LEE ANN
Lee Ann Kim is a dog, virgo, recovering television news journalist and boss lady of the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Among her many talents are barking like a chihuahua, doing the splits, and the ability to remember random lyrics to cheesy 80s songs. Hailing from the mean streets of Chicago (Downers Grove, IL to be exact), she’s known among Filipino gangstas as “Lizelle” and aspires to take over her father’s OBGYN practice. IUDs anyone?
Are you a Swinger?
Ah ha! I knew it! You’re a swinger, just like me. I know, I know, it’s shocking because as Asians, we’re not supposed to be talking about this kind of stuff – especially swinging. Our parents will lose face, our ancestors will be rolling around in their graves. But if we want to make progress in America, we must recognize as swingers, we matter! I mean, look at what happened in Massachusetts.
Until recently, I thought I was one of of the only ones. That’s right, an independent voter (actually, I accidentally signed up for the Green Party for a while, but I did vote for Ross Perot!), and I was surprised to learn that many of my Asian American brothers and sisters are also DTS (Decline to State) voters. Here in CA, Asians make up 13% of the DTS voters, which is significant enough that the California Independent Voter Network is reaching out to us to get out to the June 8th primaries. Getting out to the polls is one thing… it’s another to be registered and cast a ballot.
WHY WHY WHY when we have an African American as President and the highest number of APIAs in Washington than ever (including our brother-from-another-mother Yul Kwon) do Asian Americans continue to make pathetic excuses not to vote? I want to grab them by their Abercrombie t-shirt collars and slap the Tila Tequila outta them, because they truly make the rest of us look bad! And the lame excuses are always the same – here are the top 5:
5) I’m a student and I’m too busy to vote (but you have plenty of time to drink, gamble, loiter, text and read stupid blogs like this one, stupid!)
4) I don’t read the newspaper and don’t know when the election is (idiot! do you know how to google? do you know how to READ?)
3) My vote doesn’t make a difference (tell that to the folks in Arizona!)
2) I don’t care for any of the candidates (and THAT’S why they don’t care about you and your community, dumbass!)
1) I’m Asian. (dang skippy, then we’re truly screwed. Apathy killed this cat. )
Thank Goodness for those who do care, and could spread the good word in creative ways. Thanks to support from CAIVN, we’ve been able to commmission two PSAs reaching out to the APIA community and launching a PSA contest to get others to create messages of inspiration. Hope you enjoy, and are inspired to Reel in the Vote!
I was so hoping for a more salacious post…but you do drive a valid point home Miss Kim.
Hey, my Gucci sunglasses and BMW aren’t going to buy themselves.
I don’t know if LeeAnn knows this but a few years ago I actually submitted a PSA. Maybe not pc enough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-jF1OuFNzo
Great Contest- folks (not just professional filmmakers) should take advantage of submitting a short PSA. Great way to awaken that inner artist/voter (and we all should be).
There definitely is a lack of voting from Asian communities – I can see it even within my close group of friends. This is such a great opportunity to get everyone involved.
Short and to-the-point! Well said, Ms. Kim! Ya, tell that to the people of AZ!
This mentality of apathy to vote needs to be changed. I think it all comes down to educating the people and letting them know how their vote are a salient part of their lives. But HOW to change this practice…
Let’s continue to spread the word! VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
And let’s smother youtube with awesome PSA’s!
But wait- the “I’m Asian” is really an excuse?! What the mess…
It is so vital that we get the word out and vote. There are many small and mid-size developing countries (and some superpowers) that would love the freedom that voting provides. Yes, the system may seem flawed, but at least we are not gunned down in mass for making the attempt to vote. And if there are injustices and undue pressure happening at polling sites in the U.S., then it is our civic duty to report it and do something about it. Ultimately, we need the vote because it is our ultimate statement.
Preach it, Lee Ann!
Great article! I’m going to show it to all my friends
Agreed, It’s definitely time for Asian Americans to step up. I think the new generation will have a different impact when it comes to voting.
You make a valid and good point, I’m showing this to my friends.
When I got my citizenship here in the US, what was the first thing I did? Daz right b***es, registered to vote!
Asian Americans really do need to get out and vote. I had to do an orientation to work at one of the polling locations on June 8th and the people who go to these orientations alone, are primarily Caucasian. How these elections swing only reflect those who get out to vote, not necessarily the whole population—and those who do complain about how things turned out against their favor usually didn’t vote.
One tactic Gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner uses against Meg Whitman in the ads–she has never voted.
Don’t let other people tell you what’s best for you and spend your taxpayer money the wrong way.
VOTE! & tell all your family and friends to!
[...] Lee Ann’s previous guest posts here, here and [...]