Algonquin Township Highway Commissioner Says Post 'Not Racist'

ALGONQUIN TOWNSHIP, IL — What was written as a "quick" Palm Sunday update on the Algonquin Township Highway Department Facebook page by Commissioner Andrew Gasser has been met with nearly 200 comments since April 5. Gasser wrote a list of five points — updates and reminders — for residents. However, the fourth point didn't sit well with several people.

Gasser's fourth point states, "Be Kind. The Chinese Coronavirus is impacting so many of us."

Several Facebook users commented, "Disgusting," "Wow" and other statements of disapproval, and residents also considered Gasser's use of "Chinese" with the coronavirus as racist.

However, Gasser claims this could not be further from his intention.

"When I wrote it, I wasn't trying to call anybody out," he said, according to Northwest Herald. "It's not racist at all. When I wrote it, it was just where (the coronavirus) came from. It came from China. Not that Chinese people are bad people and we should be inciting hate or anything."

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