Boston Mayor Compares Vaccine Requirements to Slave Papers
‘LONG HISTORY’
Boston’s acting mayor compared showing proof of your coronavirus vaccine at a restaurant or gym to the identification papers of slaves or emancipated Black people in an interview Tuesday. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that gyms and restaurants there would soon require patrons to show proof of vaccination. But Boston’s Kim Janey, who became acting mayor when Marty Walsh departed to serve as U.S. labor secretary, said it was more important to encourage vaccination in vulnerable communities rather than erecting roadblocks. Asked for her response to de Blasio’s new rules, Janey said, “There’s a long history in this country of people needing to show their papers... During slavery, post-slavery, as recent as, you know, what immigrant population has to go through here. We heard Trump with the birth certificate nonsense. Here we want to make sure that we are not doing anything that would further create a barrier for residents of Boston or disproportionally impact BIPOC communities… Instead, you want to lean in heavy with partnering with community organizations, making sure that everyone has access to the lifesaving vaccine.”
Later, Janey, who will be running for mayor this fall, clarified her comments with a statement. “Earlier today, I pointed out several hurdles facing communities of color with lower vaccination rates,” she said. “These hurdles should not be excuses, but we must consider our shared history as we work to ensure an equitable public health and economic recovery.”