"He who doesn't learn from history deserves to relive it"
-- George Santayana
In the 1996 election, many Asian Ams gave &/or raised big bucks for Bill
Clinton and DNC (Dem. Nat'l Comm.) & got zonked.
Remember these Asian Am. names?
John (F.O.B.*) Huang, Maria Hsia, Robert S. Lee (S. Korean), Yogesh
K. Gandhi (Indian Am), Pauline Kanchanalak (Thai), Charlie
Trie, Antonio Pan, and Johnny Chung. *Friend of Bill.
All of them helped raise money for Bill Clinton &/or DNC. All of them
were so eager to "serve" the politicians that they violated the law, some
were jailed and fined, others were put on probation and fined. Lives ruined!
For proof, see a press release issued by the Justice Dept. under the Clinton
Administration: http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/1999/June/275crm.htm.
Indeed, much worse things were said about them by GOP politicians & their
press releases.
Their motives might have been good -- to help the politicians they
believe in and in the process help establish Asian Am. political clout.
But the results were disastrous -- for themselves and our community.
Day after day, mainstream media ran negative headline articles on
those individuals, fanning the belief that Asian Ams were "perpetual
foreigners" aiming to sabotage the American election system. Indeed, for
about 2 more years, D. and R. parties competed to distance themselves
from our community and went out of their way to stiff Asian Am big
donors to make each Party seem clean. HAVE WE FORGOTTEN?
To avoid a repeat, please be aware of the following:
1. Many politicians want you to believe that the more money you'll give
or raise for them, the more you'll get a personal reward after he/she is
elected. But they'll tell you that they can't discuss it in concrete
terms because it is against the law. "Caveat emptor." Don't be a sucker!
You may think that you are a F.O.B (Friend of Bill) or F.O.X. Chances are
that neither B nor X will remember you after the election is over. He/she
will have bigger interests after getting into the White House -- the affairs
of the nation.
2. In contrast, you can openly press the politicians about what he/she'll
do for the Asian American community. That is NOT against the
law. The American forefathers had designed elections to be occasions
for little people like us to protect our rights, using the "power of the
ballot box." In addition, you'll feel great about yourself for having
pressed politicians to do the right things for us.
Only 3 Presidential candidates, Senators Biden, Dodd and Gravel, have
promised in concrete terms and in iron-clad manners to help Asian Ams.
achieve equal opportunity and justice, should they be elected. We are
confident that many more will do so. However, before they've done so,
don't help them in money or any other means! Don't be a sucker!
Note that not a single Rep. presidential candidate has made a similar
promise yet. Countless AsAm Republicans have given most generously
to the GOP. What did they get back for our community? Ask them!
Love to get your feedback. Visit
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/posterboard.html,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation
