Democratic Rep. Ed Case apologized on Wednesday for saying he is an “Asian trapped in a white body.”
The Hawaii Congressman made the remark Tuesday during a reception celebrating members of Congress who are Asian American and Pacific Islander, according to Nicholas Wu of the National Journal.
“Congressman Ed Case, who represents a majority Asian district in Honolulu — ‘I’m an Asian trapped in a white body,'” Wu tweeted.
Congressman Ed Case, who represents a majority Asian district in Honolulu – “I’m an Asian trapped in a white body” pic.twitter.com/Roro6Yk8CW
— Nicholas Wu (@nicholaswu12) January 16, 2019
Case tried to clarify his comments in an email to The Washington Post:
“Like so many others from Hawaii who treasure our multicultural heritage, I have absorbed and live the values of our many cultures,” he wrote. “They and not my specific ethnicity are who I am, and I believe that this makes me an effective advocate on national issues affecting our API community. I regret if my specific remarks to the national API community on my full absorption of their concerns caused any offense.”
The Democratic Congressman’s comment predictably drew the ire of several on Twitter:
No, Ed. No. https://t.co/s73oJX7SKo
— Angry Asian Man (@angryasianman) January 16, 2019
This ain’t it, Ed Case https://t.co/eQRMgbbTvb
— Jeff Yang (@originalspin) January 16, 2019
Hawaii Congressman Ed Case said he’s “Asian trapped in a white body” and it went over about as well as you’d expecthttps://t.co/koLm5o7LHZ pic.twitter.com/H8zgQK1CAX
— The Mary Sue (@TheMarySue) January 16, 2019
New York Mag senior writer Alex Jung took issue with Case’s “non-apology.” (RELATED: Brit Hume Criticizes ‘Completely Bogus’ NYT Report On Steve King, Critiques Media For ‘Weaponizing’ Racist Charge)
who’s going to explain to ed case that being inside an asian isn’t the same thing as being asian inside https://t.co/pZdrisj5XS pic.twitter.com/RO7kHffnYe
— E. Alex Jung (@e_alexjung) January 16, 2019