Dear Fellow Asian Americans,
A group, alleged to be Ron Paul supporters, released an immoral and reprehensible video attacking Jon Huntsman, former US ambassador to China, as a "Chairman Mao-style Manchurian Candidate" for speaking Chinese and adopting a Chinese and an Indian daughter. The video portends that these humanitarian acts make him un-American and unfit as a presidential candidate!. See for yourself at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PsJvLVoOq4
The perpetrator tried to exploit Chinese and Indian stereotype and xenophobia for political gain. They tried to insinuate that anyone who looks like a Chinese or Indian and speaks Mandarin—indeed anyone who even associates with or shows any affinity for anything Asian—cannot be a trustworthy or patriotic American. By extension of this logic – any one other than Euro-American should not be accepted or embraced as true American. Such attempts NOT ONLY hurt the interest of all Asian Americans, they ALSO hurt American national interests both at home and abroad. As MLK Jr. put it, "An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!" Such an ugly incident must be nipped in the bud.
80-20 strongly condemns this attack ad. We praise Ron Paul for disavowing it. We also praise Jon Huntsman for his unequivocal defense of his actions, his position and broad outlook. We pledge to force any presidential candidate who is behind this message to stop it when the facts become clearer. We further challenge the presidential candidates to make written pledge to 80-20 questionnaire that, if elected the President of the United States, s/he will uphold the solemn duty mandated by the US Constitution to treat all citizens equally with dignity, respect and fairness regardless of race and ethnicity.
Remember McCarthyism in the 1950s? Remember the "Asian Gate" and "the Cox Report" in the 1990s? These ugly incidents are good reminders why racism will always lurk and surface when opportunity arises. The Asian American community needs a national organization like 80-20, supported by half a million like-minded individuals. Ever vigilant to the current events,80-20 can quickly mobilize and use our group clout to reward or punish politicians.
Let it be known that 80-20 can and will cause sustained damage to any presidential hopeful who directly or indirectly engages in race baiting or other conduct hostile to Asian American interests. We expect no more and no less than fairness and simple decency.
If you approve of our work, please join 80-20. The larger the membership list, the more our clout.
Go to: http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp
OR send a check to 80-20 PAC 13337 South St. #189 Cerritos, CA 90703.
Basic $35; Family $50; Student $15; Life Member $1,000.
Go to: http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp
OR send a check to 80-20 PAC 13337 South St. #189 Cerritos, CA 90703.
Basic $35; Family $50; Student $15; Life Member $1,000.
From: 80-20 Collective Leadership
