Photo by Bullneck

That’s our Barry!

Yesterday Councilmember Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) finally issued a public apology for a series of derogatory comments made about Asian Americans in April.

But in making that apology, he managed to insult another group—Polish Americans. In a post-apology press conference, Barry said, “The Irish caught hell, the Jews caught hell, the Polacks caught hell,” using a term not appreciated by the Polish. And as the Post reports, the slur provoked a quick demand for an apology:

His remark prompted a demand from Gary Kenzer, executive director of the Chicago-based Polish American Association, that Barry “apologize to the Polish American community of this country.”

“You wouldn’t say a derogatory statement to an African American, a Jewish American, and we deserve the same respect,” he said.

Having apparently learned his lesson, Barry was quick to issue an apology—well, kind of—this morning. In what may be the briefest mea culpa ever mailed to reporters, Barry said in a statement: “I misspoke. I should have said, Polish.” That’s it. Really. But maybe the brevity is to avoid insulting anyone else. (It’s surely not the work of a new communications director.) He could have simply opted for “I’m sorry” in Polish: Przykro mi.

At this point, we should really start looking at Barry like the somewhat-racist grandfather we’ve all had.