Anti-immigration group fronts Asian American

Harry Mok
December 7, 2006

Vietnamese for Fair Immigration's primary complaint is that illegal immigrants -- particularly Latino immigrants -- are causing the long waits for their family members who come here from Vietnam. The group has placed a billboard ad in Berkeley that reads, "No Racist Amnesty."

Tim Brummer apparently used the name Tim Binh as spokesman for the group. But his wife, who is Vietnamese, told the Tribune reporter that her husband was using a fake name.

According to the story, some anti-immigration groups, which have overwhelmingly white memberships, are creating or backing other organizations to blunt accusations of racism. For example, Choose Black America, was created by the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

Seems like it's going to be hard to have an honest debate about such an important issue if some of the players aren't being honest about themselves.

Contributor: 

Harry Mok

Editor in chief

Editor in Chief Harry Mok wrote about growing up on a Chinese vegetable farm for the second issue of Hyphen and has been a volunteer editor since 2004. As a board member of the San Francisco and New York chapters of the Asian American Journalists Association, Harry has recruited and organized events for student members. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was also a graduate student instructor in the Asian American Studies Department.

Comments

Comments

AEIOU wrote on Wed, 01/24/2007 - 7:22am
Its not about keep American white. Its about American seeing Asian immigrants as a bigger threat than Mexicans...think about.. Outsourcing is a problem for college educated but those same people are okay with Mexican fruit pickers because they are not considered competetion..read through the lines people.
AEIOU wrote on Wed, 01/24/2007 - 7:24am
by the way...white people are the only people who get in trouble for being racist...yet every other race is just as bias.
Raj wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 1:40pm
Federation of American Immigration Reform and Center for Immigration Studies are racist organizations who claim that immigrants hurt American workers. Yet, they support congressment and senators who have consistently opposed minimum wage such as Tom Tancredo and Dana Rohrbacher. When it comes to confronting the non-white peril the American worker is in the forefront. After that, they do not care about the American workers. All they care about is maintaining a white America.
RELAX wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 6:24pm
Immigaration is out of control. The US needs to get tougher on it. I like Lou Dobbs and agree with him on most topics concerning immigration.
Raj wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 7:53pm
Looser Lou Dobbs is a racist who is only interested in keeping America white. If he is truly interested in the American worker he will fight for increase in the minimum wage. All he cares about is maintaining white privliege.
RELAX wrote on Thu, 12/07/2006 - 9:01pm
I think he is fair, I think the middle class is taking a strain in America. I honostly think Lou Dobbs is fair. He isnt against immigration. Hes against illegal immigration, Its a serious problem in America
Raj wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 5:30am
Lou Dobbs attacks American corporations for outsourcing to other countries, but when Americans benefit from outsourcing such as Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen and Honda creating millions of jobs in this country, he has nothing to say. I will support looser Lou when he advocates foreign corporations pulling out of the US. He also needs to support minimum wage increase and demonize congressmen who oppose this even if they are anti-illegal just like he demonizes illegals as being unfair to American workers. Otherwise he is not a populist, but a RACIST. CNN is becoming a tabloid just like FOX and other jokers in this country. I prefer listening to BBC or Sky news.
contrare wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:14am
Foreign corporations in the USA create jobs for Americans.Outsourcing is about US corporations sending white collar, high paying jobs -- such as software development, outside the US -- especially without tarifs or import/export oversight.As for the rights of Latinos to migrate, there are two central points of debate to resolve:The right of indigenous native peoples of America to migrate (ie: Native Americans/Latinos) VERSUS the right of white American colonizers to enforce the borders that they historically conquored with their army.
G. Chell wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:51am
contrare:RELAX was talking about fairness. Is it fair for foreign corporations to lay off workers in Japan and Germany to employ Americans who will work for low wages (relative to Japan and Germany) while we (Dobbs in particular) complains about US corporations laying off American workers favoring cheaper foreign workers? It is a two way street. May be Dobbs as a white American does not want other whites to work for foreign corporations..then he is a bigot. But, more likely he is an unfair and selfish characters who thinks it is fine for foreign corporations to create jobs here but not ok for US corporations to create jobs abroad. He also thinks (like many white Americans, Aussies, Brits and Kiwis do) that it is ok for Asians to create jobs in America as long as they dont immigrate move into white neighborhoods and their kids marry white Americans. "Give me your money but stay away from us" attitude.
contrare wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 9:06am
"Chell":Huh? It seems to me "Relax" was pro-Dobbs.My position is more nuanced than Dobbs or Raj.I'm neutral on Lou Dobbs -- he does come across as blowing too much hot air -- perhaps for ratings. However Dobbs does make some valid American nativist points. -- Towns and communities have a right to be concerned by the economic & criminal impacts of mass illegal immigration.As a matter of law, illegal immigration is indefensible. However the rights of indigenous American natives (ie: Native Americans/Latinos) to migrate throughout their native American continent may have greater scope. White forcibly took American lands and genocided the natives, and then drew borders. The rights of the natives to not recognize those borders may be the strongest justification for being soft on migration by indigenous peoples of the American continents.As for outsourcing:It is probably false straw man argument to claim that Dobbs is against foreign companies hiring Americans. If Dobbs' goal is advocating jobs for Americans -- this is something, as a naturalized American citizen, that I support.Foreign companies that setup jobs here is a fair & good thing -- especially if we buy products from those companies. Americans have a choice whether or not to buy foreign products. No one is forcing Americans to buy a BMW or a Toyota Prius. However, when American corporations outsource good white collar jobs -- then only executives benefit, and American consumers can't exercise choice to not buy American services that outsource American jobs.As a loyal American, I am for fair measures that help my fellow Americans. But of course, I am against immoral things like the persecution/killings of foreigners -- such as the Iraq war.
RELAX wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 7:26pm
Contrare:I am pro Dobbs, im half black and even half way agree with Pat Buchanan and Bill O"reilly on immigration. These 2 men I despise with a passion. There are more unskilled workers entering America than skilled. When they have kids in America and receive federal welfare for their families, Whose paying for this? The Middle Class. 42 hospitals closed in California because they didnt have the necessary funding to give medical care to newborns, mostly by illegal immigrants. The enemys of the US are taking advantage of this soft immigration poilicy, one more big event like the World Trade Center and you will see the government get strict on immigration again.
Raj wrote on Fri, 12/08/2006 - 9:31pm
I dont care whether you are half black or not. Especially if you are a minority Mr. Dobbs does not give a damn. If he supports minimum wage increase I will change my opinion somewhat. So far he has not. The enemies of the US are taking advantage is because we are heavily indebted. A nation as deep in debt as the US has no right to sovereignty until we pay back the debt. Of course, Dobbs does not want to talk about it. The US is to blame for its predicament. With the kind of morons they are recruiting into national law enforcement I would be saying my prayers
RELAX wrote on Sat, 12/09/2006 - 12:32am
You cant blane Lou Dobbs for Bush mistakes. I just agree with him on immigration and issues affecting the Middle Class. I feel he is right about Corporate Welfare illegal immigration, vice other topics that cause a society of people to tske advantage of the system. You go to neighborhoods with UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS and they cant speak a lick of english. Their demanding the US government to hire biligual teachers, or teachers in their native tongue to educate them. The country they are citizens of hold no responsibilty and encourages them to come to America so they can send those good ole Benjamins back home, Out of the US. Democrats want immigration for the votes, Republicans want it for the cheap labor. They both fail to realize the middle class is the backbone of this country. If this new appointed Congress doesnt act on it then theyll get the boot like the Donkey did. Contrare speaks about the US being home to Latinos, taken from them a few hundred years ago. In defense of Native Americans this was their land and only to me can they have this arguement of being indigenous people, which really isnt much of one. Latinos took the land from the Indians and called it Mexico. The US took it from Mexico and the story goes on. LOU DOBBS FOR 2008. Make sure you vote for him Raj
G. Chell wrote on Sat, 12/09/2006 - 9:19am
