The chairman of Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Hotel has revealed that he was warned of a possible terrorist strike:

The Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai, India, temporarily increased security after being warned of a possible terrorist attack, the chairman of the company that owns the hotel said Saturday.

But Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata said those measures, which were eased shortly before this week’s terror attacks, could not have prevented gunmen from entering the hotel.

“If I look at what we had … it could not have stopped what took place,” Tata said in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that will air Sunday.

Let’s hope the authorities get to the bottom of this tragedy.

– Gautam Dutta

Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta | No Comments »

Have you ever (dis-) agreed with our bloggers? Ever had something you were burning to write about?  Then join AAA-Fund’s Blogteam! Send us a blog post and we’ll take it from there.

Our readers will thank you.

– The Editors

AAA Fund, Grassroots Activism, The Editors | No Comments »

Dear Friends,

As Chair of AAA-Fund’s Honorary Board, I bring tremendous news: 2008 was a banner year for AAA-Fund and the Asian American community!

For one thing, our votes sent Barack Obama to the White House! Kudos to AAA-Fund leaders Betsy Kim, Junelle Cavero, and Selma D’Souza. Betsy served as Deputy Director of the Obama campaign’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Vote Program; Junelle served as the campaign’s Indiana Political Director; and Selma served as Illinois Asian American and Pacific Islander Vote Director.

For another, AAA-Fund endorsed and supported a record 38 candidates in 2008. When the dust settled, a historic 63 percent of Asian Americans had voted for Obama, and over two-thirds of our endorsed candidates won!

Read on for an exciting chance to join AAA-Fund and the nation’s top Asian American leaders at the sold-out Pearl Presidential Inaugural Gala.

We heartily congratulate Congressmembers (and AAA-Fund Honorary Board members) Doris Matsui, Mazie Hirono, David Wu, Bobby Scott, Neil Abercrombie, Xavier Becerra, Madeleine Bordallo, Eni Faleomavaega, and Al Green for their well deserved victories — and for continuing to fight for the Asian American community. Two of our endorsees are locked in tight races: U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken’s Minnesota race has gone to a recount, while U.S. House candidate Charlie Brown’s California race may be headed to a recount.

Out in the Midwest, AAA-Fund Honorary Board member Swati Dandekar became the first Asian American to be elected to the Iowa State Senate, while Honorary Board member Jay Goyal was re-elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. Down in Lone Star State, Honorary Board member Hubert Vo was elected to a third term at the statehouse. Furthermore, we salute AAA-Fund Treasurer Irene Bueno for her outstanding work on behalf of Senator Hillary Clinton.

During the campaign, AAA-Fund teamed up with former Governor Gary Locke and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta of the America’s Opportunity Fund, and placed a nationwide full-page ad in the World Journal on the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. We also placed full-page and half-page, in-language ads in three leading Vietnamese newspapers, two leading Korean newspapers, and a leading Filipino periodical, all with wide circulations in the battleground state of Virginia. We also helped to fund an independent GOTV effort in the Filipino community in the battleground state of Nevada.

AAA-Fund is currently working on placing outstanding Asian Americans in the Obama Administration, starting with the top of the cabinet. We strongly recommend Tammy Duckworth for Veterans Affairs Secretary. I personally look forward to working with President-Elect Obama on all issues, especially education. Toward that end, we have been in close touch with the Obama Transition Team.

Needless to say, we are especially proud of our amazing AAA-Fund Blog and Blogteam, led by Editors-in-Chief Caroline Fan and Justin Gillenwater. In just one short year, AAA-Fund Blog has become the nation’s most distinguished Asian American political blog. Last summer, the Library of Congress honored us as one of the internet’s best sources of political information. What’s more, we were one of only two Asian American blogs to be credentialed for the Denver 2008 Democratic National Committee Convention! We are proud of our top-flight political commentary, as well as exclusive interviews with luminaries ranging from John Chiang to James Carville to Norman Mineta to Gary Locke to Sam Yoon to Kelly Hu to Yul Kwon to Antonio Villaraigosa.

A number of rising leaders will be running for office in 2009, and we need your help to help them succeed. What’s more, AAA-Fund Blog needs your support to continue giving a powerful voice to the APA community. (And if you’d like to advertise with us, all you need to do is click here.)

Your thoughtful donation, large or small, will go a long way towards electing our next generation of leaders. As a small token of our thanks, if you donate $500 or more, AAA-Fund will send you one free ticket to the sold-out Pearl Presidential Inaugural Gala.

Please do contact us if you need to get in touch with us. Thanks in advance for your leadership and generosity.

Sincerely,

The Honorable Michael M. Honda

MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Chair, AAA-Fund Honorary Board

AAA Fund, Civil Rts/Liberties, Gautam Dutta, Grassroots Activism, Media, Obama Administration, President 2008, Running for Office, Social Justice | No Comments »

From the Obama Transition Team:

On Friday night at approximately 10:30 pm eastern standard time, President-elect Obama called Indian Prime Minister Singh to express condolences for those killed in the terrorists attacks in Mumbai and to let him know that his thoughts and prayers are with the people of India and all who were affected by the attack. He told the Prime Minister that there is one president at a time, but that he would be monitoring the situation closely.

Foreign Affairs, Obama Administration, The Editors | No Comments »

Who did it? Who could pull off attacks of such staggering scope and scale? While a previously unknown group has claimed responsibility, experts see the hand of Al Qaeda or another terrorist group, Lashkar e-Toiba (LeT) — or both.

The Mumbai terrorists deliberately sought to kill both Westerners and Jews. Previously, India had never before seen this tactic — an Al Qaeda trademark — used in any terrorist strike. Meawhile, the LeT have launched smaller-scale attacks in India before. It is no secret that the LeT , which seeks to “liberate” Kashmir from India, have training camps in Pakistan. According to one intelligence source, the LeT has even trained its own “navy”. Since the Mumbai attackers used boats to enter the city, many in India point to LeT as the likely culprit.

I do not believe the democratically elected Pakistani government had any role in this attack. However, the Pakistani intelligence agency (ISI) has long had a shadowy relationship with the Taliban and other Muslim fundamentalist terrorists. In the past, the United States has ignored LeT’s substantial Pakistani presence, in hopes of coaxing Pakistan to crack down on Al Qaeda. This blind-man’s bluff cannot continue.

Both India and Pakistan have close ties with the United States. President Bush and President-Elect Obama must (1) make sure no one goes to war, and (2) pressure Pakistan to crack down on both Al Qaeda and LeT.

– Gautam Dutta

Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta, Obama Administration | No Comments »

Ed. Note: Parag Mehta of President-Elect Obama’s Transition Team just sent us this statement from our incoming President:

“Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the American citizens who lost their lives in the outrageous terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, and with all who have been touched by this terrible tragedy.

“These terrorists who targeted innocent civilians will not defeat India’s great democracy, nor shake the will of a global coalition to defeat them. The United States must stand with India and all nations and people who are committed to destroying terrorist networks, and defeating their hate-filled ideology.

“There is one president at a time. I will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground in Mumbai, and am grateful for the cooperation of the Bush Administration in keeping me and my staff updated. We fully support the Bush Administration’s efforts to protect American citizens and assist the government of India during this tragic time,” said President-elect Obama.

Foreign Affairs, Obama Administration, The Editors | No Comments »

According to Bill Clinton’s former Chief of Staff John Podesta, President-Elect Obama will be done picking “virtually [his] whole Cabinet” by Christmas.

Please tell President-Elect Obama to pick Tammy Duckworth for Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

– Gautam Dutta

Gautam Dutta, Obama Administration | 1 Comment »

What a bittersweet Thanksgiving. AAA-Fund strongly condemns the ghastly, cowardly attacks on Mumbai.  To date, over 160 people have died.  Just this morning, we learned that all five Jewish hostages in Mumbai’s Nariman House perished, including an American rabbi and his wife.  In one of the few silver linings, their nanny smuggled the couple’s infant son out of the house earlier.

We are truly a global village, in joy and in anguish.

– Gautam Dutta

AAA Fund, Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta | No Comments »

From Parag Mehta of President-Elect Obama’s Transition Team:

Following is a statement from the Obama-Biden transition team on today’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Many of us have friends and family who live near the area of the bombing or were visiting for the holidays. I know that they will all be in our thoughts and prayers.

Statement from the Obama Transition Chief National Security Spokesperson Brooke Anderson on the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India

“President-Elect Obama strongly condemns today’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India. These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism. The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.  We stand with the people of India, whose democracy will prove far more resilient than the hateful ideology that led to these attacks,” said Brooke Anderson, Chief National Security Spokesperson.

Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta | No Comments »

The brazen attacks on India’s business and entertainment capital sound horrific. Already at least 80 people are dead.

– Gautam Dutta

Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta | No Comments »

I just asked Chris Lu, President-Elect Obama’s Cabinet Secretary, if Asian American leaders were being seriously considered for the Cabinet.  While not mentioning any specific names, Lu replied that Obama “has a strong interest” in appointing an Asian American to his Cabinet.

That might bode well for Tammy Duckworth.

– Gautam Dutta

Gautam Dutta, Grassroots Activism, Obama Administration | No Comments »

Almost two-thirds of all Asian Americans voted for Obama. Unfortunately, only one Asian American leader is being seriously considered for his entire cabinet: Illinois Veteran Affairs Director Tammy Duckworth.

There are more than a few APAs, including DNC Vice Chair (and Congressmember) Mike Honda, who deserve to be considered for the Presidential cabinet.

Even George W. Bush appointed a record two Asian Americans to his cabinet. And in 2012, an Asian American named Bobby Jindal may well emerge as Obama’s GOP opponent.

Tell President-Elect Obama to tap strong APA leaders like Tammy Duckworth and Mike Honda for his cabinet.

Let’s make sure Asian Americans aren’t left in the cold.

– Gautam Dutta

2012 Presidential, AAA Fund, Gautam Dutta, Grassroots Activism, Obama Administration | No Comments »

I take off Theo’s article on how the GOP is dumbing itself down from a religious view.

The classic such issue that eliminates all thought is abortion. I ranted before in about the lethal thought-killing effect an exclusive focus on that issue has on all lives. An instant feeling from the gut is generally the only thing politicians ask of their citizenry when they raise the issue. Polarizing inaccurate terms created by paid consultancies (i.e. “late-term abortion”, “pro-life”, etc.) further political dumbing down that the GOP used to great advantage for decades.

Culture warriors, right-wing hardliners, and the such very nearly reduced a historical vote down to a polarized contest of abortion. As if Christians will exclusively decide on this issue alone? They do, but such folk should consider the many other sufferings and needs in the world.

Evangelical Christian pontifications do not reflect a Godly spirit as they spread hate to others who they call “Them.” Waving the banner of Jesus for anger-mongering purposes is vindictive and hateful, even if you attribute that hate to God instead of yourself. One is far from “His Loving Grace” when spewing divisive hate speech which doesn’t speak to even those who may support the general cause but with less hate. The negative tone is at issue even if the evangelicals, again, attribute it to God instead of themselves. Personalizing attacks and testing for loyalty as if citizenship in heaven depends a pro-GOP vote is disgusting. The insanity of using a politician as a test of faith is lost upon those who’ve no care but their own.

Such hate-mongers lost this past election. Hate speech, however, can never be allowed to stand in America, election or not. History has taught us the price of allowing such hate speech.

Now for an even worse example of dumbing down religion and politics.

The threat from that type of hate-monger hasn’t passed. Palin and her brand of anti-intellectualism are alive and well in this land.

Fundamentalist Christianity defines Palin’s worldview world stage. Dealing with hostile nations and peoples who cannot relate to her brand of With-Us-Or-Against-Us philosophy not only eliminates intelligent thought but has results dangerous to all Americans. Quotes like “It is obvious to me who the good guys are and who the bad guys are” show not clear leadership but an inability to articulate foreign policy issues. Her journalism major didn’t help her disinterest in reading either newspapers or books. It suggests that she has no curiosity about the ways of those unlike her. Seeing foreign policy without information, an even basic understanding of national interests, much less the dangers of American exceptionalism, is dangerous.

She is unwilling to accept that some countries aren’t like America and that such countries must have an enforced democracy whether delivered by the US Army or the CIA. Getting one’s entire foreign policy education from the American Enterprise Institute is worse than none at all. The danger is having just 1 view instead of an informed, balaned view. Again, the dangers of dumbing down can affect all Americans. Genuine ignorance of anything outside one’s home state is not a trait we can ever allow in our nation’s leaders much less one who was more likely to become President than not.

