Page Title
Editor's corner/ Over a cup of tea
Heidi M. Pascual*
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the Year
for the State of Wisconsin
(U.S.-SBA)
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the Year
for the State of Wisconsin
(U.S.-SBA)
Asian Americans overlooked as a political constituency
Numbers are always important in a democracy. They spell the difference between winning
and losing in elections. And the more people on your side, the better the chances for victory
– even on issues outside politics. Politicians appeal to groups of people whose numbers
markedly increase through the years. And Asian Americans fit this category. We are the
fastest-growing group in the United States today. Asian Americans grew by 46 percent
between 2000 and 2010, compared to the 10 percent growth rate for the overall U.S.
population. Aside from numbers, Asian Americans generally have high levels of
educational attainment, giving us the ability to analyze issues -- with a good use of our
brain --and the candidates’ stand on them that could negatively or positively impact our
community, yet we are generally ignored as a political constituency. Why?
According to Karthick Ramakrishnan, associate professor of political science at the
University of California, Riverside, in his book about Asian American political behavior,
“There are a lot of assumptions made in the news media about how Asian Americans
Numbers are always important in a democracy. They spell the difference between winning
and losing in elections. And the more people on your side, the better the chances for victory
– even on issues outside politics. Politicians appeal to groups of people whose numbers
markedly increase through the years. And Asian Americans fit this category. We are the
fastest-growing group in the United States today. Asian Americans grew by 46 percent
between 2000 and 2010, compared to the 10 percent growth rate for the overall U.S.
population. Aside from numbers, Asian Americans generally have high levels of
educational attainment, giving us the ability to analyze issues -- with a good use of our
brain --and the candidates’ stand on them that could negatively or positively impact our
community, yet we are generally ignored as a political constituency. Why?
According to Karthick Ramakrishnan, associate professor of political science at the
University of California, Riverside, in his book about Asian American political behavior,
“There are a lot of assumptions made in the news media about how Asian Americans
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Asian Americans have been preoccupied with
the goal of gaining economic empowerment –
which is why we immigrated here in the first
place – so earning education for ourselves
and our children remains our top priority. Well
and good. But let’s not isolate ourselves from
the larger community, thinking that others’
concerns are not ours. We might have
believed that most of us have assimilated into
the mainstream, but let’s not kid ourselves.
We would always be treated as “different”
because we are not white.
Democracy is all about numbers, so we ought
to join other people of color whose concerns
involve being accepted and recognized as
Americans. We ought to teach our children
how our ancestors’ problems in America ran
almost parallel to the Black experience, and
therefore, be as vocal and politically engaged
as other minority groups who, fortunately for
them, are not labeled “the forgotten” or
“model” minority.
We can only strengthen our civic clout by
getting involved, speaking out or writing
opinions, and joining the political stream,
either as a voter or a candidate. “No Man is an
Island,” and democracy is all about numbers.
the goal of gaining economic empowerment –
which is why we immigrated here in the first
place – so earning education for ourselves
and our children remains our top priority. Well
and good. But let’s not isolate ourselves from
the larger community, thinking that others’
concerns are not ours. We might have
believed that most of us have assimilated into
the mainstream, but let’s not kid ourselves.
We would always be treated as “different”
because we are not white.
Democracy is all about numbers, so we ought
to join other people of color whose concerns
involve being accepted and recognized as
Americans. We ought to teach our children
how our ancestors’ problems in America ran
almost parallel to the Black experience, and
therefore, be as vocal and politically engaged
as other minority groups who, fortunately for
them, are not labeled “the forgotten” or
“model” minority.
We can only strengthen our civic clout by
getting involved, speaking out or writing
opinions, and joining the political stream,
either as a voter or a candidate. “No Man is an
Island,” and democracy is all about numbers.
vote, without any good survey data to provide support for anecdotal evidence. For instance, there was widespread
speculation during the 2008 primaries that racial prejudice was a major factor that explained why Asian Americans
voted in such low numbers for Obama. We analyzed our survey data and found that racial considerations played a very
minor role.”
The book, titled “Asian American Political Participation: Emerging Constituents and Their Political Identities,” is based
on data from the groundbreaking, multilingual 2008 National Asian American Survey of more than 5,000 Chinese,
Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, and Japanese Americans, which was conducted by Ramakrishnan and book co-
authors Janelle Wong of the University of Southern California, Taeku Lee of UC Berkeley and Jane Junn of the
University of Southern California.
