'ANTI-RACISM'? Michigan state rep. allegedly called Asian opponent 'ching-chong' (guess which party!)

Sarah D | 4:05 PM on August 16, 2018

Let’s check in on Michigan politics, shall we?

Black Michigan state representative called her Asian opponent in a Democratic primary a "ching chong"and a "ching-chang" while talking to voters, multiple witnesses told the Detroit Metro Times. https://t.co/aNkmEwBYUR

— Byron Tau (@ByronTau) August 16, 2018

More from the Detroit Metro Times:

More than a dozen community groups have called on Rep. Bettie Cook Scott (D-Detroit) to apologize for a series of racial slurs sources say she used to describe her primary election opponent, Rep. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit).

Scott is alleged to have referred to Chang as “ching-chang” and “the ching-chong” to multiple voters outside polling precincts during last Tuesday’s election. She’s also said to have called one of Chang’s campaign volunteers an “immigrant,” saying “you don’t belong here” and “I want you out of my country.”

Chang and Scott were running in the Democratic primary for state Sen. District 1. Chang won the election with 49 percent of the vote; Scott came in third with 11 percent of the vote.

…

The various off-color remarks were heard by multiple people connected with Chang, including Chang’s husband, who spoke with Metro Times. Sean Gray says after overhearing Cook disparaging Chang outside a precinct on the east side of Detroit, “I … asked her not to speak about my wife in that manner. At that time she said to the voter that ‘these immigrants from China are coming over and taking our community from us.’ Further, she said it ‘disgusts her seeing black people holding signs for these Asians and not supporting their own people.'”

That’s lovely talk, isn’t it?

.@MichiganDems chairman @BrandonDillon75 on Rep. Bettie Cook Scott's disparaging remarks about Rep. Stephanie Chang: "We expect better from anyone who wants to call themselves a Michigan Democrat. Bettie Cook Scott needs to apologize to the entire Asian American community. …" pic.twitter.com/ZkOXR4EqdT

— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) August 16, 2018

Maybe that’s your problem: Expecting better from a Michigan Democrat. Or any Democrat. Democrats like to portray themselves as the tolerant ones but when push comes to shove, there’s plenty of ugly bigotry infesting their ranks.