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His sister Kerry Kennedy criticized his comments and his brother Joseph Kennedy II “play on anti-Semitic myths and arouse distrust of the Chinese. “
By Maggie Astor
Several members of Kennedy’s circle of relatives have condemned a sectarian conspiracy theory through Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , who said the coronavirus had an “ethnic goal” to save Jews and the Chinese people.
In comments at a recent event in New York, the recording of which was first published through the New York Post, Mr. Kennedy said: “Covid-19 is being attacked to attack Caucasians and other Black people. The other most immune people are Ashkenazi Jews. “and Chinese. He added: “We don’t know if he targeted intentionally or not. “
His sister Kerry Kennedy called his comments “deplorable and lies” and said they constituted the principles espoused through Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the organization she heads, named after her father, former attorney general and presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy.
His brother Joseph Kennedy II issued a statement, telling the Boston Globe: “Bobby’s comments are morally and objectively false. They play on anti-Semitic myths and arouse distrust of the Chinese. His comments in no way reflect the words and movements of our father, Robert F. Kennedy.
And former Rep. Joseph Kennedy III wrote on Twitter Monday afternoon: “My uncle’s comments are hurtful and false. I unequivocally condemn what he said.
Kennedy downplayed the complaints over his comments Sunday, saying in a lengthy Twitter post: “The insinuation through @nypost and others that, following my quote from a peer-reviewed article on biological weapons, I am anti-Semitic, is a disgusting fabrication. “(The document he referred to does not corroborate the claims he made. )
This is not the first time Mr. Kennedy has felt compelled to repudiate his words or deeds.
Once an environmental lawyer known for his paintings cleaning up the Hudson River, Mr. Kennedy, now a longtime candidate opposed to President Biden for next year’s Democratic nomination, has one of the leading purveyors of anti-vaccine misinformation. Long before the coronavirus pandemic, it helped popularize false claims of a link between formative years vaccines and autism, and since covid vaccines have become available, it has been openly seeking to cast doubt on its well-documented safety.
Last year, Kennedy warned that unvaccinated Americans would soon be more persecuted than Anne Frank, who murdered through the Nazis. Several of his brothers criticized him for the comment, as did his wife, actress Cheryl Hines, who called it “reprehensible and insensitive. “”
He also complicated many other conspiracy theories, adding that there is a link between antidepressants and mass shootings (there is one) and that Republicans stole the 2004 presidential election (they didn’t).
Despite his promotion of disinformation and some political perspectives more aligned with the Republican base than with the Democratic base, Mr. Kennedy votes strongly: between 10 and 20% in several polls, far from enough to surpass M. Biden, however, surprising numbers oppose a headline
Maggie Astor is a journalist who covers American news and politics. He has also reported on the weather, coronavirus and misinformation. Learn more about Maggie Astor
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