Here is how YOU now have the power to deal with a
similar unfortunate scandal as the "Asia Gate" of 1996 to 97.
BACKGROUND OF THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE SCANDAL
From 1996 to 97', the entire AsAm community suffered, owing to the
political misdeeds of a few. Do you still recall names like John
Huang, Johnny Chung, Charlie Trie, Pauline Kalchanalak and
James Riady who all made illegal political contributions in the
presidential election year of 1996? The mainstream media covered
those misdeeds so intensely as if it was the new "Watergate." It was
as if there was an Asian cabal to undermine the US government,
while the misdeeds were no more than the follies of a few AsAm
political amateurs. The amount of illegal contribution (less than
$250,000) was small as compared to the normal campaign
irregularities of a presidential election year.
NY Times christened the term "Asia Gate." The two political
parties competed to be distant from Asian Ams. & to harshly
investigate their Asian Am. big donors.
The Democratic National committee, DNC, was in comparison the
worse. After the scandals ballooned, DNC blatantly practiced
racial profiling and investigated only its big contributors who had
Asian last names. Such donors were asked to show (1) proof of US
citizenship/PR status, & (2) income tax filings of past years to
verify their financial means.
Results of the hysteria? An average Asian Am became more
"foreign" and more suspect of "undermining the USA" in
the eyes of the Am. public. How ironic! That was the pay back to
our community for having given at least $8,000,000 to presidential
candidates of both parties in 1996. Given the hysteria, Congressman
Cox's House Committee held a hearing. It claimed that there were
many spies among AsAms and that it would prove it later, which of
course it didn't. But the damage has been done.
You can of course understand that the combined images of
"Perpetual foreigners" and "disloyalty to USA" leads to
discrimination against YOU in workplaces.
Lesson? Hear 80-20 out, which is non-partisan. Don't let
amateurs politicians with personal political ambitions talk
you into giving money and votes to their political party or
bosses, without scrutiny.
A few valiant Asian Ams spoke up against the "Asia Gate" hysteria,
but they were not heard. Not a single Asian Am organization stood
up to lead our community to fight the hysteria. Outraged, 80-20
was born a year later!
HOW 80-20 WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE
Had 80-20 existed then, it would have immediately hired lawyers
to question the legality of DNC's method of investigation. If
necessary, 80-20 would have taken DNC to court.
In addition, 80-20 would send a "Call to Action" to the 710,000
AsAm persons and families on its email list. 80-20 will urge them
to send letters to DNC and RNC to protest their attitude towards the
Asian American community. 80-20 would also lead "a letter to the
editor campaign" to stem the hysteria, which eventually caused so
much damage to the average Asian Ams. 80-20 would of course
remind both parties of its ability to deliver a bloc vote in the next
presidential election.
This is the political power that YOU have now. You have a
political action committee that has a war chest, the political
know-how, & the ability to communicate with the entire AsAm
community, several times a week if necessary. Communication is power.
War chest & political know-how is power. Bloc vote is power.
Join 80-20. That is how you & 80-20 mutually empower each
other. Next email will show how 80-20 would have made a difference
in the Vincent Chin murder case in Detroit in 1982.
Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership.html (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/paypal.html
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Director of Projects
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the
check. Life membership is $1,000; Family (2 voters) is $50; Basic
Membership is $35; Student membership is $15.
