You can help 80-20 grow

You are known to us as a pillar of strength for the welfare of our community. If you think 80-20 has done a good job, this is the time you must step up and help 80-20 grow. A person like you sets examples for others, including your family & friends.

Within one year, 80-20's current Steering Comm. will be replaced by a Board of Directors and its officers, all to be elected. Only dues-paying members may zvote/ run for office*.

 There are six types of memberships:

 1. Basic (1 vote) -- $35
 2. Family (for couples only, 2 votes) -- $50
 3. Life** -- $1,000
 4. Family life** (couples only, 2 votes) -- $1,500
 5. Honorary Life** -- $5,000
 6. Honorary Family** (couples only, 2 votes) -- $10,000
 ** Membership names in prominent display on 80-20's web site.

 Here is a summary of why 80-20 needs your support:

 80-20 is:
Public-minded,
 (all Steering Committee members work for free),
Cealn,
(its finances were cleared by the most stringent audit),
Effective,
(delivered a bloc vote to Gore and induced Pres. Bush to make the
historic appointment of two APAs to his cabinet ) and
Politically astute.
(80-20 knows that a swing bloc vote will win political clout for you.)

You can become a member today, using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership.html,
or pay with a check, payable to 80-20 PAC, and mail to:
Professor Chun Wa Wong
3780 Keystone Ave.
Suite 106
Los Angeles, CA 90034-6363

Specify on your check: your city, state, zip code & e-mail address (1 for single membership; 2, if possible, for family membership). You must be a citizen or permanent resident. Donations to 80-20 are NOT tax deductible. Due to gov. regulations, if your check is for more than $200.00, please include your occupation and employer. All non-life memberships will last till 12/31/02.

Help a good organization like the 80-20 grow. Help 80-20 work for you & your children. Do your share. Become a member today!

Better yet, be a Life or Honorary Life member. If you choose either, please let S.B. know by replying to this e-mail. We want this good news immediately, with which to motivate others! Please be generous.

- - - Paid for by 80-20 PAC, Incorporated - - -

 *All other APAs will still receive our free e-mail newsletter.

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80-20 is a national nonpartisan Political Action Committee dedicated to winning equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Pacific Americans through a swing bloc-vote, ideally directing 80% of our community's votes and money to the presidential candidate endorsed by the 80-20, who better represents the interests of all APAs. Hence, the name "80-20" was created. For more details, visit http://www.80-20initiative.net

Great News to Serve You Better

To serve you better, 80-20's Steering Committee has adopted policies that will make 80-20 an organization that is ruled by its own bylaws, democratic and transparent, all within one year.

Such changes are normally not easy to come by without external pressure. That 80-20's leadership volunteered to take on such a sea change is a measure of its dedication to serve you.. It is great news for you and your children.

Within one year, 80-20 will be:

• 
  having leaders who will be more representative (owing to elections) and more dedicated (owing to bylaws that require performance of duties by elected directors and officers or face forced resignation or impeachment),


• financially stronger with a stable income from membership dues,


• politically stronger, because of the above factors, and


• therefore, in a better position to win equal opportunity and justice for you.
  

Please read the following press release describing key decisions made by 80-20's Steering Comm. in its meeting in Washington D.C. on 10/20-21. Be sure to read at least its first paragraph. If you want more details, visit our web site. Or you can wait; important details will be e-mailed to you in the next few days.

For Immediate Release
Contact Person: S. B. Woo (302 366-0259)

80-20's Steering Committee concluded a meeting, held in Washington D.C. on October 20 and 21. Its major decisions include (1) the institutionalization of 80-20, (2) exploring ways to unseat elected officials who unfairly attack the Asian Pacific American (APA) community, (3) establishing an endowment of at least $5 million, and (4) adding 2 members to the Steering Committee.

Peter Suzuki, Chair of the Bylaws Committee and former national President of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) said: "Our bylaws aim to make the 80-20 Initiative an organization that is ruled by law, democratic and transparent. Here is how democratic the organization will be. Within one year, the initial Steering Committee will be replaced by nationally elected officers and a board of directors. What is more, every elected position is term limited and is required to have at least two candidates. The last requirement is extra-ordinary because it makes every election truly competitive."

