On Tuesday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed that people are avoiding eating at Chinese and Asian restaurants due to “racism around the coronavirus.” The congresswoman made the suggestion while speaking to her supporters on Instagram Live.
“Honestly it sounds almost so silly to say, but there’s a lot of restaurants that are feeling the pain of racism,” Ocasio-Cortez told her viewers. “Where people are literally not patroning Chinese restaurants. They’re not patroning Asian restaurants, because of just straight-up racism around the coronavirus.”
On Saturday however, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez changed her tune and urged the public to “stop crowding bars and restaurants”.
She tweeted: “To everyone in NYC but ESPECIALLY healthy people & people under 40 (bc from what I’m observing that’s who needs to hear this again): PLEASE stop crowding bars, restaurants, and public spaces right now. Eat your meals at home.”
“If you are healthy, you could be spreading COVID,” the New York congresswoman claimed.
“What does ‘crowded’ mean?” she then asked and proceeded to explain. “If you can’t stay 6ft away from other people, it’s too close. In general, when going outside try to stay at least 6 feet away from others as much as you possibly can.” (Continued Below)
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks on Chinese and Asian restaurants:
Ocasio-Cortez says people are not eating at Chinese and Asian restaurants right now because they are "just straight up" racist about the coronavirus pic.twitter.com/egtpRDEDhO
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) March 11, 2020
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s official tweet on staying home to eat:
What does “crowded” mean?
If you can’t stay 6ft away from other people, it’s too close. In general, when going outside try to stay at least 6 feet away from others as much as you possibly can.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 14, 2020
We leave you with a few responses to AOC from Twitter users:
What about Chinese restaurants? Should I keep going to those to not appear “racist” to you?
— Adam Trahan (@AdamTrahan) March 14, 2020
If people are turning to you for health advice they are already doomed. 😂
— Mark Dice (@MarkDice) March 14, 2020
If I’m “healthy” how can I spread a virus I DON’t have?
— Frito pendejo (@Fritopendejo8) March 14, 2020
Don’t tell me what to do, commie.
— In Pursuit of Truth (@IPOT1776) March 14, 2020
But we have to patron..patreon? repatriate?
Somethin somethin avoiding businesses is super racist you said.
— Rachel 🐶💙🇺🇸 (@RaychelTania) March 14, 2020
(Continued Below)
Weren’t you just criticizing people for NOT going to restaurants?
— Baseball Guy from Cali (@baseball_cali) March 14, 2020
Wait I thought I was supposed to go eat Chinese food 🤡 I’m so confused 🤡 Please clarify all-knowing-government-expert🤡
— Marisa (@MarisaLR2) March 14, 2020
Remember how you called people RACIST for not eating at Chinese restaurants? What Next? Will you will be passing out dating advice? Why is it that SOCIALISTS are so Authoritarian? #OcrazioCortez #SocialistBrainiac #SocialismKills
— Dragonforce_One (@DragonForce_One) March 14, 2020
What about those people relying on people eating at those bars and restaurants?? Please stop the panic and madness! Everyone should continue to support their local business!! Especially if they are healthy!!
— Suzzanne Harris (@suzzanne_harris) March 14, 2020
Great idea! Just kill off the rest of your economy in NYC brainiac. The rest of the world doesn’t receive a paycheck for not working like Congressional members. Lots of your constituents work in restaurants and bars to support themselves and their families. pic.twitter.com/AXvFEWJVfr
— Rene (@BagneRene) March 14, 2020