(NationRise.com) – A prominent Democrat governor is apologizing after a racially-charged claim about children in her state.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul claimed that black children living in New York City’s Bronx don’t know the meaning of “computer” before reiterating that “they don’t know these things.” She made the statement while speaking during the Milken Institute Global Conference. She was discussing her state’s plans to build a supercomputer that will be open to colleges and researchers at taxpayer expense. She claimed New York would be the first to do it and said the project should attract more federal grants.
The state is planning to spend $400 million to fund an initiative dubbed “Empire AI.” The money will be used to promote research into artificial intelligence. It will also set rules for how AI can be used in political communications. She said her goal is to have New York “dominate the next chapter of human history.”
She also claimed that children in the city’s most impoverished areas will be trained on how to use AI after the initiative is implemented. Hochul then said diverse perspectives are essential for innovation.
Karines Reyes, who serves as an assembly member in New York, slammed Hochul’s remarks. She called the Bronx’s children “bright, brilliant, [and] extremely capable.” She then told Hochul to “do better.”
Another assembly member, John Zaccaro Jr., also said he was “deeply troubled” by Hochul’s claim. He said it could be disheartening for those children and raises concerns about Hochul as a person.
Attacks are coming from Hochul’s own side as well. Far-left commentator Nitish Pahwa credited the governor for outdoing herself while suggesting that she doesn’t know the people of New York. She also pointed to polls that clearly show Hochul is not performing well among her constituents.
Hochul backtracked her statement by claiming she “misspoke.” She then said, “Of course Black children in the Bronx know what computers are,” before claiming that she was referring to a lack of access to technology. She said that lack of access prevents them from preparing for high-paying tech jobs.
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