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Divide and Dishonor

Once again, 80-20 PAC has crossed the line. Recently, 80-20 endorsed Sen. Clinton, and it had every right to do so (AAA-Fund will not make a pre-primary endorsement). However, by purposely pitting Asian Americans against Latinos, 80-20 has fanned the flames of prejudice.

Let’s examine a few sentences from what 80-20 wrote yesterday (reprinted verbatim, with typographical errors from the original):

Why is Obama supporting driver’s license for illegal, immigrants to please Hispanics. After all, Hispanics in Calif is 3 to 1 for Hillary,, according to polls? … The above was a desperate move.

80-20′s message is clear: It accuses Sen. Obama of selling out Asian Americans in favor of Latinos. What is more, 80-20 implies that the only issue Latinos care about is (illegal) immigration. Such race-baiting, Rovian innuendo does everyone a grave disservice.

First of all, the vast majority of Asian Americans and Latinos share much common ground on major issues. With their immigrant heritage, they both seek comprehensive immigration reform (which both Clinton and Obama support), quality education for their children, and the opportunity to succeed in this country of immigrants. Equally important, while a number of Latino immigrants are undocumented, so are a rising number of Asian Americans: Indian Americans have become the fastest growing group of illegal immigrants.

Should undocumented immigrants be allowed to obtain drivers licenses? Both Clinton and Obama used to favor such an approach; Clinton later changed her mind. Now 80-20 has accused Obama of pandering to Latinos over this issue.

Controversial as it may be, there is a compelling reason to adopt such a policy. Only a few of us can work from home. Unless we live in an area with excellent public transit (or can carpool), we must all drive to our jobs. Ironically, by denying drivers licenses, we are threatening our public safety — because it’s currently illegal for undocumented immigrants to learn how to drive.

There are many good reasons to vote for Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama. Prejudice is not one of them.

– Gautam Dutta

Update (Jan. 31) – 80-20 just announced it can live with either Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama: “80-20 considers the commitment from Senator Obama to Asian American issues to be at least as strong as the commitment from Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards, and Governor Richardson. Henceforth, with the exception of California, 80-20 is neutral in the primary contests between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.”

Posted by Caroline on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 1:12 pm.

8 Responses to “Divide and Dishonor”

Great post! I actually just wrote about the email and posted as you sent me a link to this one!

http://www.reappropriate.com/?p=1022

By Jenn on January 30th, 2008

http://www.80-20initiative.net/about/effective.asp

Uhh… has anyone looked at the 80-20 website?

I think it speaks for itself.

By lee on January 30th, 2008

80/20 will do or say anything for their candidate. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a PAC, Asian or non, resort to the dirty tricks and tactics that S.B. Woo has employed in this election cycle. I remember him saying something similar about Jews once.

Lee,

That 80/20 site says,

“Brotherly love: “Help to get our APA Republican Leaders appointed … The time to forge unity is now.” — 80-20 e-mail to 230,000 supporters.”

“Brotherly love?” By getting APA Republicans appointed? “Forge unity?” Are these people for real? How does 80/20 ever expect to be taken seriously by people who actually think?

It reminds me of the slimy but humorous lawyer in the musical Chicago:

“I don’t care about expensive things
Cashmere coats, diamond rings
Don’t mean a thing
All I care about is love”

http://www.actionext.com/names_c/chicago_lyrics/all_i_care_about.html

By jaehwan on January 30th, 2008

Here’s that Jewish thing. Again, he pits the minorities against each other.

http://www.80-20initiative.net/about/organization.asp

“American immigrants have traditionally relied on the political process to win equal opportunity. That was how the Irish did it. That was how the Polish, Italians and Jewish Americans did it. Recently, women and blacks flexed their political muscles and won their rights to good jobs.

As individual communities, our voices have not been heard. Together we shall overcome. We and our children will benefit. America, our beloved nation, becomes “a more perfect Union.”

THEY did it, and yet “our voices have not been heard.” His whole spiel is trying to be a bigger victim than anyone else. His crazy fearmongering goes beyond the scope of any kind of rational thinking.

By jaehwan on January 31st, 2008

Hm. I don’t take it as an example of pitting minorities against each other. I think it is a primer on how political power works in America, which is very different than how it works in Asia. Mentioning specific ethnic groups illicits no particular fear for me.

The whole grouping of ‘Asian American’ is a construct born of the realities of political power in America, not out of common language, identity, culture, ethnicity, not even a common motivation for immigration, nor circumstance of birth. It is probably the most fragmented and expansive hyphenate-American category there is, and as such is difficult to organize. But without organization, our numbers leave us vulnerable. Thus, ‘without voice’.

Although I dislike the Defeat Obama thing (it is a serious bummer), I respect that 80-20 has been effective in organizing a group that is difficult to reach and politically engage. And frankly, they have accomplished more concretely for Asian Americans than Obama has…

Look to the 80-20 website, then look to Obama’s site. Other than endorsements, can you find ONE example of something he has done for our community?

You cannot even find Asian Americans mentioned on Obama’s site under Civil Rights, although Blacks, Hispanics and White Women are mentioned.

I am an Obama supporter — I just think their community outreach message needs work. More than just endorsements that make me want to drink the koolaid (I have already gone for seconds). But 80-20 is asking for measureable commitments. Obama cannot be far, in spirit, with what 80-20 is trying to do, which is frankly mostly amounts to enforcement of existing laws on equal protection, and equal rights.

Obama is the great unifier. I believe he is capable of that. I believe of course that his vision of America includes me and people who look like me.

But if so, why could he not bring 80-20 with their TOTALLY softball questionnaire to the table? This was such an easy lob… I don’t get it…

By Ada on January 31st, 2008

And do you think maybe its just a tad partisan to ridicule APA Republicans as being incapable of “Brotherly Love”?

By Ada on January 31st, 2008

No.

By Justin on January 31st, 2008

lol

By Ada on January 31st, 2008

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