麻州亞裔細分終於粉墨登場了，由眾議員Tackey Chan提出的亞裔細分的 Bill H. 3361 很快將在 Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight 聽證。現在是給這個委員會的議員們寫信表達反對意見的最佳時機，爭取讓這個提案胎死腹中。參考已經有的幾個樣板，我也起草了一封信，並且發給了Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight 的全部16名議員。歡迎朋友們改寫，轉載，傳播。謝謝！
Dear Representative (Senator) xx,
I am writing to express my concern about the MA Bill H. 3361 proposed by Representative Tacky Chan. I urge you to stop this bill.
The intent of this bill is to identify and subdivide Pacific Islander and Asian descents. This in itself does not necessarily pose a problem; rather the very likely consequence of this subdivision worries me. For the 1870 census, the color/racial question was expanded to include "C" for Chinese, which was a category that included all East Asians, as well as "I" for American Indians. 12 years later, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress and signed by President Chester A. Arthur. For the 1870 census, the category of East Asians was further divided into “Chinese”, “Japanese”, etc. The census data was then used for Japanese American internment in 1940. History should not repeat itself in 21st century.
The most recent US Census states that Asian Americans compose 5.6% of the population. With 72% of the population being white and 12% being African American, it is highly inefficient and questionable to divide the Asian American to even smaller subsections while leave other larger populations as their own groups. Some people say that there is a large diversity in the Asian American population, but that holds just as much truth for the White population or the African American population. Why divide only the Asian American?
Those who support the Bill H. 3361 argue this bill will help Southeast Asians. I completely agree some Southeast Asians need help. However, every ethnic group has disadvantage minorities. Help should be based on individual’s social status and economic situation. Racial profiling is a wrong approach. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
United we stand, divided we fall. We are all Americans. It is our dream to lump ethnicities together and generalizing people of diverse cultural. This bill will dissolve the bonds between the Asian American communities and reverse the efforts made to ensure the safety and well-being of Asians. Allowing this bill to pass will result in more discrimination and intensify the impacts of racism. Therefore I passionately encourage you to vote against this bill for the security of all Asian Americans and to continue fighting against the chains of racism and discrimination.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
