Congresswoman Nydia Velzquez (D-NY) has come under fire for her controversial comments made during a speech outside the Housing and Urban Development Department on Monday.
Velzquez suggested that Elon Musk, the successful entrepreneur and immigrant from South Africa, should "go back to South Africa." This statement has sparked a wave of criticism, with many accusing the congresswoman of xenophobia.
According to RedState, Velzquez's comments were misguided on two counts. Firstly, she was attempting to refute a claim that Musk had suggested Italians should remain in Italy and Chinese in China - a claim that has been debunked. Secondly, her suggestion that a successful immigrant should return to their home country has been perceived as xenophobic.
"I was watching a video of an interview of Elon Musk with someone where he said that the Italians should stay in Italy and the Chinese should stay in China, my question to Elon Musk is, 'What the hell are you doing here in America?'" Velzquez said during her speech. "Go back to South Africa," she concluded.
These comments have raised questions among some journalists. One key question is how Velzquez could have watched a video of Musk making a statement that he never actually made. Another question is why it seems acceptable to demonize a successful African-American entrepreneur. If a Republican lawmaker had made such a comment, it would likely have resulted in non-stop news coverage.
The response to Velzquez's comments has largely been found on social media, given the lack of journalists holding Democrats accountable. One user responded by saying, "These people are stupid." Jeremy Carl, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior during the Trump Administration, suggested that Velzquez's comments had a racial undertone. "Nydia Velzquez has finally found an immigrant she doesn't like," he wrote. "Not the tens of thousands of illegals in her district who live off of our tax dollars-- but America's greatest entrepreneur, a White immigrant."
Political commentator Dave Rubin also weighed in, suggesting that Velzquez's comments were an example of "old-fashioned anti-African-American racism."
In 2019, President Donald Trump faced backlash for making similar comments about the Squad, a group of four congresswomen of color. He suggested they should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came." The media coverage of Trump's comments was extensive, leading some to question whether Velzquez will face the same level of scrutiny for her remarks.
Velzquez has previously been the subject of controversy. In 2017, she participated in a press conference for an Iraqi immigrant who had been detained. The media attempted to provoke the man into criticizing Trump, but he instead expressed his liking for the president, much to Velzquez's apparent disappointment.
Furthermore, Velzquez once threatened conservative activist CJ Pearson when he was a teenager, telling him he should be "afraid" of her and "should learn my name."
The question remains whether Velzquez will face the same level of scrutiny and criticism as Trump did for his comments. Her remarks have certainly sparked a debate about the treatment of immigrants and the rhetoric used by politicians. As the controversy continues, it is clear that the congresswoman's comments have struck a nerve, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration and race in America.
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