Amid Donald Trump’s vicious attacks on immigrants, it’s refreshing to take a look at Asian-Americans, who braved great hardship to come to the United States. In the face of racism, they began life in a hostile land, raised families and have made a significant contribution to the nation’s social, intellectual, economic and political life.
I’ve been intrigued by their lives, which mirror the experiences of other Americans of immigrant stock. I’ve watched the transformation of the Asian-American community from powerlessness to political office and clout. From my perch in Los Angeles and its suburbs that surround the city, I got to know a lot of the people who made it happen. Theirs is a great American story, one that offers hope in a time of gloom and cynicism.
But first some numbers to put this in perspective. More than 18 million Asian-Americans live in the United States, more than 5.5 percent of the population. Chinese comprise the largest group, more than 4 million, followed by Filipinos, Indians, Vietnamese, Koreans and Japanese. They are the fastest-growing ethnic minority and are expected to play an increasingly important role in elections.
This article suggests that Asian-Americans could be the tipping point for HRC winning AZ and FL (Orlando-area) in Nov.
From page 2 of the article:
“But their numbers are increasing in Arizona and, combined with the large number of Latino Arizonans, could deliver that usually Republican state to Hillary Clinton. In Florida a small minority of Asian-Americans, centered in Orlando, could combine with Latinos and take the state away from Trump.”
'Edward Snowden Is Hoping for a Pardon From President Obama' pic.twitter.com/Bh21qvAJtN
— Nerdy Wonka (@NerdyWonka) June 27, 2025
Edward Snowden is hoping President Barack Obama pardons him for leaking a trove of classified secrets on the National Security Agency surveillance programs in 2013. Snowden’s lawyer, Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union, has been working with Washington defense attorney Plato Cacheris to possibly arrange either a clemency or a plea bargain with the Justice Department, New York Magazine reported Monday. “There is an element of absurdity to it,” Snowden, who is living in Russia, virtually told the magazine. “More and more, we see the criticisms leveled toward this effort are really more about indignation than they are about concern for real harm.”
White privilege rears its head once again. This mofo needs to shut up and sit down in Russia for the rest of his useless life. I am reminded once again of the statement from Jesse Williams that encapsulates the behavior and attitudes of Snowden and his supporters and what they expect from the people they harm.
THANK YOU so very much for keeping Chips’ blog running with such great info and insight while she’s going through a really tough time (know from experience). Also really appreciated even amk’s place for TODville to offer our support, encouragement and caring for Chips — as Joe Biden said, “you really need to go through 4 seasons of a year before the mention of your loved one’s name brings a smile to lips before a tear to your eye” (paraphrased).
Cannot believe that Snowden has any supporters outside of the privileged dudebro Berniestans.
Posted earlier this month, but so much has happened since then:
Germany’s intel service director: that Snowden is in fact a Russian agent "has a high degree of plausibility" https://t.co/3450bnSvud
— Arapaho415 (@arapaho415) June 12, 2025
"When did Snowden learn such good German? He’s never spoken it before." Good point among many from @20committee.https://t.co/35SahQaEdC
If Snowden wants to reenter the United States, he has to pay the piper in full, which means standing trial, facing the full consequences of his acts and serving time. No shortcuts. He put this country in jeopardy by releasing highly classified information to our enemies and putting the lives of CIA operatives across the world at risk. If he’s unhappy with his patron and benefactor, Vladimir Putin, that’s just too damned bad.
Looking forward to Wednesday, when PBO will make his (last?) trip to Ottawa as POTUS.
Like this photo of the “3 Amigos.” #NALS
"U.S., Mexico to source 50% of electricity from clean energy by 2025" #NALS2016 https://t.co/yeaOMO9YUl pic.twitter.com/ffGtg5k2Ys
— Arapaho415 (@arapaho415) June 27, 2025
WH spox @Schultz44 would not confirm CBC report on ambitious clean energy target for NALS but says "I can say we do 'ambitious' well"
— Roberta Rampton (@robertarampton) June 27, 2025
WaPo has an article up about this too, which sounds like Canada will do the heavy lifting among the three nations to achieve their goals — something could ONLY happen with Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama as Canada/US leaders (Harper and GWB, riiiight).
US, Canada & Mexico will pledge to collectively (v. individually) get 1/2 their electricity from clean power by 2025 https://t.co/6XY3NfDckz
— Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) June 27, 2025
From the WaPo article:
“The upcoming pledge highlights how collaboration on climate between the United States and Canada has accelerated since Trudeau, leader of his country’s Liberal Party, was elected last fall….”
and…
“Roughly 59 percent of Canada’s electricity is generated by hydropower operations, with another 16 percent coming from nuclear plants, so it has already surpassed the targeted benchmark.”
