If WE are to win equal opportunity in
(1) our work places for ourselves and
(2) college admissions for our children,
then the following political myths must be destroyed.
Myth 1: To get involved in politics is to run for an office, work one's way up until one has enough clout to win equal opportunity for his/her children and all other AsAms.
Facts: Have Elaine Chao, Ed Lee, Mazie Hirono, Tammy Duckworth, Kamala Harris, Nikki Haley, and Judy Chu ever done anything for AsAms in those 2 areas? They are as high up as they can get.
Myth 2: These elected AsAm officials are at least our best hope.
Facts: In the U.S., one can organize/join political action committees, PACs, which can be so much more powerful than elected politicians, especially for a small minority. For example, AIPAC is the reason why the Jewish Am community, with a population of 6 million, can be politically so powerful.
Explain! All of the above sounds unbelievable
The above are the result of 3 circumstances:
1. A majority of the voters in the election districts of the above named officials are NOT AsAms, except for Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.
2. The non-AsAm voters dislike their AsAm official working for AsAms
3. AsAm elected officials are human beings who wish to avoid tough re-elections.
In contrast, 80-20 PAC doesn't face a re-election from the general population. Quite to the contrary, PAC's officials only fear NOT working hard enough for AsAms causing donations to drop &/or being voted out by PAC members. The incentives for PAC officials and AsAm elected officials are in diametrically opposed directions.
Q 1: How about Sen. Mazie Hirono, the majority of her voters are AsAms?
Q 2: How about Elaine Chao and Nikki Haley who are cabinet officials who don't face elections? To keep this article short, I'll answer these questions and destroy other myths next week.
Did you find the above refreshing? Do Your Share to Help.
1. Help make 80-20's war chest bigger. Donate to SELF (Self Empowerment Long-term Fund): Click here. Sending a check? Send to Stephen Lin, 969 Acalanes Rd, Lafayette CA 94549.
2. Sign the petition to stop the discrimination against AsAm students, click here.
S. B. Woo
