,” Garza said of Chu.
Ex-assemblymember Paul Fong, also told San Jose Inside he wasn’t convinced by Chu’s explanation. He hopes that Chu “spends more time truly listening to the hopes, dreams and struggles residents of color face before making sweeping and inaccurate generalizations.”
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RE: Silicon Valley civil rights leaders call for Assemblymember to resign over alleged racist remarks: I strongly support Kanson, he did the right thing !
#NOACA5
Tom’s comment is one of 10 similar comments we received all in the span of 60 minutes. We acknowledge the orchestrated effort on behalf of the no on ACA5 supporters.
RE: Silicon Valley civil rights leaders call for Assemblymember to resign over allege racist remarks: As a token POC he should have a better plan in place before dismantling one that benefits all POC