A week ago, USA Today's started a Special Report. Its front page top
headline screamed "Combat Chinese Spying."
http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2007-07-22-china-spy-1_N.htm?csp=34
Two days later, Part 2 of the Report headlined
"Against China's Tech Spies." In San Francisco, FBI placed ads in
Chinese papers seeking information on persons and events endangering
our national security.
Is there a chilling effect on Asian Ams, and particularly Chinese Ams?
You bet. Will such articles have adverse effects on our lives? You bet.
Under such an atmosphere, are we likely to enjoy equal opportunity in
workplaces? No way. Ask yourself, does your boss care more about
your career or his/her own career? What is easier? Shoulder the possible
liability of having promoted a Chinese industrial or military spy? Or, not
promoting you at all? If you are Asian but non-Chinese, ask yourself,
does your boss differentiate one Asian from another? Vincent Chin, a
Chinese American, was bashed to death by a baseball bat because two
Detroit autoworkers took him to be a Japanese.
80-20 doesn't get into the US foreign policy. However, 80-20 stands four
square to protect equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Americans!
The political secret is: YOU MUST GET INVOLVED NOW when the
presidential candidates need our bloc vote and are therefore willing to
share our concerns. That was why 80-20 PAC sent questionnaires to
presidential candidates asking them to promise in writing the vigorous
enforcement of Exec. Order 11246. 3 of the 8 Democratic presidential
candidates have already given 80-20 their iron-clad promises. Visit:
http://www.80-20initiative.net/preselect2008.html . Under EO 11246,
statistics are used to measure objectively whether Asian Americans enjoy
equal opportunity in workplaces.
Here is how 80-20 EF views the alarming situation.
Protecting national security is important. However, if the equal
opportunity and civil liberties of 13 million Asian Ams. are being
trampled upon in the process, we are throwing out the baby together
with the bath water. That must stop. 80-20 EF will fight it.
80-20 will write the Director of FBI, Justice Department and media
such as USA Today and CNN. They include questions:
In peace time, is there a more sensible way to guard against the
stealing of our technical crown jewels?
Does America spy on other nations, militarily and economically?
What if China pulls these mirroring acts against Americans and American
Chinese in China? Would our government consider such acts as the
demonizing of the U.S.?
Which nation spies on America's military hardware more? Israel, Russia
or China? For the same amount of Chinese spying, if China is not a
powerful nation, and/or if Asian Americans were politically as strong as
Jewish Americans, would the same subject matter be handled more
sensitively?
Fellow Asian Americans. Do we want equal opportunity and justice? Do
we want to live free of fear and suspicion? Act to support 80-20 yourself
and getting others to support. Share your view at
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/posterboard.html. Thanks.
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation
