(NAME-MCE) Asian American Organizations Outraged by Texas Representatives Remarks

[Anselmo Villanueva]

More on this story at
http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/04/betty-brown-to.html

Anselmo
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**Asian American Organizations Outraged by Texas Representatives Remarks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9 April 2009

Sarah Smith | OCA Communications Manager
202.223.5500 | ssmith at ocanational.org

Leonie L. Campbell-Williams | AAJC Director of Communications
202.296.2300 ext 135 | Cell: 202.492.4591 | LCampbell at AdvancingEquality.org

OCA, Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) and the Asian American Legal
Defense Fund (AALDEF) express disappointment over Texas Representative Betty
Brown’s suggestion at a hearing on April 7 that Asian Americans adopt “names
that are easier for Americans to deal with.”

The hearing was to discuss Senate Bill 362 on restrictive voter ID
requirements. An OCA member commented that that people of Chinese, Japanese
and Korean descent often have problems voting and identifying themselves
because they may have a legal transliterated name and then a common English
name that is used on identification cards. Brown suggested that Asian
Americans should change their names for manageability.

“Representative Brown’s comments made clear that she lacks an understanding
of Asian American cultures and that she in fact undervalues other cultures,”
said OCA Executive Director George Wu.

"It is unacceptable that Representative Brown believes that the burden
should be placed upon individual voters to make it easier on poll workers to
ensure that the voters get to exercise their right to vote, rather than
expecting that the burden lay with the government to do its job correctly,"
said Terry Ao, director of Census & Voting Programs at the Asian American
Justice Center.  "Participation in the democratic process should unite all
Americans; we should be seeking ways to encourage more voters, not inventing
excuses to deny citizens their constitutional right to vote."

Senate Bill 362 will have its greatest impact on voters who are poor,
elderly, belong to racial minorities or have disabilities. Asian Americans
are among those who will be disproportionately impacted by these laws.

*About OCA*

Founded in 1973, OCA is a national organization dedicated to the social,
political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United
States. Headquartered in Washington, DC, OCA is engaged in organizing its
over 80 chapters and affiliates across the nation to develop both leadership
and community involvement. OCA is online at www.ocanational. org. * *

*About Asian American Justice Center *AAJCis a national non-profit,
non-partisan organization that works to advance the human and civil rights
for Asian Americans, and build and promote a fair and equitable society for
all and is a nationally recognized expert on voting rights.

*About Asian American Legal Defense Fund* * * Founded in 1974, the Asian
American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) is a national
organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans.
By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works
with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights
for all.