Will Ed Royce Pipe Down, Stand Up, and Denounce Racism — While He Still Can?

Racist graffiti appearing repeatedly in Chinese shopping center in British Columbia — as found in this website: http://unambig.com/looking-deeper-into-the-richmond-anti-chinese-graffiti/ — using the vile idea of people of Chinese ancestry as something deceitful and foreign to Western values.  (Royce has done the same thing, of course, to Muslims and Latinos.)   We think that we’re better than that here — and most of us are. The Ed Royce campaign is trying to win the votes of those who aren’t.

My personal pitchfork-wielding imps Brandon Ferguson and R. Scott Moxley of the OC Weekly have offered great coverage of the disgraceful racial attacks Ed Royce’s campaign has leveled against his opponent (and my campaign-office-mate) Jay Chen.  They deserve both credit for their efforts and for you to clicks on their stories.

(I’m disappointed by the lack of a “naked Ed Royce” drawing, though.) (No, I’m really not.)

Here are links to their three stories from Oct. 22, Oct. 25, and Oct. 29.

This press release below is from the Jay Chen campaign — addressing the horrific race-baiting of Asians by Ed Royce in this campaign.  Its original version came out before the latest Ed Royce mailer that attacked Chen as “deceitful,” among other “Other-izing” terms, using an approach to bashing Asians that was very popular 100-125 years ago.  Most decent people thought that by now it was no longer likely to be used in polite society.  (I wonder whether  Royce advisor Evil Dave Gilliard had to look up those racist attacks of days gone by in some diabolical encyclopedia — or if they just come naturally to him?)

<b>Jay Chen Responds to Racial Attacks Made by Opponent</b>

Rowland Heights, CA – Democratic challenger and small business owner Jay Chen held a press conference today to address the racist, anti-Asian emails and threatening calls that the campaign has received in the last few weeks.

Racist attacks against the campaign increased significantly after incumbent Tea Party member Ed Royce began running negative and false ads claiming that Chen’s financial support came from Communist China, and that Chen “could not be trusted.”

Chen said, “There is no place in Congress or in our community for a representative who campaigns by instigating racism and hate. The way Royce seeks to win votes by stirring fears of China speak to his true views about the diverse district he seeks to represent.”

After the anti-China mailers were sent last week, the campaign received hate-filled voicemails from Royce supporters, including one who called Chen a “Chinese f—er” and threatened to physically attack Chen the next time he saw him.

This followed an email earlier last month from attorney Anthony Kassas, who wrote:

“F— off c—-. I’d never vote for a slant eyed g—. Asians are trying to take over out (sic) country so why would I want to vote for a slope. F— off and die. I hope you get cancer of the eyes and testicles. Leave me alone.”

Chen’s office in Fullerton was vandalized last month, and signs have been found around the district stating “Is Jay Chen a Closet Commie?” and “Vote for the American.”

“We have to understand that there’s still this kind of mentality out there” said Chen. “That should motivate more people to come out and vote and get involved in the political process.”

Chen’s opponent Royce has spoken out publicly against multiculturalism and is a proponent of English-only laws that would eliminates linguistically and culturally appropriate access to government services that many citizens in the 39th District need. Royce also supports making Arizona’s controversial SB1070 law the national standard, which would open the door for racial profiling by police. The 39th District is approximately 29% Latino and 30% Asian.

In response to the racist attacks, Royce’s campaign denied any connection, and claimed that Chen was planting racist material, even though the mailers were paid for and sent by the Royce campaign. Royce’s campaign consultant Dave Gilliard has come under fire in the past for running racist campaigns, including one incident where fake security guards were hired to intimidate voters in predominately Latino precincts.

Chen, who hopes to unseat Royce in next week’s general election, was unfazed by these recent attacks on his campaign. “We need someone who will respect the diversity of this great district, not divide it. I plan to bring inclusive leadership to Congress and to our community, and move our country forward” said Chen.

I still think that Chen wins the election — in part because I think that Asian voters will recognize what Royce is doing here and come out in absolute droves.  If not, though, it is to Royce’s — and the Republican Party figures who still support him — eternal shame.  They’re better off if he loses this year, because neither I nor Jay Chen nor many other decent people in the Asian communities of Orange County and beyond are ever letting this go so long as Ed Royce remains in public life.

If decent Republicans out there won’t drive Ed Royce into retirement, we’ll hammer him on his racist attacks until the public does it for them.   You don’t sit still for this sort of thing and you don’t forgive it.  You destroy it like the evil that it is.  I hope that Republicans, though, do make common cause with us in those efforts — and support Jay Chen.

P.S.  Chen does not continually wear sunglasses like Kim Jong-Il used to do.   One picture of him wearing them — while outside, talking to Young Democrats — was taken.  The Royce campaign has used it continually because they like how it makes people feel about Chen.  There’s only one way to stop them — vote Royce and his team of bigots out.