I can blame Lou Dobbs and his kind for Bush's mistakes and I will. Mr. Dobss is a Republican who voted for Bush at least in 2000, but refused to tell his viewers whether he voted for Bush in 2004...and I have a feeling that he did.And as for you RELAX you better hope that white people become a minority in this country if you want to see any decline in racism. I asked this question of a prominent black politician and he told me that he supports amnesty only for one reason..to make whites a minority in this country.
RELAX wrote on Sat, 12/09/2006 - 3:54pm
G. CHELL:You cant be Asian making comment like that. I never heard, or hear few Asians on this site say anything bad about white people. Hell from most of the Asians on this white people are not racist and can do no wrong? Talk about how much they love white women/men and want to be AMERICAN, or assimilate into this society. Doesnt matter. A Blasian like me is going to buy a house in Hawaii anyway were the majority of the residents are Asian. Maybe I can hook up with Amerie and have a few Blasian Kids. Ok corny Joke, but I dont think Dobbs is Republican. Face reality, the US is being flooded with illegal Immigrants. It has to stop
Frank wrote on Sun, 12/10/2006 - 3:00am
If you don't know, half of America was originally owned by Mexico, until the white colonists started the Mexican War (illegal war) and proclaimed "Manifest Destiny" (aka, justified form of white previliege) on the Hispanics.White people complain that they are the minorities in Texas. Hello! Open you damn eyes, this WAS A PART OF MEXICO! Well, until you stole it from them and then slaughtered their children by the dozen.There is no such thing as illegal immigrantion. Who are you to decide who is "legally" supposed to be here or not? What kind of a man justifies himself morally by proclaiming "All men (and women) are equal" and then going around saying "Screw Illegals. They're sub-human."I don't know what you are thinking when you blame "illegals". You should blame the companies that hire them. Is it really their fault for wanting to work for lower wages? Or the fault of the business owners who want to pay lower wages? Don't be a fool. The best way to raise wages is to abolish "illegal" immigration and to inform everybody about minimun wage, forcing the business owners to pay up. If you go around persecuting illegal immigration, all you'll be doing is harming inneocents and giving more power to the rich.
Frank wrote on Sun, 12/10/2006 - 3:02am
G. CHELL:"You cant be Asian making comment like that. I never heard, or hear few Asians on this site say anything bad about white people. Hell from most of the Asians on this white people are not racist and can do no wrong? Talk about how much they love white women/men and want to be AMERICAN, or assimilate into this society."I hope your joking...
RELAX wrote on Sun, 12/10/2006 - 8:31am
Framk:I think of the people that gets stuck with the bill. The middle calss. Billions of dollars each year goes to Social Services and programs to help these people and guess what. Their not citizens. Their marching up and down the streets waving the flags of their native country yelling Viva La Mexico, or what ever, while protesting the US government who has no obligation to help these people in the first place, if you love your country so much then go back. Mexico is the richest Latin Country in the world. Why should the Mexican Government have no responsibity to help its own people. As for the Mexican history lesson, well the mexicans were no better than the white men when it came to the genocide of indians. The Mexican Armies swept the western part of what is now the US and took the land from the Indians. The US took it, or bought it from Mexico later. Whats the point of making Laws if no one is going to abide by them. For those people that came to the US legally, what kind of message are we sending if we keep giving amnesty to these illegals every 10 years. I cant go to China, Mexico, or any of these other countries live their and pick up Social benefits. Their Government will not allow it.
spike wrote on Mon, 12/11/2006 - 2:02am
As a Chinese American I cannot deny that my countryman used the great quake and the subsequent fire as a means to gain citizenship. We gained citizenship illegally. I understand that immigrant communities come to the US seeking basic services and rights and I cannot deny their needs. Sure a lot of them are immigrants and obtain services illegally but so did my ancestors. My ancestors lied about their origins to achieve the American dream. How can we a hundred years and fifty years later pretend that our ancestors were not seeking the same fundamental goals that modern immigrant, illegal our not are striving to achieve, yes a lot of them are illegal but would we have not done the same if China, Korea, Vietnam, India, Cambodia etc, were right next to the US. Let’s be realistic and start recognizing our similarities before we start drawing the line on our differences. How are we so different? 100 years later, 40 years later we are all seeking the same dream. Lets not forget that!
RELAX wrote on Mon, 12/11/2006 - 6:38pm
Evetyone is not Chinese and everyone didnt cone here illegally. The US cannot take care of the world. So if you could dump 1.5 billion Chinese in America the so be it. If Mexico could dump 100 million of its citizens in America then so be it, as all the countries in South America and so on. Immigration is out of control. Mexico needs to take resposibilty for its citizens, like China and so on. Time for harsh immigration laws. Its long overdue
