Category Archives: Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) blog

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) blog, blog, diversity, news

White House pool report and President Obama’s remarks at the the East Room celebration marking the end of AAPI Heritage Month

From pool report today:

A lipstick-smeared president marked the end of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in the East Room. He paid tribute to the contributions the AAPI community has made to the country, hailed the importance of immigration to America and called for lawmakers to find a way to fix today’s broken system. But before he could get to the tributes or the praise, he had to explain away the red smear on his right collar. After greeting the almost 300 in the audience with “Aloha,” he praised the warmth of their welcome. “A sign of the warmth,” he said, is “the lipstick on my collar.” He blamed the aunt of Jessica Sanchez. Sanchez, of Chula Vista, Calif., was the runner-up in the 11th season of American Idol. Making sure everybody could see the offending mark, the president pivoted, pointed to it and said, “Look at this.” He added, “I do not want to be in trouble with Michelle, so I am calling you out.”

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Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) blog, blog, diversity, Linceblog: Following Tim Lincecum, news, politics, race, SF Giants, sports

San Francisco Giants beat Nationals, 4-2; Immigrants win and lose, 13-5

DC’s favorite baseball team, the Nationals, lost to the San Francisco Giants in extra innings 4-2 when the Giants scored a run in the ninth to tie, and World Series hero Pablo Sandoval hit a walk-off homer in the 10th.

Back in DC, also in extra innings, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted that immigration reform package out of mark up and on to the Senate floor, 13-5.

Hard to say who won there.

The Gang of Eight’s compromise is still together, and a pathway to citizenship is still in play for 11 million undocumented immigrants.

But Asian Americans failed to get deleted provisions in the current law restored.

And in the biggest blow, same-sex advocates couldn’t even get a vote on an amendment that would allow for bi-national partners to re-unite.

Same-sex marriage is hard enough. Same sex immigration not even in the discussion.

Discrimination continues. That’s why 13-5 isn’t quite the victory it could have been.

See my 5/22 post on the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund blog.

 

 

 

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) blog, blog, diversity, news, politics

Funny Hader send off on SNL had plenty of diversity—for a change; And advocates still optimistic when it comes to immigration reform

To my surprise, immigration advocates are optimistic despite all the DC scandals. There’s a feeling that reform is moving along with a real purpose, now that the House has announced it has reached a compromise to go up against the Gang of 8’s in the Senate.

See my piece on the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund blog.

 

SNL:

I suppose we should be happy that DJ Baby Bok Choy and the Kabuki lady represent!  But wasn’t Bobby Moynihan available to play either role in yellow face? (That would be SNL SOP, no?)

 

http://www.hulu.com/watch/491721

 

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) blog, blog, diversity, Linceblog: Following Tim Lincecum, news, politics, SF Giants, sports

Linceblog: The Shrinking Giants in Canada; The growing trio of scandals in Washington; And, we’re half-way through AAPI month, have you hugged an AA or a PI yet?

I’m sorry, I must not have the proper immigration visa to comment on the San Francisco Giants poor performance in Toronto.  Multi-run defeats to a last place team? I commented at the start of the series, dismissing it saying ex-Giant, new-Blue Jay, Melky Cabrera was having a non-dairy creamer kind of season.  But he played more like 100 percent homogenized. And well, there are other things than baseball for a few days.

By the way, was that  really baseball? The turf seemed to baffle the Giants, who played like they were newcomers to cricket. That was it, right? It was cricket?

If you can’t trust baseball, what more the government? Between the IRS, Benghazi, and AP scandals,  I’ll have more on that later and how it could affect the immigration bill at www.aaldef.org/blog.

Oh, we’re also half-way done with Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month? So now you can officially celebrate if you’re half-Asian?  No, AAPI Month is for everyone!