Our flag project is spreading like wildfire. This e-mail has 3 sections: A) Mainstream Media Attention B) Tip of the Iceberg in Individual Actions, & C) Spreading like Prairie Fire Among Organizations.
It takes an image to replace an image. 80-20 is helping to create a positive image for the APA community. See in particular Section A) on Mainstream Media Attention.
If, unfortunately, there was to be another Congressional Hearing denigrating the loyalty of APAs, 80-20 will bring photos, video tapes, articles of seas of flags to present a counter-balancing view. However, a positive image may not be enough to stop some politicians from smearing APAs to advance their own career. For them, there is always the APA group-political-clout that 80-20 has carefully nurtured for the past 2.5 years. We may just resort to a bloc vote against those politicians who continue to smear us.
A) Mainstream Media Attention
Coverage includes Newsweek Magazine, LA Times, Plain Dealer (largest paper in Cleveland, Ohio) and South China Morning Post of Hong Kong.
B) The Tip of the Iceberg in Individual Action
By now hundreds of individuals have e-mailed to say that they've bought a flag, or installed a holder, or asked their friends and relatives to do the same, or asked the local ethnic radio station to make announcement of 80-20's flag project on July 4th. The standard political guess-timate is that for every one who takes the trouble to call or write an original letter (as opposed to, say, signing a pre-written post card), there are 40 persons thinking the same thoughts or doing the same things. So what 80-20 has seen through its e-mails is but the tip of the iceberg. Check it out for yourself on July 4th.
C) Spreading Like Prairie Fire Among APA Orgs.
1) Washington, D.C.
Hank Chao, Exec. Director of Ch. Consolidated Benevolent Assoc., CCBA,
e-mailed:
"I decided to donate 20 flags, so does Mr. Thomas Jao the President of
CCBA Washington D.C. Mr. Jao will also personally contact every
merchant in D.C. Chinatown to support this event; and, I will install
the flags for all merchants."
"I also contacted three Chinese news paper about your event. They all
strongly support your event, and willing to pass the information to
readers in Washington D.C. area."
2) Washington, D.C.
Republican Asian American Alliance joins the FLAG project:
"Members of the Republican Asian American Alliance will be
encouraged to fly our American flag on July 4, especially
in the nation's capital area. Your good idea is greatly
appreciated." John J. Tzeng (for RAAA)
3) Manhattan, New York
American Legion Post of Chinatown, NYC has just resolved to plant
1200 flags in Chinatown, NY.
4) Monterey Park, CA
Mayor Frank Venti, a person of Italian descent, e-mailed:
"I will be more than happy to ask our residents in Monterey Park to fly
the American Flag on the Fourth of July. As you may know 62% of the
population of Monterey Park is Asian. GREAT IDEA!!!" Mayor Venti
5) Fremont, CA
The Citizens for Better Community, CBC, an Affiliate of 80-20, will join
a parade on July 4th. The entry will feature traditional Chinese Lion
Dance .... "HOWEVER, in support of the 80-20 initiative, there will be
large groups of Ch. Ams. who are either members of CBC, the Fremont
Chinese School, or a local Chinese American Boy Scout Troop, carrying
and waiving American flags as they walk down the parade route."
6) Oakland, CA
Richard Mak, President of Oakland's equivalent of CCBA, will hold a
Flag Raising Ceremony on 7/4 in Chinatown inviting the Mayor and
City Councilmen. He walked the Chinatown area with Tim Chen, 80-
20's Special Asst., and asked merchants to display flags. 700 paper
flags are printed and will be given to merchants to post on their store
windows this weekend.
7) Contra Costa, CA:
Chinese American Political Association, CAPA, an Affiliate of 80-20,
resolved:
"The first 200 Asian Americans who supply a receipt demonstrating to
CAPA that they have purchased an American flag by July 4, 2001, will
be reimbursed up to $10 per family. The sole condition is that they
must fly their flags on the three above mentioned national holidays."
8) Milpias, CA
"To mark the Flag Project and to commemorate the alliance between
AAPPI & the Asian American Times, you are invited this Fourth Of July
to a reception with Congressman Mike Honda:
Date: July 4, 01, Time: 4-6 PM, Venue: Mayflower Restaurant"
Kim Singh, Director, Asian American Public Policy Institute, AAPPI
9) Cupertino, CA
"Here in Cupertino CA we are doing more than flying the US flags. For
the first time, we will have an all Chinese-American singing group
standingonstage leading the Patriotic Sing-along for the local July 4th
celebration." David Fong, Cupertino, California
10) Cleveland, Ohio
"I have sent letters to all the Chinese restaurants in Northern Ohio
asking them to flying the American flag on 4th July. Asian American
News have published your message on June 15 issue in English and will
publish it again on June 27 in Chinese."
Tenax Corporation, Anthony Y. Yen
Volunteers will be visiting APA merchants this weekend to post
100 paper flags.
11) Houston, TX
"Spread words to hundreds of non-e-mail supporters;
sell, install and hang flag for stores; &
a big July 4th Celebration at the Chinese Community Center, with the
Joint Chinese College Alumni Assoc." Jenny Yang, Houston Chapter
