Last week, ADC contacted Vermont State Senator Robert Starr regarding comments that he made at the Vermont Transportation Board public hearing on October 30, 2013. At this hearing, Starr stated, “As far as electric cars go, the way I see it, if our electric rates keep going up at the rate they’ve been going up, I don’t think we’ll ever hit that magic number of 5, 000 electric cars, because it’s gonna cost more to plug those suckers in than it does to go give the Arabs four dollars a gallon for the gas.”
ADC wrote State Senator Starr to inform him that his comments perpetuate demeaning stereotypes of Arab-Americans, and thus are highly offensive. ADC strongly encouraged Starr to make a public apology for his remarks, and to refrain from making such stereotypical language in the future.
Read: ADC letter to State Senator Starr here.
Senator Starr has since contacted ADC and apologized for his offensive remarks. ADC President Warren David states, "We thank Senator Starr for the apology, as well as for handling the matter efficiently and publically."
ADC demands that all public officials make a conscious decision to refrain from using such stereotypical language in the future.