Rally on May 6 in Austin, TX: Oppose Bill 362
I will be in Austin on May 6 to perform at a rally in protest of Senate Bill 362 on restrictive voter ID requirements in Texas and of Texas Republican Betty Brown's racist remarks against Asian Americans made on April 7. If you're unfamiliar with either, I'm posting info below.
If you'll be in or near Austin on May 6, the protest will take place near the Texas House of Representatives office building. I don't know exact times, but maybe it'll all go down close to noon.
The organizations organizing this protest are True Justice and Vote Rescue.
http://www.truejustice.us/
http://www.voterescue.org/
Hope to see you there.
In Solidarity,
Michelle
__________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9 April 2009
Sarah Smith | OCA Communications Manager
202.223.5500 | ssmith@ocanational.org
Leonie L. Campbell-Williams | AAJC Director of Communications
202.296.2300 ext 135 | Cell: 202.492.4591 | LCampbell@AdvancingEquality.org
OCA, Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) and the Asian American Legal Defense Fund (AALDEF) express disappointment over Texas Representative Betty Brown’s suggestion at a hearing on April 7 that Asian Americans adopt “names that are easier for Americans to deal with.”
The hearing was to discuss Senate Bill 362 on restrictive voter ID requirements. An OCA member commented that that people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent often have problems voting and identifying themselves because they may have a legal transliterated name and then a common English name that is used on identification cards. Brown suggested that Asian Americans should change their names for manageability.
“Representative Brown’s comments made clear that she lacks an understanding of Asian American cultures and that she in fact undervalues other cultures,” said OCA Executive Director George Wu.
"It is unacceptable that Representative Brown believes that the burden should be placed upon individual voters to make it easier on poll workers to ensure that the voters get to exercise their right to vote, rather than expecting that the burden lay with the government to do its job correctly," said Terry Ao, director of Census & Voting Programs at the Asian American Justice Center. "Participation in the democratic process should unite all Americans; we should be seeking ways to encourage more voters, not inventing excuses to deny citizens their constitutional right to vote."
Senate Bill 362 will have its greatest impact on voters who are poor, elderly, belong to racial minorities or have disabilities. Asian Americans are among those who will be disproportionately impacted by these laws.
About OCA
Founded in 1973, OCA is a national organization dedicated to the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, DC, OCA is engaged in organizing its over 80 chapters and affiliates across the nation to develop both leadership and community involvement. OCA is online at www.ocanational. org.
About Asian American Justice Center AAJCis a national non-profit, non-partisan organization that works to advance the human and civil rights for Asian Americans, and build and promote a fair and equitable society for all and is a nationally recognized expert on voting rights.
About Asian American Legal Defense Fund Founded in 1974, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.
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Lawmaker defends comment on Asians
Call for voters to simplify their names not racially motivated, Terrell Republican says
By R.G. RATCLIFFE
Houston Chronicle, April 9, 2009, 11:58AM
Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, made the remark during House testimony on Tuesday.
AUSTIN — A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.”
The comments caused the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday to demand an apology from state Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell. But a spokesman for Brown said her comments were only an attempt to overcome problems with identifying Asian names for voting purposes.
The exchange occurred late Tuesday as the House Elections Committee heard testimony from Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans.
Ko told the committee that people of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent often have problems voting and other forms of identification because they may have a legal transliterated name and then a common English name that is used on their driver’s license on school registrations.
Easier for voting?
Brown suggested that Asian-Americans should find a way to make their names more accessible.
“Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” Brown said.
Brown later told Ko: “Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for you and the people who are poll workers if you could adopt a name just for identification purposes that’s easier for Americans to deal with?”
Democratic Chairman Boyd Richie said Republicans are trying to suppress votes with a partisan identification bill and said Brown “is adding insult to injury with her disrespectful comments.”
Brown spokesman Jordan Berry said Brown was not making a racially motivated comment but was trying to resolve an identification problem.
Berry said Democrats are trying to blow Brown’s comments out of proportion because polls show most voters support requiring identification for voting. Berry said the Democrats are using racial rhetoric to inflame partisan feelings against the bill.
“They want this to just be about race,” Berry said.
See also an article published by The Huffington Post: "Betty Brown, Texas Republican, Asks Asian-Americans to Simplify Names."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/09/betty-brown-texas-republi_n_185108.html
posted by Yellow Rage at
5/03/2009 09:58:00 AM
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