Comments on: Brown Apologizes for “Misunderstanding”

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:50:16 +0000

Not only were her comments offensive to Asian Americans (as I expressed in detail), her ignorance sticks out like a sore thumb! I am both Caucasian and African American and her tone towards Ramey Ko is like a slap in the face to any minority. She’s calling out every citizen that has a unique name, including Barack Obama. Brown has just ruined career in my eyes.

By: Alyssa

Alyssa — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:28:26 +0000

She shouldn’t even hold a position that represents the people if she is too ignorant to understand the people of our country. As seen in the above quotes, she clearly implied (as any average individual could notice) that Asian Americans and other minorities should adopt a name that “we” could deal with more readily in the U.S.. What’s so difficult about pronouncing a name that isn’t completely Americanized? Seriously, adults that are pollworkers should be literate enough to pronounce English words, both those that are familiar and those that were not originally in English. Because I am currently a junior in high school, I can hope that those who are employed as pollworkers can understand the English language (hopefully they graduated from high school?!)

Also, having minorities change their names to aid those that are incapable of pronouncing unique names (they shouldn’t even have the job then!) would take away from the great diversity in America. This country is supposed to be the “Melting pot” not a place where minorities are requested to change their identities.

Another point: If this woman doesn’t even have the ability to make her point of view clear and understandable, she cannot be expected to have a reliable voice as our state representative. At the very least, she should give a direct apology to the minorities of America or resign (if the whole nation’s noticed, give a better apology!).

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:02:08 +0000

Not for citizens with funny names? Her name is a dessert. That’s a funny name.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:57:58 +0000

Unfortunately, she’s not the only one in Texas – previously, during an immigration debate, State Rep. Leo Berman told a Chinese American attorney to “go home!” and “kiss my ass!” Justin posted about Berman before.

Not surprisingly, they are both members of the FAIR front group State Legislators for Legal Immigration, which not only opposes undocumented but also legal immigrants. This just clearly shows the hypocrisy of the organization and its members.

Not only are they not for legal immigrants, they’re not for citizens with funny names.

By: DW

DW — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:18:49 +0000

this was NOT an apology — she should resign effective IMMEDIATLY or Texas Legislature should force her out — there are so many Asian Americans in Texas – we should stand up for ourselves and have our voice be heard!

By: DL

DL — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:31:40 +0000

This is not an apology. Will she tell Spanish people “you should speak English rather than Spanish.” She should resign.

By: Quan

Quan — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:59:10 +0000

Let’s forgive this incident, but never forget. We don’t need to accept an apology written in the third person for someoneone from someone who clearly has no repentance in her heart and in her mind. Let’s have a Betty watch campaign… every move you make from this point, Betty, we’ll be right on you !!!

By: The First Carol

The First Carol — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 19:30:15 +0000

Throw that Texan into the well after Tikki Tikki Tembo and Texas style, ‘drive friendly’ away.
OR
Pretend she offered a real apology, and pray there’s only one of her.

By: JT

JT — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:43:29 +0000

Whoa,
It does not matter where you are from, and it never did. Where are you now and why are you here.
I read this Brown comment and thought it was something probably taken out of context or massaged by someone to start a fight. This woman is trying to solve a problem not create a racist war of words. Come on. We may all need to lighten-up. My family was from England. They came here a long time ago. So what!!! I do not call myself and English-American. I am American. Once everyone that complains that they are being persecuted, embarrassed or slighted because something said in a brainstorming session needs to get over theirselves. Move on. I read all of these comments and there are some common thread’s. Not one has offered to help by Volunteering to be available on election day to help with the translation’s problems, might be a first step. But this will not work as then (we,you,us) would not have anything to gripe about. The second thing I see is a bunch of wood gathering, to fuel a fire that needs to go out. Wah Wah Wah

By: Summermoat

Summermoat — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:40:57 +0000

I understand completely what Betty Brown said & what she meant. I saw the footage of this conversation. It is you (Betty Brown) not us (Asian-Americans) that is having a “misunderstanding.”
Also I find it amusing that the “apology” states “She would like for you to be aware that the quote that is being circulated is one sentence out of a conversation..”
Listening to the full conversation actually makes her look worse, “Transliterated, or whatever it’s referred to” Which is it? Transliterate or Translate? They’re two different things.

Now most of us with “difficult Asian names” living in America write our names in the Romanized/Transliterated form NOT foreign script, so you don’t have to worry about learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese etc. etc.
Our names are already transliterated and you’re not talking about our names being changed, but you want us to adopt a name that’s easier to deal with? Because WE “can’t see” that it would make our/your poll workers lives easier?

I like..no scratch that I love my surname. I’ve been made fun of b/c of my name. I’ve heard/seen crazy versions of my name by people who can’t spell/copy/read. I’ve been told I’m not even going to try to say your name (by people who kinda got then forgot it). I’ll take the screw ups in my name because why would I change it for you even temporarily?It’s my identity, I don’t want to be Sarah Johnson or anything like that…ever, I like being different.
And If you told me ten years ago that in 2009 an mixed African-American with “a difficult name”, a father from another country, partially raised in Indonesia would be our 44th President. I would say nooo way, maybe further down the road not 2009.
Boom! Here we are, and I gotta say it feels great to have a man in the White House that we can relate to in many ways.

It’s not easy being Asian, out of all the ethnic groups who gets all this crap? Everyone saying “oh you’re all the same” “where are you from?” here “no really where are you from?” we get racist comments/gestures “oh get over it, it’s nothing” companies make offensive shirts “two wongs make it white.” These would be considered small things? And then we’re supposed to temporarily give up our identity so people can deal with us & so we don’t cause any confusion at the voting polls?