Last night a Republican delegate from NJ accused me of wearing a North Korea flag on my tie and questioned my allegiance to America. This is a disgusting attack and I urge NJ Republican leaders including @BobHugin and @CurtisBashaw to condemn this xenophobia. THREAD
When I first ran for Congress, mailers sent out with my name in Chinese take out font. TV ads with the phrase “Andy Kim He’s Not One of Us.” I tried to ignore it but I realized that I should have done more to stand up. Unfortunately we see hate growing in our country… 2/12
In CA, Derek Tran is running against Rep Michelle Steele. Steele is now using these horrible mailers. Tran is son of Vietnamese refugees who fled communism. He served in the US Army. Steele is accusing him of supporting communism. Shameful. She should apologize. 3/12
Sadly Steele did the same against a Taiwanese American candidate two yrs ago named Jay Chen. Steele accused Chen, a lieutenant commander in our US Naval Reserves, of supporting communism. It’s disgusting that she inflames racist tropes. 4/12
Last week Dave Min, a Korean American running for Congress, had his lawn signs defaced with painfully racist insults. 5/12
These attacks push the “perpetual foreigner” trope that Asians have allegiance to and could be spies for another country like China or North Korea. This is dangerous. An attacker stabbed a woman in Indiana and said that’s “one less person to blow up our country.” 6/12
When I worked at State Dept, I found out I was banned from working on the Korean Peninsula because I’m Korean American. I was humiliated. Felt disrespected that my government didn’t trust me, even after serving as a civilian advisor in a war zone in Afghanistan. 7/12
I am as American as anyone else. I have every bit as much right to run for office as anyone else. Derek Tran and Dave Min have as much right to run for Congress as anyone else. 8/12
The best way to fight against this racism is to win these elections. Show that the American people won’t fall for racist attacks. Show that these candidates are undeterred. Show that AAPI candidates can appeal not just to people who look like us. 9/12
@derektranCA45 running for Congress in CA-45
secure.actblue.com/donate/derektr…
@DaveMinCA running for Congress in CA-47
secure.actblue.com/donate/dm-laun…
10/12
If elected, I’ll be first Korean American senator after 120 years of Koreans in America. I’ll be first AAPI Senator from the East Coast. I’m proud, but yearn for the day when I don’t need to break barriers and I don’t have my love for this country questioned. 11/12
Our stories are not just Asian American stories, they are American stories. Reject racism. Reject those who spread racism. And support Derek Tran, Dave Min and others who are stepping up to serve. END
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