By Amy Wong Mok
Vice President
80-20 Initiative Board
Recently I had a conversation with a friend who works on a college campus. We talked about the 2008 presidential election and the involvement of Asian Americans in this process, especially the young voters. She shook her head and shared her concerns aboutthe negative impact on our community by the illegal political contribution of Mr. Norman Hsu to the Democratic Party. She has sensed some level of collective shame among the Asian American college students when this scandal is brought up. She is afraid that Asian American voters may not be as active and maybe overly cautious about making political contribution to both parties or to any particular candidate. Her observation worries me and here are the reasons.
1. The political process of election campaigning is an important means for us toachieve our vision for a better community. We cannot afford to diminish our involvement; unless we are willing to turn a blind eye to the injustices that we are fighting to eliminate.
2. We should not allow anybody to define all Asian Americans based on the misbehavior of one individual, even though he is an Asian American. Other people's definition of us should not become our reality. We know better and we are better.
It is very important for all of us to continue building our political strength. The future of our children depends on it. Please consider:
1. Get involved in the political debate and discussion at your precinct because your opinion and experience are just as important as others.
2. Get a seat to go to the state convention.
3. Get a seat to be a delegate to the national convention.
4. Attend the public meetings when the candidates sympathetic to our cause come to your area.
5. Contribute your time and resources to candidates who are our friends. We can make a difference and each one of us counts.
6. Participate in the 80-20 Initiative at a level that you feel most comfortable.
Upgrade the level of your membership.
Together we will increase the number of Asian American federal judicial appointments to represent fairly the Asian American population in adequate proportion. We should have 39 Asian American federal court judges. We now have only 6, a big gap to narrow down. We must increase the number of Asian American executives in public and private establishments in compliance with Executive Order 11246 that was signed by President Johnson in 1965. This order is meant to ensure the number of minority and women in executive positions in colleges/universities, government agencies and private businesses. Asian Americans have been left out in the enforcement of EO11246, in violation offederal law.
I truly believe in the observation: "The worth of a community depends on how the children are treated." In a democratic society, we can ensure the fair and just treatment of our children through our political strength. The Norman Hsu affair is no reason for us to retreat. It is a reminder to us all about how much we want to be treated like all others. Nobody rises to low expectations. Let us keep our aim high so that children will surely rise above us.
Become a member of 80-20 Initiative today and please share your political experience with us.
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340
Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check. Thank you.
Friday, November 02, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
An Appeal to Join 80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Dear 80-20 Supporters,
In April of this year, together with other 80-20 Board Members, I walked
into my U.S. Senator's office and visited with one of her assistants about
80-20's causes on your behalf. I could see that her eyes lit up when she
learned of the number of our membership and the mailing list.
The facts are: first, politicians only listen to power and money, and both
are represented by numbers. Second, Asian Americans, unlike some other
minority groups, are not used to giving large contributions to politicians.
So, to get politicians to listen to us, Asian Americans can only count on
power represented by numbers.
Sadly, the fact also is, Asian Americans in general do not actively vote,
and all politicians know this, so we are weak in numbers.
With the recent campaign finance scandal created by Norman Hsu, our
community got another set back even though Norman Hsu did not want to share
with us his 15 minute claim of fame. We got the bad wrap none the less.
How can Asian Americans turn the tide under the above sad facts? Here comes
80-20 Initiative which capitalizes on the following facts to turn the tide:
The fact is, Asian Americans are more wired than the general public, so we
can quickly mobilize our voters via the Internet.
Another fact is, when we vote in unison for selected politicians, our bloc
vote could be crucial in tight elections, which are many these days.
So, won't you please join 80-20 Initiative as a paying member and become a
part of our Bloc Vote that will make a difference in the upcoming elections?
Politicians will work for us on issues such as job discrimination and
immigration discrimination if they know they could count on our vote. This
IS the only way we can turn the tide: UNITY IS POWER.
Don't you think you owe it to yourself to pay a mere $35/year, the cost of
one dinner, to join as a paying member today so that you and your children's
future can be better protected?
Best regards,
Kelvin Chen
Board Member, 80-20 Initiative
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Thank you.
In April of this year, together with other 80-20 Board Members, I walked
into my U.S. Senator's office and visited with one of her assistants about
80-20's causes on your behalf. I could see that her eyes lit up when she
learned of the number of our membership and the mailing list.
The facts are: first, politicians only listen to power and money, and both
are represented by numbers. Second, Asian Americans, unlike some other
minority groups, are not used to giving large contributions to politicians.
So, to get politicians to listen to us, Asian Americans can only count on
power represented by numbers.
Sadly, the fact also is, Asian Americans in general do not actively vote,
and all politicians know this, so we are weak in numbers.
With the recent campaign finance scandal created by Norman Hsu, our
community got another set back even though Norman Hsu did not want to share
with us his 15 minute claim of fame. We got the bad wrap none the less.
How can Asian Americans turn the tide under the above sad facts? Here comes
80-20 Initiative which capitalizes on the following facts to turn the tide:
The fact is, Asian Americans are more wired than the general public, so we
can quickly mobilize our voters via the Internet.
Another fact is, when we vote in unison for selected politicians, our bloc
vote could be crucial in tight elections, which are many these days.
So, won't you please join 80-20 Initiative as a paying member and become a
part of our Bloc Vote that will make a difference in the upcoming elections?
Politicians will work for us on issues such as job discrimination and
immigration discrimination if they know they could count on our vote. This
IS the only way we can turn the tide: UNITY IS POWER.
Don't you think you owe it to yourself to pay a mere $35/year, the cost of
one dinner, to join as a paying member today so that you and your children's
future can be better protected?
Best regards,
Kelvin Chen
Board Member, 80-20 Initiative
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Thank you.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Success! Legislations Endorsed by 80-20 Have Been Passed
By David Yang, Chair of the Committee on Legislation
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
Great news from Capitol Hill! It’s my great pleasure and privilege to report to you that, thanks to the support of concerned citizens like yourself, two of the three pieces of legislation that 80-20 endorsed in May have been passed with flying colors, and a third has also been moved out of Committee and is well on its way to passage.
On July 30th, the House passed the Resolution introduced by Rep. Mike Honda of San Jose calling upon the Japanese government to formally acknowledge and apologize for the use of `comfort women' during WWII. In the end the Resolution was cosponsored by 167 members of the House – nearly 40% of its membership. The overwhelming support received by this Resolution is a testament to the decency and conscience of the American people, and former Prime Minister Abe of Japan was forced to backtrack from earlier comments denying state responsibility in the use of “comfort women”. Again, we applaud Rep. Honda’s moral courage, and congratulate the U.S. Congress for taking up the cause of the powerless.
A second piece of good news came on Sept. 7th, when the U.S. Senate along with the House passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. This landmark financial aid bill incorporates Rep. David Wu's legislation to expand educational opportunities for low-income Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. Rep. Wu is a member of the Education and Labor Committee and was appointed to the House-Senate conference committee on this bill. The bill will provide grants to eligible colleges and universities to improve services for low-income AAPI students, such as the purchase of educational materials and community outreach programs for high school students. Previously, institutions that serve large numbers of low-income AAPI students have not had access to such grants, and AAPI students from low income households did not receive the assistance long available to other minority groups. The passage of this bill is an important first step in the right direction. The bill has been presented to the President on Sept. 19th and is expected to be signed into law.
Finally, I am also pleased to report that the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner of California, was moved out of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on July 17th and is expected to come up for a House vote in the near future. With 98 cosponsors in the House, the bill is expected to pass the House without difficulty. A similar bill has also been sponsored by Sen. Inouye in the Senate. The Bill grants Filipino veterans who fought under U.S. command during WWII the same veterans’ benefits enjoyed by other American veterans. It will restore to them the same health and pension benefits enjoyed by other American veterans, as promised them by President Roosevelt 66 years ago.
In unity there is power. While we cannot claim sole credit for the progress made on these issues, we did our part by shining a spotlight on them and keeping them on the public agenda. While our elected representatives deserve the lion’s share of the credit, they did not and could not do it alone. In this great democracy the people control their own future. Your voice can and *has* made a difference!
On behalf of the entire 80-20 Board of Directors, we thank you again for your community spirit and enthusiastic support.
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check. Thank you.
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
Great news from Capitol Hill! It’s my great pleasure and privilege to report to you that, thanks to the support of concerned citizens like yourself, two of the three pieces of legislation that 80-20 endorsed in May have been passed with flying colors, and a third has also been moved out of Committee and is well on its way to passage.
On July 30th, the House passed the Resolution introduced by Rep. Mike Honda of San Jose calling upon the Japanese government to formally acknowledge and apologize for the use of `comfort women' during WWII. In the end the Resolution was cosponsored by 167 members of the House – nearly 40% of its membership. The overwhelming support received by this Resolution is a testament to the decency and conscience of the American people, and former Prime Minister Abe of Japan was forced to backtrack from earlier comments denying state responsibility in the use of “comfort women”. Again, we applaud Rep. Honda’s moral courage, and congratulate the U.S. Congress for taking up the cause of the powerless.
A second piece of good news came on Sept. 7th, when the U.S. Senate along with the House passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. This landmark financial aid bill incorporates Rep. David Wu's legislation to expand educational opportunities for low-income Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) students. Rep. Wu is a member of the Education and Labor Committee and was appointed to the House-Senate conference committee on this bill. The bill will provide grants to eligible colleges and universities to improve services for low-income AAPI students, such as the purchase of educational materials and community outreach programs for high school students. Previously, institutions that serve large numbers of low-income AAPI students have not had access to such grants, and AAPI students from low income households did not receive the assistance long available to other minority groups. The passage of this bill is an important first step in the right direction. The bill has been presented to the President on Sept. 19th and is expected to be signed into law.
Finally, I am also pleased to report that the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner of California, was moved out of the House Veterans Affairs Committee on July 17th and is expected to come up for a House vote in the near future. With 98 cosponsors in the House, the bill is expected to pass the House without difficulty. A similar bill has also been sponsored by Sen. Inouye in the Senate. The Bill grants Filipino veterans who fought under U.S. command during WWII the same veterans’ benefits enjoyed by other American veterans. It will restore to them the same health and pension benefits enjoyed by other American veterans, as promised them by President Roosevelt 66 years ago.
In unity there is power. While we cannot claim sole credit for the progress made on these issues, we did our part by shining a spotlight on them and keeping them on the public agenda. While our elected representatives deserve the lion’s share of the credit, they did not and could not do it alone. In this great democracy the people control their own future. Your voice can and *has* made a difference!
On behalf of the entire 80-20 Board of Directors, we thank you again for your community spirit and enthusiastic support.
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check. Thank you.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Appeal for Voter Registration
By Joel Wong, Board Member, The 80-20 Initiative
This email is for US citizens NOT yet registered to vote.
Are you registered to vote?
Two types of citizens need to register: (1) those who've never registered, and (2) have registered but have moved to a new address. Please fulfill your obligation as a citizen and a model Asian American. Your vote is important in our democratic process, in our future, and in the future of our country.
Here is the EASIEST way to register to vote! It will be the most meaningful 10 minutes you'll spend in your life, for your children and future generations.
Visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/nvra. The steps to Register to Vote are:
1. Select your state
2. Enter the required information
· Fill in all the required information as indicated by a red *
· Click on "instruction" as needed for further explanation
· After you have completed the required information, go to the bottom of the page to click on the "Preview My Voter Registration"
3. Print your voter registration application (requires Adobe Acrobat software which you can download free at this site)
4. Proofread, sign and date the voter registration application
5. Mail your voter registration application to the address on the form.
Upon receiving your application, your state will mail you a voter registration card. YOU NEED TO FILL THAT OUT AND MAIL IT IN. Only then are you truly registered.
Note that registering to vote is ALWAYS A TWO-STEP PROCESS, whether you register via a website or travel to a registration place.
Visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/nvra/ NOW!
When the "Voter Registration Card" comes, you may want to choose to vote Absentee. That is you can "vote by mail" instead of going to a polling place. More and more people prefer to vote Absentee because it is easier and you have more time to study the candidates and issues.
Most states allow "vote by mail." About 20 days before the voting date, you will receive a ballot on which you may check for whom and on what issues to vote. Put the ballot in an envelope; sign on the backside of the envelope, mail it in and you will have voted. You will have fulfilled your duty as an Asian American and a US citizen who asserts his/her rights.
SAVE this e-mail & forward it to your relatives & friends. Thank you.
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check. Thank you.
This email is for US citizens NOT yet registered to vote.
Are you registered to vote?
Two types of citizens need to register: (1) those who've never registered, and (2) have registered but have moved to a new address. Please fulfill your obligation as a citizen and a model Asian American. Your vote is important in our democratic process, in our future, and in the future of our country.
Here is the EASIEST way to register to vote! It will be the most meaningful 10 minutes you'll spend in your life, for your children and future generations.
Visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/nvra. The steps to Register to Vote are:
1. Select your state
2. Enter the required information
· Fill in all the required information as indicated by a red *
· Click on "instruction" as needed for further explanation
· After you have completed the required information, go to the bottom of the page to click on the "Preview My Voter Registration"
3. Print your voter registration application (requires Adobe Acrobat software which you can download free at this site)
4. Proofread, sign and date the voter registration application
5. Mail your voter registration application to the address on the form.
Upon receiving your application, your state will mail you a voter registration card. YOU NEED TO FILL THAT OUT AND MAIL IT IN. Only then are you truly registered.
Note that registering to vote is ALWAYS A TWO-STEP PROCESS, whether you register via a website or travel to a registration place.
Visit https://ssl.capwiz.com/congressorg/nvra/ NOW!
When the "Voter Registration Card" comes, you may want to choose to vote Absentee. That is you can "vote by mail" instead of going to a polling place. More and more people prefer to vote Absentee because it is easier and you have more time to study the candidates and issues.
Most states allow "vote by mail." About 20 days before the voting date, you will receive a ballot on which you may check for whom and on what issues to vote. Put the ballot in an envelope; sign on the backside of the envelope, mail it in and you will have voted. You will have fulfilled your duty as an Asian American and a US citizen who asserts his/her rights.
SAVE this e-mail & forward it to your relatives & friends. Thank you.
Join 80-20. Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check. Thank you.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
A short appeal from S. B. Woo
Hi, this is S. B. Woo, immediate past president of
80-20 PAC. Kindly please read my appeal to you.
For you who are among the first to face the insurmountable odds,
to suffer the insufferable and to achieve what others think are
impossible, please join me to help 80-20 PAC become much stronger:
1. Dip into your pocket and pay the $35 or $50 to become either a
Basic or Family Members of 80-20. 80-20 really needs you and
frankly our community really needs 80-20. I will match all
membership fees up to $2000.00 so long the joining occurs
within 10 days after 8/13, my birthday. It is in memory of my
parents and in the hopes of helping our offspring.
2. Place AsianAmericanUnity@80-20.us" and sbwEF@80-20.us"
into your email account's "Address Book" or your "Safe Senders
List."
A TREAT: A brand NEW 80-20 PAC website. Visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/ Use the pull-down tabs. Much more info
is available to you in the new site, designed by Seechung Lee of CA. We are
still working on making the site more fun for you to visit.
Gratefully yours,
SB
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. Basic (1 vote) -- $35
2. Family (Two names to get 2 votes) -- $50
3. Professional (1 vote) -- $75
4. Professional family (2 names to get 2 votes) -- $150
5. Student -- $15
6. Life ** -- $1000
7. Family life ** (two names to get 2 votes) -- $1,500
8. Honorary Life ** -- $5,000
9. Honorary Family Life ** (two names to get 2 votes) -- $10,000
** Membership names on permanent display on 80-20's web site. See
http://www.80-20initiative.net/about/lifemembers.asp
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY,
Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the
check. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'll match what you'll give.
80-20 PAC. Kindly please read my appeal to you.
