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Inaugural Musings

Bush’s beginning accompanied by setbacks for Asian Americans

The inauguration of President Bush last Saturday in Washington was symbolic of the continued divide in our personal and political lives in this new millennium. Republicans cheered their standard-bearers, but were muted in their cheers for Democrats Al Gore and ex-president Jimmy Carter. Democrats, Greens, and even some Republicans denounced the election process, and created the largest contingent of inaugural protesters since 1973, during the Vietnam War. Police called in to maintain order created a sense of siege, reinforced by the misty, rainy weather. Washington felt like a militarized zone, with checkpoints, large numbers of nightstick-carrying officers, and concrete barricades blocking off key streets.

Despite nominating former Missouri Governor and Senator John Ashcroft, an evangelical right winger, to the all-important post of attorney general, President Bush sounded themes of conciliation and inclusion in his 14-minute inaugural address. The president made positive references to synagogues, mosques and immigrants, and afterward an African American minister said a prayer (though his reference to Jesus Christ was striking in a town where non-denominational prayers are far more common). Asian Americans were present both as attendees and protesters at the inauguration.

The outgoing Democratic administration was a mixed story for Asian Americans and other Americans in its final week. Former President Clinton had promised us an ethical administration eight years ago, and had reinforced his words in 1993 by issuing an executive order barring senior administration officials from lobbying their former places of employment for five years after leaving office. Just as he and his colleagues are set to hit the job market, however, he revoked that order, lending credence to critics who allege opportunism in some of his actions.

Another under-reported setback for Asian Americans was that Indonesian millionaire James Riady pleaded guilty to defrauding the United States in connection with an illegal fundraising scheme for Clinton. In the papers Riady signed two weeks ago to settle the criminal case, Riady said that his offer to raise money was motivated by his quest for certain benefits, including “Most Favored Nation status for China, open trade policies with Indonesia, normalization of relations with Vietnam.”

Clinton denied that his policies were influenced by the donations of Riady or Riady’s associate John Huang. Hired by the Clinton Commerce Department, Huang raised $3.4 million in mostly-illegal contributions to the Democratic National Committee. There is no doubt that the actions of the Riady-Huang cabal were a major setback for the political empowerment of Asian Americans. Their actions, and those of Charlie Trie, Nora and Gene Lum, and other major donors triggered inquiries and press reports during and after the 1996 election that unfairly targeted and intimidated lawful Asian American campaign donors.

More bad news for Democrats came last week with the revelation that Clinton’s pastor-confessor during the Lewinski scandal, Rev. Jesse Jackson, had himself engaged in an extra-marital affair and had fathered a child out of wedlock with a staff member of his Rainbow/Operation PUSH organization. When Jackson was counseling Clinton after the Lewinski story broke, his child by his mistress was already conceived.

Jackson has done much to further affirmative action, civil rights, and other issues benefiting Asian Americans over many decades of public service. However, both he and Clinton engaged in sexual activity with subordinates in the workplace that would have resulted in the firing and possible prosecution of leaders involved in comparable activities in the business sector. While there should definitely be a divide between public and private lives, those who aspire to the highest levels of public confidence should set examples by their deeds, as well as their words.

Among the positive developments for all Asian Americans last week was the new report by the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, which was championed by Clinton. While reading it, I was struck by two things. Firstly, it is wonderful that those testifying before the initiative’s commissioners, as well as the initiative’s own commissioners and staff, were so diverse, reflecting the rich tapestry of our community. South Asians, Southeast Asians, and Pacific Islanders were especially prominent in their participation.

On the other hand, I was amazed at how little the findings and recommendations had changed from reports I had participated in or read since the 1970s. For example, the United States Commission on Civil Rights issued “The Tarnished Golden Door,” “Window Dressing on the Set,” and a host of other baseline-setting reports in the 1970s and 80s, which called for more inclusion, more research, and more advocacy. The findings of “A People Looking Forward,” the AAPI Commission’s first report, shows that, despite how far we as a community have come in 20 years, we still are not where we need to be.