Anti-immigrant rhetoric may motivate Asian/Americans to cast ballots

Reprinted from AsAm News

REPUBLICAN DELEGATES chanted "Build That Wall" whenever the topic of immigration came up at the Republican National Convention last week. Little did they realize that
Asian/Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the United States, primarily because of immigration and "The Wall" Donald Trump is trumpeting to be built along the U.S.-Mexican border, will do very little to stem the immigration from Asia.  

To date, neither political party has successfully won over the Asian American voting bloc. Known as the “sleeping giants” in this year’s presidential election, Asian Americans may just have the potential to turn several states from red to blue, including Virginia, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, and Georgia, areas where the educated workforce and immigrant populations are growing.

A coalition of Asian American / Pacific Islander organizations, including Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAAJ), is cultivating civic engagement and facilitating voter outreach in target areas in 25 states, reports the Washington Post. Volunteers of these nonpartisan organizations aim to increase the number of registered Asian American voters.

While many of the coalition’s volunteers have a history of political engagement, Donald Trump has provided an additional incentive for these volunteers to get out the Asian American vote. Known for his anti-immigration sentiments, Trump has struck a nerve with the Asian American community.

John Choi, a 28-year old Korean/American who grew up in Gwinnett County, Georgia, feels that he has a personal stake in this election. “I come from a family of immigrants…When I hear language and speeches and talks about policies that are anti-immigrant, it really does make me want to vote more…it makes me want to tell all my friends and family to also vote, to counter all the anti-immigration rhetoric.”

Encouraging Asian/American political participation comes with unique challenges. Christine Chen, the executive director of APIAVote explains, “Culturally, they’re coming from countries where politics are crooked, or you just don’t want to have an opinion…We’re making inroads, but there’s still a lot more work to be done … We want to shift the culture, so that way it’s normal and it’s expected you participate.”

Volunteers who can speak the native languages of these voters are uniquely able to meaningfully lower the barriers to political participation, elucidating important details like registration deadlines and articulating the importance of the vote on issues like healthcare, education, and immigration.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as making the ask. Thanh Ngo, a middle-aged Vietnamese man who had been living in the states for the past 20 years, was asked to register to vote for the very first time – and successfully persuaded – by Vietnamese American volunteer Minh Gia Nguyen.

“It’s your benefit as a citizen,” she explains. “Do it for your family, for your children’s future.”

(Views From the Edge contributed to this article.)

GOP Convention: Diary of A Trump Delegate, Day 5, Her speech

Dr. Lisa Shinn's big day arrives at the Republican National Convention.

 By Lisa Shin
Reprinted from AsAm News

FINALLY, the day I had been waiting for, with both dread and anticipation. I had been reciting the words to myself, over and over again, but my big fear was being overcome by stage fright. Thankfully, there were rehearsal times that included practice with the teleprompter.

RELATED: Diary of a GOP Delegate, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

I got VIP service to and from the rehearsals, with check points by the Secret Service. I am so glad that I focused on the crowd before me. I delivered my speech differently than I had rehearsed it, due to the energy, passion, and participation of the people.

RELATED: GOP wants to highlight diversity of the party

Wow! It was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

(Shin is a delegate from New Mexico. She has been keeping a daily diary of her experience at the RNC for AsAm News.)

GOP Convention: Diary of a Trump Delegate, Day 4

By Lisa Shin
Reprinted from AsAm News

TODAY'S highlight was the RNC Convention Asian Pacific American National Forum. It was held at the Hard Rock Cafe and was an incredible time of fellowship and networking.

RELATED: Diary of a GOP Delegate, Day 1, Day 2, Day 3

Speakers included Reince Priebus, Elaine Chao, Michelle Steel, Alan Cobb, Sean Reyes, David Wang, Harmeet Dhillon, Helen Van Etten, Governor Eddie Calvo (Guam), and Mayor Ron Folconi. 

RELATED: Meet the first Asian/American speaker at the RNC

It was encouraging to see so many Asian American Republicans serving in or running for public office.

(Shin is a delegate from New Mexico. She is scheduled to speak before the entire convention on today, July 21.)

GOP Convention: Diary of A Trump Delegate, Day 3

Korean and Korean/American media interviewed Korean/American GOP delegates Lisa Shin and Michelle Park.

By Lisa Shin
Reprinted from AsAm News

TODAY I joined Michelle Park Steel, a Korean/American elected to the Orange County (California) Board of Supervisors, for an unexpected press conference with the Korean media. Michelle was poised and calm through it all, while I was flustered and overwhelmed

Like I posted yesterday, Koreans have taken a keen interest in me, and are astounded that I was chosen to speak at the Convention. There were several requests for more interviews. One reporter said he was proud of me, and was glad that Koreans would have a voice with Mr. Trump.

RELATED: Diary of a GOP Delegate, Day 1, Day 2

This is quite a remarkable turn of events. When my parents submitted news of my being a New Mexico delegate to a local Korean newspaper, they were told that it would violate IRS rules to publish it. Another Korean newspaper never responded to my requests for a paid advertisement.

RELATED: Meet the first Asian/American speaker at the RNC

The RNC roll call vote was exciting. A spokesperson from each state gave a short, but rousing speech. Donald Trump officially clinched the Republican nomination.

(Shin is a delegate from New Mexico. She is scheduled to speak before the entire convention on Thursday. She will be providing her thoughts and photos throughout the convention for AsAmNews.)

Lisa Shin, right, takes a break from the GOP Convention floor with another Trump supporter.

###

Vice President nominee Mike Pence goes after Mulan

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence vs. Mulan, one is real, the other is a cartoon

REPUBLICAN Vice President nominee Mike Pence, the governor of Indiana, is scheduled to speak today (July 20), at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Let's listen carefully and see if he attacks Mulan.

Prior to becoming Indiana's governor, Pence was a talk-show host. BuzzFeed News uncovered an op-ed talking about the 1999 animated feature film based on the Chinese poem "Ballad of Mulan," dating back to the 6th century C.E. He called the Disney film a "mischievous liberal" attempt to influence the debate on women serving in the military.

RELATED: GOP wants to highlight diversity, but ...

Buzzfeed unearthed a post by Pence during his radio days, apparently composed just after he'd taken his family to a screening of the film. Pence theorized that Mulan taught youngsters exactly the wrong idea about women and their combat capabilities:

For those who have not yet been victimized by the McDonald's-induced hysteria over this film, Mulan is a fictional account of a delicate girl of the same name who surreptitiously takes her father's place in the Chinese army in one of their ancient wars against the Huns. 

Despite her delicate features and voice, Disney expects us to believe that Mulan's ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts. Obviously, this is Walt Disney's attempt to add childhood expectation to the cultural debate over the role of women in the military."

Disney’s 1998 release of Mulan retells the legend that takes place during the Han Dynasty when Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, pretends to be a man in order to take her father’s place in general conscription during the Hun invasion when women were strictly forbidden from fighting in conflicts. It is not certain if Mulan is based on a real historical figure.

RELATED: First Asian/American speaker at the GOP convention.

Mulan, he writes, gives us proof that women should not serve in the military. Fraternizing between the sexes, he says, is inevitable. Pence seems to have forgotten that Mulan disguised herself as a man to get into the military. When the feature was released, it was hailed as a breakthrough by Asian/American parents because up until then, all the Disney princesses had been white.

I can't believe I'm writing about a cartoon figure when the man who would be a "heartbeat" away from the presidency has other - more serious - issues to address. On the other hand, I also find it even harder to believe that Pence would consider a cartoon to be a threat to American society.

When not attacking cartoon figures, Pence also has strong views on the role of women in our society. 

He also spoke against Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration to the U.S. but has since stepped back and now supports the proposed ban.