Such media speculations do a lot of harm for Asian Americans who want to actively participate in civic and political
activities. They have created a wedge between people of color especially, which, to my mind, is a political strategy in
itself. The “divide and conquer” mentality exists all right, and the more divisions, the better for the status quo and
mainstream politics. The best way to prove the error of such media speculations is to actively participate side by side
with Latinos and African Americans when social and political issues emerge. Indeed, there is strength in numbers as
an individual group, but if we are to succeed and create a huge impact, a joint coalition is the way.
Another barrier is the myth of being the model minority—the group that is quiet, educated, hardworking and
economically stable. But political engagement has not been part of that equation. Thus, Asian Americans are largely
considered too meek and unwilling to participate in the political process. A 1977 report by the New York state Advisory
Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights entitled “The Forgotten Minority,” for example, illustrated
that many Asian Americans lived up to the model-minority stereotype. Such perception has survived to this day,
unfortunately, and it’s only in our hands if we want to make ourselves seen and taken seriously in the area of
governance.
I fully agree with Ashok Bhargava, a retired economics professor and political consultant of former U.S. Senator Russ
Feingold, that Asian Americans need to actively engage in the political process in order to be empowered. By being
politically engaged, he posited, it is not only through going to the polls, but volunteering in political campaigns,
participating in issue and candidates' forums, and sending letters to the editors or writing opinions in local papers. I
may add that running for public office is at the top of that list.
I think one of the main reasons the Wisconsin Organization for Asian Americans (WOAA) was founded is to build
awareness of the importance of civic participation, being educated about issues, voting wisely, and creating a unified
stand on controversial issues that impact the society at large. A number of elected officials, including former Wisconsin
Governor James Doyle, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, former Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, former Dane County
Executive Kathleen Falk and current Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, had been guest speakers at various quarterly
WOAA events. But one important thing I’ve noticed is, WOAA failed to attract new, active, and committed members to
strengthen the ranks of the organization.
speculation during the 2008 primaries that racial prejudice was a major factor that explained why Asian Americans
voted in such low numbers for Obama. We analyzed our survey data and found that racial considerations played a very
minor role.”
The book, titled “Asian American Political Participation: Emerging Constituents and Their Political Identities,” is based
on data from the groundbreaking, multilingual 2008 National Asian American Survey of more than 5,000 Chinese,
Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Filipino, and Japanese Americans, which was conducted by Ramakrishnan and book co-
authors Janelle Wong of the University of Southern California, Taeku Lee of UC Berkeley and Jane Junn of the
University of Southern California.
Such media speculations do a lot of harm for Asian Americans who want to actively participate in civic and political
activities. They have created a wedge between people of color especially, which, to my mind, is a political strategy in
itself. The “divide and conquer” mentality exists all right, and the more divisions, the better for the status quo and
mainstream politics. The best way to prove the error of such media speculations is to actively participate side by side
with Latinos and African Americans when social and political issues emerge. Indeed, there is strength in numbers as
an individual group, but if we are to succeed and create a huge impact, a joint coalition is the way.
Another barrier is the myth of being the model minority—the group that is quiet, educated, hardworking and
economically stable. But political engagement has not been part of that equation. Thus, Asian Americans are largely
considered too meek and unwilling to participate in the political process. A 1977 report by the New York state Advisory
Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights entitled “The Forgotten Minority,” for example, illustrated
that many Asian Americans lived up to the model-minority stereotype. Such perception has survived to this day,
unfortunately, and it’s only in our hands if we want to make ourselves seen and taken seriously in the area of
governance.
I fully agree with Ashok Bhargava, a retired economics professor and political consultant of former U.S. Senator Russ
Feingold, that Asian Americans need to actively engage in the political process in order to be empowered. By being
politically engaged, he posited, it is not only through going to the polls, but volunteering in political campaigns,
participating in issue and candidates' forums, and sending letters to the editors or writing opinions in local papers. I
may add that running for public office is at the top of that list.
I think one of the main reasons the Wisconsin Organization for Asian Americans (WOAA) was founded is to build
awareness of the importance of civic participation, being educated about issues, voting wisely, and creating a unified
stand on controversial issues that impact the society at large. A number of elected officials, including former Wisconsin
Governor James Doyle, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, former Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, former Dane County
Executive Kathleen Falk and current Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, had been guest speakers at various quarterly
WOAA events. But one important thing I’ve noticed is, WOAA failed to attract new, active, and committed members to
strengthen the ranks of the organization.