FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 1, 2023
Contact:
Liza Ameen, LAmeen@ajsocal.org, 213.241.0258
AJSOCAL DEMANDS AN APOLOGY TOWARDS CONGRESSMEMBER JUDY CHU AND THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
LOS ANGELES, CA — Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California issues the following statement in response to the hateful comments made by Congressmember Lance Gooden towards Congressmember Judy Chu:
“We condemn the hateful, xenophobic, and dangerous comments made against Congressmember Judy Chu by Congressmember Lance Gooden. Questioning any Asian American’s loyalty to the United States, let alone the first Chinese American woman to be elected to Congress, is not only outrageous but bolsters the stereotype of Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners. This is a 100+ year trope that the Asian American community is exhausted of defending itself against.
Congressmember Chu has been in Congress since 2009 and represents the San Gabriel Valley, home to one of the largest Asian American populations in the country, the very community that AJSOCAL serves every day. Our community has faced a fierce spike of anti-Asian hatred and violence, largely fueled by fearmongering, sinophobic rhetoric, like Congressmember Gooden’s. When false claims of disloyalty and anti-Chinese sentiment are leveled against one individual, especially when done by a leader, it has violent reverberating effects on Asian Americans of all backgrounds.
We demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from Lance Gooden and Fox News.”
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI). Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, AJSOCAL focuses on the most vulnerable members of AANHPI communities while building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice. More info is at AJSOCAL.org.
