Donald Trump-endorser Steve Harvey has apologised for cruel remarks he made about Asian men.
Karin Wang, V.P. of Programs and Communications at Asian Americans Advancing Justice said in response:
It’s unfortunate when those with a public platform like Steve Harvey use that platform to mock and ridicule entire groups of people and in this particular case, to perpetuate negative and harmful racial stereotypes about Asian Americans. We are disappointed in Steve Harvey.
Harvey has now apologised.
Harvey’s remarks undoubtedly stung those familiar with the plight of Asian-Americans in the United States.
The Huffington Post offers a brief history lesson:
Seeking economic opportunity during the Gold Rush and the building of the transcontinental railroad, the first wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. The first Chinatowns sprang up on the West Coast and were, at the start, much like ethnic settlements founded by European immigrant groups.
These immigrants were paid lower wages than white workers, who then blamed Chinese laborers for driving down pay and taking away jobs. After the railroad was completed and white laborers in other industries began to fear for their jobs, anti-Chinese attacks increased, including beatings, arson and murder.