FIRST ON FOX – A California city official tasked with fomenting an inclusive environment as part of her role has past remarks that criticize White people and Christians, describing Jesus Christ as a symbol of "capital gain."
Carina Lieu, who uses the pronouns she and they, is an Inclusive Community Engagement Officer at the Oakland administrator's office. She started this role in February 2023. The administrative office oversees the day-to-day operations of all city departments in accordance with the goals and policy directives of Mayor Sheng Thao and the city council.
Lieu's past remarks reflect views steeped in critical race theory, specifically that the United States is systemically oppressive and that people "must get uncomfortable about examining implicit biases because this is the inflection point where change occurs."
In a 2019 Medium post, Lieu articulated her animus against "White America" — believing the racial group to has a "superiority complex" and a "pathology" — as well as the Christian religion as part of her argument to integrate "Ethnic Studies and Culturally Relevant Science" into K-12 schools.
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Lieu advanced her beliefs about Whiteness and Christianity in the 2019 post by using the case of a Christian missionary who opened a center to treat hundreds of malnourished children in Uganda. At least 105 children who were patients reportedly died. Two mothers whose kids had died filed a lawsuit against the missionary, which she settled without acknowledging any wrongdoing or liability in the matter.
Lieu also wrote that Europeans have a history of exploiting third-world countries "brought on by the assumption that underdeveloped societies were uncivilized" and because they "believed that white Christianity would save [the third-world inhabitants] from themselves."
She went on to accuse the monotheistic faith, practiced by over two billion people globally, of being "a tool of spiritual submission, language conversion, and essentially enforcing social order."
Lieu said the phrase "Jesus Saves" has a "double entendre meaning that Jesus was a tool used to enslave minds and dismantle indigenous traditions for capital gain."
She further argued that children should learn "that people of color had been tricked into accepting Christianity so they could be subjugated to colonial rule" and that the "role of white people is to work as an ally to dismantle systems of oppression."
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"The pathology of whiteness is pervasive in the mass shootings, the Trump rallies, and anti-immigrant sentiment of today," Lieu wrote. "It is literally killing people physically and causing emotional and psychological trauma. Such is the reason for making the case for Ethnic Studies further."
"[W]e need Ethnic Studies in 2019 more than ever to dismantle violence set up by white supremacy," she continued.
Lieu said students should be taught that America has a "the racist pathology inherited over years of schooling and influence" and should determine whether their "righteous path forward" will be within that perception.
Previously, the inclusion officer was involved in making changes to public safety policy in Oakland.
She helped launch Oakland's Reimagining Public Safety Task Force's Youth Advisory Board, a community participatory budgeting process.
Crime in Oakland in 2023 increased 18% year-over-year, according to police data. Violent crime increased by 21% and property crime by 17%.
In September, over 200 business owners shut down their stores to strike against the government's handling of public safety amid rising crime. The protest was held days after city officials admitted to missing a deadline to apply for state funding to fight retail theft.
That same month, Oakland city leaders launched a grant program to provide funding for small business owners to hold events — like workout classes, musical performances and movie nights — to draw customers to local shops that have seen a decrease in patrons due to crime.
Neither Lieu nor the City of Oakland commented on the inclusivity officer's Medium post.
