Baltimore, MD – When Baltimore ‘s mayor announced on Thursday that the largest number of its COVID-19 cases are in the 21215 ZIP code, it ignited outrage among many residents who live in the mostly African-American area.
“I’m sick of it,” said George Mitchell, host of “The Heights” radio show.
“Black men got stigmas on them anyway and now all of a sudden the most prolific race, it’s the black men that’s catching this disease?” said Mitchell.
Mitchell suggested that the Jewish community could be responsible for spreading the virus.
“There are a lot of Jewish people moving down here from New York City,” said Mitchell to his afternoon audience on Monday.
“Now where was the hotbed of the virus, in New York City. It’s only obvious to me that if a person moves here from New York City there’s more of a possibility the person has the virus than if the person was black,” said Mitchell.
His comments ignited strong reaction from City Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, who is Jewish and represents part of the 21215 ZIP code.
“When people are suffering and dying, the last thing we have time for is ignorance. There’s never been a more important time for unity, and I hope this individual will think carefully about how his words are affecting us all,” said Schleifer.
Dr. Lorece Edwards, a public health professor at Morgan State University, says there’s little time to cast blame.
“Blaming the community is not how we end the pandemic. It’s not how we end the deaths. It’s not how we get more people tested who need to be tested,” said Edwards.
Source: foxbaltimore