He also said, "To make our organization transparent, the criteria and procedure of 80-20's endorsement process for the next president of the US is spelled out in detail in Article 7 in our bylaws." A copy of the said bylaws is available at www.80-20initiative.net/bylaw.html .

S. B. Woo, a Steering Committee member and former Lt. Governor of Delaware (1985-89) said, "It's a gigantic advance in the political maturity of the APA community, when our Steering Committee approved exploring ways to unseat politicians who denigrate our community for political expediency.

Sometimes that is the only way to pass an effective message to politicians. 80-20 shall be extremely judicious. We will not exercise such a severe form of censure unless the politician deserves it and that we have a reasonable chance to unseat him/her. In the 2002 election, many congressional districts have 20% or more APA constituents. That fact makes 80-20's newly adopted strategy viable."

The Steering Committee also approved preparation to drive for a $5 million endowment fund. Larry Ho, 80-20's Treasurer and a Harvard professor of Applied Mathematics said, "80-20 has a tough job. First, it serves a community that is very diverse in cultural and ethnic background. Secondly, it operates in the rough-and-tumble world of politics where vicious attacks and rumors are commonplace. These are disruptive forces that 80-20 must handle daily. A significant endowment will help stabilize 80-20. I hope the well-to-do folks in our community will have the wisdom to step forward to fulfill this need."

Jenny Yang of Houston, TX and Shaie-Mei Temple of New Orleans, LA were elected Steering Committee members. Jenny Yang was a recipient of 80-20's "Great Doer Award." Shaie-Mei Temple was a delegate to 80-20's Endorsement Convention of last year.

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80-20 is a national nonpartisan Political Action Committee dedicated to winning equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Pacific Americans through a swing bloc-vote, ideally directing 80% of our community's votes and money to the presidential candidate endorsed by the 80-20, who better represents the interests of all APAs. Hence, the name "80-20" was created. For more details, visit http://www.80-20initiative.net

80-20 Honors Two Great Doers

On October 20, 2001, 80-20 will honor two great doers of the Asian Pacific American community with a banquet in Washington, D.C. They are Jenny Yang of Houston, Texas, and David Chu, who is an expatriate living in Switzerland. They will be presented with the Great Doer Award, a diamond-shaped crystal pillar symbolizing their illustrious quality.

Jenny Yang, wife and mother of two, is an executive in an oil company. She has always set aside time to serve our community, often volunteering for the toughest tasks.

In 2000, she spearheaded the Houston drive for 10,000 signatures to petition then-candidate Bush to commit to 80-20’s 4-point Declaration. In a city with an estimated Asian Am. population of 80,000, that is a Herculean task. She and her friends gathered signatures in shopping malls in countless weekends, rain or shine. Those 10,000 signatures from Houston helped launch 80-20 as a grass-roots organization.

This year, Jenny spearheaded 80-20’s flag project in Houston. She and her co-workers planted 1000 flags in the walkways of Chinatown on July 4. Weeks in advance, they walked Houston's Chinatown asking shop owners to display flags. During that process, they learned that many shops have brick fronts for which the installation of a flag holder would be very difficult, and immediately alerted the National 80-20 to adjust its strategy in the "Flag Campaign." That timely advice contributed to 80-20’s successful flag campaign in Boston, NY, Fremont, Washington, D.C., Oakland, Cleveland, LA, etc.

David Chu, husband and father of three, is an executive in global technology management. He has been active in the Asian American equal rights movement since 1972. Whenever inequities perpetrated by the mainstream media appeared, David wrote to the editor and normally got his view published.

Since learning about 80-20 last year, David has participated in LA80-20 chapter, when he is visiting US. He has written essays promoting 80-20's ideals and goals, essays that were widely read and having deep impact on their readers.

One of those essays sprang from his intensely personal tragedy. On August 28, 2000, David's son Jamie was killed in a car accident. While waiting outside the hospital room of his seriously injured wife, David wrote a three-part article in remembrance of Jamie's life as an Asian American boy growing up in the United States. He wrote about Jamie’s joy and privileges as an American, as well as Jamie’s frustrations when he was discriminated against in school. Those articles inspired his readers to work harder for the Asian Am. community, particularly our children. David also wanted something meaningful to remember Jamie by. He and his friends raised more than $20,000 to set up a Jamie Chu Memorial Fund in care of 80-20, to be used to fund community outreach and in particular youth outreach.

