Ted Lieu: I have served in the Air Force and in Congress. People still tell me to 'go back' to China

[dalton99a]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/i-have-served-in-the-air-force-and-in-congress-people-still-tell-me-to-go-back-to-china/2019/07/16/64f5f0ce-a7f8-11e9-a3a6-ab670962db05_story.html

I have served in the Air Force and in Congress. People still tell me to ‘go back’ to China.
By Ted Lieu
July 16 at 5:20 PM

Ted Lieu, a Democrat, is a U.S. representative from California.

I served on active duty in the U.S. Air Force and currently serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Yet I still experience people telling me to “go back” to China or North Korea or Japan. Like many immigrants, I have learned to brush off this racist insult. I never thought the president of the United States would tell members of Congress to “go back” to another country.

President Trump has often crossed the line of what constitutes decent behavior. But this time feels different, because he is now attacking legal immigration and U.S. citizenship. His statements on Sunday and since then imply that immigrants are somehow less loyal to our country, less American, and that we should “go back” or “leave” if we disagree with him.

Twenty years ago, I wrote an op-ed in The Post about what it was like to wear my Air Force uniform while people questioned my loyalty to the United States, all because of the color of my skin. I was in my Air Force blues when a woman asked if I was in the Chinese air force.

The suspicion that immigrants are not to be trusted or are unpatriotic is not just wrong; it is un-American. And dangerous. Yet it has marred America’s past, including with the 19th-century “Yellow Peril” hysteria, the internment during World War II of more than 110,000 people who happened to be of Japanese descent and accusations against Jewish Americans of harboring dual loyalties.

That brand of bigotry was at the core of Trump’s online comments attacking the patriotism of Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) and Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) — insults he continued to defend on Tuesday.

[sheshe2]

1. Thank you Ted Lieu.

Well said.

[gratuitous]

2. I'm beginning to think . . .

You know, I'm starting to think that people who use or approve of the "Why don't you go back to" trope may not be in the best position to determine whether or not they're racist. I'm almost feeling like I can ignore their protestations without missing any of the nuances or subtleties of their argument. When they try to justify it, all I hear is (insert here a series of triple offensive words for black people, Japanese or Chinese persons, and women to get the sense of this sentence).

[Haggis for Breakfast]

3. People in general can be quite ignorant.

Once while traveling on a civilian air carrier, decades ago, in full US NAVY uniform, a woman asked me if I was in "The Scouts."

[HubertHeaver]

7. That was a complement.

After all, the scouts have adult leadership.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

8. I think you meant "compliment"

But I didn't consider it to be one.

[Given all of the pedophiles in the Scouts, I'm not sure they are all adults as you claim.]

It was the greatest privilege of my life to be able to serve my nation. I was proud of my uniform, my service and I still bleed NAVY blue. It was an honor and one I would undertake again. Sorry if that's a bridge too far for you.

I come from a military family. We came to this country after WWI from Scotland and Wales. Everyone in my family who has been able to serve has (That's 85% of the family.). It was our way of giving back to the country that welcomed us, allowed us to put down roots, grow families and businesses. After military service, each one of us has continued to work in government and repay our debt.

This country is not perfect, no country is, but please don't denigrate my service.

SEMPER FORTIS

[gordianot]

4. Racism is the damndest thing.

My Uncle in the 50’s while in the Air Force was called a racist term for someone from Japan. We thought it might be due to family legend there was some Native American ancestry. It turns out on DNA tests that was not true. Bigots are the most people on the planet.

[Rainbow Droid]

5. I stand with all Americans like Ted Lieu. All human beings, even.

[Cha]

6. Yeah, considering the source.. it's

easier "to brush off.." stupid insults from Stupid racists.

Mahalo Rep Lieu