YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Many groups are speaking out after Congressman Scott Perry questioned systemic racism at Wednesday's Rotary Club of York meeting.
Rep. Perry asked, "What is systemic? That means there's a 'system of.' Well, if there's a system, somebody had to create that system. I don't know who in our country is doing that."
Rep. Perry's comment is in response to nationwide protests sparked by recent police-involved shootings, which many people believe, demonstrates systemic racism.
"To say that the United States falls into that category of 'systemic,' that belies the fact that we had a war among the United States over that issue, to cleanse our country of that issue," Rep. Perry said.
"Systemic racism became more prevalent after the Civil War," Chad Baker, Chair of the Democratic Party of York County, said.
Baker said even though it hasn't always been at the forefront, that's what the recent protests have brought to light over the past several months.
"The fact that he's indicating that this is being sensationalized by the media and by the left, I think is missing the point," Baker said. "One death, one incident. It has to be addressed."
"I have not experienced that," Rep. Perry said Wednesday. "I have not seen that. That's not to say that racism and bigotry doesn't exist in our country. Clearly it does."
We asked for an interview with Rep. Perry to further explain his comments. Our request was denied, but his office did send this statement:
"Rep. Perry has made it clear he thinks racism is wrong in all its forms. He said it yesterday in York, he is saying it today in his statement, and he will say it every day."
"He has the white privilege of not having the personal experiences of being willfully blind to them," Sandra Thompson, President of the York NAACP, said.
The York NAACP is now inviting Rep. Perry to attend their next monthly meeting to have a further discussion of the systemic effects of racism
"What we would like for Congressman Perry to do is educate himself, come out of his bubble, and engage with his entire community he represents," Thompson said.
Read the full statement from the Democratic Party of York County here:
Read the full statement from the Cumberland County Democratic Committee here:
