New York – On Thursday, October 6, 2016, Assembymember Ron Kim, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Councilman Peter Koo, Yuh-Line Niou, candidate for 65th Assembly district, and their colleagues will be holding a rally in front of Fox News Channel headquarters protesting the recent “Watters’ World: Chinatown edition” segment on the O’Reilly Factor. They will be joined by fellow elected officials and community leaders in denouncing the offensive, racist segment at the front of the News Corp. building at 1211 6th Avenue in Manhattan, and calling on the Fox News Channel to both apologize and take action against those responsible.
WHO:
Assemblymember Ron Kim
Assemblymember Walter Mosley
Assemblymember Nily Rozic
NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer
Councilmember Peter Koo
Yuh-Line Niou, Candidate for 65th Assembly District
Members of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus of New York
OCA-NY
Community leaders of New York
WHERE:
Front of the News Corp. Building
1211 6th Avenue
(Intersection of 47th Street and 6th Avenue)
WHEN:
4:00 PM, Thursday, October 6, 2016
Statements from the Elected Officials
State Senator Daniel Squadron’s Statement
NEW YORK – Today, New York State Senator Daniel Squadron released the following statement in response to Jesse Watters’ O’Reilly Factor segment filmed in Chinatown:
“Under the guise of asking residents of Manhattan’s Chinatown their thoughts on Donald Trump, O’Reilly Factor correspondent Jesse Watters brought the kind of disrespect to my constituents that has been all too common this election cycle: stereotyping, mockery and a thinly veiled disdain for immigrants.”
“Unfortunately, one of the real costs of Trump’s divisiveness is the climate of racism and disrespect it’s made commonplace in our national discourse. That’s unacceptable in Chinatown, unacceptable in New York, and must be unacceptable on Fox News.”
“And to Jesse Watters: welcome to my district — hope you don’t come back.”
City Councilmember Margaret S. Chin’s Statement
CHINATOWN – Council Member Margaret S. Chin today denounced a segment that aired Oct. 3 on Fox News’ ‘O’Reilly Factor’ that focused on Chinese American attitudes towards the Republican nominee for President, Donald Trump.
“Bill O’Reilly sent his correspondent into our neighborhood without knowing or acknowledging the culture, the language or even the difference between Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans. As the daughter of an elderly Chinese American who still lives in Chinatown, the moment when his correspondent mocked a senior citizen who seemingly did not know English stood out as a particularly mean-spirited act of disrespect. Would Bill O’Reilly or his correspondent treat an elderly Irish grandmother in the same manner? I suspect the answer to that question is emblematic of the persistent racism that still exists against Chinese Americans, who more than a century ago worked alongside Irish Americans to build the railroads that connected this continent. It is a legacy of hate that has been given new life and a national platform by the candidacy of Donald Trump and his allies at Fox News.”
Congresswoman Grace Meng’s Statement
“I was dismayed at the recent Watters’ World segment in Chinatown. While I get his shtick, this segment crossed the line. This public mocking of Chinese individuals was offensive and disrespectful to Asian Americans, and it only promulgated the negative stereotypes that Asian Americans unfortunately continue to endure. Asian Americans add to the rich and diverse fabric of American life, and they will continue to assimilate. This segment should be removed from all online archives and a public apology should be made on the air.”
City Councilmember Peter Koo’s Statement
Flushing, NY – City Council Member Peter Koo stated the following regarding Jesse Watters’ segment on Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor in which he repeatedly stereotypes Chinese voters in Chinatown.
“Passing off this blatantly racist television segment as ‘gentle fun’ not only validates racist stereotypes, it encourages them. The entire segment smacks of willful ignorance by buying into the perpetual foreigner syndrome. How is it, that in New York City in 2016, this is still ok? Short answer: it’s not, and it is unfortunate that Fox News needs to be reminded of that.”
Candidate for 65th Assembly District, Yuh-Line Niou’s Statement
“I am utterly shocked and disgusted by the blatant racism against Asian-Americans that Fox News host Bill O’Reilly expressed during his show. Mr. O’Reilly’s characterization of our community as lazy thieves and karate masters reflects a long and painful history of discrimination that has no place in our society. I stand with every family in Chinatown, every Asian-American and every immigrant in calling for a full retraction and apology from Mr. O’Reilly and Fox News.
Sadly, this isn’t the first or last time that racism against Asian-Americans has reared its ugly head. At a time when Donald Trump and Fox News will stop at nothing to slander and disenfranchise entire communities, we must remain vigilant in the face of bigotry. I am proud to be an immigrant and I am proud to be an American. My parents came here seeking the unique freedom that America offers, and taught their children to always work hard and contribute to the betterment of our nation. The actions of Mr. O’Reilly and Fox News stand is stark contrast to the values of this nation, and they should be ashamed.”
Assemblyman William Colton’s Statement
“Bill O’Reilly, Jesse Watters, and Fox News should be ashamed of themselves. This belittling, shameful retreading of antiquated racist stereotypes is a misguided effort to produce humor at the expense of the dignity and integrity of one New York City’s most vibrant and thriving communities. It is an embarrassing reminder that even in 2016, we still have work to do as we strive to live in an America where no one should be made to feel lesser simply because of their race, ethnicity, nation of origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or their religious beliefs. Asian-Americans have been a part of American history for generations, and as a group that continues to enrich our culture and society, they deserve the same kind of respect as any and all Americans do. We condemn this segment, as well as the program and network responsible for it, and believe that the responsible move on the part of Bill O’Reilly would be to offer the citizens of Chinatown, and the Asian-American community as a whole, a sincere apology for airing this highly insensitive segment.”
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky’s Statement
“Jesse Watter’s offensive segment on Chinatown embodies all that is wrong with Donald Trump and his supporters. Not only did this so-called reporter resort to immature stereotypes, but he also produced and inaccurate impression of the Chinese-American culture. As the state senator of the 16th Senate District – 55 percent of which is Asian American – I will not tolerate racist rhetoric from anyone. There was nothing comedic about Jesse Watter’s video. He, Bill O’Reilly and the Fox News Channel must apologize for disgracing the hardworking Chinese community. Until an appropriate and sincere apology is issued, I call for a boycott of Fox News. Racism must not be rewarded.”
Sources: Elected Officials
Aric Chen
Editor
This will be our future if Trump is elected.
I strongly encourage people to vote for what is right. Vote for the freedom of America.
I will be voting for Hillary.
This dude does segments that poke fun of typical proles and uninformed voters as his main shtick. Not sure how he’d do Chinatown without having someone triggered for it being “racist.”
Talk about racism! Margaret Chin is the only one who brings up another nationality to somehow justify her stance: the Irish. Does she not realize that Mr. Watters, the person who performed the interview, is not Irish, Watters is not an Irish name.
OK, so Bill O’Reilly is of Irish descent, but he didn’t do the interview or act that way, and it is unlikely that he even viewed the segment before it was aired
Chin shows that she too can use misguided racial characterizations when it suits her myopic agenda of representing Chinatown, and the rest of her council district be damned.