New York lawmakers ask Obama for official U.S. apology for Chinese Exclusion Act

"To Chinese Americans, their descendants, and all whose lives were affected by the Chinese Exclusion Act."


A soap advertisement from the 1880s, sub-titled 'The Chinese Must Go'
In New York, a group of state lawmakers have sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to issue a government apology for the passage and enforcement of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which specifically targeted and barred Chinese immigrants from entering or becoming citizens of the United States.

Signed into federal law by President Chester A. Arthur in 1882, and fueled by widespread anti-Chinese sentiment, the Chinese Exclusion Act was one of the most significant restrictions on free immigration in U.S. history, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers. It was the first law implemented to prevent a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the United States, and lasted for over sixty years.

The letter, written by state Assemblyman Ron Kim and signed by twenty other state legislators, calls for the President to issue an official apology on behalf of the United States Government "to Chinese Americans, their descendants, and all whose lives were affected by the Chinese Exclusion Act."

Disturbing letter says "wrong" victim was slashed in Queens

16-year-old JiaJia Liang, slashed in the face and neck, was apparently not the intended target.



What the freaking hell? In Queens, a note found on a vandalized car this week apologizes for the slashing attack on a teenage girl last month and admits that the victim was not the intended target.

Letter Admits Wrong Victim Was Slashed In Whitestone, Queens, Threatens Intended Target

16-year-old JiaJia Liang was slashed in the face while she was on her way to school last month in Whitestone. Surveillance video showed the 11th grader, who is an exchange student from China, approached from behind and attacked by a man wearing a surgical mask and gloves. He had apparently been following her.

But a letter from the supposed attacker, left in the windshield of a vandalized car on Monday night, says that the "wrong" person was attacked, and promised that the correct teen would soon lose her "beautiful face." The intended target was apparently another 16-year-old girl who lived in the same house as Liang.

New York State Assemblyman thwarts purse-snatcher

Queens assemblyman Ron Kim chased down and tackled a street robber in Flushing.



People, what has your local elected official done for you today? This one catches street robbers! In Flushing, a would-be purse-snatcher was thwarted and caught -- tackled, no less -- by a New York state assemblyman.

State assemblyman stops would-be purse snatcher in Queens

Ron Kim, a two-term State Assemblyman from Queens, was walking on the sidewalk in Flushing on Thursday when he saw a woman being robbed. A former high school and college football player, he jumped into action, chasing down the robber and tackling him -- all while on the phone with 911.