First Lady Jill Biden has made a half-hearted apology via her spokesman after provoking a widespread backlash for comparing Hispanics to “breakfast tacos.”
While in Texas rallying support for her husband President Joe Biden and the Democrats, the “doctor” told the crowd of Hispanic voters that they’re “as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.”
The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) was furious with the first lady and fired back:
“Using breakfast tacos to try to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity to the diversity of Latinos in the region,” the organization said in a statement,
“NAHJ encourages Dr. Biden and her speech writing team to take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.
“We are not tacos.
“Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by a variety of diasporas, cultures and food traditions, and should not be reduced to a stereotype.”
NAHJ encourages @FLOTUS & her communications team to take time to better understand the complexities of our people & communities.
We are not tacos.
Our heritage as Latinos is shaped by various diasporas, cultures & food traditions.
Do not reduce us to stereotypes. pic.twitter.com/KQIq5gwsht
— NAHJ (@NAHJ) July 12, 2022
Press Secretary to the First Lady and Special Assistant to the President Michael LaRosa issued a statement that said:
“The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.”
But many were wondering why Jill Biden did not apologize herself, or at least post an apology from her own social media accounts.
The First Lady apologizes that her words conveyed anything but pure admiration and love for the Latino community.
— Michael LaRosa (@MichaelLaRosa46) July 12, 2022
According to the White House transcript, Jill Biden said in part:
“Yes, the Latino community is unique.
“But what I’ve heard from you, again and again, is that you want what all families want.
“Good schools. Good jobs. Safe neighborhoods.
“You want justice and equality—the opportunity to build a better life for your families.
“It’s not only what all families want; it’s what all families deserve. But we can’t get those things on our own.
“Raul helped build this organization with the understanding that the diversity of this community—as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio—is your strength.”
WATCH:
Once again, Dr. Jill Biden butchers the Spanish language in furtherance of pandering to a client constituency (the org FKA National Council of La Raza). I hereby bless your timelines with Dr. Jill's rendering of "bodega". pic.twitter.com/Z4FSXtlUMe
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) July 11, 2022