David Chu and Jenny Yang are doers, not talkers. They are first in battle, last to accept credit. They enrich our community by setting personal examples.

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80-20 is a national nonpartisan Political Action Committee dedicated to winning equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Pacific Americans through a swing bloc-vote, ideally directing 80% of our community's votes and money to the presidential candidate endorsed by the 80-20, who better represents the interests of all APAs. Hence, the name "80-20" was created. For more details, visit http://www.80-20initiative.net

80-20 Going To Bat For You

"Communication is power." That point was vividly made by 80-20's last e-mail, entitled "Heroism & Fear Related to 9/11." Besides sending the message to you, 80-20 also sent it to 50 prominent mainstream reporters -- a rare 80-20 practice. 80-20's purposes were:

(1) To spread words about Zhe Zeng's heroic act to the community at large. Up till that time, the mainstream media had NOT reported on how heroically Zeng has volunteered his service to his new found nation, and
(2) To remind the mainstream media that not only Arab Ams. but also Asian Ams. live under the FEAR of unjustified internment, as befell Japanese Ams.

Both aims were achieved. 80-20 is proud to report to you below, how it went to bat for you and your children and made things happen.

(A) On Zhe Zeng's heroic and selfless act:

Yesterday, Jane Leung Larson who saw 80-20's e-mail to reporters, e-mailed 80-20: "... I talked to Zeng's manager at the bank who said that several mainstream journalists had contacted her recently. ... Maybe thanks to you, we'll see the story in more media."

Today (10/3), the NY Times covered Mr. Zeng's heroic act, with a picture of him:

“ZHE ZENG
Completely Selfless Person'

Zhe Zeng was safe. The first plane struck the north tower as he was leaving the Brooklyn Bridge subway stop, and he could have stayed in his Barclay Street office, blocks away from the carnage, at the Bank of New York, where he was project manager for American depositary receipts.

But Mr. Zeng, 29, who was known as Zack, was also a certified emergency medical technician, and after stopping by his office for some supplies, he plunged into the maelstrom of dust and ash. A news video broadcast later that day showed him working, still in his business suit, over a prostrate form. But he has not been seen since.

"It didn't surprise anybody who knew him," said Peggy Farrell, his supervisor. "He was a completely selfless person. He was just someone who would automatically volunteer his assistance. To me it was a truly heroic display.""

What a moving story to illustrate APA patriotism! We trust a few more, maybe many more, mainstream media will use the story.

Some 80-20 supporters, moved by Mr. Zeng's sacrifice, e-mailed 80-20 asking how to send money to his mother. If you want to make a contribution, please e-mail us for her address.

 (B) On Preventing Future Internment:

80-20's e-mail to journalists asked reporters to research the Korematsu Decision of the Supreme Court upholding the constitutionality of interning Japanese Americans purely on account of their race. That Decision has never been reversed and provides a precedent for the future internment of other politically weak minorities such as Arab Ams. and APAs, not to mention permanent residents, immigrants and tourists.

Many articles has since appeared in the mainstream press. Almost all criticized the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII and mentioned explicitly the Korematsu Decision, either coincidentally or owing to 80-20's suggestion.

80-20 is exploring the possibility of spending its political capital to get either the Executive or the Legislative or the Judiciary branch, or combinations of the above, to take an action whereupon no ethnic group of US citizens may ever again be placed in internment as a group. Individuals who are proven disloyal to the US may of course be interned. If you are a legal or political expert and know what kind of action is needed, please e-mail sbw@udel.edu. Thank you.

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80-20 is a national, nonpartisan, Political Action Committee dedicated to winning equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Pacific Americans through a SWING bloc-vote, ideally directing 80% of our community’s votes and money to the presidential candidate endorsed by 80-20, who better represents the interests of all APAs. Hence, the name "80-20" was created. For more details, visit http://www.80-20initiative.net