For you who are among the first to face the insurmountable odds,
to suffer the insufferable and to achieve what others think are
impossible, please join me to help 80-20 PAC become much stronger:
1. Dip into your pocket and pay the $35 or $50 to become either a
Basic or Family Members of 80-20. 80-20 really needs you and
frankly our community really needs 80-20. I will match all
membership fees up to $2000.00 so long the joining occurs
within 10 days after 8/13, my birthday. It is in memory of my
parents and in the hopes of helping our offspring.
2. Place AsianAmericanUnity@80-20.us" and sbwEF@80-20.us"
into your email account's "Address Book" or your "Safe Senders
List."
A TREAT: A brand NEW 80-20 PAC website. Visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/ Use the pull-down tabs. Much more info
is available to you in the new site, designed by Seechung Lee of CA. We are
still working on making the site more fun for you to visit.
Gratefully yours,
SB
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. Basic (1 vote) -- $35
2. Family (Two names to get 2 votes) -- $50
3. Professional (1 vote) -- $75
4. Professional family (2 names to get 2 votes) -- $150
5. Student -- $15
6. Life ** -- $1000
7. Family life ** (two names to get 2 votes) -- $1,500
8. Honorary Life ** -- $5,000
9. Honorary Family Life ** (two names to get 2 votes) -- $10,000
** Membership names on permanent display on 80-20's web site. See
http://www.80-20initiative.net/about/lifemembers.asp
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY,
Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/join.asp
PERSONAL checks are payable to "80-20 PAC", mailed to:
Jing-Li Yu Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the
check. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'll match what you'll give.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Freedom From Discrimination and Injustice
by Dr. Edward Lin
Director, 80-20 Initiative -- Equal Opportunity and Justice for ALL Asian Americans
July 1, 2007
Dear members and supporters of 80-20:
As Independence Day approaches, I would like you to reflect for a moment what significance it holds for Asian Americans.
In the early 60's African Americans risked their lives under threat of menacing police dogs, pepper sprays, gun barrels and burning crosses to attend school and vote. While not as well publicized, Asian Americans also suffered notable discrimination and injustice. Examples include:
[1] The Chinese Exclusionary Act that barred immigration and forcibly kept families from being re-united in the US (http://www.wcusd15.org/martens/apushistory/chapter19/Chinese%20Immigration%20Act.pdf),
Yes, it is safe to open this file.
[2] The internment and forfeiture of rights and property of Japanese Americans during WWII (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/internment1.html), and
[3] The brutal murder of Vincent Chin for which the convicted perpetrators paid a token fine and did not serve a single day in jail (http://us_asians.tripod.com/articles-vincentchin.html).
The human rights we enjoy today came about only through the enormous sacrifices of many brave individuals who came before us. From the thousands of coolies who built the transcontinental railroad to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., each paved the road to equality with their sweat, tears and not infrequently, their blood.
Today, the price paid for that freedom and progress has been largely forgotten by those complacent and unwilling to carry the torch of equality forward.
May this Independence Day mark a new awakening of Asian Americans to the importance of freedom from fear, discrimination, and passivity. JOIN US, as 80-20 works to attain equality and justice for all of us via the political democratic process, including:
[1] Enforcement of Executive Order 11246 to lift the glass ceiling for Asian Americans in academia, government, judiciary and corporate America, and
[2] Bloc-voting to support presidential candidates who commit in writing to redress our rightful concerns as American citizens.
This is an attainable goal only with YOUR active support. It is not something we can leave to others and give lip-service. Don't let another day go by without making your personal commitment to this worthy cause. Invest in your future! Join 80-20 today at www.80-20initiative.net
This July 4, hoist the American flag before your home to declare your rightful place as a citizen of this nation. Rededicate yourself to the spirit of liberty and justice and do your part to help make this nation a more perfect union. Together, we can and will succeed.
Sincerely,
Ed
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join - 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.
Director, 80-20 Initiative -- Equal Opportunity and Justice for ALL Asian Americans
July 1, 2007
Dear members and supporters of 80-20:
As Independence Day approaches, I would like you to reflect for a moment what significance it holds for Asian Americans.
In the early 60's African Americans risked their lives under threat of menacing police dogs, pepper sprays, gun barrels and burning crosses to attend school and vote. While not as well publicized, Asian Americans also suffered notable discrimination and injustice. Examples include:
[1] The Chinese Exclusionary Act that barred immigration and forcibly kept families from being re-united in the US (http://www.wcusd15.org/martens/apushistory/chapter19/Chinese%20Immigration%20Act.pdf),
Yes, it is safe to open this file.
[2] The internment and forfeiture of rights and property of Japanese Americans during WWII (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/internment1.html), and
[3] The brutal murder of Vincent Chin for which the convicted perpetrators paid a token fine and did not serve a single day in jail (http://us_asians.tripod.com/articles-vincentchin.html).
The human rights we enjoy today came about only through the enormous sacrifices of many brave individuals who came before us. From the thousands of coolies who built the transcontinental railroad to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., each paved the road to equality with their sweat, tears and not infrequently, their blood.
Today, the price paid for that freedom and progress has been largely forgotten by those complacent and unwilling to carry the torch of equality forward.
May this Independence Day mark a new awakening of Asian Americans to the importance of freedom from fear, discrimination, and passivity. JOIN US, as 80-20 works to attain equality and justice for all of us via the political democratic process, including:
[1] Enforcement of Executive Order 11246 to lift the glass ceiling for Asian Americans in academia, government, judiciary and corporate America, and
[2] Bloc-voting to support presidential candidates who commit in writing to redress our rightful concerns as American citizens.
This is an attainable goal only with YOUR active support. It is not something we can leave to others and give lip-service. Don't let another day go by without making your personal commitment to this worthy cause. Invest in your future! Join 80-20 today at www.80-20initiative.net
This July 4, hoist the American flag before your home to declare your rightful place as a citizen of this nation. Rededicate yourself to the spirit of liberty and justice and do your part to help make this nation a more perfect union. Together, we can and will succeed.
Sincerely,
Ed
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join - 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Hoist A Flag/ Check Out 80-20's Ads
by Jing-Li Yu, 80-20 PAC Treasurer
As July 4th is coming up, let's take some time to recount our blessings as Americans. We live in the freest nation in the world, with the most opportunity. We are blessed with a diversity and harmony among many groups. And only in America are criticisms of the country not just tolerated, but praised as fulfilling a patriotic duty to push her to become a "more perfect union."
Let's show our pride as Americans. Remember 80-20's Flag Projects? "It takes an image to solve our image problem of being seen as perpetual foreigners." Proudly display the American flag in front of your home, and get your family and friends to do so, too. Engage in local July 4th activities.
Here's another way to help spread that patriotic spirit. Pass the word about 80-20's ads celebrating our country. Our English-language ad in Asian Week hits newsstands in the Bay Area today (June 29th) (and will be available all week). Our Chinese-language ad in the World Journal comes out this Sunday (July 1). Radio ads on Chinese American Voice of NY (FM 101.9 via satellite) have been playing and will continue up to July 4th. Local chapters in NJ, TX, MO, and MA may also be placing ads in local papers.
Please check out 80-20's ads and show them to your family, friends and colleagues. Make some copies and pass them out. Get them to join, because unity is power, and let's unite to make America a more perfect union.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join - 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 TreasurerP.O. Box 527340
Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.Thank you, and wishing you a Happy July 4th!
As July 4th is coming up, let's take some time to recount our blessings as Americans. We live in the freest nation in the world, with the most opportunity. We are blessed with a diversity and harmony among many groups. And only in America are criticisms of the country not just tolerated, but praised as fulfilling a patriotic duty to push her to become a "more perfect union."
Let's show our pride as Americans. Remember 80-20's Flag Projects? "It takes an image to solve our image problem of being seen as perpetual foreigners." Proudly display the American flag in front of your home, and get your family and friends to do so, too. Engage in local July 4th activities.
Here's another way to help spread that patriotic spirit. Pass the word about 80-20's ads celebrating our country. Our English-language ad in Asian Week hits newsstands in the Bay Area today (June 29th) (and will be available all week). Our Chinese-language ad in the World Journal comes out this Sunday (July 1). Radio ads on Chinese American Voice of NY (FM 101.9 via satellite) have been playing and will continue up to July 4th. Local chapters in NJ, TX, MO, and MA may also be placing ads in local papers.
Please check out 80-20's ads and show them to your family, friends and colleagues. Make some copies and pass them out. Get them to join, because unity is power, and let's unite to make America a more perfect union.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join - 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 TreasurerP.O. Box 527340
Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.Thank you, and wishing you a Happy July 4th!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Dealing with Discrimination
By Joel Wong, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Discrimination
Earlier this year, President Kathleen To appointed Jingli Yu, Richard To and myself to an Ad Hoc Committee on Discrimination. The purpose of this committee is to complement the Vision and Mission of the 80-20 Initiative, which is to work for equality and justice for all Asian Americans. Our roles include gathering information on cases where Asian Americans may be discriminated or otherwise mistreated. Our responsibilities include studying on actions we would take and to recommend such actions to the 80-20 Board of Directors for execution.
Recently working together with the Organization of Chinese Americans and other Asian American civil rights groups, we convinced CBS radio to fire two New York City Disc Jockeys who were particularly egregious in racially insulting and sexually harassing members of a Chinese restaurant wait staff who spoke limited, accented English. This illustrates 80-20 can be very effective when we enlist the help of our members through e-mail petitions.
Although the profile of the above case (as in the case leading to the firing of Don Imus) was high as they made the major news headlines, the long-term impact of these cases may be low. Real civil rights victories involving women and minorities are won only after long litigation involving much time and expenditure.
Obviously, the committee (and 80-20) must set priorities in addressing alleged discrimination cases. As we do not have the resources to handle every case, the most egregious cases will be handled first. Although 80-20 will defend the rights of all Asian Americans, in order of priorities, the problems facing Life-Members and regular Members will take precedent over those of the general public.
The good news:80-20 and other Asian American organizations considered the proposed Senate bill to be unfair to Asian Americans. It would have eroded the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. We were the leading organization to lead a Call to Action signature drive and collected over 1,200 names in a few days. Our Petition was sent to the Senators and on Wednesday, June 6th, the immigration bill was defeated at the Senate.
Action needed:
The Senate is attempting to bring the bill back and with the passage of some amendments, the final bill may even be harsher to Asian Americans. Please, if you have not done so, sign our online petition to stop the elimination of family reunion categories: http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html .
Your action does work and thank you for playing a role.
Join 80-20. 80-20 needs your leadership, support and money to fight. 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.
Earlier this year, President Kathleen To appointed Jingli Yu, Richard To and myself to an Ad Hoc Committee on Discrimination. The purpose of this committee is to complement the Vision and Mission of the 80-20 Initiative, which is to work for equality and justice for all Asian Americans. Our roles include gathering information on cases where Asian Americans may be discriminated or otherwise mistreated. Our responsibilities include studying on actions we would take and to recommend such actions to the 80-20 Board of Directors for execution.
Recently working together with the Organization of Chinese Americans and other Asian American civil rights groups, we convinced CBS radio to fire two New York City Disc Jockeys who were particularly egregious in racially insulting and sexually harassing members of a Chinese restaurant wait staff who spoke limited, accented English. This illustrates 80-20 can be very effective when we enlist the help of our members through e-mail petitions.
Although the profile of the above case (as in the case leading to the firing of Don Imus) was high as they made the major news headlines, the long-term impact of these cases may be low. Real civil rights victories involving women and minorities are won only after long litigation involving much time and expenditure.
Obviously, the committee (and 80-20) must set priorities in addressing alleged discrimination cases. As we do not have the resources to handle every case, the most egregious cases will be handled first. Although 80-20 will defend the rights of all Asian Americans, in order of priorities, the problems facing Life-Members and regular Members will take precedent over those of the general public.
The good news:80-20 and other Asian American organizations considered the proposed Senate bill to be unfair to Asian Americans. It would have eroded the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. We were the leading organization to lead a Call to Action signature drive and collected over 1,200 names in a few days. Our Petition was sent to the Senators and on Wednesday, June 6th, the immigration bill was defeated at the Senate.
Action needed:
The Senate is attempting to bring the bill back and with the passage of some amendments, the final bill may even be harsher to Asian Americans. Please, if you have not done so, sign our online petition to stop the elimination of family reunion categories: http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html .
Your action does work and thank you for playing a role.
Join 80-20. 80-20 needs your leadership, support and money to fight. 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340 .
Please 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.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Good News - Perfect Answers From Presidential Candidates
By S. B. Woo, Immediate Past President
Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, senators both, have just answered Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes to 80-20's questionnaire. To see 80-20's questionnaire & their signed replies, go http://www.80-20initiative.net/preselect2008.html
What if ALL presidential candidates will do so? It will mean
(A) The next U.S. President will have promised to enforce Executive Order 11246 to break the glass ceilings for Asian Ams.
Benefit? Within 10 years, the number of AsAm managers/ executives/ administrators will double. Specifically, there will be about 150,000 ADDITIONAL Asian Ams promoted to the manager level or higher in private industries; about 5000 more AsAms promoted to department chairs or higher in universities; and about 400 more AsAms promoted to Senior Executive Service (SES) in the Federal government.
(B) The next U.S. President will nominate more AsAm judges until the number of AsAm Federal judges will triple in 4 years.
Result? Besides the EXISTING 6 AsAm Federal judges who are all at the lowest District Court level, there will be about 20 AsAm Federal judges, some serving at the higher Appeals Court level. Even an AsAm Supreme Court justice could be in the mix. Benefit? A better chance at equal justice for us with AsAm judges in higher courts available to appeals!
A rising tide raises all ships. The additional income & influence of having 2 times more managers/CEOs/administrators will generate huge ripples benefiting ALL AsAms. The economic benefits will spread from merchants in Korean/ Indian/ Japan/ China/ Vietnam -towns to everyone whose livelihood is connected to those towns. The socio-political benefit will help our youngsters fight higher admission bars. Above all, it will mean that Asian Americans have finally established the GROUP political clout to achieve EQUAL opportunity & justice for ourselves.
Don't forget that Senator Biden is also the Chair of the Foreign Relations Comm. Senator Dodd is also the Chair of the Comm. on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Donate and volunteer for them! Go http://www.joebiden.com/home & http://www.chrisdodd.com/home
The above replies are the beginning. Many more perfect replies will come, before the primaries of 2008. However, YOU must hold the line:
Do NOT give any of the presidential candidates ANY support until he/she has answered 80-20's questionnaire satisfactorily.
Don't shortchange your children's chance to live to the maximum of their potentials. Urge all candidates to reply to 80-20 ASAP.
What is 80-20's secret in getting such perfect answers from presidential candidates? Your bloc vote! TOGETHER, we shall overcome.
Join 80-20. Get involved in the historic struggle. 80-20 needs your leadership, support and money to fight. 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please 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.
Presidential candidates Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, senators both, have just answered Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes/Yes to 80-20's questionnaire. To see 80-20's questionnaire & their signed replies, go http://www.80-20initiative.net/preselect2008.html
What if ALL presidential candidates will do so? It will mean
(A) The next U.S. President will have promised to enforce Executive Order 11246 to break the glass ceilings for Asian Ams.
Benefit? Within 10 years, the number of AsAm managers/ executives/ administrators will double. Specifically, there will be about 150,000 ADDITIONAL Asian Ams promoted to the manager level or higher in private industries; about 5000 more AsAms promoted to department chairs or higher in universities; and about 400 more AsAms promoted to Senior Executive Service (SES) in the Federal government.
(B) The next U.S. President will nominate more AsAm judges until the number of AsAm Federal judges will triple in 4 years.
Result? Besides the EXISTING 6 AsAm Federal judges who are all at the lowest District Court level, there will be about 20 AsAm Federal judges, some serving at the higher Appeals Court level. Even an AsAm Supreme Court justice could be in the mix. Benefit? A better chance at equal justice for us with AsAm judges in higher courts available to appeals!
A rising tide raises all ships. The additional income & influence of having 2 times more managers/CEOs/administrators will generate huge ripples benefiting ALL AsAms. The economic benefits will spread from merchants in Korean/ Indian/ Japan/ China/ Vietnam -towns to everyone whose livelihood is connected to those towns. The socio-political benefit will help our youngsters fight higher admission bars. Above all, it will mean that Asian Americans have finally established the GROUP political clout to achieve EQUAL opportunity & justice for ourselves.