wixy wrote on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 2:53am
There wasn't even a concept of an "illegal" until the Chinese Exclusion Act, and that applied only to Chinese. Then, later, there was a quota system instituted and that make more people illegal. They looked the other way for Mexicans, though, because there wasn't much of a border. Then, for a while, whenever the economy declined, they deported some Mexicans... and sometimes, some Mexican Americans (illegally). We're going through another phase of this crap.Oh yeah, I hate Tim Brummer too.
Raj wrote on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 4:52am
Unless whites become a minority in this country the effects of racism will linger. This was clearly understood by the Hispanics in the recent Texas runoff when they voted to defeat the Hispanic who thinks he is white...Henry Bonilla. If the anti-illegal whites such as the Minutemen, the Federation of American Immigration Reform. the Center for Immigration Studies and Tom Tancredo were really motivated by opposition to illegals insteade of bigotry they would have campaigned for Bonilla. They did not which tells me that all these groups and individuals care about is keeping America white. The sooner America becomes less white the better, especiall if we have fewer white southerners as a proportion of the population. The white southerners are responsible for the situation in Iraq by consistently voting for the GOP..if we want to curb the power of the white southerners who has a history of Jim Crow, slavery and genocide in places ranging from Iraq to Vietnam, we need to make them a minority as soon as possible...to this end I support amnesty in whatever shape or form.
gigi wrote on Fri, 12/15/2006 - 9:48am
i think it's rather one-sided to say that illegal immigrants only take from our society. they may increase the straing on services, but they also pay a lot in taxes and contribute to the economy. so it's both.http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/120806dnteximmigration.32b7435.htmlpeople immigrant -- legal or not -- for opportunities. they do it because they are looking for a way to survive and support their families. i think if they could stay in their home countries, they would. but they can't for economic reasons. no one seems to be addressing that though. illegals are protrayed as second class citizens, and that seems motivated by racism.you've never heard an asian say anything bad about a white person? on this site? are you kidding? i don't know where you live and who you interact with, but this site is the *last* place that would be filled with white-washed asians.
RELAX wrote on Sun, 12/17/2006 - 10:25pm
GIGI"illegals are protrayed as second class citizens, and that seems motivated by racism"They are not Citizens. We cant take of the world
Nitin wrote on Wed, 05/02/2007 - 9:24am
For Raj: You would not be OK dude.. I am an Indian (South Asian) and I know that Indians are the most racist people on the face of the earth. The caste system back home is an example of how we categorize people in different categories and thus mark them as superior or inferior.And Indians consider black men as inferior, period. This has more to do with our colonial past where we have been conditioned to believe that White is superior. Though people educated have left these notions but a majority still believes in this.We cannot keep quoting history and what conspired at that point of time. America is today because its people chose to make it that way. The biggest factor which makes US able to provide such good infrastructure is because of less population. If illegal immigration continues, the strain on the society increases. And it is truly the middle class who pays for them. Because they are people paying taxes to support the infrastructure which the illegal aliens use. So unless the illegals pay taxes and assimilate with America, they are more of a burden than an asset.I mean why should the American tax payers pay for bilingual education??? I mean WTF??? If you wanna be part of the American dream, learn English, cause that’s the language of the majority. Why should tax payers pay for your short comings??Regarding having rallies is frivolous!!! For one they are here illegally, and then they march to let it be known that they are here to stay?? It’s like holding the state to ransom. Like "you can't touch us" attitude. Also, why should someone raise a foreign flag on someone else’s countries soil?? I would not like anyone to raise another flag in India.I am here on a work Visa and I have waited a long time to get here "legally". I pay taxes and all obligations to the Washington state. Even though I know that I am not eligible for Social security still I pay up. Why?? Cause that is the law of the land and it should be followed.If America needs workers, it should be done within some legal framework. Not that just because you managed to jump the fence you are here to stay.It’s like you have a fenced house, and then one day someone just jumps inside your fence and decides that he would just like to stay. Period. What would you do??? I for one would have kicked him in the balls and ask him to get off my property :)
