Controversial Statements by New York Mayor Eric Adams: From Rejecting Separation of Church and State to Comparing Holocaust Survivor to Plantation Owner

Eric Adams is not his first controversial statement. Earlier this year, the Democratic mayor of New York shocked many New Yorkers by saying he does not believe in the principle of separation of church and state. “When we removed prayers from schools, guns entered schools,” did he declare last February in a speech to religious leaders.

But Adams outdid himself Wednesday night by comparing a Holocaust survivor to a plantation owner in the days of slavery. He didn’t like the question and the tone used by Jeanie Dubnau, an 83-year-old housing activist and molecular biologist, at a town hall in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Dissatisfied with a response from the mayor, Dubnau accused him of being controlled by the real estate industry, while criticizing the increase in rents for rent-stabilized apartments over the past two years.

“First of all, if you ask a question, don’t point your finger at me or disrespect me,” Adams replied. “I am the mayor of this town, treat me with the respect I deserve. According to a viral video of the exchange, he then went further, comparing the woman, who is white, to a slave owner: “Don’t stand in front of me like you’re treating someone who is part of the plantation that belongs to you. »

.@NYCMayor went off on a woman during his town hall tonight: “I’m the mayor of this city and treat me with the respect that would deserve to be treated. I’m speaking to you as an adult. Don’t stand in front like you treated someone that’s on the plantation that you own.” pic.twitter.com/Qwn8TgYFD1

— Myles Miller (@MylesMill) June 29, 2023

Adams must not have known he was addressing a woman who fled Nazi Germany with her family during the Holocaust. But it was not the first time that he raised the subject of slavery to defend himself. Recently, he compared himself to Kunta Kinte, character from the TV series Roots from 1977 who is beaten for refusing to accept the slave name Toby.

“I know you think you can whip me and turn me from Kunta Kinte to Toby, but damn it, Kunta Kinte is all I know,” did he declare reacting to criticism leveled at him following the unexpected resignation of NYPD Chief Keechant Sewell.

(Photo Mayor’s office)

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Categories: United States, History, New York, Politics•Tags: Eric Adams, Jeanie Dubnau, Kunta Kinte•