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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.
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