SAN FRANCISCO, CA–The Chinese American Citizens Alliance condemns the campaign ad broadcast over Michigan stations during the Super Bowl this past Sunday by U. S. Senate hopeful Pete Hoekstra. The ad depicts an Asian woman pedaling her bicycle down a dirt road surrounded by rice fields with Chinese instruments comprising the soundtrack. As she speaks in broken English, the Asian actor, complete with a cone, straw hat, boastfully gloats to the audience that the strong economy in China due to our insatiable appetite for debt is the reason for our weak economy and the loss of American jobs.
In a state that has witnessed its share of Asian bashing such as in the 1980’s when Japanese cars were singled out for vandalism and destruction and young Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death in 1982 by two unemployed autoworkers angry about the influx of Japanese cars (purchased by any and all of us as American consumers), the Alliance believes Hoekstra and his team should know better than to incite others with this inflammatory message. Though his rival, incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow is the target, the irresponsible rhetoric of the ad only creates divisiveness and finger pointing at Asian Americans among those who view Asian Americans not as U.S. citizens but somehow as representatives of China.
The Alliance is well aware of the economic hardships but steadfast fortitude of the citizens of the state of Michigan and their importance to our overall economy as the state and nation recover. Side-by-side on assembly lines in Michigan’s automotive plants, hardworking people of all races, including Asian Americans, are found. The Alliance asks that the citizens of Michigan immediately reject this type of racial stereotyping, race baiting and bullying that this type of campaign message could incite and seriously question the wisdom of electing someone who could occupy one of the 100 most revered and respected seats in the U.S. Senate chambers, yet displays little understanding and knowledge of the harmful effects of discrimination and racism.
I think Chinese-American citizens would be better served by condemning run away federal spending or they’ll be working for the broken English speaking girl too.
Awful ad, good man. Asians have nothing to fear from running into
congressman Hoekstra in a dark alley besides a vigorous handshake and
a terrible TV ad.
Unlike
one of the leading GOP presidential candidates, Hoekstra is not backed
by every kind of neo-nazi, klan, neo-confederate neo-Islamist
conspiracy theorist who made millions with a racist newsletter from
Willis Carto’s mailing list. Better a man who puts out an ad that
looks racist than somebody who puts out a PC perfect message but draws
the votes of the same people who promoted George Wallace and David
Duke as presidential candidates.
GOP needs to start promoting and paying attention to Asian Americans
who probably have more GOP voters than blacks and Hispanics combined,
and are the only group that voted GOP in recent history and are still
not far from a 50/50 split. Yet Asians are ignored, and yes like in
this ad insulted when they should be courted and promoted. In my state
of WA they’ve done an awful job of recruiting Asian conservatives like
myself.
Asian Americans need to start attacking the real right wing
neo-Islamist pro-Iran anti-Semitic racist catered to by outlets like
9-11 truthers, neo-Confederates and American Free Press, and not
harmless sideshows like faulty Jeremy Lin headlines, UCLA girl and the
rice paddy bicycle girl.