Rep. Ed Case (D-HI), who got elected in November 2018 after a decade-long absence, made a statement at a press event Tuesday, so politically incorrect that it just took minutes for people on social media to begin criticizing him.
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
The IB Times reports,
Nicholas Wu, a reporter for the National Journal, who attended the event – the details of which were not immediately available – was the first one who posted Case’s controversial statement on Twitter. “I’m an Asian trapped in a white body,” Case, whose district in Honolulu is home to a large population of Asians, reportedly told the audience in the room after taking the stage.
At the time of writing this article, Wu’s tweet was on its way to going viral, with nearly 450 likes, 180 retweets and over 300 comments within three hours of posting it. Regardless of which party one supported, Twitter users agreed that Case’s statement was out of line.
One user wrote: “Ed Case sees new, young, and inspiring women of color in Congress fighting with moral courage on popular issues like #GreenNewDeal and #MedicareForAll… thinks *this is how I stay relevant*” while another commented, “Dude. No. I grew up in Hawaii. I am not Hawaiian. I am nothing but haole and so are you. We can respect all the diversity that wonderful Hawaii has to offer, but not when you say stuff like this. Do better.”
Here are a few other memes and comments posted by Twitter users:
Good grief. The pandering never stops…🙄
— Luv2GoFly (@Luv2GoFly) January 16, 2019
I just oof’d so hard I blacked out for a sec
— maura quint (@behindyourback) January 16, 2019
— ⓁⒺⓈ (ﾉ´▽｀)ﾉⓋ (@Chocodrag0nfly) January 16, 2019
Democrats in Hawaii can say anything they want to. They know they will be re-elected over and over again.
— Scott Lee Gouveia (@sluggokaimikawa) January 16, 2019
California politicians, too. There’s no real opposition to the crooks in Sacramento.
— bluebird (@bluebird_films) January 16, 2019
Alexa, what’s the worst possible thing Ed Case could say?
— It is Happening Here (@jrrogersjr) January 16, 2019
and this asian guy is wondering how he got trapped in this room pic.twitter.com/xdQ8C2WZfe
— jamie harnn (@jamieharnn) January 16, 2019
H/T IB Times
