1) Many thanks for this enlightenment. It's very timely -- and I'm deeply grateful for sharing same with me. Take care -- and God bless! Ernie Ramos
2) Very good read. I recommend it to all. Zarrine Banerji
3) Your thoughtful article reminds me of a couple of things. In the era of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Anglo-Saxons were enjoying the Free Homestead Act, up and down along the Mississippi river. My relatives-in-law from Ohio to Iowa were telling me that they were given the property-deeds of hundred of acres once they settled there for five years. However, others, as long as they were White, could buy the same for a nickel an acre. Teddy Leung
(Note: The above is another example of earlier form of racism against Asian Ams. The current form is to ask us to meet higher admission bars in attending first tier university or becoming managers.)
4) I am often surprised at how Asiams can be racist when we have experienced racism ourselves. I understand when people have been victims of crime by other races, but I do not buy this as an excuse. If one of their "own" had been the perpetrator, would they say all people of that kind are no good? I don't think so. Christina
(A great point! S. B.)
5) Well Said!!! Kam, Chicago
6) Thank you for sending me the information. We have urged members of the One China Committee to vote for Obama. Tze-chung Lia
(Note: 80-20 doesn't take positions on US foreign policies.)
7) A fabulously well-written and persuasive piece!! Thank you. Ed
8) "Racism against Asian-Americans in this country is unlikely to be overcome, no matter how hard we try individually. Hopefully, with Obama winning the election, something can be done collectively to promote the course, at least as a belated start. And this is only a beginning. Even the Jews who have succeeded in integrating completely in this country still periodically like clockwork, remind the public of the evils of " Anti-Semitism " and . . ." S. Cheng
9) I admire your drive for fighting for our rights through 80-20. A small nitpicking, in the article below, it seemed the word "stereotypical" was inadvertently truncated as "stereo." Bernard Yang
(Thank you, Bernard. SB)
10) I am astonished that there is so much racism against the Chinese. The blacks and the Indians are treated better. Bush is right now giving India special privileges and many Indians are in top positions, but I don't see any Chinese. Frank
(Note: Having qualified Asian Ams in top positions is important. However, just having them, whether Chinese-Ams or other AsAms, in top positions is not. We've had Asian Americans in top positions who actually ignore or even betray Asian Am. interests. That is why we need input into the transition team.)
11) Truly appreciated your work. I am currently facing this situation and looking for a good attorney. If you know any effective attorney, please contact me. Sherman
(Note: An attorney's name was forwarded.)
12) How can I join your organization? I keep getting your newsletter this is a great way to let people know what their rights are!!! Please keep up the good work. Ali Khan
13) I totally agree with you. Parker
14) Bravo! Dan Feng
Combat Racism!
PS: "Racism: Why & How" was featured in "That Minority Thing," and was invited to "submit articles on a regular basis" by American Chronicle.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Racism: why & how
Racism is often created by the "Haves" to deny the "Have Nots" the chance to share power, good jobs, and good properties. All have two common features:
1) to deny power, good jobs and good properties to the discriminated, and
2) to justify the denial to "Have Nots", a persuasive negative stereo image about the "Have Nots" is created. It grossly exaggerates a perceived weakness of the discriminated.
Every race or group, with individual exception, has unique cultural mores. The unique mores of the "Have Nots" are grossly esaggerated and made into a universal weakness for all in the "Have Nots."
Here are two examples.
[A] 144 years after the declaration that "all men are created equal," white women were NOT allowed to vote. Reason? "Women are too soft-hearted and soft-minded to make hard political decisions." Today, having political figures like Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, people see through the fallacy of such stereo negative imaging.
[B] At the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), Chinese were considered to be of such low human quality, a law was passed to not let Chinese emigrants to the US. It was the only law against letting a specific race into US in American history.
During that period, the Chinese were called "children of darkness," "yellow peril," "pagan, almond-eyed heathens" and "a disgusting scab upon the fair face of society--a putrefying sore upon the body politic*." Today, the above seem so ridiculous.
However, another negative stereo image has been created against us. Asian Ams are "good work horses, but not capable of leading;" "timid even in situations when aggressiveness is called for;" "more loyal to our old countries than to America i.e. perpectual foreigners."
Our Own Ugly
The more things change, the more things remain the same. There are ugly whispers in some Asian Am. communities these days about the "lazy people."
Wake up! Haven't we suffered enough from that we now mouth such non-sense ourselves? Help to stop it whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head. Don't let such pass without a challenge.
Be gentle, however. Some of our merchants in Chinatowns and Koreatowns have suffered from unscrupulous people including youth gangs of African, Chinese and other races eating free food and taking goods without paying. Such incidents have affected their attitude. Tell them to work with 80-20 to rely on the political process to give them the protection of law that they need.