Michelle Obama walks with her daughters Sasha and Malia, together with Michelle's mother Marian Robinson, as she arrives in Liberia to push for education for girls. #Obama #FLOTUS #Liberia #education #MichelleObama #FirstLady #MaliaObama #SashaObama (Thierry Gouegnon/REUTERS)
This is just about a perfect description of BS, Donna-“a bitter, angry old fool, preaching to a choir that has not yet learned to sing the song of progress….” Amen and Hallalujah. Nate Cohn nailed it!!
Not following this (despicable) person — who literally has “know it all” in his Twitter bio — but 259 of the people I follow also follow him.
Shocked at the blatant misogyny in his “progressive” timeline… sickening and hard to believe.
What the hell is wrong with Berniestans? What would compel you to tweet such things? Does this a**hole really think Trump would be better (he’s probably a Jill Stein supporter, and we all know what happened with Nader supporters in 2000).
This is whats under the chemical peels and Botox. A burned out old bag!!! https://t.co/zb1b8khXmz
Want folks to feel sorry for them for their cooning
Uh uh uh
…………………………………….
The lonely lives of Latinos for Trump
‘I don’t want to put my face out to the public. There are a lot of crazy people out there.’
06/26/16 07:20 AM EDT
MIAMI — Lifelong friends unfriend them on Facebook. Siblings and parents refuse to talk politics. Their kids are home from college stoked about the socialist Bernie Sanders.
Sure, their candidate may love them and be three weeks away from becoming the GOP presidential nominee. But it still isn’t easy being a Latino for Donald Trump.
From the get-go, with his big campaign announcement splash about Mexican immigrants being rapists and criminals, to his more recent broadside against a federal judge of Mexican heritage, the billionaire Republican’s incendiary rhetoric has made life more than a little complicated for many of his supporters who carry ties to places like Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and across Latin America.
But they insist that his business acumen will turn around the economy and that his unsparing views on illegal immigration will prevent people from jumping ahead of them in line for jobs or social services. Some are Cuban-American conservatives who think he’ll be a tougher defender of the nation’s freedoms than Hillary Clinton.
Young Britons are fuming about Brexit outcome, but many didn’t vote.
In a democracy, it’s those who turn out in larger numbers, not necessarily those with the highest stakes, who carry the day.
June 27, 2025
A large proportion of British youths are concentrated in cities, where they study or have entry-level jobs, so they represented one major factor in cities being centers of the “remain” camp. But seniors vastly outnumbered them at the ballot box.
Jesse Williams Had More to Say After BET Speech - JetMag.com
“You have artists figuring out ways to be activists and use social activism in their art, and you have folks in social activism figuring out ways to bring in art and music in their activism,” said Williams, who received a standing ovation from the media backstage.
After giving props to those who are speaking up, Williams said he hopes to see even more Black celebrities be vocal about issues such a police brutality, racism, sexism, and economic injustice.
“What I’d like to see us do is return to a space where it’s okay for folks to be proud and outwardly Black in public and not have to feel like we have to be safe to live in white spaces, or to make everyone else comfortable when we’ve spent centuries being uncomfortable,” Williams said.
“People are getting more comfortable being political. We live here, we pay taxes, we should be able to talk about it.”
Williams also rejected the idea that those Black Americans who have “made it” should just be happy with their accomplishments instead of fighting for those who haven’t.
“Just because I can dunk or act doesn’t mean I have to shut the hell up about issues that actually affect me and my people. We cannot allow them to extract from the Black community the best and brightest in a particular genre of expression that makes money for white corporations, and then separate us from the rest of the people,” he said, still fired up. “People are out here suffering. People are out here poor, and abandoned, and unsupported, and just because we get to be here tonight doesn’t mean that we’ve made it. We ain’t made it.”
JESSE WILLIAMS IS BRILLIANT
Malaika Jabali, 6/27/16
Apparently, God woke up one fine mornting and she said you know what it’s a Friday and I ain’t got shit to do. Except it was actually Wednesday, August 5, 1981. On this day I shall give y’all Earth heathens a man. He will be smart. He’s gon’ be famous. And y’all don’t say “woke” yet, but you will in, ohh, 20 or so years, so he will be woke AF. He will have an unparalleled amount of ordacity. AND because I give absolutely no damns, he’s gone be wrapped up in a fine package that coincidentally aligns with the clusterfuck beauty standards white peepo created and y’all continue to uphold, but nevertheless here this nicca is. And Jesse Williams was like, “thanks fam.”