Don't forget that Senator Biden is also the Chair of the Foreign Relations Comm. Senator Dodd is also the Chair of the Comm. on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. Donate and volunteer for them! Go http://www.joebiden.com/home & http://www.chrisdodd.com/home
The above replies are the beginning. Many more perfect replies will come, before the primaries of 2008. However, YOU must hold the line:
Do NOT give any of the presidential candidates ANY support until he/she has answered 80-20's questionnaire satisfactorily.
Don't shortchange your children's chance to live to the maximum of their potentials. Urge all candidates to reply to 80-20 ASAP.
What is 80-20's secret in getting such perfect answers from presidential candidates? Your bloc vote! TOGETHER, we shall overcome.
Join 80-20. Get involved in the historic struggle. 80-20 needs your leadership, support and money to fight. 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 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please 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.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Joint Statement of the Asian American Community Opposing the Senate’s Proposed Elimination of Family Reunification Immigration Categories
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Asian Law Caucus
Cambodian Community Development, Inc.
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Chinese Progressive Association
Korean Community Center of the East Bay
Organization for Justice & Equality
Southeast Asian Community Center
Traditional Family Coalition
Issued in San Francisco on June 12, 2007
We are pleased that the U.S. Senate has at least temporarily stepped back from its unprecedented attack on the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. Since 1965, the law has recognized the importance and integrity of families and has given citizens the right to sponsor a limited number of family members’ immigration, in most cases after a lengthy waiting period. But Senate Amendment 1150 to S. 1348 would strip American citizens of their ability to sponsor any child who has reached age 21, as well as any siblings. The same proposal would also introduce a lengthy waiting period for citizens sponsoring their own parents. Not only would the plan eliminate most of the existing categories of family reunification, it would unfairly do so retroactively by canceling sponsorship applications that American citizens have already filed and paid for.
This proposal (part of the so-called “grand bargain” on immigration reform) did not go through the normal Senate committee process. It originated in the White House in March as part of a massive rewriting of U.S. immigration laws, and was fleshed out in closed-door negotiations in May by a small group of Republican and Democratic senators, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
We believe that the bill as presently written would needlessly sacrifice the rights of millions of American citizens and that the basic framework of the proposal is deeply flawed. Thus, the current bill is unacceptable and should be rejected. There has not been any major amendment to restore family reunion categories so far, the most important ones towards this direction including amendments by Clinton, Obama, and Menendez, have all been blocked. The first two by procedural tactics. We are concerned that under the current circumstances with the passage of some other amendments, the final bill may be even harsher and more unacceptable.
We believe that this pause in the immigration debate should be used to reconsider the structure of the bill. We strongly urge legislators to abandon this effort to eliminate family immigration categories, and we will not forget those in Congress of either party who vote to deny Americans our cherished right to reunite with our families. We urge all Americans to voice your strong objections to this inhumane, unjust, and anti-family proposal and its devastating consequences, and to act for the betterment of American families and our country itself by immediately contacting your Senators.
Call (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators.
Please sign the online petition to stop the elimination of family reunion categories at:
http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html
You can send a free fax to your Senator at www.asianlawcaucus.org
Asian Law Caucus
Cambodian Community Development, Inc.
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Chinese Progressive Association
Korean Community Center of the East Bay
Organization for Justice & Equality
Southeast Asian Community Center
Traditional Family Coalition
Issued in San Francisco on June 12, 2007
We are pleased that the U.S. Senate has at least temporarily stepped back from its unprecedented attack on the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. Since 1965, the law has recognized the importance and integrity of families and has given citizens the right to sponsor a limited number of family members’ immigration, in most cases after a lengthy waiting period. But Senate Amendment 1150 to S. 1348 would strip American citizens of their ability to sponsor any child who has reached age 21, as well as any siblings. The same proposal would also introduce a lengthy waiting period for citizens sponsoring their own parents. Not only would the plan eliminate most of the existing categories of family reunification, it would unfairly do so retroactively by canceling sponsorship applications that American citizens have already filed and paid for.
This proposal (part of the so-called “grand bargain” on immigration reform) did not go through the normal Senate committee process. It originated in the White House in March as part of a massive rewriting of U.S. immigration laws, and was fleshed out in closed-door negotiations in May by a small group of Republican and Democratic senators, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
We believe that the bill as presently written would needlessly sacrifice the rights of millions of American citizens and that the basic framework of the proposal is deeply flawed. Thus, the current bill is unacceptable and should be rejected. There has not been any major amendment to restore family reunion categories so far, the most important ones towards this direction including amendments by Clinton, Obama, and Menendez, have all been blocked. The first two by procedural tactics. We are concerned that under the current circumstances with the passage of some other amendments, the final bill may be even harsher and more unacceptable.
We believe that this pause in the immigration debate should be used to reconsider the structure of the bill. We strongly urge legislators to abandon this effort to eliminate family immigration categories, and we will not forget those in Congress of either party who vote to deny Americans our cherished right to reunite with our families. We urge all Americans to voice your strong objections to this inhumane, unjust, and anti-family proposal and its devastating consequences, and to act for the betterment of American families and our country itself by immediately contacting your Senators.
Call (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Senators.
Please sign the online petition to stop the elimination of family reunion categories at:
http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html
You can send a free fax to your Senator at www.asianlawcaucus.org
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
The 21st Century Asian Americans
By Amy Wong Mok, Vice President, The 80-20 Initiative
About one month ago, I was interviewed by a young college student for his journalism class project. His focus was on the “The 21st-Century Asian Americans.”
I shared with him the following observations which I believe to be important for us as a community to deal with present issues and to face challenges in the future. Let us remember that we Asian Americans have made many contributions to the U.S. from as far back as the 16th century when Filipino immigrants first landed on Oct. 18, 1587, in Morro Bay, California. (** See Footnote.)
Subsequent waves of immigration from every country in Asia have all labored hard to build this great nation of ours, and almost always under harsh conditions and against incredible odds.
The single important lesson that we can draw from this history is that we have been lagging far behind in developing and grooming the civic and political leadership that will give us a voice in the body politics. Unless we succeed in doing so, Asian Americans will stay in the margins of American society, despite our relative success in the economic arena.
If history is a guide, success in the economic arena alone has never proved to be a safeguard against discriminations and greater calamities in times of stress. Only our own complacency can ignore this lesson. Let us do a mental exercise of drawing up a roadmap for the next 100 years. To develop and groom effective civic and political leadership among our community should be our top priority. Let us start with our young. Most of our children participate in mainstream activities but is their vision expansive enough?
I recently had a conversation with an Asian American high-school senior who attends an affluent high school. He wanted to volunteer at our community events to earn the community service hours. To help decide what he can best do for the community, I asked him about his future plan; he told me that he has decided to study business instead of attending medical school even though his father is a medical doctor because he wants to make money. There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but I want to dig deeper. To understand his vision in life, I asked him what he would do with his money. He replied, “Of course, I would have to reinvest to make more money instead of putting them in the bank”. I pressed again, “What if you have $500M and money enough to last for 3 or 4 lifetimes, what would you do with your money?” He replied, “I would buy a house and a car for my parents.” I asked again, “What else will you do?” He replied, “Ah, you want me to help others. I will build a first class basket ball gymnasium for other children because I love to play basket ball.”
While it took him a little bit more time to see beyond his immediate self-interest to the wider community interests, I wonder if the conversation around the dinner table at his home ever goes beyond improving one’s own immediate situation to consider the larger social issues that will eventually shape the environment he will live in. I would like to believe that this young man’s response is an isolated case and is not the norm.
Paradox in Human Psychology
To help our children to think beyond their own self-interest and take part in solving the social ills is to help them take ownership of their community. It gives them confidence to expand their vision to include the interests of others. This is the beginning of building leadership skills and it requires examples from adults in their lives. Nobody would want to follow a person who cares only about his own immediate self-interests.
There is a paradox in human psychology that is sometimes overlooked in the pursuit of rampant individualism: We thrive best in a supportive and thriving community, but a supportive and thriving community is best built by people who are truly empathetic of the welfare of others in the community. If we want to thrive as individuals, we can thrive best by wanting to thrive not only as individuals but also as a community (or as my computer-scientist husband likes to put it: self-interest is recursively defined).
Thriving as a community is about empathy. While empathy is ultimately not taught, it can be inspired first by parents, teachers and friends. This is the wisdom about human nature from my Eastern heritage that I think will serve all of us well. The essential characteristics in leadership are abilities, commitment and generosity.
We have many able members in our community but only a small number of true leaders who have the staying power when the going is tough. The leaders must have the courage to dig their heels and are willing to do the hard work and expect no recognition for getting the job done. The development of such characteristic traits requires both discipline and determination to own up to their responsibilities for the common good. To find pleasure and pride to serve others requires generosity that flows from empathy, and that is what makes a good leader.
Leadership requires trust from those being led. The most important strength in leadership is integrity and true leadership has to be challenged and tested. It requires a strong leader to be able to choose community interest at the expense of one’s own welfare when the need arises. A leader must be able to separate the difference between doing things right and doing the right things. Sometimes, a leader has to be willing to stand alone, sitting on his/her integrity and feel comfortable about making the hard choices. It is simply a demonstration of grace under fire.
I have faith in our future generations. I have no doubt that they are capable of becoming great leaders. As parents and elders, we have to help them identify with great leaders from different communities and to help them develop a great vision for their future. We must help them sharpen their skills, give them opportunity to experience the joy of serving others, tapping into their generous spirit and let them have the confidence to take on the challenge to make this country more just and fair.
Two Challenges
It is the mission of 80-20 to work for equality and justice for all Asian Americans. We will achieve our mission by strengthening our collective voice, by creating a block vote to actively participate in the political process.
We are working on the following two challenges as our immediate focus:
1. Increase the number of Asian American federal judicial appointments. To represent fairly the Asian American population in adequate proportion, we should have 39 Asian American federal court judges. We now have only 6, a big gap to narrow down.
2. Increase the number of Asian American executives in public and private establishments in compliance with Executive Order 11246 that was signed by President Johnson in 1965 to ensure the number of minority and women in executive positions in colleges/universities, government agencies and private businesses. Asian Americans have been left out in the enforcement of EO11246, in violation of federal law.
Once again, I urge you to take your children to vote, to attend your precinct meeting and let them witness your participation to the discussion about different social issues. Most importantly, let them experience the political process and help them to identify with great leaders, starting with their parents who show them integrity, empathy and commitment to work hard for the common interest.
Introduce your children to the 80-20 Initiative.
1. Upgrade the status of your membership to the level that is comfortable to you.
2. Recruit and/or pay for the dues of at least one new member. (Basic membership is only $35 a year)
3. Participate in the local and national political process.
Please act now by connecting to www.80-20initiative.net
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY.
Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
** Footnote: "It has come to my attention that there is
a dispute about the historicity of the earliest landing date of Filipino immigrants to North America. What is without dispute is that Asian immigrants from many countries have had a long history of monumental contributions to the United States. We deservedly take pride in their achievements and hold our heads high in front of all the other nationalities as contributors to the building of this great nation."
About one month ago, I was interviewed by a young college student for his journalism class project. His focus was on the “The 21st-Century Asian Americans.”
I shared with him the following observations which I believe to be important for us as a community to deal with present issues and to face challenges in the future. Let us remember that we Asian Americans have made many contributions to the U.S. from as far back as the 16th century when Filipino immigrants first landed on Oct. 18, 1587, in Morro Bay, California. (** See Footnote.)
Subsequent waves of immigration from every country in Asia have all labored hard to build this great nation of ours, and almost always under harsh conditions and against incredible odds.
The single important lesson that we can draw from this history is that we have been lagging far behind in developing and grooming the civic and political leadership that will give us a voice in the body politics. Unless we succeed in doing so, Asian Americans will stay in the margins of American society, despite our relative success in the economic arena.
If history is a guide, success in the economic arena alone has never proved to be a safeguard against discriminations and greater calamities in times of stress. Only our own complacency can ignore this lesson. Let us do a mental exercise of drawing up a roadmap for the next 100 years. To develop and groom effective civic and political leadership among our community should be our top priority. Let us start with our young. Most of our children participate in mainstream activities but is their vision expansive enough?
I recently had a conversation with an Asian American high-school senior who attends an affluent high school. He wanted to volunteer at our community events to earn the community service hours. To help decide what he can best do for the community, I asked him about his future plan; he told me that he has decided to study business instead of attending medical school even though his father is a medical doctor because he wants to make money. There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to make money, but I want to dig deeper. To understand his vision in life, I asked him what he would do with his money. He replied, “Of course, I would have to reinvest to make more money instead of putting them in the bank”. I pressed again, “What if you have $500M and money enough to last for 3 or 4 lifetimes, what would you do with your money?” He replied, “I would buy a house and a car for my parents.” I asked again, “What else will you do?” He replied, “Ah, you want me to help others. I will build a first class basket ball gymnasium for other children because I love to play basket ball.”
While it took him a little bit more time to see beyond his immediate self-interest to the wider community interests, I wonder if the conversation around the dinner table at his home ever goes beyond improving one’s own immediate situation to consider the larger social issues that will eventually shape the environment he will live in. I would like to believe that this young man’s response is an isolated case and is not the norm.
Paradox in Human Psychology
To help our children to think beyond their own self-interest and take part in solving the social ills is to help them take ownership of their community. It gives them confidence to expand their vision to include the interests of others. This is the beginning of building leadership skills and it requires examples from adults in their lives. Nobody would want to follow a person who cares only about his own immediate self-interests.
There is a paradox in human psychology that is sometimes overlooked in the pursuit of rampant individualism: We thrive best in a supportive and thriving community, but a supportive and thriving community is best built by people who are truly empathetic of the welfare of others in the community. If we want to thrive as individuals, we can thrive best by wanting to thrive not only as individuals but also as a community (or as my computer-scientist husband likes to put it: self-interest is recursively defined).
Thriving as a community is about empathy. While empathy is ultimately not taught, it can be inspired first by parents, teachers and friends. This is the wisdom about human nature from my Eastern heritage that I think will serve all of us well. The essential characteristics in leadership are abilities, commitment and generosity.
We have many able members in our community but only a small number of true leaders who have the staying power when the going is tough. The leaders must have the courage to dig their heels and are willing to do the hard work and expect no recognition for getting the job done. The development of such characteristic traits requires both discipline and determination to own up to their responsibilities for the common good. To find pleasure and pride to serve others requires generosity that flows from empathy, and that is what makes a good leader.
Leadership requires trust from those being led. The most important strength in leadership is integrity and true leadership has to be challenged and tested. It requires a strong leader to be able to choose community interest at the expense of one’s own welfare when the need arises. A leader must be able to separate the difference between doing things right and doing the right things. Sometimes, a leader has to be willing to stand alone, sitting on his/her integrity and feel comfortable about making the hard choices. It is simply a demonstration of grace under fire.
I have faith in our future generations. I have no doubt that they are capable of becoming great leaders. As parents and elders, we have to help them identify with great leaders from different communities and to help them develop a great vision for their future. We must help them sharpen their skills, give them opportunity to experience the joy of serving others, tapping into their generous spirit and let them have the confidence to take on the challenge to make this country more just and fair.
Two Challenges
It is the mission of 80-20 to work for equality and justice for all Asian Americans. We will achieve our mission by strengthening our collective voice, by creating a block vote to actively participate in the political process.
We are working on the following two challenges as our immediate focus:
1. Increase the number of Asian American federal judicial appointments. To represent fairly the Asian American population in adequate proportion, we should have 39 Asian American federal court judges. We now have only 6, a big gap to narrow down.
2. Increase the number of Asian American executives in public and private establishments in compliance with Executive Order 11246 that was signed by President Johnson in 1965 to ensure the number of minority and women in executive positions in colleges/universities, government agencies and private businesses. Asian Americans have been left out in the enforcement of EO11246, in violation of federal law.
Once again, I urge you to take your children to vote, to attend your precinct meeting and let them witness your participation to the discussion about different social issues. Most importantly, let them experience the political process and help them to identify with great leaders, starting with their parents who show them integrity, empathy and commitment to work hard for the common interest.
Introduce your children to the 80-20 Initiative.
1. Upgrade the status of your membership to the level that is comfortable to you.
2. Recruit and/or pay for the dues of at least one new member. (Basic membership is only $35 a year)
3. Participate in the local and national political process.
Please act now by connecting to www.80-20initiative.net
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY.
Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
** Footnote: "It has come to my attention that there is
a dispute about the historicity of the earliest landing date of Filipino immigrants to North America. What is without dispute is that Asian immigrants from many countries have had a long history of monumental contributions to the United States. We deservedly take pride in their achievements and hold our heads high in front of all the other nationalities as contributors to the building of this great nation."
Monday, May 21, 2007
Call To Action
The U.S. Senate is in the midst of an unprecedented attack on the basic rights of American citizens with close family members overseas. If passed, this bill will strip American citizens of their ability to sponsor any child who has reached age 21, bar citizens from ever sponsoring their siblings, and cut the quota for parents by half. This bill would also cancel sponsorship applications that American citizens have already filed and paid for over the past two years.
If America's enduring focus on family is abandoned, fewer talented and skilled people will want to come to a country that forces them to be separated from their families permanently. It has been the family unification feature in our immigration law that has built the foundation of our Asian American community today. Immigrant families thrive and prosper by members pooling their resources and caring for each other.
As Americans who remember and respect our immigrant roots, we strenuously protest this ill-conceived proposal that utterly disregards the contributions that immigrant families have made to this country throughout its history. It makes a mockery of the family values that we cherish and uphold.
Go to: http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html to sign 80-20's Petition, strongly urging legislators to abandon this effort to eliminate family immigration categories, and we will not forget those in Congress of either party who vote to deny Americans our cherished right to reunite with our families.
Pass this to your friends and relatives and urge all Americans to voice your strong objections to this inhumane, unjust and anti-family proposal and its devastating consequences.
Kathleen To
President
80-20 PAC, Inc.
If America's enduring focus on family is abandoned, fewer talented and skilled people will want to come to a country that forces them to be separated from their families permanently. It has been the family unification feature in our immigration law that has built the foundation of our Asian American community today. Immigrant families thrive and prosper by members pooling their resources and caring for each other.
As Americans who remember and respect our immigrant roots, we strenuously protest this ill-conceived proposal that utterly disregards the contributions that immigrant families have made to this country throughout its history. It makes a mockery of the family values that we cherish and uphold.
Go to: http://www.80-20initiative.net/petition.html to sign 80-20's Petition, strongly urging legislators to abandon this effort to eliminate family immigration categories, and we will not forget those in Congress of either party who vote to deny Americans our cherished right to reunite with our families.
Pass this to your friends and relatives and urge all Americans to voice your strong objections to this inhumane, unjust and anti-family proposal and its devastating consequences.
Kathleen To
President
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Friday, May 18, 2007
JOINT STATEMENT – The CBS Radio Case
For immediate press release
May 12, 2007
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Asian Law Caucus
Asian Pacific Legal Defense & Education Fund
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Equal Rights Advocates
Organization for Justice & Equality
After a nationwide campaign by civil rights groups from across the country pertaining to The Dog House program at WFNY 92.3 Free FM, CBS Radio yesterday disclosed that the two hosts of the program, Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay, and their producer, will no longer be working for CBS and its affiliates.
This case should have alerted the media that programs with such racist and sexist content will not be tolerated and that racial discrimination and sexual harassment must be stopped!
We welcome the decision of CBS Radio. In fact, we initiated a joint statement to CBS Radio on April 24 with our complaint and demands, and they immediately contacted us for a meeting reflecting their good attitude. We also applaud the good efforts of our east coast leaders especially Organization of Chinese Americans.
This case illustrates the importance of determination and unity in the Asian community. We sincerely thank every individual and every organization that has contributed to this nationwide campaign, especially the Chinese media.
All the groups in this joint statement and many others including Committee 100 and National Organization for Women, have indeed worked hard to contribute much, especially with the petition of which over 10,000 signatures were generated in just 4 days.
We encourage Asian Americans to continue monitoring radio programs, TV shows, etc., to ensure that similar serious problem does not occur again. Otherwise, please contact any of our organizations and we will work together to solve the problem for the betterment of our society.
Our organizations are committed to helping our society especially the Asian American community.
May 12, 2007
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Asian Law Caucus
Asian Pacific Legal Defense & Education Fund
Chinese for Affirmative Action
Equal Rights Advocates
Organization for Justice & Equality
After a nationwide campaign by civil rights groups from across the country pertaining to The Dog House program at WFNY 92.3 Free FM, CBS Radio yesterday disclosed that the two hosts of the program, Jeff Vandergrift and Dan Lay, and their producer, will no longer be working for CBS and its affiliates.
This case should have alerted the media that programs with such racist and sexist content will not be tolerated and that racial discrimination and sexual harassment must be stopped!
We welcome the decision of CBS Radio. In fact, we initiated a joint statement to CBS Radio on April 24 with our complaint and demands, and they immediately contacted us for a meeting reflecting their good attitude. We also applaud the good efforts of our east coast leaders especially Organization of Chinese Americans.
This case illustrates the importance of determination and unity in the Asian community. We sincerely thank every individual and every organization that has contributed to this nationwide campaign, especially the Chinese media.
All the groups in this joint statement and many others including Committee 100 and National Organization for Women, have indeed worked hard to contribute much, especially with the petition of which over 10,000 signatures were generated in just 4 days.
We encourage Asian Americans to continue monitoring radio programs, TV shows, etc., to ensure that similar serious problem does not occur again. Otherwise, please contact any of our organizations and we will work together to solve the problem for the betterment of our society.
Our organizations are committed to helping our society especially the Asian American community.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Your Voice Will Make a Difference
Your Voice Will Make a Difference – Call to Action on Some Legislation
By David Yang – Chair of Legislative Affairs Committee
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
In unity there is power. In response to our Call to Action regarding the racist and sexist comments made on the "Dog House with JV & Elvis" radio show, over 1,200 of our members & supporters signed the petition to CBS. Under pressure from a nationwide coalition of Asian American civil rights organizations, numerous advertisers including Anheuser-Busch pulled their support for the show. On Friday May 11th, CBS announced that they had cancelled the show and terminated the two DJs and the producer. Your voice made the difference.
Three Pieces of Legislation
As mentioned in the previous message, 80-20 has created a new Legislative Affairs Committee to monitor legislations of particular concern to Asian Americans. As the first chairperson of this committee, it is my privilege to report on three pieces of legislation currently under consideration by Congress. These are the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander (AA/PI) Serving Institutions Act, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, and the Resolution Calling on the Japanese Government to Apologize for the Use of ‘Comfort Women’ in WWII.
1. HR 629 – introduced by Rep. David Wu (D-OR)
The AA/PI-Serving Institutions Act was introduced by Rep. David Wu of Oregon. Currently, the Department of Education provides financial assistance to colleges which serve large numbers of disadvantaged minority students. However, colleges serving large numbers of AAPI students, even from disadvantaged backgrounds, have no access to these funds. This is due in part to the “model minority” stereotypes. But such stereotypes are highly misleading. For example, while only 12.6% of the total AAPI population lives in poverty, the poverty rate among Hmong Americans is a startling 63.6%, among Cambodian Americans 42.6%, and among Vietnamese Americans 25%. And while the college graduation rate for all AAPI’s is 44%, it is only 13.8% among Vietnamese Americans and Pacific Islanders, 6.1% among Cambodian Americans, and only 5.1% among Hmong Americans.
Rep. Wu’s bill would provide grants to help colleges and universities identify and assist low-income and underserved AAPI students. The bill is currently being considered by the House Committee on Education and Labor. It is relatively inexpensive – only about 86 colleges around the country would be eligible for assistance under the program, for a projected annual cost of only $30 million. To put things in perspective, the U.S. is spending more than $210 million a day on the war in Iraq! Yet of the three items on our agenda, this bill is the most in need of your support.
As someone who paid for four years of college largely through financial aid, this is a cause very close to my heart. An emphasis on education is a common heritage shared by generations of Asian Americans from all backgrounds. My maternal great-grandfather, who came to America as a coolie in the late 1800’s, never had a day of formal schooling in his life. And because of the Chinese Exclusion Act he had to leave his new wife behind in China before his son was born. Yet through the years he sent almost every penny he saved back to his family in Guangdong, and in every letter home he stressed the importance of education, so that my grandfather, the son of a simple peasant, would grow up to be the first person from his village to attend university. The first time the old man saw his son was in 1946, when my grandfather was 40-year old and a general in the Chinese army. Just a few years later when my grandfather had to choose between a comfortable retirement in Taiwan and the life of a restaurant cook in America, for the future of his children he again chose America, so they could get the best education in the world. At that time my mother chose to stay in her native country. But three decades later my parents made the same choice when they left behind decades of professional experience, so they could give their children a better future in the greatest country in the world.
Hope, not streets paved with gold, is why generations of immigrants come to America from around the world. Few immigrants come to America with any illusions. They realize they face a hard life ahead but they willingly accept those hardships so their children may have a better tomorrow. As strangers in a strange land they realize education is the only path to a better life for their children, and Asian Americans in particular come from cultures that traditionally venerate learning. But economic hardships present very real obstacles to educational advancement. Yet because of the “model minority” stereotype, large numbers of AA/PI youths, who have to overcome disadvantages no smaller than those facing any other minority group, are left to their own devices. Are we to believe that our nation, which spends $30 million every 3.5 hours on the war in Iraq, cannot spare the same amount in an entire year to help some of our disadvantaged young people achieve their American Dreams?
We urge you to contact your Representative regarding Rep. Wu’s bill. In particular, we urge you to contact Rep. George Miller of California, chairman of the House Committee on Education, to express your support and to urge him to bring this bill to the House floor. Furthermore, we urge you to contact Rep. Wu to thank him for his sponsorship of the bill, and to encourage him to continue to push for equal justice for Asian Americans. Please refer to bill number HR 629 in your correspondence. Rep. Miller may be reached at george.miller@mail.house.gov. His DC fax number is 202-225-5609. Rep. Wu may be reached at david.wu@mail.house.gov. His DC fax number is 202-225-9497.
2. HR 760 – introduced by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
The Filipino Veterans Equity Act, was sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner of California. The Bill grants Filipino veterans who fought under U.S. command during WWII the same veterans’ benefits enjoyed by other American veterans. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order calling all members of the Army of the Philippines (then a U.S. dependency) into the service of the U.S. Armed Forces, with promises of equal benefits as other American veterans as well as US citizenship. More than 140,000 Filipinos answered the call and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in the Pacific. However, one year after the Allied victory, Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946 stripping Filipino veterans of all benefits promised by President Roosevelt.
Today it’s estimated that only about 25,000 Filipino veterans are still living – with some 7,000 living in the U.S. This Act will restore to them the same health and pension benefits enjoyed by other American veterans, as promised them by President Roosevelt 66 years ago. The good news is that according to knowledgeable sources, this bill is very close to coming up for a vote on the House floor, and its chances of passage are deemed “very good”. Nonetheless, to ensure its passage we encourage all our supporters to contact their representatives, and urge them to right this grievous historical wrong. You may also wish to contact Rep. Bob Filner to express thanks for all his efforts in championing this bill. Please refer to HR 760 when contacting your member of Congress.
3. HR 121 – introduced by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Finally, the resolution calling upon the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize for the use of ‘comfort women’ during WWII was sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda from San Jose. As of today, the resolution has picked up 98 co-sponsors in the House and stands a very good chance of passage. Thanks to the international pressure brought on by conscientious people such as Rep. Honda, Prime Minister Abe of Japan was forced to backtrack from his earlier comments denying state responsibility in the use of ‘comfort women’. On March 26th, Abe apologized “as Prime Minister”, and promised to stand by the 1993 Kono Statement acknowledging the Japanese government’s role in the coercion of ‘comfort women.’
As an organization dedicated to the cause of equal justice for all Asian-Americans in America, 80-20 does not typically take positions on international issues. Nonetheless, we applaud Rep. Honda’s moral courage in taking up the cause of the powerless, and we will send Rep. Honda a formal letter of thanks expressing our appreciation.
On behalf of the entire 80-20 Board of Directors, we thank you in advance for your community spirit and enthusiastic support.
Best regards,
David Yang
Chair, Legislative Committee
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY. Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
By David Yang – Chair of Legislative Affairs Committee
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
In unity there is power. In response to our Call to Action regarding the racist and sexist comments made on the "Dog House with JV & Elvis" radio show, over 1,200 of our members & supporters signed the petition to CBS. Under pressure from a nationwide coalition of Asian American civil rights organizations, numerous advertisers including Anheuser-Busch pulled their support for the show. On Friday May 11th, CBS announced that they had cancelled the show and terminated the two DJs and the producer. Your voice made the difference.
Three Pieces of Legislation
As mentioned in the previous message, 80-20 has created a new Legislative Affairs Committee to monitor legislations of particular concern to Asian Americans. As the first chairperson of this committee, it is my privilege to report on three pieces of legislation currently under consideration by Congress. These are the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander (AA/PI) Serving Institutions Act, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, and the Resolution Calling on the Japanese Government to Apologize for the Use of ‘Comfort Women’ in WWII.
1. HR 629 – introduced by Rep. David Wu (D-OR)
The AA/PI-Serving Institutions Act was introduced by Rep. David Wu of Oregon. Currently, the Department of Education provides financial assistance to colleges which serve large numbers of disadvantaged minority students. However, colleges serving large numbers of AAPI students, even from disadvantaged backgrounds, have no access to these funds. This is due in part to the “model minority” stereotypes. But such stereotypes are highly misleading. For example, while only 12.6% of the total AAPI population lives in poverty, the poverty rate among Hmong Americans is a startling 63.6%, among Cambodian Americans 42.6%, and among Vietnamese Americans 25%. And while the college graduation rate for all AAPI’s is 44%, it is only 13.8% among Vietnamese Americans and Pacific Islanders, 6.1% among Cambodian Americans, and only 5.1% among Hmong Americans.
Rep. Wu’s bill would provide grants to help colleges and universities identify and assist low-income and underserved AAPI students. The bill is currently being considered by the House Committee on Education and Labor. It is relatively inexpensive – only about 86 colleges around the country would be eligible for assistance under the program, for a projected annual cost of only $30 million. To put things in perspective, the U.S. is spending more than $210 million a day on the war in Iraq! Yet of the three items on our agenda, this bill is the most in need of your support.
As someone who paid for four years of college largely through financial aid, this is a cause very close to my heart. An emphasis on education is a common heritage shared by generations of Asian Americans from all backgrounds. My maternal great-grandfather, who came to America as a coolie in the late 1800’s, never had a day of formal schooling in his life. And because of the Chinese Exclusion Act he had to leave his new wife behind in China before his son was born. Yet through the years he sent almost every penny he saved back to his family in Guangdong, and in every letter home he stressed the importance of education, so that my grandfather, the son of a simple peasant, would grow up to be the first person from his village to attend university. The first time the old man saw his son was in 1946, when my grandfather was 40-year old and a general in the Chinese army. Just a few years later when my grandfather had to choose between a comfortable retirement in Taiwan and the life of a restaurant cook in America, for the future of his children he again chose America, so they could get the best education in the world. At that time my mother chose to stay in her native country. But three decades later my parents made the same choice when they left behind decades of professional experience, so they could give their children a better future in the greatest country in the world.
Hope, not streets paved with gold, is why generations of immigrants come to America from around the world. Few immigrants come to America with any illusions. They realize they face a hard life ahead but they willingly accept those hardships so their children may have a better tomorrow. As strangers in a strange land they realize education is the only path to a better life for their children, and Asian Americans in particular come from cultures that traditionally venerate learning. But economic hardships present very real obstacles to educational advancement. Yet because of the “model minority” stereotype, large numbers of AA/PI youths, who have to overcome disadvantages no smaller than those facing any other minority group, are left to their own devices. Are we to believe that our nation, which spends $30 million every 3.5 hours on the war in Iraq, cannot spare the same amount in an entire year to help some of our disadvantaged young people achieve their American Dreams?
We urge you to contact your Representative regarding Rep. Wu’s bill. In particular, we urge you to contact Rep. George Miller of California, chairman of the House Committee on Education, to express your support and to urge him to bring this bill to the House floor. Furthermore, we urge you to contact Rep. Wu to thank him for his sponsorship of the bill, and to encourage him to continue to push for equal justice for Asian Americans. Please refer to bill number HR 629 in your correspondence. Rep. Miller may be reached at george.miller@mail.house.gov. His DC fax number is 202-225-5609. Rep. Wu may be reached at david.wu@mail.house.gov. His DC fax number is 202-225-9497.
2. HR 760 – introduced by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA)
The Filipino Veterans Equity Act, was sponsored by Rep. Bob Filner of California. The Bill grants Filipino veterans who fought under U.S. command during WWII the same veterans’ benefits enjoyed by other American veterans. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order calling all members of the Army of the Philippines (then a U.S. dependency) into the service of the U.S. Armed Forces, with promises of equal benefits as other American veterans as well as US citizenship. More than 140,000 Filipinos answered the call and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in the Pacific. However, one year after the Allied victory, Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946 stripping Filipino veterans of all benefits promised by President Roosevelt.
Today it’s estimated that only about 25,000 Filipino veterans are still living – with some 7,000 living in the U.S. This Act will restore to them the same health and pension benefits enjoyed by other American veterans, as promised them by President Roosevelt 66 years ago. The good news is that according to knowledgeable sources, this bill is very close to coming up for a vote on the House floor, and its chances of passage are deemed “very good”. Nonetheless, to ensure its passage we encourage all our supporters to contact their representatives, and urge them to right this grievous historical wrong. You may also wish to contact Rep. Bob Filner to express thanks for all his efforts in championing this bill. Please refer to HR 760 when contacting your member of Congress.
3. HR 121 – introduced by Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)
Finally, the resolution calling upon the Government of Japan to formally acknowledge and apologize for the use of ‘comfort women’ during WWII was sponsored by Rep. Mike Honda from San Jose. As of today, the resolution has picked up 98 co-sponsors in the House and stands a very good chance of passage. Thanks to the international pressure brought on by conscientious people such as Rep. Honda, Prime Minister Abe of Japan was forced to backtrack from his earlier comments denying state responsibility in the use of ‘comfort women’. On March 26th, Abe apologized “as Prime Minister”, and promised to stand by the 1993 Kono Statement acknowledging the Japanese government’s role in the coercion of ‘comfort women.’
As an organization dedicated to the cause of equal justice for all Asian-Americans in America, 80-20 does not typically take positions on international issues. Nonetheless, we applaud Rep. Honda’s moral courage in taking up the cause of the powerless, and we will send Rep. Honda a formal letter of thanks expressing our appreciation.
On behalf of the entire 80-20 Board of Directors, we thank you in advance for your community spirit and enthusiastic support.
Best regards,
David Yang
Chair, Legislative Committee
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY. Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
Monday, May 07, 2007
80-20 Goes To Washington - Congressional Visit & Board Meeting
80-20 Goes To Washington
- Successful Congressional Visit & Board Meeting
By David Yang, Chair of Legislative Committee
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
Thanks to your continual support, our first Board meeting in Washington D.C. was a complete success. Our three-day gathering in the nation’s capital began on Friday, April 20th. (All hotel and travel expenses were paid for by individual Board members out of their own pockets.) In the morning and the afternoon, members of the Board met with the counsels of nine US senators including Senators Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Mel Martinez and Kay Hutchison; as well as seven US representatives including Reps. Tom Lantos and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House. Folders of information on our organization and our issues on Glass Ceiling and Federal Judges were presented to these elected officials. Most of them were very receptive and sympathetic to our concerns, and many also offered constructive suggestions which are much appreciated. The day concluded with a successful dinner/reception, highlighted by the presence of three distinguished members of Congress: Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas, Rep. Al Green of Houston and Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. They have all championed the cause of Asian-Americans in the halls of Congress and are some of our most supportive friends.
After the productive visits on Friday, the Board convened on Saturday and Sunday to chart a new plan of action for the crucial year ahead leading up to the next Presidential election. A number of strategic decisions were reached, including bold new strategies of campaign endorsement as well as new initiatives on combating discrimination and increasing membership. Detailed plans for their implementation were laid out, ranging from a reception/fund-raiser on the Hill to a major website upgrade. In response to frequent inquiries from concerned members, a new Legislative Affairs Committee was created to monitor legislations of particular concern to Asian Americans, and I have the honor and the privilege to serve as your first chairperson of this Committee. The Committee is currently monitoring three pieces of legislation under consideration by Congress. These are the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, the Resolution Calling on the Japanese Government to Apologize for the Use of "Comfort Women" in WWII, and the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander (AA/PI) Serving Institutions Act. In the next week or so, we will submit a report summarizing these bills, and recommending action to our supporters.
Best regards,
David Yang
Chair, Legislative Committee
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY.
Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
- Successful Congressional Visit & Board Meeting
By David Yang, Chair of Legislative Committee
Dear 80-20 Members and Supporters,
Thanks to your continual support, our first Board meeting in Washington D.C. was a complete success. Our three-day gathering in the nation’s capital began on Friday, April 20th. (All hotel and travel expenses were paid for by individual Board members out of their own pockets.) In the morning and the afternoon, members of the Board met with the counsels of nine US senators including Senators Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, Mel Martinez and Kay Hutchison; as well as seven US representatives including Reps. Tom Lantos and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House. Folders of information on our organization and our issues on Glass Ceiling and Federal Judges were presented to these elected officials. Most of them were very receptive and sympathetic to our concerns, and many also offered constructive suggestions which are much appreciated. The day concluded with a successful dinner/reception, highlighted by the presence of three distinguished members of Congress: Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas, Rep. Al Green of Houston and Rep. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii. They have all championed the cause of Asian-Americans in the halls of Congress and are some of our most supportive friends.
After the productive visits on Friday, the Board convened on Saturday and Sunday to chart a new plan of action for the crucial year ahead leading up to the next Presidential election. A number of strategic decisions were reached, including bold new strategies of campaign endorsement as well as new initiatives on combating discrimination and increasing membership. Detailed plans for their implementation were laid out, ranging from a reception/fund-raiser on the Hill to a major website upgrade. In response to frequent inquiries from concerned members, a new Legislative Affairs Committee was created to monitor legislations of particular concern to Asian Americans, and I have the honor and the privilege to serve as your first chairperson of this Committee. The Committee is currently monitoring three pieces of legislation under consideration by Congress. These are the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, the Resolution Calling on the Japanese Government to Apologize for the Use of "Comfort Women" in WWII, and the Asian-American/Pacific-Islander (AA/PI) Serving Institutions Act. In the next week or so, we will submit a report summarizing these bills, and recommending action to our supporters.
Best regards,
David Yang
Chair, Legislative Committee
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY.
Using a credit card,
please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Important Issues and Legislation to Us
In a recent poll of your Board of Directors, “Discrimination against Asian Americans” in any form is considered the most important issue facing us. This year we intend to devote a large portion of our efforts combating discrimination against Asian Americans in our society including discrimination in the workplace. I have formed an ad hoc committee on discrimination chaired by board member Dr. Joel Wong (Bay Area). Board member Jing-Li Yu (New York City) and member Dr. Richard To (Seattle) are members of this committee.
During our up coming board meeting to be held on April 20th in Washington DC, your board members will be introducing 80-20 to many members of the United States Congress and asking for their support. Our “Glass Ceiling” issue will also be discussed.
An ad hoc committee on legislation has also been formed to address legislation pertinent to Asian Americans, chaired by board member Dr. David Yang, Dr. Kelvin Chen and Jing-Li Yu are members. Notable recent legislation in the United States House of Representatives include:
Rep. David Wu’s (D-OR) legislation to support low income Asian American Students by providing them grants for higher education.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced HR 121 demanding the Japanese Government to properly apologize and compensate the thousands of Asian women coerced into sex slavery during World War II, and
Rep. Mike Honda co-sponsored a bill introduced by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) which will reverse a six-decade old law and to award veteran’s benefits to Filipinos who fought with U.S. forces in WW II.
All of these bills are sponsored or co-sponsored by our Asian Americans in Congress and they certainly deserve 80-20’s support. An in depth report on the status of these legislation and supportive action taken by 80-20 will be included in a future communication with you.
As board member Kelvin Chen said so aptly, “In order to get equal footing with other groups, it is imperative that we concentrate Asian American votes in electing people who will protect our rights. 80-20 is the only national organization set up to do exactly this. The more members we have, the more influence we will have when it comes down to gathering votes.”
If you have not already done so, please join us TODAY and upgrade your membership if you already are a member. I ask each of our members to recruit at least two new members in the next 30 days. Your financial support is vital to our function as an organization fighting for equal opportunity and justice for you! Please join us in this cause.
Thank you and best regards,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Together We Build a Better Tomorrow
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY. Using a credit card, please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
During our up coming board meeting to be held on April 20th in Washington DC, your board members will be introducing 80-20 to many members of the United States Congress and asking for their support. Our “Glass Ceiling” issue will also be discussed.
An ad hoc committee on legislation has also been formed to address legislation pertinent to Asian Americans, chaired by board member Dr. David Yang, Dr. Kelvin Chen and Jing-Li Yu are members. Notable recent legislation in the United States House of Representatives include:
Rep. David Wu’s (D-OR) legislation to support low income Asian American Students by providing them grants for higher education.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) introduced HR 121 demanding the Japanese Government to properly apologize and compensate the thousands of Asian women coerced into sex slavery during World War II, and
Rep. Mike Honda co-sponsored a bill introduced by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) which will reverse a six-decade old law and to award veteran’s benefits to Filipinos who fought with U.S. forces in WW II.
All of these bills are sponsored or co-sponsored by our Asian Americans in Congress and they certainly deserve 80-20’s support. An in depth report on the status of these legislation and supportive action taken by 80-20 will be included in a future communication with you.
As board member Kelvin Chen said so aptly, “In order to get equal footing with other groups, it is imperative that we concentrate Asian American votes in electing people who will protect our rights. 80-20 is the only national organization set up to do exactly this. The more members we have, the more influence we will have when it comes down to gathering votes.”
If you have not already done so, please join us TODAY and upgrade your membership if you already are a member. I ask each of our members to recruit at least two new members in the next 30 days. Your financial support is vital to our function as an organization fighting for equal opportunity and justice for you! Please join us in this cause.
Thank you and best regards,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 Initiative, Inc.
Together We Build a Better Tomorrow
Any US citizen or permanent resident can join 80-20 TODAY. Using a credit card, please visithttp://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, Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15. Thank you.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Speak Up for Ourselves or Somebody Else Will
“Speak Up for Ourselves or Somebody Else Will”
By Amy Wong Mok, Vice President of the Board, 80-20 Initiative
Our first board meeting this year will be in Washington D.C. on April 20-22. Armed with the 80-20 information packet, board members will proudly wear our 80-20 buttons, march up Capitol Hill to the offices of our Congress(wo)men and senators, and talk to them about two agenda items:
1. Increase the number of Asian American federal justice appointments. To represent fairly the Asian American population in adequate proportion, we should have 39 Asian American federal court judges. We now have only 6, a big gap to narrow down.
2. Increase the number of Asian American executives in public and private establishments in compliance with Executive Order 11246 that was signed by President Johnson in 1965 to ensure the number of minority and women in executive positions in colleges/universities, government agencies and private businesses. Asian Americans have been illegally left out in the enforcement of EO11246.
I remember a discussion I had with the late Governor Ann Richards of Texas in which she remarked that Asian women would sometimes defer to their husbands to speak for them instead of speaking up for themselves. Governor Richards asked me to tell my fellow Asian women friends: “Amy, you go tell them, if they do not speak up for themselves, somebody will and it will not be to their advantage.” I believe that this great Texan lady was only half correct since her advice applies to our entire Asian American community, men and women. We were made aware of the mistreatment against the members of our community only because some people had the courage to speak out, tell the victims’ stories and demand justice. Let us look at history, past and recent.
Many of the wrongs done to Asian Americans were government-sanctioned, as far back as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of the Japanese American during the Second World War. They suffered because few people spoke up for them. My own awakening to the ugliness of racism was the Vincent Chin case. In 1982, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charles Kaufman sentenced Ron Ebens, a supervisor at Chrysler Motors and his stepson, Mike Nitz to a three-year probation and a fine of $3,000 for the crime of bludgeoning Vincent Chin to death with a baseball bat, after Ebens and Nitz mistook Chin for a Japanese whom they blamed for the loss of the auto industry jobs in the US! At the sentencing, Judge Charles Kaufman was quoted as saying, “These weren't the kind of men you send to jail ... You don't make the punishment fit the crime; you make the punishment fit the criminal.”
Speaking up for ourselves has brought results. In the last election, Senator George Allen of Virginia was defeated in his bid for reelection because of a racist remark he made to an Asian American of Indian heritage toward the end of his senatorial campaign. Mr. Allen was leading comfortably in the senatorial race until he aroused the wrath of the Asian American voters who overwhelmingly voted for his opponent and narrowly defeated him. Recently, Princeton University completely replaced the editorial board of their student paper the Daily Princetonian because of a racist article that mocked Asians. The strong action taken by Princeton was the fruition of many people who have taken the time to write to voice their displeasure, one of whom was 80-20 President, Kathleen To.
For the future of our children, we must summon our courage to act and be counted. The members of the 80-20 board are ready to do our work, but we need you to stand behind us by getting more involved. Our voice will be that much stronger to the politicians when there are more of us actively supporting 80-20. Please take at least one of the following actions:
1. Upgrade the status of your membership to the level that is comfortable to you.
2. Recruit and/or pay for the dues of at least one new member. (Basic membership is only $35 a year)
3. Come with us to visit your elected congressional representatives on the 20th of April.
I believe it will speak volumes if we can double our membership in the next month. It will give us an impressive record to show the politicians our determination to be counted. Start with our children. Get the older ones to become 80-20 members. Talk about the mission of 80-20 Initiative and get the younger ones involved. Take the young people to any precinct meeting and introduce them to the political process. Hold their hands and get their feet wet. Teach them that the simple words in our Declaration of Independence must be safeguarded by all of us:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
We will not always be there to protect the rights and assure the safety of our children and grandchildren. We can act today to create a more just and fair society for them by holding our government accountable. It is time to walk the walk. We need you more than ever to press on with our fight. Bring in a new member to show us your personal affirmation to the dedication and the many hours of voluntary service of the board and the volunteers. We are waiting for your strong message of support.
Please act now. www.80-20initiative.net
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY.Using a credit card, please 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, 80-20 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15.
By Amy Wong Mok, Vice President of the Board, 80-20 Initiative
Our first board meeting this year will be in Washington D.C. on April 20-22. Armed with the 80-20 information packet, board members will proudly wear our 80-20 buttons, march up Capitol Hill to the offices of our Congress(wo)men and senators, and talk to them about two agenda items:
1. Increase the number of Asian American federal justice appointments. To represent fairly the Asian American population in adequate proportion, we should have 39 Asian American federal court judges. We now have only 6, a big gap to narrow down.
2. Increase the number of Asian American executives in public and private establishments in compliance with Executive Order 11246 that was signed by President Johnson in 1965 to ensure the number of minority and women in executive positions in colleges/universities, government agencies and private businesses. Asian Americans have been illegally left out in the enforcement of EO11246.
I remember a discussion I had with the late Governor Ann Richards of Texas in which she remarked that Asian women would sometimes defer to their husbands to speak for them instead of speaking up for themselves. Governor Richards asked me to tell my fellow Asian women friends: “Amy, you go tell them, if they do not speak up for themselves, somebody will and it will not be to their advantage.” I believe that this great Texan lady was only half correct since her advice applies to our entire Asian American community, men and women. We were made aware of the mistreatment against the members of our community only because some people had the courage to speak out, tell the victims’ stories and demand justice. Let us look at history, past and recent.
