Salute to the 480 Role Models!
While Others Spoke Up for Us, Why Are We so Quiet?
Those in America's mainstream who know politics have publicly expressed very serious concerns over DOJ's repeated wrongful prosecutions of Chinese American scientists.
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In contrast, Chinese-/Asian-Americans (except for 80-20 Initiative and Asian American Congresspersons) have been quiet. Are we too timid to speak up for ourselves?
GREAT NEWS
Hurrah! There has been a refreshing beginning.
About 480 members of the Association of Chinese American Professors and Scientists (ACAPS) at University of Maryland voted unanimously to send a reasoned and powerful letter. Click here to see their letter to Attorney General Lynch requesting an independent investigation of those wrongful prosecutions.
They also showed deep patriotism by stating what could be news to the ignorant bureaucrats in DOJ but is true -- Chinese Americans "account for a large percentage of scientists and engineers across major research universities, national labs, and other research institutions. . . ."
"We are certain that if the current practice of unlawfully targeting of Chinese-American professors and scientists continues, many Chinese- and other Asian-Americans will avoid working in technical areas that are vital to the success of this country's civilian and military industries, which will surely undermine this country's competitiveness in the long run."
80-20 wants to particularly salute Prof. Zhi-Long Chen, a member of 80-20's Board of Donors and a member of the ACAPS, who spearheaded this letter.
Why Have Chinese-/Asian- Ams Been So Quiet?
I have been mystified by our silence. That past pattern of wrongful prosecutions without subsequent apologies and compensation could happen to any of us. Don't we want to stop it? The damaging effect reverberated even after the charges were dropped. For example, Dr. Sherry Chen's boss still wants to fire her.
Is the long-term damage to America's competitiveness, mentioned by the noble 480 at the Univ. of MD, obvious to all of us as well? Don't we care about America?
Are we afraid, because the FBI is involved? Why? I am not afraid of the FBI at all because I trust the American government. People who work for FBI are public servants. If we think that FBI agents can willfully and legally step on our rights, then we have a gross misunderstanding of our government.
Let's Spread the Word & Empower Ourselves
It is true that government can make mistakes. There are always bureaucrats who are over-eager to please the White House at the expense of our laws. If we suspect that they are profiling us racially and by national origin, then we must speak up. Forward this to your friends so that more of us will speak up for our rights. Don't be such timid souls.
S. B. Woo
President and a volunteer for the past 17 years
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
View a GREAT 3-part video about AsAms:
