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4.27.2009

texas politics, chinese americans, and who belongs

This is an funny, interesting little blog entry by KVUE political reporter Elise Hu, taking stock and observing some recent moments in Texas politics that have not been very kind to Chinese Americans: Chinese People Not Having a Great Session. Strange coincidence?

She recounts Rep. Leo Berman's "go home!" retort; Betty Brown's inane suggestion that Asian voters adopt names that are "easier for Americans to deal with"; and State Board of Education Chairman Don McLeroy's comments about "crazy Chinese words" on the reading lists.

To me, each incident has the undercurrent of people -- all, unfortunately, government officials -- who have ignorantly drawn a line in their minds about how one defines an American and who does and does not belong. And in these cases, Chinese words, Chinese names and Chinese people are all unwelcome.

Oh, and speaking of which... here's an op-ed piece by Ramey Ko, the guy who found himself at the center of a controversy that made national headlines, talking about what happened... in his own words: Ramey Ko: What's in a Name?