Many of the wrongs done to Asian Americans were government-sanctioned, as far back as the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of the Japanese American during the Second World War. They suffered because few people spoke up for them. My own awakening to the ugliness of racism was the Vincent Chin case. In 1982, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charles Kaufman sentenced Ron Ebens, a supervisor at Chrysler Motors and his stepson, Mike Nitz to a three-year probation and a fine of $3,000 for the crime of bludgeoning Vincent Chin to death with a baseball bat, after Ebens and Nitz mistook Chin for a Japanese whom they blamed for the loss of the auto industry jobs in the US! At the sentencing, Judge Charles Kaufman was quoted as saying, “These weren't the kind of men you send to jail ... You don't make the punishment fit the crime; you make the punishment fit the criminal.”
Speaking up for ourselves has brought results. In the last election, Senator George Allen of Virginia was defeated in his bid for reelection because of a racist remark he made to an Asian American of Indian heritage toward the end of his senatorial campaign. Mr. Allen was leading comfortably in the senatorial race until he aroused the wrath of the Asian American voters who overwhelmingly voted for his opponent and narrowly defeated him. Recently, Princeton University completely replaced the editorial board of their student paper the Daily Princetonian because of a racist article that mocked Asians. The strong action taken by Princeton was the fruition of many people who have taken the time to write to voice their displeasure, one of whom was 80-20 President, Kathleen To.
For the future of our children, we must summon our courage to act and be counted. The members of the 80-20 board are ready to do our work, but we need you to stand behind us by getting more involved. Our voice will be that much stronger to the politicians when there are more of us actively supporting 80-20. Please take at least one of the following actions:
1. Upgrade the status of your membership to the level that is comfortable to you.
2. Recruit and/or pay for the dues of at least one new member. (Basic membership is only $35 a year)
3. Come with us to visit your elected congressional representatives on the 20th of April.
I believe it will speak volumes if we can double our membership in the next month. It will give us an impressive record to show the politicians our determination to be counted. Start with our children. Get the older ones to become 80-20 members. Talk about the mission of 80-20 Initiative and get the younger ones involved. Take the young people to any precinct meeting and introduce them to the political process. Hold their hands and get their feet wet. Teach them that the simple words in our Declaration of Independence must be safeguarded by all of us:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
We will not always be there to protect the rights and assure the safety of our children and grandchildren. We can act today to create a more just and fair society for them by holding our government accountable. It is time to walk the walk. We need you more than ever to press on with our fight. Bring in a new member to show us your personal affirmation to the dedication and the many hours of voluntary service of the board and the volunteers. We are waiting for your strong message of support.
Please act now. www.80-20initiative.net
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY.Using a credit card, please 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, 80-20 Treasurer
P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15.
Friday, March 02, 2007
80-20's Letter to the President of the AsianWeek
Mr. James Fang, President
AsianWeek
809 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Dear Mr. Fang,
Racism remarks are intolerable in our country. When your newspaper published Kenneth Eng's blatantly racist column titled "Why I Hate Blacks," it not only deeply hurt the African Americans, but also negatively affected the image of the entire Asian American community.
Racial remarks divide citizens of a community; therefore, this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. Personal experiences cannot be generalized. It is very irresponsible and unprofessional to print the personal racist views and hate speech of an individual to the public. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your editorial board will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take further appropriate actions.
On the AsianWeek's Statement and Apology posted on your website, there is a short announcement that Eng has been terminated from writing for the paper. 80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to print an editorial refuting the column and reviewing your editorial policy.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To, President
80-20 Initiative
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters
URL: www.80-20Intiative.net
AsianWeek
809 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Dear Mr. Fang,
Racism remarks are intolerable in our country. When your newspaper published Kenneth Eng's blatantly racist column titled "Why I Hate Blacks," it not only deeply hurt the African Americans, but also negatively affected the image of the entire Asian American community.
Racial remarks divide citizens of a community; therefore, this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. Personal experiences cannot be generalized. It is very irresponsible and unprofessional to print the personal racist views and hate speech of an individual to the public. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your editorial board will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take further appropriate actions.
On the AsianWeek's Statement and Apology posted on your website, there is a short announcement that Eng has been terminated from writing for the paper. 80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to print an editorial refuting the column and reviewing your editorial policy.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To, President
80-20 Initiative
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters
URL: www.80-20Intiative.net
Sunday, February 04, 2007
80-20 New Board in Action
On behalf of the entire 80-20 Board of Directors, I would like to wish you a
very happy and healthy new year.
For 80-20, this year began with a lot of changes, for the better for sure.
For the first time in four years, we have a brand new executive committee
and all new officers. For their names and background, please visit our web
site at www.80-20initiative.net. Following S B Woo as the new president
is very intimidating. As you all know, S B’s political savvies is unsurpassable
and his persistent demand of excellence on himself made following his footstep
a huge challenge for all of us. However, we have a dynamic group of officers
and board members to make up. What we may not be able to do as individuals,
we can certainly accomplish as a group.
Another change is our most capable and dedicated Special Project Director,
Jing-Li Yu, has been replaced by another capable Media Consultant and Special
Assistant to the President, Helen Wang. The transition has been relatively
smooth. This was a transition of responsibilities rather than a transition of
power because when one serves one does not and should not yield power. It is
my hope that with S B on our Executive Committee as Immediate Past President
and his political expertise, we can bring 80-20 to a higher level as an organization.
My goal as your new president is to involve every one of our board members and
together we will reach out and co-operate with all other Asian American organizations.
We will also reach out to our Congressional Delegations so that the mission of 80-20
can be spread among them.
Our annual board meeting is set for April 20-22, 2007 in Washington D.C.
We hereby invite all of you to join us in meeting our federal elected officials at the
Capitol on Friday Noon, April 20th. A reception/dinner will be held that same
evening for members and prospective members. Please visit our web site for details.
We deeply appreciate your support in the past and thank you in advance for your
future support and encouragement.
Together, we build a better tomorrow.
Warm regards,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY, 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, Treasurer P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15.
very happy and healthy new year.
For 80-20, this year began with a lot of changes, for the better for sure.
For the first time in four years, we have a brand new executive committee
and all new officers. For their names and background, please visit our web
site at www.80-20initiative.net. Following S B Woo as the new president
is very intimidating. As you all know, S B’s political savvies is unsurpassable
and his persistent demand of excellence on himself made following his footstep
a huge challenge for all of us. However, we have a dynamic group of officers
and board members to make up. What we may not be able to do as individuals,
we can certainly accomplish as a group.
Another change is our most capable and dedicated Special Project Director,
Jing-Li Yu, has been replaced by another capable Media Consultant and Special
Assistant to the President, Helen Wang. The transition has been relatively
smooth. This was a transition of responsibilities rather than a transition of
power because when one serves one does not and should not yield power. It is
my hope that with S B on our Executive Committee as Immediate Past President
and his political expertise, we can bring 80-20 to a higher level as an organization.
My goal as your new president is to involve every one of our board members and
together we will reach out and co-operate with all other Asian American organizations.
We will also reach out to our Congressional Delegations so that the mission of 80-20
can be spread among them.
Our annual board meeting is set for April 20-22, 2007 in Washington D.C.
We hereby invite all of you to join us in meeting our federal elected officials at the
Capitol on Friday Noon, April 20th. A reception/dinner will be held that same
evening for members and prospective members. Please visit our web site for details.
We deeply appreciate your support in the past and thank you in advance for your
future support and encouragement.
Together, we build a better tomorrow.
Warm regards,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Any US citizen or permanent resident can be a member TODAY, 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, Treasurer P.O. Box 527340 Flushing, NY 11352-7340
Please write down your E-MAIL address & PHONE no. on the BACK of the check.
Life membership is $1,000; Family Membership (2 voters) is $50; Basic Membership is $35; Student membership is $15.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
80-20's Letter to the President of Princeton University
The Daily Princetonian, a student newspaper of Princeton University, published a racist article in their annual joke issue on January 17, 2007. The article, filled with racial stereotypes, uses broken English and referenced the university's denial of admission to Jian Li, an Asian who filed a civil rights complaint against Princeton last summer.
To denounce this derogatory behavior, the President of 80-20 PAC, Kathleen To, has written formal letters to the President of Princeton University, Dr. Shirley Tilghman, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Princetonian. Please see below for the full letter.
Dear Dr. Tilghman,
Racial jokes are intolerable in our country. All of us should mutually respect each other, especially in institutes of higher education. When your student newspaper, the Daily Princetonian, used racial jokes, it negatively affected the entire Princeton University student body as well as the image of the administration of Princeton.
Racial remarks and jokes divide citizens of a community, therefore this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your office will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take appropriate action in order to restore the confidence of your student body as well as the community at large.
80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to take immediate action to properly apologize to the Asian American community of our country and to properly reprimand the offenders. Your decision to take appropriate action will most certainly send out a strong signal to your student body and to our nation that Princeton University does not tolerate any insensitive language or behavior and that Princeton University operates with utmost integrity.
The Asian Americans of our country have always considered Princeton University one of the most elite institutes of higher education and we certainly wish to be able to continue to consider so.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 Initiative
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters
Links:
1. To see the Daily Princetonian’s article, please visit:
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/01/17/opinion/17109.shtml
2. To see Jian Li’s case, please visit:http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2625731 http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/14/princeton "Is Admissions Bar Higher for Asians At Elite Schools?"School Standards Are Probed Even as Enrollment Increases; A Bias Claim at PrincetonBy Daniel Golden; The Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2006; Page A1
To denounce this derogatory behavior, the President of 80-20 PAC, Kathleen To, has written formal letters to the President of Princeton University, Dr. Shirley Tilghman, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Princetonian. Please see below for the full letter.
Dear Dr. Tilghman,
Racial jokes are intolerable in our country. All of us should mutually respect each other, especially in institutes of higher education. When your student newspaper, the Daily Princetonian, used racial jokes, it negatively affected the entire Princeton University student body as well as the image of the administration of Princeton.
Racial remarks and jokes divide citizens of a community, therefore this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your office will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take appropriate action in order to restore the confidence of your student body as well as the community at large.
80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to take immediate action to properly apologize to the Asian American community of our country and to properly reprimand the offenders. Your decision to take appropriate action will most certainly send out a strong signal to your student body and to our nation that Princeton University does not tolerate any insensitive language or behavior and that Princeton University operates with utmost integrity.
The Asian Americans of our country have always considered Princeton University one of the most elite institutes of higher education and we certainly wish to be able to continue to consider so.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To
President
80-20 Initiative
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters
Links:
1. To see the Daily Princetonian’s article, please visit:
http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/01/17/opinion/17109.shtml
2. To see Jian Li’s case, please visit:http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2625731 http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/14/princeton "Is Admissions Bar Higher for Asians At Elite Schools?"School Standards Are Probed Even as Enrollment Increases; A Bias Claim at PrincetonBy Daniel Golden; The Wall Street Journal, November 11, 2006; Page A1
Sunday, December 31, 2006
<<世界日报>> 采访文章3 (from the World Journal)
【本報記者徐敏子東灣 - 新墨西哥州電話採訪】 80-20促進會前不久選出一員女將出任促進會主席職務，她就是來自香港的德州退休商人杜潔靈（Kathleen To）。成立於 1998 年的促進會於四年前開始在繳費會員中選舉產生領導成員，杜潔靈是促進會的第二位、第三任主席，前任吳仙標連任兩屆。
杜潔靈於 2002 年加盟促進會，隔年當選促進會秘書，任期至今年年底屆滿；她也是促進會教育基金會的秘書和財務，當選促進會主席後，她將卸去基金會的職務，將精力集中在促進會整體工作上。
1964 年從香港移民來美的杜潔靈持有奧克拉荷馬大學的細胞遺傳學碩士學位，曾經是達拉斯德州大學皮膚癌研究團隊的成員；離開科研領域後她曾經營私人投資公司，從事零售業及地產業，目前已退休的她在新墨西哥州定居。
杜傑靈來美後就十分投入亞裔參政事務，曾為多位亞裔候選人助選；在達拉斯經商時，她也是當地美華協會的活躍成員；1990 年，杜潔靈曾獲德州州長任命擔任德州「商務大使」，負責德州與亞洲國家發展貿易關係。
被問及「新官上任」的工作計畫時杜潔靈表示，促進會將作更多的教育工作，「教育全美亞裔提升對80-20 促進會理念的認知」，告訴大家「團結起來集團投票營造亞裔政治影響力」的意義。
杜潔靈說，亞裔在過去一直有作政治捐款，但「對共和黨、民主黨一半一半，到後來誰也不聽我們，亞裔的利益還是沒人來代為爭取」，她說那種捐錢後僅滿足於與政客合影的時代應該結束了。杜潔靈期望通促進會的努力，使亞裔選票真正能發揮左右選情關鍵票的角色，進而令主流社會對亞裔刮目相看，這一教育工作還要通過教育家長作到下一代身上，杜潔靈說，不少亞裔家長常津津樂道於自己孩子的 SAT 成績有多高，但對孩子的政治成長卻不關心，因此加強實習生計畫也是杜潔靈任上的工作重點之一。
80-20 促進會號稱目前有 75 萬網上支持者，由 18 位各界精英組成的董事會中包括前不久新當選的六位新鮮人，董事會的七位董事組成執行委員會。明年 3-4 月間，董事會將在灣區舉行新董事會的第一次全體會議。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone.
Recently, the 80-20 Initiative elected Kathleen To, a Hong Kong native and a retired Texas businesswoman, as their new chairwoman. Established in 1998, the Initiative began four years ago to elect leadership candidates from dues-paid members. Ms. To is the second chairperson of the Initiative, the first being two-term former chairman, Dr. S.B. Woo.
Kathleen To joined the 80-20 Initiative in 2002. The following year, she was elected as the Initiative’s Secretary, a position in which she served until the end of 2006. Until this past chairperson election, she also served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Initiative’s Educational Foundation. She will relinquish these Educational Foundation positions in order to more fully concentrate her energies on the overall work of the Initiative itself.
Ms. To emigrated from Hong Kong to the US in 1964. Afterward, she earned a Master of Science in Molecular Genetics at the University of Oklahoma. She is a former member of the skin cancer research team at the University of Texas at Dallas. After leaving academia, Ms. To started a private investment firm, and engaged in retail and real estate transactions. At present, she has retired and resides in New Mexico.
After arriving in the US, Ms. To has actively participated in Asian American politics. When in Dallas, she was a dynamic member of several Asian-American Associations. In 1990, she was appointed by the Governor of Texas to be the Honorary Commercial Attache of the State of Texas to Asia. Her main duties included encouraging the development of trade relationships between Texas and Asian countries.
Upon being asked about any new plans she will bring to the table as the new chairwoman, Ms. To replied that the Initiative will engage in more educational work in the future. Hopefully, this educational aspect will elevate the primary goals of the Initiative into the consciousness of Asian Americans. One primary goal is that Asian Americans recognize that, if they unite to create a single voting bloc, they will influence politics in a powerful way.
In Ms. To’s view, Asian Americans in the past have always made financial contributions to both political parties, but “…these contributions were split evenly between the Republicans and Democrats. In the end, neither party competes to cater to Asian American interests.” Ms. To states that the days of Asian Americans donating funds in order to get a picture with a political candidate should end now.
Ms. To hopes that, through the Initiative’s diligent efforts, the Asian vote may develop and play the critical “swing vote” role between the Left and the Right. This will cause mainstream society to do a “double-take” and recognize Asian Americans on a deeper level. Ms. To also hopes that the Initiative’s educational work may continue through heads of families in the Asian American community. Too many heads of families only focus on a child’s SAT score, and do not focus at all on a child’s political cultivation. Therefore, an important agenda Ms. To plans to pursue is to increase the number of interns at the Initiative.
At the present, 80-20 Initiative has 750,000 online supporters, with eighteen Board Members who are industry elites in various fields. Six of these Board Members are newly elected. Within the Board, there are seven members who comprise the Executive Committee. Between March or April of 2007, the new Board will confer for its first Board meeting in the Bay Area.
