Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

‘I’m A Black Man In America!’: Defeated Former Dem Rep Returns To Say Racism Causes Cancer, Obesity, Diabetes

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Former Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York on Wednesday claimed the “stress” of dealing with racism causes black people to develop a myriad of diseases, including cancer and diabetes.

Bowman pulled a fire alarm shortly before the House of Representatives passed a stopgap spending measure to avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30, 2023, and was later found to have misled the Office of Congressional Ethics about the incident. Bowman attacked former Trump administration official Marc Short during a“CNN NewsNight” segment, claiming “racism” comes from the Republican Party “on a consistent basis.”

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“We are not dealing with America’s original sin and its disease of hate and racism towards black and brown people, and sexism towards women and anti-LGBTQ sentiment. We are not dealing with that. Your colleagues in the Republican Party do not hold each other accountable when it comes to the racism that comes from the party on a consistent basis,” Bowman lectured Short, later adding, “You can’t be calm about this. I’m a black man in America! The reason why heart disease —”

“That’s why I can‘t comment on it?” Short asked, with Bowman ranting, “Listen to what I’m saying! The reason why heart disease and cancer and obesity and diabetes are bigger in the black community is because of the stress we carry from having to deal with being called the n-word directly or indirectly every day. If your colleagues would listen and try to learn and engage and grow and stop being so hateful, we could have a better country. But unfortunately, we’re still here.”

Bowman was charged with a misdemeanor after the September 2023 incident when he pulled the fire alarm. He later circulated talking points about the incident to fellow Democrats that described some Republican members of the House of Representatives as “Nazi[s].”

Bowman lost the 2024 Democratic primary election for the 16th Congressional District in New York to Westchester County Executive George Latimer after he came under fire for defending pro-Hamas protesters who used a slogan with connotations of wiping out Israel. He was one of nine Democrats to oppose an October 2023 resolution supporting Israel after the attack.