My timelines during Jesse Williams’ speech last night as he accepted BET’s Humanitarian Award at their annual awards show was saturated with female feelings about the actor-turned activist-turned perfect human. But it was a particular kind of woman reacting to him. It was the good type of woman yo mama says you better lock down before somebody else does. And probably very few of these women were surprised by any of the bars he was spitting last night after he glared solemnly at Debra Lee and her introduction like, as one Twitter use put it, a guest pastor getting introduced at Sunday Service.
It’s appropriate to conjure up images of the church here, given that so many of our civil rights leaders used the pastoral platform to get black people primed for work in social justice. But while the message was just as forceful, impassioned, and spiritually moving as anything in the church, the delivery was like that of a seasoned rapper who might drop a Tidal exclusive next week. It was the Drake album we never got. It was the Warriors’ Larry O’Brien trophy that shattered beneath LeBron James’ wings.
Hillary is nobody’s idea of perfect. Fine. But in my view, if a man with her qualifications were running in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders would have been done before he even started. And if a man with her qualifications had been running for the Republicans, they’d be anointing him the next Ronald Reagan while trying to sneak his face onto Mount Rushmore.
Ladyhawke, thank you so much for this link! I have many friends here in Hawaii who seem to think the rethug narrative of HRC’s character is true, if only because they’ve heard it so many times. The Bernicks are clinging to this negative image as a justification for extreme action on behalf of their own flawed candidate, who also, by the way, could never actually win, and if he did, couldn’t function as an executive. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have this excellent summary of the talking points with their refutations, all in one place!! Woot!!
White House.gov
First - amazing
WOOT! WOOT!
LOL!
Hello TOD! I’m still at school cleaning out my room. Looks like I’ll be finished by…late August?? 😛
Wavnnnn hellooooo
Hellooooooooo yourself!! 😀. I got hind about an hour ago.😛
Hi back Maryl1
Watch out or they might sign you up for another year!
Sending some hugs your way.
Thanks, I can use some hugs! And a foot massage!!
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_great_american_story_of_asian-americans_and_politics_20160626
Amid Donald Trump’s vicious attacks on immigrants, it’s refreshing to take a look at Asian-Americans, who braved great hardship to come to the United States. In the face of racism, they began life in a hostile land, raised families and have made a significant contribution to the nation’s social, intellectual, economic and political life.
I’ve been intrigued by their lives, which mirror the experiences of other Americans of immigrant stock. I’ve watched the transformation of the Asian-American community from powerlessness to political office and clout. From my perch in Los Angeles and its suburbs that surround the city, I got to know a lot of the people who made it happen. Theirs is a great American story, one that offers hope in a time of gloom and cynicism.
But first some numbers to put this in perspective. More than 18 million Asian-Americans live in the United States, more than 5.5 percent of the population. Chinese comprise the largest group, more than 4 million, followed by Filipinos, Indians, Vietnamese, Koreans and Japanese. They are the fastest-growing ethnic minority and are expected to play an increasingly important role in elections.
GM DF.
This article suggests that Asian-Americans could be the tipping point for HRC winning AZ and FL (Orlando-area) in Nov.
From page 2 of the article:
“But their numbers are increasing in Arizona and, combined with the large number of Latino Arizonans, could deliver that usually Republican state to Hillary Clinton. In Florida a small minority of Asian-Americans, centered in Orlando, could combine with Latinos and take the state away from Trump.”
Brits out of euro2016. Lmao.
GM amk (isn’t it the middle of the night where you are? or are you out of town?).
Assuming you’re referring to Iceland vs. England in soccer (which I know nothing about, but have seen lots of tweets about this), such as:
Good dawn a.
It’s that famed 3 am. Enroute to berrcertland with su.
The nerve of this mother**ker
Edward Snowden is hoping President Barack Obama pardons him for leaking a trove of classified secrets on the National Security Agency surveillance programs in 2013. Snowden’s lawyer, Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union, has been working with Washington defense attorney Plato Cacheris to possibly arrange either a clemency or a plea bargain with the Justice Department, New York Magazine reported Monday. “There is an element of absurdity to it,” Snowden, who is living in Russia, virtually told the magazine. “More and more, we see the criticisms leveled toward this effort are really more about indignation than they are about concern for real harm.”
http://time.com/4383464/edward-snowden-pardon-obama/
Not in this lifetime, traitor.
