News

For Immediate Release (April 24, 2009)

Contact Person:  S. B. Woo

80-20 appeals today to Asian American media to take up the primary responsibility to help make Asian Americans aware of an historic opportunity to become EQUAL CITIZENS of the USA this year.  80-20 also stresses that the opportunity could be fleeting.  The only sure way to seize it is if the media will work together to create an "Equal Citizenship Now" kind of movement, similar to the Great Civil Rights Movement of the 1965.

For such a movement to be successful, our media must be bold in rewarding the Obama Administration for its positive deeds in this regard and putting the pressure on if there is undue delay.

It'll be a win-win for all.  Asian Ams become equal citizens.  The ethnic media will enjoy larger reader-, listener-, viewer-ship.  America becomes a "more perfect Union."

80-20 has powerful data proving the discrimination against Asian Ams in workplaces that is printed in the Congressional Record.  EEOC backed it up with a formal report in Jan., 2009.

80-20 is the keeper of unequivocal commitments from Pres. Obama and Vice Pres. Biden to implement an existing law (Executive Order 11246) to eliminate discrimination against us.  The same law was most effective in eliminating discrimination against blacks, women and Hispanics in workplaces.

The positive deeds done by the Obama Administration in its "FIRST 100 DAYS" including many splendid appointments of Asian Americans.  See 80-20's handout.  Such positive deeds must be rewarded with bold headline in the front page.

However, three critical steps to our Equal Citizenship are yet undone.

(1) The enforcement of EO 11246.  80-20 has written Labor Secretary Solis, and is waiting to meeting with her.  If EO 11246 were already enforced, there will be 130,000 MORE Asian Am managers in the private industries, and 5,300 MORE administrators in universities.

(2) The appointment of Asian Am. federal district and circuit court judges, which Pres. Obama's promised to accomplish as "a top Priority."

(3) The issuing of a new presidential Order, suggested by EEOC, which will benefit about 750,000 Asian Am. employees with the federal/state/local governments.

When the Obama Administration begins to implement those programs, it deserves immense credit.  Otherwise, its inaction needs the attention of your reader-, listener-, and viewer-ship.  A great movement requires participation by all.  We've waited for more than two hundreds years to be equal citizens.  The time is now.