At first glance, the intentions of the hearings currently being conducted by the Senate committee over the so-called Asian finance scandal seems innocuous, if we are to believe the concerned investigators in the Senate committee. They claim that the hearings are simply delving into alleged wrongdoing by John Huang, a former Commerce department official, and other people associated with questionable contributions to the Democrats in the 1996 campaign.
The Chair of the Committee, former actor Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.), has been trying in vain to prove a China connection with the contributions. In the end it is doubtful that anything will come out of the hearings except a general attack on Asian Pacific American citizens' right to participate in our political process.
Closer insight leads us to uncovering sinister themes that have been a part of this issue since the beginning. It is a replay of the age-old race-baiting game, and is built on the unspoken premise that Asian Pacific Americans are not considered real Americans, even today in 1997. Not only is some of the dialogue culturally insensitive ("those strange Asian people" - Chris Matthews, 1997), but more ominously, it is often racist in tone.
This observation is supported by the Asia-bashing that is currently going on. Witness the recent cover of the National Review that depicted the Clintons with racist Asian stereotypes. Look at articles titled "The Chop Suey Connection" and shameful comments by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who said during nationally televised hearings, with a mocking Chinese accent, "No raise money, no get bonus." This is a serious issue because the broadsides being made by national leaders and even the mainstream media confuse the issue and have the end result of perpetuating racist stereotypes and innuendo regarding wrongdoing. It has the effect of pushing Asian Americans out of the political arena. They are being unfairly scrutinized because of the actions of a few - this would never be the point with other groups in society.
Can you imagine other groups being subject to racist innuendo by senators and respectable media like The Washington Post and the perpetrators getting away with it? I surmise that it would be a different matter. Asian Americans make easy targets - if we aren't the "model minority" then we are dangerous people seeking to undermine the United States. It is a tragedy of extremes in America today for people of Asian descent. The present "scandal" is only indicative of the underlying prejudice that exists. Since Asian Pacific Americans have always been considered foreign, it is easy for xenophobic stereotypes to take hold.
The committee has put on the stand people alleged to be involved with illegal campaign contributions, and efforts have been made to paint some of the alleged wrongdoers as agents of China and foreign corporations. While everyone is on the hunt for the "red communist threat," Philip Morris, the ultimate representation of Big Tobacco, acknowledged pouring millions of dollars of so-called "soft money" contributions into campaign coffers to a disinterested media last month.
If misdeeds were done, they should be punished. No one is excusing illegal behavior.
However, the controversy has had some unfortunate results. Asian Pacific Americans have every right to take part in the political process. The national media has melded foreign with Asian Pacific Americans in article after article - this had the consequence of some legislators returning all contributions from citizens with Asian-sounding names.
In addition, members of Congress who were scheduled to speak at Asian Pacific American events strangely started cancelling. This paints a stark picture for a community that is just starting to become politically active, as is their right.
Asia bashing has continued since the first allegations appeared about 10 months ago. During the hearings we were witness to racist remarks being uttered by U.S. senators and national media correspondents.
The callousness by which some have conveyed their opinions speaks to the larger issue of whether Asian Pacific Americans are considered "real" Americans. We have faced internment in American concentration camps, had our citizenships revoked and suffered innumerable accounts of hate crimes - all in the quest for a better life.
These hearings are only a progression in the challenges that we face as we struggle to get our voices heard. It is almost ironic that Big Tobacco, the cause of so much death and disease, is considered more American during this day and age than Asian Pacific Americans.
-- Probir Mehta is an LSA senior concentrating in political science.
Michigan Student Assembly campaign spending has, as of late, grown to outrageous proportions. Student candidates have spent thousands of dollars to get elected to executive offices and this is not only misguided and wrong-headed, but also harmful to democracy on this campus.
Student representatives and presidential campaigns have degenerated into a battle over artful banners and posters and clever computer graphics rather than over real issues affecting real students. As a result of this perversion of the democratic process, student voters cannot know who will best represent them. Candidates ought to be encouraged to actually meet and discuss issues with their potential constituents, rather than manipulating them with mindless propaganda. Constituents must regain a sense that their government is accountable to and in touch with them.
Lately, letters in this paper have expressed a loss of this feeling of trust. We must give students a reason to regain trust in leadership: a government of the students, for the students, and by the students. And not just wealthy ones.
Financial sponsors (like parents and grandparents who foot the bill for many of these campaigns) live outside the University community - and are not, by definition, affected by the leadership of the student government - and ought not have a say in who gets elected to leadership of the student assembly. Student representative or officer hopefuls should not be spending more money on an election than most students pay in monthly rent.
-- Anne Marie Ellison is an LSA senior concentrating in history.
09-03-97
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |