NEW YORK — Andrew Yang was forceful Friday, denouncing offensive comments recalling anti-Asian violence.
Two WABC radio hosts said there’d be "one big hate crime coming" when their colleague and Republican candidate for mayor Curtis Sliwa defeats Yang in the general election.
Yang said, “There’s politics and then there’s, frankly, right and wrong and a sense of humanity. And I hope we can do better.”
This, as the frontrunner in the Democratic race for mayor faced criticism himself for a different set of remarks, ones he made earlier this week to an influential LGBTQ political club.
“You’re so human and beautiful," he told Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City on Wednesday. "You make New York City special. I have no idea how we ever lose to the Republicans given that you all are frankly in leadership roles all over the Democratic Party.”
What You Need To Know
- Yang denounced remark by WABC hosts making light of anti-Asian hate crimes
- He separately faced fire for comments he made to influential LGBTQ political group
- Yang was on Staten Island to call for opioid addiction to be treated as public health crisis
Club members described those and other comments as cringeworthy, jarring and tone deaf. They said it was a failure to address their actual concerns.
At the meeting, Yang also noted he has gay backers running and endorsing his campaign.
The former presidential candidate said the same thing Friday while referencing those more substantive issues that the club members had criticized him for initially neglecting to discuss.
“I’m honored that both of my co-campaign managers are gay," Yang said while on Staten Island. "And we have to do everything we can to get services for people that are struggling right now. Unfortunately, people in the LGBTQ community are in many cases suffering from joblessness and health care issues and homelessness at higher levels.”
The Stonewall Dems ultimately endorsed City Comptroller Scott Stringer for mayor, ranking former nonprofit leader Dianne Morales and former Wall Street executive Ray McGuire as their second and third choices, respectively.
Club president Rose Christ told NY1 on Friday that she was disappointed to hear Yang continue to reference his LGBTQ staff as his bonafides.
Maya Wiley, another candidate in the crowded primary, also called out that approach.
“Whenever anyone says, I’m not racist, I have Black friends, I want to sit down with them and have a conversation about what it is that they do not understand about race in America," Wiley said. "I am sure that there are so many folks who are in the LGBTQ community who must be having that same feeling.”
Silwa responded later Friday to Yang's condemnation of the "Bernie & Sid in the Morning" hosts making light of anti-Asian crimes but he did not outrightly disavow the remark.
"I have led patrols in Chinatown and was the first to bring awareness to hate crimes against Asian-Americans long ago," he said, adding that he would debate Yang on the issue since he's a "real New Yorker."
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The Link LonkApril 24, 2021 at 09:11AM
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Yang condemns anti-Asian joke while explaining LGBTQ remarks - Spectrum News NY1
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