Respectfully yours,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
* A PLACE CALLED CHINESE AMERICA by Diane Marks and Ginger Chih
Racism is often created by the "Haves" to deny the "Have Nots" the chance to share power, good jobs, and good properties. All have two common features:
1) to deny power, good jobs and good properties to the discriminated, and
2) to justify the denial to "Have Nots", a persuasive negative stereo image about the "Have Nots" is created. It grossly exaggerates a perceived weakness of the discriminated.
Every race or group, with individual exception, has unique cultural mores. The unique mores of the "Have Nots" are grossly esaggerated and made into a universal weakness for all in the "Have Nots."
Here are two examples.
[A] 144 years after the declaration that "all men are created equal," white women were NOT allowed to vote. Reason? "Women are too soft-hearted and soft-minded to make hard political decisions." Today, having political figures like Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice, people see through the fallacy of such stereo negative imaging.
[B] At the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882), Chinese were considered to be of such low human quality, a law was passed to not let Chinese emigrants to the US. It was the only law against letting a specific race into US in American history.
During that period, the Chinese were called "children of darkness," "yellow peril," "pagan, almond-eyed heathens" and "a disgusting scab upon the fair face of society--a putrefying sore upon the body politic*." Today, the above seem so ridiculous.
However, another negative stereo image has been created against us. Asian Ams are "good work horses, but not capable of leading;" "timid even in situations when aggressiveness is called for;" "more loyal to our old countries than to America i.e. perpectual foreigners."
Our Own Ugly
The more things change, the more things remain the same. There are ugly whispers in some Asian Am. communities these days about the "lazy people."
Wake up! Haven't we suffered enough from that we now mouth such non-sense ourselves? Help to stop it whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head. Don't let such pass without a challenge.
Be gentle, however. Some of our merchants in Chinatowns and Koreatowns have suffered from unscrupulous people including youth gangs of African, Chinese and other races eating free food and taking goods without paying. Such incidents have affected their attitude. Tell them to work with 80-20 to rely on the political process to give them the protection of law that they need.
Respectfully yours,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
* A PLACE CALLED CHINESE AMERICA by Diane Marks and Ginger Chih
Monday, October 20, 2008
Feedback on "Am. CEOs always knew"
This piece contains more than feedback to "Am. CEOs always knew it is unfair to YOU." It also discusses how the prejudices against us are to be removed. Best, it contains the timed-tested Am. solution to combat discrimination -- through the political process.
See the end of this page for the Obama's commitment to us which 80-20 fought so long and hard to obtain for YOU.
1) I greatly appreciate the work of 80-20. I have tasted the dirty water of discrimination and unequal opportunity. H.D.
2) You have a good point and we should fight for the fundamental right of equal opportunity. Bin Ke
3) This is really the most important issue facing the Asian-Americans in this country. Before we cast our votes in this Presidential election, we should at least, get a hint from the two candidates of where they stand on this issue. Our future hinges on their acknowledgement of That would be at least a beginning. S. Cheng
[An answer pointing to the solution]
Obama gave an unequivocal commitment and McCain refused after repeated requests/pleas. In approaching Sen McCain, 80-20 worked his fellow statesman in the Republican Party (Sen. Dan Evans and Cong. Mike Castle) and Asian Americans who have raised big bucks for McCain. But alas, Sen. McCain steadily refused. See Obama's commitment at the bottom of this email.
4) Thank you very, very much for the informative and interesting data. Ping K. Tse
5) You are absolutely right. If we don't take action the ceiling will never break even when there is an existing law that is supposed to break the ceiling for ALL of us. Helen Yu
6) I was very surprised to find that many Chinese Americans knew so little of the Chinese Exclusion Act! Please, if they are Chinese Americans, or Chinese living in this great country of ours, ask them to read it! They can go online to read if they cannot go to the library! Do you agree that America is getting better? No more lynching or ? What do you think? pc (Answer: Getting better and needing more.)
7) Thank you, thank you for doing this. Alice (An elected official in CA)
8) I totally agree with what you said. I have personally experienced it myself, first in private industry, then in the federal government, and then as a CEO of my own company, rubbing shoulders with other CEOs. I am retired now, and still keep busy with the community at. It is not that we are not aware of the statistics, but what are we going to do about it?
I may be biased, but from my own observation and personal experience, most first generation Chinese Americans do not know how to express ourselves effectively, do not speak English fluently, and do not articulate our points of view convincingly. I consider myself part of the first generation Chinese Americans. Maybe it is culture. Maybe it is lack of training. Maybe it is national characteristic. On top of that, we have professionals and academia coming from China and settling in the US on a continual basis. Most of their English language speaking and writing ability definitely needs improvement. Most of them do not socialize with and be part of the mainstream society. No wonder we are always considered as foreigners.