Dumb-inspiring phrases from Palin include “hate America for its tolerance … hate what we stand for”, calling an already signed US-Iraqi time table as “a white flag of surrender,” “surge principles”, and the Bush-era idea that discussing foreign policy “show[s] our cards to terrorists and let[s] them know what the game plan was.” She will freely attack sovereign nations with which we are not at war and considers pre-emption as justification for the U.S. military to anything anywhere at any time. Let’s not even consider the threat that Palin’s Pentecostal view of an Armageddonist second coming of Christ poses to the nation. She actively prays for a such coming as do millions other GOP Christians. Check out the Book of Revelation for the kind of future Palin really wants to happen: a great war in the Middle East that will result in the death of all non-believers! Rapturing of all true Christians to heaven! Her dream come true. So, in short, Palin would start a war with Russia to get NATO up to the border of Russia, refuse to negotiate with any country that hates “what we stand for” (however one judges that), get Israel to attack Iran for us, expand attacks by US forces inside Pakistan, move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem to permanently derail a 2-state solution, stay in Iraq indefinitely, support democracy promotion at all costs (there’ll be costs), do nation building to support democracy promotion, and possibly even end the world with the “football”‘s nuclear codes while claiming God’s will. She’s the fullest realization of a truly dumbed down approach to politics.

We can’t let the dumbing down of the GOP drag America down again. We have hope today. Change is coming. Let’s remember to make this country a better place.

- Richard Chen

Religion, Richard Chen | No Comments »

Ed. Note:  Blogger Priya Kumar is currently spending a semester in Spain.

The moment finally arrived, the victory of Barak Obama. The scene in central Madrid was one of complete chaos. Spaniards flooded the streets chanting, “Si se puede” the Spanish translation of Obama’s notorious campaign slogan, “yes we can.”

Why is there such an interest in American politics? After a Spanish election, not only do Americans not rejoice over a victory but they rarely even know of the existence of the election to begin with.  Does this point towards ignorance of Americans?  The general American population may lack the international political knowledge citizens of other countries boast.

However, the foreign interest in the 2008 election was not a result of foreigners’ extensive political knowledge. Rather, the president of the US seems to have an impact on the rest of the world. Our president seems to be in their interest. We are currently in the midst of an interconnected world. As evident in the recent domestic US crisis turning global, what affects the US seems to affect the rest of the world as well.

Many may think this notion is simply a result of an American pride, that we Americans merely like to think of ourselves at the center of the world. While we may not be of utmost importance, it is clear that our political, economic and social actions affect the entire world. Thus, why wouldn’t other countries be interested in the person employing these actions?

In an article in a Spanish newspaper following the victorious election, a Spanish journalist explained the euphoric reaction to Obama’s victory. While he mentioned Obama’s support for Zapatero, the current Spanish prime minister, as a major reason, the underlying basis of his reasoning was that Obama’s victory gave a hope for change for the rest of the world. If the US can undergo such a drastic change, the rest of the world can too.

The victory of Obama gives us all hope, not merely for the future of the US, but for the future of the world.

– Priya Kumar

Foreign Affairs, President 2008, Priya Kumar | 1 Comment »

Nepal just became the first Asian country to recognize same-sex marriage (via Jurist):

The Supreme Court of Nepal [official website] has directed the country’s government to end sexual orientation-based discrimination and to extend equal rights to gender minorities, including same-sex marriage [JURIST news archive]. The order, made Monday, came in a lawsuit brought by several gay rights groups and follows a December 2007 ruling [BBC report] recognizing homosexuals as citizens under the classification “third sex.” The latest decision requires that all gender minorities must be defined as “natural persons” under the law [UK Gay News report] and directs the Nepalese government to form a committee to draft a same-sex partnership and marriage act based on legislation in other countries. Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal’s first openly gay Member of Parliament [NYT report] and an outspoken proponent of gay rights [Express India report], called the ruling a “landmark decision.” The Hindustan Times has more.

Same-sex marriage is recognized in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and Norway. In October, the Portuguese parliament voted overwhelmingly against proposals to legalize same-sex marriage [JURIST report]. In the US, same-sex marriages are now permitted in Massachusetts and Connecticut [JURIST report].

California could learn a thing or two from “conservative” cultures.

– Gautam Dutta

California, Civil Rts/Liberties, Foreign Affairs, Gautam Dutta, Social Justice | No Comments »