December 21, 2004

When is an Asian-Pacific Islander not an Asian-Pacific Islander?

Your guess is probably close, but, to make it exact, here's a hint: Sacramento.

Now that your guess is almost 100% correct, here's the article.

"Two lawmakers seeking membership in Democrat-only Asian caucus":

Two Asian lawmakers are asking to be admitted to the Legislature's Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus, or be given money to start a club that will include Republican lawmakers.

Republican Assemblymen Alan Nakanishi, of Lodi, and Van Tran, of Garden Grove, said they're being unjustly excluded from the Democrat-only caucus, even though members of the vast Asian community in California have many varied political views...

They do?

..."I think the caucus represents only 50 percent - if that - of the (Asian) constituency," Tran said. "It should live up to its spirit, as Speaker Nunez said, to represent the great diversity of California. As it stands right now, it does not..."

...Asian Caucus Chairwoman Judy Chu, D-Monterey Park, said the group debated whether to include Republicans when it formed in 2001, but members ultimately decided to be Democrats-only...

The only surprising thing in the article is that Leland Yee - whose very name instantly makes me roll my eyes - supports just one caucus.

Of course, whether we need race-oriented caucusi in the first place is quite an open question, not least because the Asian-Pacific Islander caucus costs (us) $100k a year.

Posted to MultiCultiCult at December 21, 2004 09:04 PM

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