Group calls for Chicago alderwoman's resignation over tweets on Italian American culture
CHICAGO (CBS) – Non-apology not accepted – that's how some members of Chicago's Italian American community are responding to one alderwoman's follow-up to what they called racist comments on Twitter.
CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov had the story.
"Now we're asking for her resignation," said Lou Rago, the president of the Italian American Human Relations Foundation of Chicago, referring to Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd).
Rago said the organization plans to ask at the next City Council meeting.
"The alderwoman reduced our heritage to food," Rago said. "And she marginalized us."
Rago referred to a tweet by Rodriguez in late June in which she asked followers the best way to honor Italian heritage. One of her suggestions was an Italian ice monument. Followers then offered suggestions, which Rago said perpetuate negative stereotypes, at best.
What’s the best way to honor Italian heritage in Chicago ?
— Ald. Rossana Rodriguez 🌹🇵🇷✊🏽🏳️🌈 (@RossanaFor33) June 29, 2023
"With every suggestion, she's like, 'Oh, that's good,'" Rago said. "'Oh, I didn't think of that.'"
Last week, the foundation sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson, asking that she be censured. Two days ago, Rodriguez addressed the matter again on Twitter and called her initial tweet a "playful poll" and "lighthearted," adding, "I deeply respect Italians, Italian-American history, and their role in building our city amid discrimination."
🧵Last week, after having some cafe con leche made in a Bialetti Greca, I tweeted a playful poll asking which options better honored Italian-American heritage.The poll listed Bialetti, Italian Ice, Columbus & a call for other ideas. Since then, I’ve been getting messages like 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/4KN97a3pzI
— Ald. Rossana Rodriguez 🌹🇵🇷✊🏽🏳️🌈 (@RossanaFor33) July 8, 2023
"What she is now saying is humorous and lighthearted could not have been used with any other ethnic group in the country without negative feedback," Rago said. "At this stage of the game, an alderwoman should know better."
But some members of the Italian American community felt differently.
"I was not offended by her tweets," said Gabriel Piemonte, who heads a lesser-known group called the Italian American Heritage Society of Chicago.
He believes Rago's group is going after the outspoken and progressive alderwoman because she's long criticized Christopher Columbus and any related monument to him.
"These people are not calling for her resignation because their feelings were hurt," Piemonte said. "They don't like her position. They want one less person who would rather not see Columbus statues up in the City Council."
The alderwoman is out of the area, visiting family on vacation, so she was unavailable for an interview or a Zoom call. But she told CBS 2 her statement on Twitter stands, and she gave no indication she's going to resign.