This is a response to Ms. Ng’s blog on NW Asian Weekly.
Although not surprised, it is definitely disappointing that NW Asian Weekly added another biased assaulting piece towards Asian Americans who refused to obey and follow the state’s Asian political establishment. Ms. Ng’s opinion piece was both biased and misleading.
- Political differences aside, Reject R-88 campaign was the first in Washington history that Asian Americans played a significant role in Washington politics. Instead of recognizing the significance of Asian Americans’ political participation, Ms. Ng chose to attack those who stood on the other side of her political friends.
- Referendum 88 is not a partisan issue. Ms. Ng’s attempt to link Reject R-88 to the Republican party was desperate and pathetic. Washington state has long been a blue state. R-88 won statewide election. Without supports from Democrats, Independents, R-88 would not be able to carry 34 out of 39 counties, 30 out of 49 Legislative Districts.
- Reject R-88 raised most funds from individual donors, many of them were first time political donors. Ms. Ng did not tell her readers that R-88 supporters, on the other hand, got funds from political establishments: Unions, secret moneys funneled through foundation such as Group Health Community Foundation where Martha Choe serves as a board member.
- R-88 campaign, and their spokesperson, Gary Locke, claimed our existing law prohibits outreach, and used that as their excuse to promote R-88. Yet, after R-88 failed, Crosscut came out with an article, and government agencies quickly claimed that our existing law allows outreach programs. R-88 was a big fat lie.
- And lastly, let me make it clear, Washington voters voted to enact the principle of Equality for All in 1998, and voters reaffirmed the same principle again in 2019. Race has no place in American life or law. Let everyone who dreams big to have an American Dream.