Celebrate July 4th
with a Flag!
On July 4th, help celebrate the founding of a
great nation, OUR
NATION, the United States of America, by displaying a flag at your
home. Legality aside, the essence of citizenship is the pride of ownership. It means we owe our primary allegiance to the
USA while celebrating the vitality of our ethnic communities and preserving our
cherished cultural heritages. It means
we stand up and fight for our rights as full-fledged citizens. It means we are equal partners in making this
great nation a more perfect union. But
are we?
AsAms must shatter the “perpetual
foreigner” image before we can become first-class citizens.
Don’t just blame others for bias: Are
you behaving like a citizen? No amount of enlightenment by others would
help if you think, talk and act like a refugee in a foreign land. As the proverb put it well, “If it walks like
a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it is a duck.”
“Refugee mentality” is a
state of mind that makes you a foreigner regardless of your citizenship
status.
It affects a person’s conduct, yet has nothing to do with his
education attainment, professional development, family income or wealth. Many “model minority”
individuals, suffer the same “refugee mentality” as would a destitute, despite
being in the top 10% income bracket and living in suburban McMansions: Constant insecurity about job and financial
well-being, exclusive focus on immediate family needs, look at everything from
a “what’s in it for me” perspective, don’t give away anything to anyone, don’t care
or get involved in the community, don’t dare to defend own rightful interests
lest it would step on toes and cause a backlash, and above all, avoid “dirty”
politics like the plague. Then look
around and wonder why are we looked upon as perpetual foreigners, why our
children face the highest bar to college, and why our adults face the lowest
ceiling?
Look
around your friends and look at yourself.
Look no further:
“First-class
citizenship” is an ideal that germinates in your heart and emanates through
your actions.
The change is in you!
80-20 toils to plant the seeds for a
better and stronger AsAm community, support us by paying your membership
dues and help spread the words.
Join
80-20 Today. Go to http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
Or send
your check to: 80-20 PAC, 13337 South St. #189,
Cerritos, CA 90703.
Family
membership is $50 (two), individual $35, student $15.
Please see us on
facebook at: www.facebook.com/8020PAC
Respectfully,
80-20Collective Leadership
Acknowledgements:
Pedro
Chan, California, life member, $1000
Tiepeng
Zhou, New Jersey, $405
