Working on a tight schedule this week, Judge Schroeder dismissed the court in the Kyle Rittenhouse murder and self-defense case after ordering Asian food for lunch. Realizing the time crunch and hoping his food delivery wasn’t delayed, Schroeder made a joke about hoping the food wasn’t coming directly from Asia aboard one of the cargo ships waiting outside Long Beach, California.
Let’s hope for one o’clock, I don’t know, the uh, hope the Asian food isn’t coming — it isn’t on one of those boats in Long Beach Harbor,” the judge said.
Immediately, CNN pounced on the comments, headlining a story titled, “Judge in Kyle Rittenhouse trial makes inappropriate Asian food joke”.
“Schroeder, the longest-serving active judge in Wisconsin’s trial courts, appeared to be referring to the supply chain backlogs caused by congestion problems in California ports. But his comments were offensive and perceived as anti-Asian by some and as placing blame on Asian people for a large-scale event,” CNN reported.
CNN even went as far as to find an Asian-American group to condemn the joke, adding that his comment will put Asian Americans in harm’s way.
“It harms our community and puts us in the crosshairs of microaggressions as well as actual physical violence,” said John Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC.
“All I can say is, Ugh. Old racist stereotypes die hard,” said Mae ‘Ngai, the Lung Family professor of Asian American studies and professor of history at Columbia University in the CNN story.
CNN has been upset with Schroeder over the fundamental principle that he is allowing a fair trial for Rittenhouse, accused of murdering two criminals who violently attacked him and wounding a third during the 2020 Kenosha, Wisconsin riots.
CNN host Don Lemon has gone as far as saying Jude Schroeder, the longest-serving judge in Wisconsin is biased and racist and a mistrial should be declared.
“Can we talk about the judge?” Lemon said during his commentary on the case. “I have been sitting back watching as a layperson, just kind of watching this, watching this, watching this. I think the legal analysts because they are legal analysts and want to keep their composure, and they pay deference to the judge. He’s ridiculous. His antics are absolutely ridiculous. And today, Chris, saying that someone who writes for a biased publication who has been favorable to Kyle Rittenhouse, who has spoken out against Black Lives Matter, that that should not be brought in so the jurors can’t make up their owns minds about what is bias and what is not and what is relevant and what is not.”
“For me — I don’t think it works that way legally — but that’s cause for mistrial. What are you doing? This guy may be legally he is right about thing,” he continued. “I’ve been listening to the legal folks, but certainly his demeanor, the way he speaks to the prosecution, the way he looks at Kyle Rittenhouse like he’s his grandson, I mean come on America.”