Pence also boosted the law that allowed businesses to refuse service to individuals if it went against their religious beliefs.

The debate over Mulan may not hold a candle to the host of issues facing our country, but it does say a lot about the man who would be vice president.

###

For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

First Asian/American speaker addresses GOP convention delegates

Sen. Kimberly Yee

ARIZONA State Sen. Kimberly Yee was the first Asian/American to speak at the GOP National Convention.

The 5th generation Chinese/American lawmaker,  the first Asian/American elected to the Arizona state legislature, was able to tell the story of her family: how her great=great grandfather immigrated to the U.S. in the early part of the 20th anniversary, founded a laundry business and established a family that led to Yee's election to the state legislature.

"My parents taught me that I could achieve anything I wanted in this great country," she told the convention delegates, repeating a theme many of the first day's speakers used, including Donald Trump's wife, Melania, when she gave her speech last night. 

RELATED: Diary of a GOP delegate

She said she will teach those values to her children, again, a message repeated by Melania Trump.

“It is time for us to get back to our conservative, Republican values that made our nation great,” said Yee, of Phoenix. “We cannot endure the next four years like we’ve had for the past eight. And it is because of these principles that I support Donald J. Trump for president.”

RELATED: GOP wants to highlight diversity, but ...

Another Asian/Amreican, Dr.  Lisa Shin, who founded Korean Americans for Trump and is a New Mexico delegate to the convention, is slated to speak Thursday.

###

GOP Convention: Diary of A Trump Delegate, Day 2

Arizona State Sen. Kimberly Yee spoke to the Republican delegates on the first day.

By Lisa Shin
Reprinted from AsAm News

ANOTHER GREAT DAY! It was amazing to walk into the Convention Center for the first time. I had seen it many times on television, but it was something else to be there live. Media were swarming the place and I had my first interview with a Korean newspaper. Koreans have taken a keen interest in my political involvement.

Kimberly Yee, an Arizona State Senator, was a speaker for the afternoon session. The evening session included a great panel of speakers.

My favorite was Rudy Guiliani, who said that “majority of Americans today do not feel safe. They fear for their children and they fear for themselves.” The theme of safety was timely, given the terrible shootings in Baton Rouge and Dallas.

Is this becoming the new norm? I hope not. I would really like to see a strong bipartisan effort to address the growing violence in our communities.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: Shin is a delegate from New Mexico. She is scheduled to speak before the entire convention on Thursday. She will be providing her thoughts and photos throughout the convention for AsAmNews.)

GOP Convention: Diary of a Trump delegate, Day 1

By Lisa Shin
Reprinted from AsAm News

Sunday was my first day in Cleveland for the RNC Convention. There was a huge kick-off party tonight, at North Coast Harbor, which ended with a great fireworks display. Security is on everyone’s mind, but the RNC has assured delegates, that they are doing everything possible to keep us safe.

Asians here at the Convention represent a “minority within a minority,” but there was wonderful camaraderie and fellowship among us. I do think it’s really important for Asian Americans to be engaged in and participate in American democracy. It’s truly a privilege, and the way we can see positive changes for our community.

RELATED: GOP wants to highlight diversity of the party

Tian Wang, president of Chinese Americans for Trump, is also in Cleveland for the convention. Saying “pictures speak a thousand words,” he submitted the following photos below.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Lisa Shin is a delegate from New Mexico contributing to AsAm News.

###

GOP wants to highlight diversity at its convention, but ...

UH OH. The GOP National Convention kicks off today (Monday, July 18) and before it starts it is already off to a rocky start and organizers are scrambling.

Wall Street Journal reporter Byron Tau couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the sign at the convention center in Cleveland. It read, "White Elevators." conjuring up images of Jim Crowism when signs were placed all over the south designating White Only drinking fountains, White Only restrooms and White Only entrances to restaurants and businesses.

