District leaders and businessmen took aim at Ward 8 D.C. Councilman Marion Barry before he apologized late Thursday for comments criticized as disrespectful to Washington’s Asian business community.
D.C. Council Chairman Kwame Brown characterized Barry’s remarks as “statements … that are divisive, destructive and have absolutely no place in our city.” Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells said Barry’s comments were “deplorable.”
Barry’s successor in the mayoral suite, Vincent Gray, said the remarks threatened to undermine unity in the city.
“Our energies are better spent focused on building everyone up rather than tearing anyone down,” Gray said.
A spokesman for Gray, Pedro Ribeiro, said the mayor was standing by his statement, even after Barry’s apology.SClBIn Ward 7, the owner of a Chinese restaurant Barry has visited in the past, said he didn’t understand why Barry spoke up about Asian-owned businesses.
“I don’t know why he said that,” said Kai Wong, the owner of Wah Sing restaurant. “What’s wrong with an Asian-American business?”SClB
— Alan Blinder and Naomi Jagoda