杜潔靈於 2002 年加盟促進會，隔年當選促進會秘書，任期至今年年底屆滿；她也是促進會教育基金會的秘書和財務，當選促進會主席後，她將卸去基金會的職務，將精力集中在促進會整體工作上。
1964 年從香港移民來美的杜潔靈持有奧克拉荷馬大學的細胞遺傳學碩士學位，曾經是達拉斯德州大學皮膚癌研究團隊的成員；離開科研領域後她曾經營私人投資公司，從事零售業及地產業，目前已退休的她在新墨西哥州定居。
杜傑靈來美後就十分投入亞裔參政事務，曾為多位亞裔候選人助選；在達拉斯經商時，她也是當地美華協會的活躍成員；1990 年，杜潔靈曾獲德州州長任命擔任德州「商務大使」，負責德州與亞洲國家發展貿易關係。
被問及「新官上任」的工作計畫時杜潔靈表示，促進會將作更多的教育工作，「教育全美亞裔提升對80-20 促進會理念的認知」，告訴大家「團結起來集團投票營造亞裔政治影響力」的意義。
杜潔靈說，亞裔在過去一直有作政治捐款，但「對共和黨、民主黨一半一半，到後來誰也不聽我們，亞裔的利益還是沒人來代為爭取」，她說那種捐錢後僅滿足於與政客合影的時代應該結束了。杜潔靈期望通促進會的努力，使亞裔選票真正能發揮左右選情關鍵票的角色，進而令主流社會對亞裔刮目相看，這一教育工作還要通過教育家長作到下一代身上，杜潔靈說，不少亞裔家長常津津樂道於自己孩子的 SAT 成績有多高，但對孩子的政治成長卻不關心，因此加強實習生計畫也是杜潔靈任上的工作重點之一。
80-20 促進會號稱目前有 75 萬網上支持者，由 18 位各界精英組成的董事會中包括前不久新當選的六位新鮮人，董事會的七位董事組成執行委員會。明年 3-4 月間，董事會將在灣區舉行新董事會的第一次全體會議。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone.
Recently, the 80-20 Initiative elected Kathleen To, a Hong Kong native and a retired Texas businesswoman, as their new chairwoman. Established in 1998, the Initiative began four years ago to elect leadership candidates from dues-paid members. Ms. To is the second chairperson of the Initiative, the first being two-term former chairman, Dr. S.B. Woo.
Kathleen To joined the 80-20 Initiative in 2002. The following year, she was elected as the Initiative’s Secretary, a position in which she served until the end of 2006. Until this past chairperson election, she also served as the Secretary and Treasurer of the Initiative’s Educational Foundation. She will relinquish these Educational Foundation positions in order to more fully concentrate her energies on the overall work of the Initiative itself.
Ms. To emigrated from Hong Kong to the US in 1964. Afterward, she earned a Master of Science in Molecular Genetics at the University of Oklahoma. She is a former member of the skin cancer research team at the University of Texas at Dallas. After leaving academia, Ms. To started a private investment firm, and engaged in retail and real estate transactions. At present, she has retired and resides in New Mexico.
After arriving in the US, Ms. To has actively participated in Asian American politics. When in Dallas, she was a dynamic member of several Asian-American Associations. In 1990, she was appointed by the Governor of Texas to be the Honorary Commercial Attache of the State of Texas to Asia. Her main duties included encouraging the development of trade relationships between Texas and Asian countries.
Upon being asked about any new plans she will bring to the table as the new chairwoman, Ms. To replied that the Initiative will engage in more educational work in the future. Hopefully, this educational aspect will elevate the primary goals of the Initiative into the consciousness of Asian Americans. One primary goal is that Asian Americans recognize that, if they unite to create a single voting bloc, they will influence politics in a powerful way.
In Ms. To’s view, Asian Americans in the past have always made financial contributions to both political parties, but “…these contributions were split evenly between the Republicans and Democrats. In the end, neither party competes to cater to Asian American interests.” Ms. To states that the days of Asian Americans donating funds in order to get a picture with a political candidate should end now.
Ms. To hopes that, through the Initiative’s diligent efforts, the Asian vote may develop and play the critical “swing vote” role between the Left and the Right. This will cause mainstream society to do a “double-take” and recognize Asian Americans on a deeper level. Ms. To also hopes that the Initiative’s educational work may continue through heads of families in the Asian American community. Too many heads of families only focus on a child’s SAT score, and do not focus at all on a child’s political cultivation. Therefore, an important agenda Ms. To plans to pursue is to increase the number of interns at the Initiative.
At the present, 80-20 Initiative has 750,000 online supporters, with eighteen Board Members who are industry elites in various fields. Six of these Board Members are newly elected. Within the Board, there are seven members who comprise the Executive Committee. Between March or April of 2007, the new Board will confer for its first Board meeting in the Bay Area.
<<世界日报>> 采访文章1 (from the World Journal)
【本報記者徐敏子柏克萊 - 德拉瓦電話採訪】本月 31日吳仙標就要卸下他 80-20 促進會主席的職務、交棒給新主席杜潔靈了，他於 28 日接受本報訪問時表示，十分感謝擔任兩屆主席為大家服務的機會，並強調「還是董事會成員，還可以繼續服務」。
吳仙標是成立於 1998 年的 80-20 促進會的六位創會人之一，也是這一號稱有 75 萬網上支持者的全美最大的亞裔參政團體的靈魂人物，這位退休後以每周 50-70 小時的熱忱獻身改變亞裔政治地位的亞裔參政先行者，原本卻是一位大學物理教授。
上海出生的吳仙標來美前曾先後在香港、台灣生活，在華盛頓大學獲得物理博士後，於 1966 年進入德拉瓦大學教授物理直到 2001 年時「因為促進會的工作太多需要更多時間」而退休，前後 35 年。
吳仙標於 1983 年以一位物理教授身分競選德拉瓦州副州長一舉成功而成為當時全美職位最高的華裔民選官員，但其後接連競選聯邦參議員和聯邦眾議員失利令他下決心遠離政壇，並在其後以促進會草根性參政教育的形式，為自己找到施展政治抱負的另類途徑。
吳仙標說，他為有機會幫助亞裔社區「感到榮幸」，但同時因為作得不夠「感到慚愧」；他同時表示，羅馬不是一天建成的，要徹底改變亞裔在美國二等公民的地位，需要大家的繼續努力。
在過去八年中，吳仙標身體力行，為了達成改變亞裔政治地位的目標，他除了付出大量時間外，還捐獻了近七萬美元，除了自己的積蓄，他把每次外出演說的酬勞全部捐入促進會的基金會中。
吳仙標說，人生的意義在於能夠作「別人不敢作或不願作但值得作而自己想作的事情」，從事促進會的工作雖然有形的付出不少，但無形的收穫更多，那收穫就是來自「作值得作的事情」而換來的心理滿足感。
吳仙標亦指出，亞裔在爭取平等權益的同時，也要改變自己，這包括亞裔要團結以凝聚政治力量、亞裔要認同自己的美國人身分而不是仍然將自己視為中國人、亞裔要了解美國政治遊戲規則而不要墨守華人傳統成規。
吳仙標曾是德拉瓦大學教授談判團創會主席及首席發言人暨首席談判代表、由州長任命的德拉瓦大學校董、哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院學者，也曾擔任過美華協會全國主席。華府史密斯松尼博物館的美國歷史館內陳列有吳仙標的真人大小的相片。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone
On the 31st of December 2006, S.B. Woo will be retiring as the chairman of 80-20 Initiative, as a new chairperson succeeds him. During a December 28th interview, Dr. Woo expressed his whole-hearted gratitude at having had the opportunity to serve as chairman for two terms. He also emphasized that, despite his retirement, “. . . I’m still an acting Board member, who can still help out.”
S.B. Woo is one of six major founders who established 80-20 Initiative in 1998. Since then, 80-20 Initiative now has 750,000 supporters online and is the largest Asian American political organization in the US. Dr. Woo has long been recognized as the driving force behind 80-20. Although originally a physics professor, Dr. Woo, after retiring from teaching, worked fifty to seventy hours a week as a pioneer of Asian American politics.
A native of Shanghai, Dr. Woo lived in Hong Kong and Taiwan before coming to the States. Here, he studied at the University of Washington and earned a doctorate in physics before joining the faculty of the University of Delaware in 1966. In 2001, he retired from his teaching post after thirty-five years, because “. . . the time-consuming activities of a political movement needed more of my attention.”
In 1983, Dr. Woo was elected as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Delaware. At that time, he held the highest elected position an Asian American had ever attained in the US. However, after Dr. Woo’s attempts in the House of Representatives and the Senate were defeated, he resolved to steer clear of the political theatre, and to concentrate on a grassroots political movement of a more educational nature. In this manner, S.B. Woo has continued to pursue his political ambition through a different route.
Dr. Woo expressed that he felt honored to have the opportunity to support the Asian American community, yet felt “some regret” that he had not done enough. He also stated that “Rome was not built overnight,” and that to change the “second-class citizenship” of Asian Americans would require a united effort by all.
For the past eight years, S.B. Woo has actively taken steps out of his own effort to improve the political stature of Asian Americans. Aside from giving much of his personal time, Dr. Woo has donated nearly $70,000 dollars to 80-20 from his own savings and speaking honorariums.
Dr. Woo stated that meaningful purpose in life “consists in doing that which is valuable and which one desires to do, which others might not dare or desire to pursue.” He reflected that although the visible costs of starting a political movement have been substantial, the “invisible” benefits have been greater. Part of those benefits have come from the satisfaction of having done something meaningful and worth doing.
He also pointed out that Asian Americans, when struggling for political equality in the US, must change themselves. This includes cooperating and uniting as a team for political power, and also viewing themselves as Americans, not only as Chinese. Dr. Woo stressed that Asian Americans must understand the workings of the American political game, and not only adhere to traditional Chinese rules and customs.
Dr. Woo’s past experiences include being the Founding President of the Faculty Bargaining Unit at the University of Delaware, its Chief Spokesman and Chief Negotiator; a Trustee of the University of Delaware; an Institute Fellow at the Institute of Politics, the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; and serving as the National President of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA). A life-sized picture of him is displayed in Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington D C.
吳仙標是成立於 1998 年的 80-20 促進會的六位創會人之一，也是這一號稱有 75 萬網上支持者的全美最大的亞裔參政團體的靈魂人物，這位退休後以每周 50-70 小時的熱忱獻身改變亞裔政治地位的亞裔參政先行者，原本卻是一位大學物理教授。
上海出生的吳仙標來美前曾先後在香港、台灣生活，在華盛頓大學獲得物理博士後，於 1966 年進入德拉瓦大學教授物理直到 2001 年時「因為促進會的工作太多需要更多時間」而退休，前後 35 年。
吳仙標於 1983 年以一位物理教授身分競選德拉瓦州副州長一舉成功而成為當時全美職位最高的華裔民選官員，但其後接連競選聯邦參議員和聯邦眾議員失利令他下決心遠離政壇，並在其後以促進會草根性參政教育的形式，為自己找到施展政治抱負的另類途徑。
吳仙標說，他為有機會幫助亞裔社區「感到榮幸」，但同時因為作得不夠「感到慚愧」；他同時表示，羅馬不是一天建成的，要徹底改變亞裔在美國二等公民的地位，需要大家的繼續努力。
在過去八年中，吳仙標身體力行，為了達成改變亞裔政治地位的目標，他除了付出大量時間外，還捐獻了近七萬美元，除了自己的積蓄，他把每次外出演說的酬勞全部捐入促進會的基金會中。
吳仙標說，人生的意義在於能夠作「別人不敢作或不願作但值得作而自己想作的事情」，從事促進會的工作雖然有形的付出不少，但無形的收穫更多，那收穫就是來自「作值得作的事情」而換來的心理滿足感。
吳仙標亦指出，亞裔在爭取平等權益的同時，也要改變自己，這包括亞裔要團結以凝聚政治力量、亞裔要認同自己的美國人身分而不是仍然將自己視為中國人、亞裔要了解美國政治遊戲規則而不要墨守華人傳統成規。
吳仙標曾是德拉瓦大學教授談判團創會主席及首席發言人暨首席談判代表、由州長任命的德拉瓦大學校董、哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院學者，也曾擔任過美華協會全國主席。華府史密斯松尼博物館的美國歷史館內陳列有吳仙標的真人大小的相片。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone
On the 31st of December 2006, S.B. Woo will be retiring as the chairman of 80-20 Initiative, as a new chairperson succeeds him. During a December 28th interview, Dr. Woo expressed his whole-hearted gratitude at having had the opportunity to serve as chairman for two terms. He also emphasized that, despite his retirement, “. . . I’m still an acting Board member, who can still help out.”
S.B. Woo is one of six major founders who established 80-20 Initiative in 1998. Since then, 80-20 Initiative now has 750,000 supporters online and is the largest Asian American political organization in the US. Dr. Woo has long been recognized as the driving force behind 80-20. Although originally a physics professor, Dr. Woo, after retiring from teaching, worked fifty to seventy hours a week as a pioneer of Asian American politics.
A native of Shanghai, Dr. Woo lived in Hong Kong and Taiwan before coming to the States. Here, he studied at the University of Washington and earned a doctorate in physics before joining the faculty of the University of Delaware in 1966. In 2001, he retired from his teaching post after thirty-five years, because “. . . the time-consuming activities of a political movement needed more of my attention.”
In 1983, Dr. Woo was elected as Lieutenant Governor of the State of Delaware. At that time, he held the highest elected position an Asian American had ever attained in the US. However, after Dr. Woo’s attempts in the House of Representatives and the Senate were defeated, he resolved to steer clear of the political theatre, and to concentrate on a grassroots political movement of a more educational nature. In this manner, S.B. Woo has continued to pursue his political ambition through a different route.
Dr. Woo expressed that he felt honored to have the opportunity to support the Asian American community, yet felt “some regret” that he had not done enough. He also stated that “Rome was not built overnight,” and that to change the “second-class citizenship” of Asian Americans would require a united effort by all.
For the past eight years, S.B. Woo has actively taken steps out of his own effort to improve the political stature of Asian Americans. Aside from giving much of his personal time, Dr. Woo has donated nearly $70,000 dollars to 80-20 from his own savings and speaking honorariums.
Dr. Woo stated that meaningful purpose in life “consists in doing that which is valuable and which one desires to do, which others might not dare or desire to pursue.” He reflected that although the visible costs of starting a political movement have been substantial, the “invisible” benefits have been greater. Part of those benefits have come from the satisfaction of having done something meaningful and worth doing.
He also pointed out that Asian Americans, when struggling for political equality in the US, must change themselves. This includes cooperating and uniting as a team for political power, and also viewing themselves as Americans, not only as Chinese. Dr. Woo stressed that Asian Americans must understand the workings of the American political game, and not only adhere to traditional Chinese rules and customs.
Dr. Woo’s past experiences include being the Founding President of the Faculty Bargaining Unit at the University of Delaware, its Chief Spokesman and Chief Negotiator; a Trustee of the University of Delaware; an Institute Fellow at the Institute of Politics, the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; and serving as the National President of the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA). A life-sized picture of him is displayed in Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington D C.