To take a positive step, I suggest that 80-20 and OCA organize some massive training opportunities and round-table discussions and encourage Chinese Americans' participation. We also need to nurture and encourage the younger generation, especially the ABCs, to excel in this area. They are the future of the Chinese American community. Harold xx
[Answer to Harold suggesting the only real solution]
I agree with you in terms of some of the "weaknesses of first generation Asian Ams," but respectfully disagree with you in term of a cure.
The blacks, the women, the hispanics and even earlier generations of European immigrants had social and language difficulties too. Such weakness, are easier to overcome than getting a Ph. D. which many Asian Am. are apparently good at. Such weaknesses could be overcome, when the folks know that they have a chance to rise to the managerial levels.
The only real solution is to win our equal opportunity through the political process, as Irish, Polish, Italians and Jewish did.
Will the affirmative program damage the quality of the management? Certainly not. Look how well managed are such companies like the Formosa Plastic (USA), Honda (USA) and Bank of Tokyo (USA). To be good managers, it take s a combination of communicative skills, analytic ability, work ethnics and business trainings, .., etc. Communication skill is NOT the only requirement.
To post your own view, go http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/politicaledu/posterboard.asp.
Warmest regards,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
Click HERE to view an Iron-clad commitment by Sen. Obama to help us win equal opportunity.
See the end of this page for the Obama's commitment to us which 80-20 fought so long and hard to obtain for YOU.
1) I greatly appreciate the work of 80-20. I have tasted the dirty water of discrimination and unequal opportunity. H.D.
2) You have a good point and we should fight for the fundamental right of equal opportunity. Bin Ke
3) This is really the most important issue facing the Asian-Americans in this country. Before we cast our votes in this Presidential election, we should at least, get a hint from the two candidates of where they stand on this issue. Our future hinges on their acknowledgement of That would be at least a beginning. S. Cheng
[An answer pointing to the solution]
Obama gave an unequivocal commitment and McCain refused after repeated requests/pleas. In approaching Sen McCain, 80-20 worked his fellow statesman in the Republican Party (Sen. Dan Evans and Cong. Mike Castle) and Asian Americans who have raised big bucks for McCain. But alas, Sen. McCain steadily refused. See Obama's commitment at the bottom of this email.
4) Thank you very, very much for the informative and interesting data. Ping K. Tse
5) You are absolutely right. If we don't take action the ceiling will never break even when there is an existing law that is supposed to break the ceiling for ALL of us. Helen Yu
6) I was very surprised to find that many Chinese Americans knew so little of the Chinese Exclusion Act! Please, if they are Chinese Americans, or Chinese living in this great country of ours, ask them to read it! They can go online to read if they cannot go to the library! Do you agree that America is getting better? No more lynching or ? What do you think? pc (Answer: Getting better and needing more.)
7) Thank you, thank you for doing this. Alice (An elected official in CA)
8) I totally agree with what you said. I have personally experienced it myself, first in private industry, then in the federal government, and then as a CEO of my own company, rubbing shoulders with other CEOs. I am retired now, and still keep busy with the community at. It is not that we are not aware of the statistics, but what are we going to do about it?
I may be biased, but from my own observation and personal experience, most first generation Chinese Americans do not know how to express ourselves effectively, do not speak English fluently, and do not articulate our points of view convincingly. I consider myself part of the first generation Chinese Americans. Maybe it is culture. Maybe it is lack of training. Maybe it is national characteristic. On top of that, we have professionals and academia coming from China and settling in the US on a continual basis. Most of their English language speaking and writing ability definitely needs improvement. Most of them do not socialize with and be part of the mainstream society. No wonder we are always considered as foreigners.
To take a positive step, I suggest that 80-20 and OCA organize some massive training opportunities and round-table discussions and encourage Chinese Americans' participation. We also need to nurture and encourage the younger generation, especially the ABCs, to excel in this area. They are the future of the Chinese American community. Harold xx
[Answer to Harold suggesting the only real solution]
I agree with you in terms of some of the "weaknesses of first generation Asian Ams," but respectfully disagree with you in term of a cure.
The blacks, the women, the hispanics and even earlier generations of European immigrants had social and language difficulties too. Such weakness, are easier to overcome than getting a Ph. D. which many Asian Am. are apparently good at. Such weaknesses could be overcome, when the folks know that they have a chance to rise to the managerial levels.
The only real solution is to win our equal opportunity through the political process, as Irish, Polish, Italians and Jewish did.
Will the affirmative program damage the quality of the management? Certainly not. Look how well managed are such companies like the Formosa Plastic (USA), Honda (USA) and Bank of Tokyo (USA). To be good managers, it take s a combination of communicative skills, analytic ability, work ethnics and business trainings, .., etc. Communication skill is NOT the only requirement.
To post your own view, go http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/politicaledu/posterboard.asp.
Warmest regards,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
Click HERE to view an Iron-clad commitment by Sen. Obama to help us win equal opportunity.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Am. CEOs always knew it's unfair to YOU
Some Asian Am. were surprised to realize, after reading 80-20's Washington Post ad, that
"Asian Americans have the least opportunity to enter management and the slowest rate of progress towards equal employment opportunity, despite having the highest educational attainment."
After realizing those facts, they think: "Glad that 80-20 dug up the data and publicized them. When my CEO finds out about it, he/she will, out of a sense of fairness or outrage, be acting to correct it. My career future is now looking brighter."
Unfortunately, wrong!
The American CEOs knew such statistics LONG BEFORE 80-20 dug them up. They were well aware that "Asian Americans have only 1/2 the average chance in private industries to rise to the management, 40% the chance in the universities and 1/3 the chance in Federal government." Their "Human Resources Managers" kept them well informed of such national averages. The companies/universities simply follow the national averages in order to be "out of the trouble with EEOC."
How did I know about this situation? When I was a trustee at the Univ. of Delaware I called for such statistics and were so surprised to find that the U. of D's averages, broken down to races, tracked exactly the national averages. The same was true in almost all American institutions as 80-20 supporters began looking into the situation in their own places of employment, after reading 80-20's Washington Post ad.
Hence, if you ask for such data in YOUR company, if shown, the data will be right at the national averages shown in 80-20's Washington Post's ad below.
The very low glass ceiling over Asian Ams was NOT an accident. It was carefully managed by American institutions to be that way. YOU will continue to face the lowest glass ceiling, unless the national political system demands a change to equity as it did for women, Hispanics and blacks.
When your superior heap praises on you, there could be a knowing smirk in his head that says, "This guy may be competent in his job but he is politically ignorant and too timid to ever make waves."
Object lesson? Don't ever rely on others' sense of fairness or outrage to help you out. Rely on your own sense of fairness and outrage to demand equal treatment through the political process that this presidential election is all about.
All earlier generations of American immigrants, be they Irish, Polish, Italians, Jewish, and Hispanics, used the political process to gain equal treatment. Asian Ams are no different. None of us, as an individual, is powerful enough to cause that change. But united as a group, acting during the presidential election, we do have that power.
Don't bury your head in the sand. Face the irrefutable statistics shown below. Think about your children's future and act!
View the full-page Washington Post ad at
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/projects/equalopp_washingtonpost_wpad.asp
Respectfully yours.
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation
"Asian Americans have the least opportunity to enter management and the slowest rate of progress towards equal employment opportunity, despite having the highest educational attainment."
After realizing those facts, they think: "Glad that 80-20 dug up the data and publicized them. When my CEO finds out about it, he/she will, out of a sense of fairness or outrage, be acting to correct it. My career future is now looking brighter."
Unfortunately, wrong!
The American CEOs knew such statistics LONG BEFORE 80-20 dug them up. They were well aware that "Asian Americans have only 1/2 the average chance in private industries to rise to the management, 40% the chance in the universities and 1/3 the chance in Federal government." Their "Human Resources Managers" kept them well informed of such national averages. The companies/universities simply follow the national averages in order to be "out of the trouble with EEOC."
How did I know about this situation? When I was a trustee at the Univ. of Delaware I called for such statistics and were so surprised to find that the U. of D's averages, broken down to races, tracked exactly the national averages. The same was true in almost all American institutions as 80-20 supporters began looking into the situation in their own places of employment, after reading 80-20's Washington Post ad.
Hence, if you ask for such data in YOUR company, if shown, the data will be right at the national averages shown in 80-20's Washington Post's ad below.
The very low glass ceiling over Asian Ams was NOT an accident. It was carefully managed by American institutions to be that way. YOU will continue to face the lowest glass ceiling, unless the national political system demands a change to equity as it did for women, Hispanics and blacks.
When your superior heap praises on you, there could be a knowing smirk in his head that says, "This guy may be competent in his job but he is politically ignorant and too timid to ever make waves."
Object lesson? Don't ever rely on others' sense of fairness or outrage to help you out. Rely on your own sense of fairness and outrage to demand equal treatment through the political process that this presidential election is all about.
All earlier generations of American immigrants, be they Irish, Polish, Italians, Jewish, and Hispanics, used the political process to gain equal treatment. Asian Ams are no different. None of us, as an individual, is powerful enough to cause that change. But united as a group, acting during the presidential election, we do have that power.
Don't bury your head in the sand. Face the irrefutable statistics shown below. Think about your children's future and act!
View the full-page Washington Post ad at
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/projects/equalopp_washingtonpost_wpad.asp
Respectfully yours.
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation
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