Dear PoPville – Can We Talk About Marion Barry’s Comments for a Sec?

Photo by flickr user JamesCalder

Dear PoPville,

My friends and I are particularly enraged by the most recent comments from Marion Barry about Asian business owners during his victory speech. Would be great for readers to see this and help start a movement that makes it clear that this kind of bigotry is not acceptable in any form in the District of Columbia – especially from elected officials. These unacceptable comments need to be addressed by the Mayor and the rest of Council…

Quote from Fox 5: “We’ve got to do something about these Asians coming in, opening up businesses — those dirty shops” Barry said Tuesday night after winning the Democratic primary for the City’s Ward 8 Seat and effectively securing a third council term.

Barry went on to say “They ought to go. I’ll just say that right now, you know. But we need African American Businesspeople to be able to take their places, too.”

Ed. Note: Sorry I was unable to post this yesterday, I was away from my computer in the afternoon.

Fox 5 has since posted that CM Barry has apologized:

“In a statement, he says he is “deeply apologetic for any harm that I have caused.”

On Tuesday night in the hours after securing another primary victory for City Council in Ward 8, Barry told his supporters this:

“We got to do something about these Asians coming in and opening up businesses and dirty shops. They ought to go. I’m going to say that right now. But we need African-American businesspeople to be able to take their places too.”

But until about 4 p.m. Thursday, Barry refused to back down, telling reporters in his office the Asian merchants needed a new attitude. Barry criticized the merchants for not reinvesting in the community and suggesting the ward would be better off with merchants from Ethiopia.