In the middle of all the chaos is an Asian/American, Marcia Lee Kelly, who has been in Cleveland for a year organizing the Republicans' national conclave.

No one seems to know who put up the sign but Kelly is making sure it is being replaced. The best explanation is this tweet:

Hmmm. Do you buy that?

But the White Elevator kerfuffle is minor compared to what Kelly has to contend with: 2,470 delegates, more than 50,000 guests and about 15,000 members of the media, including a large international press corps. Various groups — from right-wing activists, some swear to tote their guns in this open-carry state, to left-wing anarchists — also have vowed to show up in a city still seething from the 2014 fatal police shooting of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old African /American boy with a pellet gun.

Marcia Lee Kelly

“We live in a volatile, somewhat dangerous world right now and we’re determined to make sure our guests and the city of Cleveland are safe,” Kelly told the L.A. Times. “You worry about what you can control. I write everything down. We start meetings on time. I always have an agenda. Always have next steps. It’s weird but the more intense things get, the calmer I get.”

RELATED: GOP'S' 2016 Southern Strategy

After releasing the initial list of speakers, it was pointed out that there was only one person of color among the scores of speakers -- Sen. Ted Cruz, who is half-Cuban. A day later, five speakers were added, including Lisa Shin, an Asian/American optometrist and founder of Korean-Americans for Trump.  The other speakers -- Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, TV personality Pat Smite, Senate candidate Daryl Glenn, Jamiel Shaw, father of a slain gang member, Pastor Mark Burns and Dr. Ben Carson, a former rival who has endorsed Trump -- are all African/American. 

It is likely that more speakers of color will be added -- think Omarosa, the African/American businesswoman who was a contestant on Trump's reality show, The Apprentice, and who has been just been appointed as Trump's African/American Outreach director.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will be attending after all after initially saying she hadn't made up her mind about going. She drew Trump's ire when she publicly criticized Trump's anti-immigrant and inflammatory rhetoric, once during the Republican response to the President Obama's State of the Union address and again, when she endorsed Trump's political rival Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. 

RELATED: Gov. Nikki Haley bets against Trump, endorses Rubio

For now, Haley is not on the speaker's list, but for diversity's sake, she might still get an invite. Until Trump has the nomination in the bag, Haley was seen as the future of the GOP in its attempt to broaden its appeal to minorities. That strategy, apparently, has all but been abandoned.

Expect the TV cameras to zero in on all the minorities in the audience to give the appearance of diversity even though the 2016 convention is expected be whiter than usual, even by GOP standards. Why do the networks do that? Are they under control of the GOP? If their job is to report the truth, then show the convention as it really is. Why focus on the few minority delegates when the overwhelming number of delegates are white?

Outside of a few Asian/American entrepreneurs who admire Trump's reputed business acumen, don't expect to see many AAPI delegates -- not after he mocked Indian/Americans and Chinese/Americans by attempting to speak English in their respective accents and called for a complete ban on Muslim immigration.

RELATED: Asian/Americans lean towards the Democrats

According to a survey conducted this Spring by three Asian/American organizations, only 19 percent of Asian Americans hold a favorable view of the presumptive Republican nominee, while 61 percent view him unfavorably.

As recently as the last decade, political pundits thought the Asian/American community would be the most likely ethnic group to vote for Republicans. The increasingly anti-immigrant positions taken by the GOP has pushed AAPI voters towards the Democrats. Asian Americans have also taken the racist language and positions into consideration, even when it is not directed at them.

RELATED: Asian/Americans are well aware of xenophobic rhetoric

The swing towards the Democrats has been growing over the last two Presidential elections. While just 35 percent of Asian Americans identified as Democrats in 2012, 47 percent do so today; those identifying as Republicans have declined slightly from 18 percent in 2012 to 15 percent in 2016, within the survey's margin of error.

If Kelly's claim is true -- that she really does get calmer as the situation gets more intense -- by the end of this week, she could be so calm, it would take an elephant stampede to awaken her.

###

For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.