Wish in one hand, shit in the other…see which one gets fuller, faster. Some big cajones on that one. Rot in Russia.
White privilege rears its head once again. This mofo needs to shut up and sit down in Russia for the rest of his useless life. I am reminded once again of the statement from Jesse Williams that encapsulates the behavior and attitudes of Snowden and his supporters and what they expect from the people they harm.
I am speechless at the level of arrogance from this Russian spy.
GA/GE NerdyW.
THANK YOU so very much for keeping Chips’ blog running with such great info and insight while she’s going through a really tough time (know from experience). Also really appreciated even amk’s place for TODville to offer our support, encouragement and caring for Chips — as Joe Biden said, “you really need to go through 4 seasons of a year before the mention of your loved one’s name brings a smile to lips before a tear to your eye” (paraphrased).
Cannot believe that Snowden has any supporters outside of the privileged dudebro Berniestans.
Posted earlier this month, but so much has happened since then:
Thanks for this background article, Arapaho. There can be no doubt that Snowden is a Russian spy. How could anyone think otherwise?
Oh hell, no!
Mo-the-fu-cker-please!
If Snowden wants to reenter the United States, he has to pay the piper in full, which means standing trial, facing the full consequences of his acts and serving time. No shortcuts. He put this country in jeopardy by releasing highly classified information to our enemies and putting the lives of CIA operatives across the world at risk. If he’s unhappy with his patron and benefactor, Vladimir Putin, that’s just too damned bad.
He can return in an orange jumpsuit and shackles, after being arrested for treason.
I want a Joe Friendship Bracelet, too.
He could make a LOT of money making those for people like us:)
HHahhahaaaa! OMG, you’re right. LOLz.
GA meta.
Absolutely LOVE this collaboration with Buzzfeed.
Have seen few tweets by MSM on this (other than from @Buzzfeed), they’re either seething or sulking.
My favorite has to be stacking cheerios on toy Bo’s head, ROTFL LOL.
Sent this to you earlier, but thought I’d share here:
From article linked to in this tweet:
And did you see this from the First Family’s visit to Yosemite?
Awesome!
WE feel the same way…..
I think all of us at TOD should get one. I gladly pay.
I think that is the next big fund raising idea. I would want one with Joe, Barack, Michelle, etc.
GA TODville.
Looking forward to Wednesday, when PBO will make his (last?) trip to Ottawa as POTUS.
Like this photo of the “3 Amigos.” #NALS
WaPo has an article up about this too, which sounds like Canada will do the heavy lifting among the three nations to achieve their goals — something could ONLY happen with Justin Trudeau and Barack Obama as Canada/US leaders (Harper and GWB, riiiight).
From the WaPo article:
“The upcoming pledge highlights how collaboration on climate between the United States and Canada has accelerated since Trudeau, leader of his country’s Liberal Party, was elected last fall….”
and…
“Roughly 59 percent of Canada’s electricity is generated by hydropower operations, with another 16 percent coming from nuclear plants, so it has already surpassed the targeted benchmark.”
Posting your afternoon LOL.
Making America Great Again is really just a matter of drawing the outline of the USA bigger on this map. Huuuge Win!
this is indeed an awesome comment…i often wonder why the DNC and fellow DEMs can not say things like this…
This is just about a perfect description of BS, Donna-“a bitter, angry old fool, preaching to a choir that has not yet learned to sing the song of progress….” Amen and Hallalujah. Nate Cohn nailed it!!
ohhhhh nooooo
Just blocked him but I have 662 followers following him. You may want to rethink that follow.
That dude is blocked ….
GM DonnaDem.
Whoa…
Not following this (despicable) person — who literally has “know it all” in his Twitter bio — but 259 of the people I follow also follow him.
Shocked at the blatant misogyny in his “progressive” timeline… sickening and hard to believe.
What the hell is wrong with Berniestans? What would compel you to tweet such things? Does this a**hole really think Trump would be better (he’s probably a Jill Stein supporter, and we all know what happened with Nader supporters in 2000).
https://twitter.com/BrennanCenter/status/747562490700140544
https://twitter.com/BrennanCenter/status/747562490700140544
https://twitter.com/BrennanCenter/status/747562490700140544
Want folks to feel sorry for them for their cooning
Uh uh uh
…………………………………….