gigi wrote on Tue, 12/19/2006 - 2:07pm
oh give me a break. don't take things so literally. "second class citizens" is just a phrase. what i mean is people dehumanize them. they're just people trying to make a living.
RELAX wrote on Tue, 12/19/2006 - 6:33pm
GIGI:You just do not see the light, If they do not like it then hey, go back home. I mean they were holding the Mexican flag marching down the street protesting, right. If you love your home flag so much go home and honor it. These people are breaking laws, They are here illegally. If you go to Japan, without a visa stamp theyll probably send you back to America in 90 days, Its enough diversity here in America. We do not need anymore. theres an estimated 15 million illegals in this country, dam. How much more do we need. US GOVERNMENT, STOP THIS MADNESS.
Zork wrote on Tue, 01/09/2007 - 10:35pm
to Raj, bigotry = white Americans having the same ethnic pride he presumably allows Indians to have.for example, Raj: if 50 million Nigerians wanted to move to Gujarat, would you be cool with that? Didn't think so...
Zork wrote on Tue, 01/09/2007 - 10:39pm
Raj writes:"Unless whites become a minority in this country the effects of racism will linger."At least Raj is open about his ethnic cleansing goals!Well, we've got a race war coming, and we all know who's going to win it. Hint: Raj, get used to life on the subcontinent.
Raj wrote on Thu, 01/11/2007 - 1:31pm
"for example, Raj: if 50 million Nigerians wanted to move to Gujarat, would you be cool with that? Didn't think so..."Comment: This land does not belong to you. Your ancestors stole it from American Indians. If an Englishman is making the statement about Engalnd that you just made, fine. But, this is America..whiteness is the figment of American imagination. Whiteness and blackness are colors..they are not cultures. Keep talking about race war..all you guys look like are a bunch of jokers.
Raj wrote on Thu, 01/11/2007 - 1:33pm
Nigerians and whites can have Gujarat...or even better they can move into Bihar and Orissa and even Assam. fine with me..100 million of them.
RELAX wrote on Thu, 01/11/2007 - 2:20pm
RELAX:To disagree with a policy is one thing, to condon and promote race wars is another. Im the product of a mixed race, so stop the hate
PG wrote on Thu, 05/24/2007 - 3:52pm
USA of the 19th century was the hope of the world. A place where anyone could come and make a fresh start and leave behind all the nationalistic jingoism of the old world. Everyone was equal (at least after the civil war) and anyone could come here. There were no illegal immigrants because there were no immigration laws . Anyone who lived here was a citizen. And it was growing in size. It was hoped one day the entire world would be an United States of Earth with its principles of equality, free market and fair competition. But then the racists grabbed control and enacted the Chinese Exclusion Act and other racist acts one after the other. I mean does it make sense for a nation of immigrants to say no more . It was fine for my parent to come in but now the room is full. No vacancy. What kind of idiocy is that? Anyone should be free to come to America. Also we need to get rid of the welfare state. Social security, welfare , free schools and free medical care are UnAmerican. Let everyone pay for anything they need and if they dont have a job let them starve to death or go to the Church for charity. Its not the governments business to be in the charity business. If someone wants to come here let them come. If they can cut it they will stay . if they cant they will leave or starve to death. Same for the descendants of the earlier immigrants . What makes them think they have the right to be American just because they are born here? They should be able to cut it and if not push them out to Africa Asia and Europe. Yes this includes the lily white southern racists whose ancestors fought for survival but who nowadays cant lift a finger to push the remote. Just sit on their couches all day eating on welfare and cribbing about why they should have a right to this land and others should be kept out. If we could just pick up the racist rednecks of the CIS and FAIR and drop them off on a desert island somewhere America would be a better place. Also put the bleeding heart liberals and welfare mamas on the same island. America should have one motto - No free rides.
e wrote on Sat, 02/09/2008 - 10:56pm
TELL THAT RAJ INDIAN MAN THAT I *DEMAND A middle-class JOB IN INDIA, and I DEMAND to be elected president of India, despite being a white/and jewish woman. I demand the right to turn india into a MULTI-CULTURAL SOCIETY... INDIA DOES NOT BELONG TO INDIANS, EH? It belongs to whites, blacks, chinese, everyone equally.I SMELL A DOUBLE STANDARD.Give me my job back, Raj!
Anonymous wrote on Sun, 02/10/2008 - 1:21am
PGYou really need to read up on some American history, u are truly misinformed.