An update on the situation with Texas state Rep. Betty Brown, whose comments regarding Asian names during House testimony on voter identification legislation got a lot of people angry. Basically she suggested that Asian Americans might want to adopt names that are
"easier for Americans to deal with." This, of course, did not sit well with a lot of people. And dear old Betty heard about it. Here's the official apology from her office:
Statement from State Representative Betty Brown
Thursday, April 9th, 2009
Contact: Jordan Berry – 903.288.7581
State Representative Betty Brown apologizes for her remark in the Elections Committee on Tuesday, April 7th. Representative Brown appreciates Ramey Ko's testimony which made the Elections Committee aware of experiences Asian-American's have when acquiring identification. Representative Brown appreciates the diversity of Texas and the enrichment that the Asian-American community has brought to our great state.
She would like for you to be aware that the quote that is being circulated is one sentence out of a conversation she was having with Mr. Ko, who represents the Organization of Chinese Americans, while he was testifying. The conversation was regarding possible difficulties in translating names. Later in the conversation Representative Brown explained what she had meant by her comment. "I'm not talking about changing your name. I'm talking about the transliteration, or whatever you refer to it, that you could use for us."
Representative Brown expresses gratitude to her Asian-American friends for their demonstration of support by her during this misunderstanding.
Ramey Ko, the guy who was giving testimony in front of the committee, who had the exchange with Brown, actually spoke with her on the phone yesterday afternoon. She called him up to personally apologize and try to explain where she was coming from. Here's Ramey take on Brown's apology, posted up on the
AAA-Fund Blog:
In my conversation with [Texas Rep. Brown's] Chief of Staff yesterday, she explicitly said that they were releasing the statement through [former Texas Rep.] Martha [Wong] rather than making it publicly because they didn't want it to be in the press anymore.
I'd also note that the apology doesn't address her use twice of language that implies Asian Americans aren't Americans:
"Do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here."
"Can't you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for both you and for people who are pollworkers, if there were some means by which you could adopt a name just for your poll identification purposes that would be easier for the Americans to deal with?"
I think that implication is reflective of a lot more than just misspeaking about names.
And regardless of whether she is talking about explicitly changing Asian names to Westernized ones, she clearly is asking Asian Americans to shoulder the burden and cost of somehow "streamlining" our names in order to vote.
"Alright, I see a need here for young people like you, who are obviously very bright, to come up with something that would work for you, and then let us see if it will work for us."
And finally, it shows a lack of appreciation for the fact that whatever solution she might come up with, millions of Asian American voters today will be affected by the legislation.
I have to agree. Again, I have to say, I don't think Brown was trying to offend. Hell, I think she was actually attempting to be helpful. But the statement definitely reflected a great deal of ignorance, and a complete lack of understanding of what it means to be Asian American -- or even just plain "American." But really, doesn't that always seem to be the case?