The lonely lives of Latinos for Trump
‘I don’t want to put my face out to the public. There are a lot of crazy people out there.’
06/26/16 07:20 AM EDT
MIAMI — Lifelong friends unfriend them on Facebook. Siblings and parents refuse to talk politics. Their kids are home from college stoked about the socialist Bernie Sanders.
Sure, their candidate may love them and be three weeks away from becoming the GOP presidential nominee. But it still isn’t easy being a Latino for Donald Trump.
From the get-go, with his big campaign announcement splash about Mexican immigrants being rapists and criminals, to his more recent broadside against a federal judge of Mexican heritage, the billionaire Republican’s incendiary rhetoric has made life more than a little complicated for many of his supporters who carry ties to places like Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and across Latin America.
But they insist that his business acumen will turn around the economy and that his unsparing views on illegal immigration will prevent people from jumping ahead of them in line for jobs or social services. Some are Cuban-American conservatives who think he’ll be a tougher defender of the nation’s freedoms than Hillary Clinton.
Elections have consequences.
And, so does not voting.
Young Britons are fuming about Brexit outcome, but many didn’t vote.
In a democracy, it’s those who turn out in larger numbers, not necessarily those with the highest stakes, who carry the day.
June 27, 2025
A large proportion of British youths are concentrated in cities, where they study or have entry-level jobs, so they represented one major factor in cities being centers of the “remain” camp. But seniors vastly outnumbered them at the ballot box.
First Lady Michelle Obama arrives in Morocco - Click here ► ► http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Thanks JER.
You are welcome, Bella.
Jesse Williams Had More to Say After BET Speech - JetMag.com
I gotta get in on this ‘ study’ grift:
@CBSNews
White and black Americans tend to live in “different economic worlds,” new study finds:
New study?!?! Riiiiiiight
JESSE WILLIAMS IS BRILLIANT
Malaika Jabali, 6/27/16
Apparently, God woke up one fine mornting and she said you know what it’s a Friday and I ain’t got shit to do. Except it was actually Wednesday, August 5, 1981. On this day I shall give y’all Earth heathens a man. He will be smart. He’s gon’ be famous. And y’all don’t say “woke” yet, but you will in, ohh, 20 or so years, so he will be woke AF. He will have an unparalleled amount of ordacity. AND because I give absolutely no damns, he’s gone be wrapped up in a fine package that coincidentally aligns with the clusterfuck beauty standards white peepo created and y’all continue to uphold, but nevertheless here this nicca is. And Jesse Williams was like, “thanks fam.”
My timelines during Jesse Williams’ speech last night as he accepted BET’s Humanitarian Award at their annual awards show was saturated with female feelings about the actor-turned activist-turned perfect human. But it was a particular kind of woman reacting to him. It was the good type of woman yo mama says you better lock down before somebody else does. And probably very few of these women were surprised by any of the bars he was spitting last night after he glared solemnly at Debra Lee and her introduction like, as one Twitter use put it, a guest pastor getting introduced at Sunday Service.
It’s appropriate to conjure up images of the church here, given that so many of our civil rights leaders used the pastoral platform to get black people primed for work in social justice. But while the message was just as forceful, impassioned, and spiritually moving as anything in the church, the delivery was like that of a seasoned rapper who might drop a Tidal exclusive next week. It was the Drake album we never got. It was the Warriors’ Larry O’Brien trophy that shattered beneath LeBron James’ wings.
MISLED ABOUT CLINTON’S QUALIFICATIONS? READ ON
http://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/jun/26/misled-about-clintons-qualifications-to-run-our-na/
Hillary is nobody’s idea of perfect. Fine. But in my view, if a man with her qualifications were running in the Democratic primary, Bernie Sanders would have been done before he even started. And if a man with her qualifications had been running for the Republicans, they’d be anointing him the next Ronald Reagan while trying to sneak his face onto Mount Rushmore.
Ladyhawke, thank you so much for this link! I have many friends here in Hawaii who seem to think the rethug narrative of HRC’s character is true, if only because they’ve heard it so many times. The Bernicks are clinging to this negative image as a justification for extreme action on behalf of their own flawed candidate, who also, by the way, could never actually win, and if he did, couldn’t function as an executive. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have this excellent summary of the talking points with their refutations, all in one place!! Woot!!
The DGA’s polite way of saying “don’t let the door hit ya’…”
who’s ‘us’?
New post.
https://theobamadiary.com/2016/06/27/the-president-and-first-ladys-day-33/