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1.15.2010

apartment eviction attorney stereotypes "these people"

Here is the situation, as I understand it... A group of people recently bought a 6-unit apartment building that primarily houses elderly Asians near San Francisco's Chinatown. And of course, they want to evict the tenants and sell the units on the open market. Because many of the tenants have lived there prior to the 1970s, their units were covered under rent control. But now, they're fighting the eviction.

The whole situation sucks, but here's where it gets really infuriating. The lawyer representing the new owners was recently interviewed on the local news and made an ass of himself, effectively saying that "these people" need to get the hell out and move on. Then he goes on, doing his best to completely stereotype Asians:
Lawyer: "That's why we have families. If these people are as old as you say they are, then they have 2, 3 generations younger than them. I meet these people - you went to school with these people - they're brain surgeons. Okay? These are Asian Americans. They're smart, hard-working industrial people, addicted to the acquisition of real estate..."

Reporter: "...You have swept with a broad brush there..."

Lawyer: "Well, I have but, you know, I'm just a private person, not a politician."

...

Lawyer: "...Now I don't have any evidence of what these people's family connections are and financial wherewithal. But out of five units, I bet you, that 4 out of 5 of them have 2 or 3 generations of decedents, children, and grandchildren that are hard-working professionals, with real estate holdings! They like it living up there in the border line between Chinatown and Telegraph Hill. We all would, its nice weather and so forth. Times change. When you look at any neighborhood in the city, times change, Okay?"
The attorney's name is Steven MacDonald, who as "a private citizen," has every right to speak in broad stereotypes about "these people" and make an ass of himself. It should be noted that the new owners of the apartment building happen to be Asian American. And this is the guy they chose to represent them? More here: SF Low Income Seniors May Soon Be Evicted. And watch video of the story here. (Thanks, Bobby.)