<<世界日报>> 采访文章2 (from the World Journal)
【本報記者徐敏子柏克萊 - 德拉瓦電話採訪】 80-20 促進會主席吳仙標 28 日表示，2008 年總統選舉中，促進會將像 2000、2004 年總統選舉時一樣，根據兩黨候選人向促進會作出為亞裔謀利益的承諾，然後再決定向亞裔選民推薦的總統候選人名單。
吳仙標並說，2008 年時，促進會將提出更多的要求，除了要求兩黨候選人承諾當選後推動舉辦有關亞裔在職場受到歧視的國會聽證會、並責成勞工部執行職場平等的11246 總統行政命令外，還會要求他們作出增加聯邦法院亞裔法官的承諾。
儘管離 2008 年總統選舉還有兩年，但正式宣布或非正式表達有意競選的兩黨總統候選人已經露出檯面，其中包括共和黨的馬侃、朱利安尼；民主黨的喜來莉、愛德華茲、歐巴瑪、白登等。
吳仙標為兩黨「把脈」的結果是：共和黨可能是馬侃出線，民主黨可能是喜來莉出線；他說馬侃已經累積了競選總統的經驗，加上他不作應聲蟲的個性、良好的背景以及善於團結兩黨人士的處世之道都是他的「利多」；而喜來莉則有錢、有能力，人氣很旺，除非犯錯，否則很有希望；如果說民主黨會出黑馬的話，吳仙標看好聯邦參議院外交委員會主席白登而不是民主黨新星奧巴瑪，他說儘管白登名氣還不那麼響亮，但當時卡特、柯林頓不也是那樣？
被問及前兩次總統選舉共和黨候選人陣營未能如促進會所願作出承諾、若 2008 年發生同樣情況將如何應對時，吳仙標很有把握地表示，2008 年的情況會很不同，因為今年 11 月選舉情況表明，共和黨已經失去了南方及中西部的票倉，共和黨已經沒有本錢向促進會展示同一付面孔。
吳仙標並稱參院變天，促進會在其中扮演了一個重要角色，選前促進會預期民主黨候選人委柏將勝出，因此呼籲網上支持者將選票投給委柏，而 CNN 選舉出口調查顯示，委柏的選票中有三個百分點來自亞裔，而正是該三個百分點使委柏以多出對手七千多票的結果勝出。
吳仙標因此十分確定，2008 年時共和黨會與促進會聯繫，而屆時促進會的「價碼」會高一點，除了 11246 總統行政命令，還要聯邦法官，他說亞裔目前佔全美總人口的4.4%，但亞裔聯邦法官僅六人，只佔 0.7%，相差太大。
吳仙標同時表示，促進會的要求需要亞裔一起來推動，亞裔國會員、特別是亞裔人口眾多的加州、亞裔傳媒，都有責任群起推動，向聯邦施加壓力，儘早改變這一不公平的現狀，為亞裔討回一等公民的權利。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone
On December 28th, S.B. Woo, the President of 80-20 Initiative, stated that for the 2008 Presidential election, the Initiative would ask the candidates of both political parties to promise to keep in mind the interests of Asian Americans, before recommending any particular candidate to 80-20 members. This practice is in keeping with what 80-20 has done in the 2000 and 2004 elections.
S.B. Woo further stated that, for the 2008 election, the Initiative would make more demands upon each presidential candidate. In addition to a promise for an evidentiary hearing on workplace discrimination against Asian Americans, 80-20 will demand that a potential candidate, after being elected, will push the Department of Labor to bring into reality Executive Order No. 11246, regarding equal workplace opportunity. 80-20 Initiative also demands that the newly elected President appoint more Asian American federal judges.
Even though the next Presidential election will not take place for another two years, formal and informal declarations for presidential candidacy have already started to take place. Some candidates have included, on the Republican side, John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Joseph Biden are also potential contenders.
Dr. Woo has also put forth some predictions regarding the Republican and Democratic primaries. On the Republican side, the Presidential candidate will probably be John McCain. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton will probably win the primary. In Dr. Woo’s opinion, McCain has accumulated much experience from his previous bids for the Presidency. Furthermore, McCain is not a “yes-man;” he has a great background and a great ability to work with both parties effectively. These are McCain’s advantages. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has finances, ability, and popularity. As long as she doesn’t make a mistake, it seems very promising that she will win. However, if another unexpected contender wins the Democratic primary, Dr. Woo predicts that person would be the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Joseph Biden, not Senator Obama. Although Biden is not well-known, Dr. Woo believes that he would win, just like lesser-known primary winners Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
When asked about the Republican Party’s refusal to comply with the Initiative’s demands in the last two Presidential elections, Dr. Woo responded confidently that this time, the situation is different. This past November election showed that the Republicans have lost the support of Southern and Mid-Western notes. The Republicans no longer have any leverage to refuse the Initiative’s demands.
Dr. Woo also noted that the Initiative played a major role in Congress’ shift of power. Before the congressional vote, the Initiative predicted that a Democratic candidate, Jim Webb would win. As a result, the Initiative contacted its online supporters to vote for Webb. After the vote, CNN conducted an investigation and determined that 3% of Webb’s votes had been from Asian Americans, and it was exactly by this 3%, a margin of over seven thousand votes, that Webb defeated his opponent.
Dr. Woo whole-heartedly confirmed that, at the next time the Initiative and the Republican Party speak with each other for the 2008 election, the Initiative’s “price” will be higher. In addition to Executive Order No. 11246, the Initiative will demand that there be more Asian American federal judges appointed. At the present, Asian Americans comprise of 4.4% of the entire US population, but comprise only 0.7% of total US federal judges (six judges). The disproportion is too great.
Dr. Woo further added that the Initiative’s requests require the united support of all Asian Americans. This includes the support of Asian American Congress members, and especially the support of areas where Asian Americans and Asian American media are numerous, like California. Every Asian American has a responsibility to collectively push the federal government to remedy the inequality which we face as soon as possible, and to attain the right of first-class citizenship for Asian Americans.
吳仙標並說，2008 年時，促進會將提出更多的要求，除了要求兩黨候選人承諾當選後推動舉辦有關亞裔在職場受到歧視的國會聽證會、並責成勞工部執行職場平等的11246 總統行政命令外，還會要求他們作出增加聯邦法院亞裔法官的承諾。
儘管離 2008 年總統選舉還有兩年，但正式宣布或非正式表達有意競選的兩黨總統候選人已經露出檯面，其中包括共和黨的馬侃、朱利安尼；民主黨的喜來莉、愛德華茲、歐巴瑪、白登等。
吳仙標為兩黨「把脈」的結果是：共和黨可能是馬侃出線，民主黨可能是喜來莉出線；他說馬侃已經累積了競選總統的經驗，加上他不作應聲蟲的個性、良好的背景以及善於團結兩黨人士的處世之道都是他的「利多」；而喜來莉則有錢、有能力，人氣很旺，除非犯錯，否則很有希望；如果說民主黨會出黑馬的話，吳仙標看好聯邦參議院外交委員會主席白登而不是民主黨新星奧巴瑪，他說儘管白登名氣還不那麼響亮，但當時卡特、柯林頓不也是那樣？
被問及前兩次總統選舉共和黨候選人陣營未能如促進會所願作出承諾、若 2008 年發生同樣情況將如何應對時，吳仙標很有把握地表示，2008 年的情況會很不同，因為今年 11 月選舉情況表明，共和黨已經失去了南方及中西部的票倉，共和黨已經沒有本錢向促進會展示同一付面孔。
吳仙標並稱參院變天，促進會在其中扮演了一個重要角色，選前促進會預期民主黨候選人委柏將勝出，因此呼籲網上支持者將選票投給委柏，而 CNN 選舉出口調查顯示，委柏的選票中有三個百分點來自亞裔，而正是該三個百分點使委柏以多出對手七千多票的結果勝出。
吳仙標因此十分確定，2008 年時共和黨會與促進會聯繫，而屆時促進會的「價碼」會高一點，除了 11246 總統行政命令，還要聯邦法官，他說亞裔目前佔全美總人口的4.4%，但亞裔聯邦法官僅六人，只佔 0.7%，相差太大。
吳仙標同時表示，促進會的要求需要亞裔一起來推動，亞裔國會員、特別是亞裔人口眾多的加州、亞裔傳媒，都有責任群起推動，向聯邦施加壓力，儘早改變這一不公平的現狀，為亞裔討回一等公民的權利。
English Version (translated by Helen Wang)
Interview by Minzi Xu, World Journal correspondent, via telephone
On December 28th, S.B. Woo, the President of 80-20 Initiative, stated that for the 2008 Presidential election, the Initiative would ask the candidates of both political parties to promise to keep in mind the interests of Asian Americans, before recommending any particular candidate to 80-20 members. This practice is in keeping with what 80-20 has done in the 2000 and 2004 elections.
S.B. Woo further stated that, for the 2008 election, the Initiative would make more demands upon each presidential candidate. In addition to a promise for an evidentiary hearing on workplace discrimination against Asian Americans, 80-20 will demand that a potential candidate, after being elected, will push the Department of Labor to bring into reality Executive Order No. 11246, regarding equal workplace opportunity. 80-20 Initiative also demands that the newly elected President appoint more Asian American federal judges.
Even though the next Presidential election will not take place for another two years, formal and informal declarations for presidential candidacy have already started to take place. Some candidates have included, on the Republican side, John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Joseph Biden are also potential contenders.
Dr. Woo has also put forth some predictions regarding the Republican and Democratic primaries. On the Republican side, the Presidential candidate will probably be John McCain. For the Democrats, Hillary Clinton will probably win the primary. In Dr. Woo’s opinion, McCain has accumulated much experience from his previous bids for the Presidency. Furthermore, McCain is not a “yes-man;” he has a great background and a great ability to work with both parties effectively. These are McCain’s advantages. On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has finances, ability, and popularity. As long as she doesn’t make a mistake, it seems very promising that she will win. However, if another unexpected contender wins the Democratic primary, Dr. Woo predicts that person would be the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Joseph Biden, not Senator Obama. Although Biden is not well-known, Dr. Woo believes that he would win, just like lesser-known primary winners Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
When asked about the Republican Party’s refusal to comply with the Initiative’s demands in the last two Presidential elections, Dr. Woo responded confidently that this time, the situation is different. This past November election showed that the Republicans have lost the support of Southern and Mid-Western notes. The Republicans no longer have any leverage to refuse the Initiative’s demands.
Dr. Woo also noted that the Initiative played a major role in Congress’ shift of power. Before the congressional vote, the Initiative predicted that a Democratic candidate, Jim Webb would win. As a result, the Initiative contacted its online supporters to vote for Webb. After the vote, CNN conducted an investigation and determined that 3% of Webb’s votes had been from Asian Americans, and it was exactly by this 3%, a margin of over seven thousand votes, that Webb defeated his opponent.
Dr. Woo whole-heartedly confirmed that, at the next time the Initiative and the Republican Party speak with each other for the 2008 election, the Initiative’s “price” will be higher. In addition to Executive Order No. 11246, the Initiative will demand that there be more Asian American federal judges appointed. At the present, Asian Americans comprise of 4.4% of the entire US population, but comprise only 0.7% of total US federal judges (six judges). The disproportion is too great.
Dr. Woo further added that the Initiative’s requests require the united support of all Asian Americans. This includes the support of Asian American Congress members, and especially the support of areas where Asian Americans and Asian American media are numerous, like California. Every Asian American has a responsibility to collectively push the federal government to remedy the inequality which we face as soon as possible, and to attain the right of first-class citizenship for Asian Americans.
Monday, December 11, 2006
A Record of Service DESERVING your membership
A Record of Service DESERVING your membership
1. In Feb, 80-20 organized a "Gathering of Asian Am Legal Eagles"
luncheon in LA supported by ALL AsAm Federal judges and attended by
2/3 of them. See the picture below.
Setting grounds for a 6-fold increase of Asian Am judges, including a
Supreme Court Justice through political persuasion during the elections
'06 & '08.
2. In Sept., through the gracious help of Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware,
the following powerful information got into the Congressional Record:
"AsAms have the lowest odds in getting into management. At
the current rate of progress, it'll take 3 more generations before
we enjoy equal opportunity. Such is the sad fate for AsAms in
spite of our having the highest educational attainment."
Visit http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/wpad.jpg
to see a full-page ad in Washington Post and
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2006_record&page=S9875&position=all
to see the page in Congressional Record.
Getting our foot into the door -- the consciousness of the Congress!
3. On 10/23, Chairman of the Democratic Party wrote S. B. Woo
promising specifics to help AsAms win equal opportunity, while the
Chairman of GOP ignored 80-20's request to meet.
Growing GROUP political clout!
4. The next day, 80-20 called for a bloc vote for ALL Democratic
Congressional candidates except for two.
Effective politics depends on rewarding your friends and punishing your
opponents!
5. On 11/7, the election day, 80-20 delivered a bloc vote! The
CNN exit poll clearly showed that without the AsAm bloc vote, GOP would
not have lost its Senate leadership.
The above is the greatest service ever delivered by 80-20 to YOU!!!
From that day onward, both political parties will respect our rightful
concerns.
No other organization is performing this kind of service for you. Help
80-20 to help yourself. Without your help, 80-20 could die. Who will
fight for you then? If you join this month, you'll be a member for both 06
and 07. Using a credit card,
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. Basic membership is $35; Family (2 voters) is $50, Life
Membership is $1,000. Student membership is $15.
Gratefully and respectfully yours,
S. B. Woo
President & with 20 more days to serve you,
80-20 PAC, Inc.
Friday, December 01, 2006
How THE BEST OF THE EBEST responded
See how THE BEST OF THE BEST have responded to 80-20's appeal for help to increase its membership.
Help poured in. A father recruited his son.; a daughter her parents; a professor his former Ph. D. students, a young lady her boy friend, and an anonymous recruited two Life Members for 80-20. Please see emails below.
What a demonstration of the spirit that the Asian American community desperately needs: "all for one and one for all." We forged unity, lifted mutual spirits, and together will win equal opportunity and justice for all Asian Americans.
Please, if you are not a member yet, consider joining. Anyone joining before 12/31 ecomes a member this year AND the entire year of 20007. The best gets involved.
Using a credit card, visit
http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership.html (easy to use) or
http://www.80-20initiative.net/paypal.html
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.
Greatly privileged to serve YOU for 32 more days (See names of new officeers at the end of this email),
S.B.
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.
Greatly privileged to serve YOU for 32 more days (See names of new officeers at the end of this email),
S.B.
See Emails From THE BEST OF OUR BEST
1) From Kim Song
I have already recruited one, my son, Ben Song, who is a junior majoring International Business Adm. :)
2) From Tina Fong who emailed her father:
Her father replied: "I'll pay $50 for a good cause!. Love , Dad"
3) From John Chi
I influenced one (Victor Yu) to join 80-20. He in turn got his two children to join 80-20.
4) From Tjien Oei
Yes I will recruit one member for you besides myself before December 31, 2006.
5) From Scott Schai
I am committed to recruit one member by year's end.
6) From Linden Nishinaga
I have just recruited a new member John Wong. I'll keep looking for more.
7) From K.L. Wang, a founder of OCA and ECCFC, a member of the Committee of 100, who mentored S.B. when he first entered politics. K.L. sets "paying forward" in motion for all of us.
Dear Larry: Are you a member of 80-20? It is an excellent non-partisan
organization fighting for empowerment of Asian Americans that I am a
great supporter? I do not know how to use my son's computer to forward
this message from S. B. Woo, a very good friend of mine, to our Truth
Council members. Would you kindly do this for me? Thank you.
organization fighting for empowerment of Asian Americans that I am a
great supporter? I do not know how to use my son's computer to forward
this message from S. B. Woo, a very good friend of mine, to our Truth
Council members. Would you kindly do this for me? Thank you.
8) From Xing Wu
I will, and I will put that in my prayers, too.
9) From Yun-Qing
Yes, I will call two former Ph.D. students of mine who graduated in 2006 to join 80-20.
10) From Angela Cheng
… I have recruited 4. I am working on my sister who is a professor at Tuft University.
11) From an Anonymous who recruited 2 Family Life Members for 80-20: Drs. Karl Ching and Karen Taniguichi, both physicians.
- - - - - - - -
PS Kindly please support the newly elected officers & Board Member as GREATLY as you did for other outgoing Board members, Officers & me.
ELECTED OFFICERS:
President: Kathleen To (New Mexico)
Vice President: Amy Wong Mok (Texas)
Secretary: Rajen Anand (Southern California)
Treasurer: Jing-Li Yu (New York)
Chair, Nomination Committee: Linden Nishinaga (Southern California)
ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS:
David Chai (Northern California)
Kelvin Chen (Southern California)
Hong-Yee Chiu (Maryland)
Laura Ling Hsu (Texas)
Kim Hyunsook Song (Missouri)
Joel Wong (Northern California)
David Yang (Pennsylvania)
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