DC’s Marion Barry Apologizes for Comments Against Asian Businesses

April 6th, 2012 - By Charlotte Young

http://teamyee.tv

Just two days after making disparaging remarks against Asian businesses in Washington DC’s ward eight, the ward’s councilman Marion Barry has apologized.

“I apologize to the Asian community for anything I said that was harmful, but my record is impeccable,” Barry told WUSA 9News Now. “I have fought all of my life against discrimination and I never disparage any group.”

Shorty after winning the Democratic nomination for his for re-election as Ward eight’s councilman, Barry remarked on the community’s need to re-engage and revitalize black businesses.

In his statement made on Tuesday, Barry claimed, “we’ve got to do something about these Asians coming in, opening up businesses, dirty shops. They ought to go, I’ll tell you that right now. But we need African-American business people to be able to take their place.”

His remarks immediately dismayed and outraged members of minority business associations and business owners alike.

“I was shocked and I couldn’t believe it, and I thought he misspoke,” Susan Au Allen, the president of the US Pan Asian Chamber of Commerce said to WUSA. In the past, Allen and Barry worked together on minority contracting issues in the city’s government. She acknowledged his past political achievements and said that he “was a good man” and “a hero.”

In his apology, Barry recognized that he had misspoken.

“I could have used, probably, a better choice of words to describe some merchants in Ward Eight and Ward Seven that come into our communities, sell us inferior products at high prices, sell us non-organic food, fruits and vegetables at these carry-outs, don’t hire anybody from the community, don’t participate in the community,” he said. “That’s not all of the people.”

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  • activist1

    Not the best way to put it but he does have a point (and this is coming from a person who normally does not agree with him). These are black communities and you do have plenty that come in, set up shop, and profit from our communities but make no effort to invest in them. To add insult to injury, some of these folks treat their customers like criminals sometimes. They don’t open up jobs for those in the community. He has good points here and plenty if us see it. We really have to make an effort to support black owned business and start more businessess in our own communities to address the issues he stated. Not pushing or forcing anyone out but making sure ours are included in. We really have to start taking that more serious and do more than just talk and complain about it. With that said I’ll be making my way to my favorite black/family owned cafe instead of Starbucks for my weekly latte

  • Idivinia

    I agree with him yes he could of word it better but not only the Asian community should be held accountable but any ethnicity even our own need to be held accountable. The black community want quality products and service like everyone else. If he is smart who should create a committee or association that will help build dialogue between the black& Asian community.