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Are Most AsAm Civic Organizations too Timid?
Q1: Why do you say that most AsAm organizations are timid?
A: So many AsAm organizations sent out press releases praising Democrats for passing the Anti-Asian Hate Crimes law. Almost all blamed the large increase in anti-Asian hate crimes on former Pres Trump's usage of "Chinese Virus" and "Kung Flu."
However, did they protest against Trump when he was using those terms, before he was defeated in his re-election? No! They were too timid to do so. Does that earlier silence and later dire condemnation respectively, before & after Trump's defeat, fit them to the name of timidity?
Q2: Why are you speaking against your fellow AsAm orgs.?
A: The purpose is to stimulate these orgs. to provide better service to our community. We have malice to none. Note that we are not naming names to avoid embarrassing any of them.
Q3: Alright. Still you must provide evidence of their timidity!
A: I already did. It is their inconsistency toward Trump before & after Trump's defeat. In contrast, read how 80-20 consistently serves our community.
On 3/21/20, Trump first used "Chinese virus ". Alarmed that Trump would induce hate & violence against AsAms, 80-20 reacted fiercely 2 days later. 80-20 publicly started its DART project. DART stands for Demand Apology or Reject Trump”. Trump briefly reversed himself, causing 80-20 to claim "Mission Accomplished". Click 1 and 2. However, soon after Trump used that term again. 80-20 publicly urged AsAms to "Defeat Trump" and went after him until his defeat on Nov. 3, 2020.
Q4: Good, convincing! Can you give another example of their timidity?
A: On 12/3/20, Sen. Blackburn (Bn) tweeted: "China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change…”
Not a single other AsAm org. has spoken up against Sen. Blackburn in a 6 month duration, except for United Chinese Americans, which organized a demonstration in the capitol of TN.
In contrast, 4 days after Bn's tweet, 80-20 sent Bn a private and courteous letter asking her to take down her tweet & apologize to our community. Without a response from her, 80-20 publicized the letter and organized 500 to 1,000 supporters to email/call Bn’s office making the same request. Still without a response, 80-20 and United Chinese Americans bought 4 full-page ads in TN’s largest 4 cities, signed by 500 AsAms & 1,500 other TN voters making the same request. Still without a response, 80-20 organized to urge Twitter to ban Bn from tweeting. Will Twitter agree with us? No official answer yet. 80-20 will find ways to punish Bn so long as she leaves her tweet up & refuses to apologize.
Q5: Two great examples! However, isn't 80-20 just tooting its own horn?
A: NO, no, no! We want to tell our community that 80-20, in-spite-of its political know-how and courage, is really NOT good enough! If Blackburn's tweet were about the black or the Jewish community, it would have been taken down by Twitter the next day. In addition, Bn would have been in deep political trouble! As it is, 6 months after 80-20's "valiant" effort, Bn's tweet is still up.
Don't you get it? For our small AsAm community to successfully defend our rights, EVERY AsAm ORG. MUST STEP UP & HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO SO. Otherwise, we will be second-class citizens forever!!!
Q6: I got it! I THANK YOU.
S. B. Woo
President and a volunteer for the past 22 years
80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc, a 501 C-3 organization,
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (1985-89)
PS: 80-20 EF gratefully acknowledges all donors, including Frank Ma, Fort Smith, AR, who having donated $5,500, pledged another $5,000 per year for 5 years.
