REMARKS
FOR
THE
HONORABLE NORMAN Y. MINETA
SECRETARY
OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL
COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
MONDAY,
MAY 20, 2002
11:30
AM
Thank
you very, very much for that wonderful introduction, Michael.
It’s a pleasure to be here with you today at the Federal Communications
Commission, and even more so, to join in your celebration of Asian Pacific
American Heritage Month.
This
is a very special observance for me, and one I had the privilege of helping
bring to reality.
The
effort to launch a national celebration of the contributions of Asian Americans
and Pacific Islanders began in the late 1970’s, when Congressman Frank Horton
of New York and I introduced legislation to create Asian Pacific American
Heritage Week.
This
was eventually expanded to a month-long observance, but one that had to be
renewed with new legislation every year.
When
Frank Horton told me he was retiring from Congress in 1992, he mentioned that
one thing he wanted to accomplish was to have this observance permanently
codified. We succeeded in that
effort, and this was made a permanent national observance when former President
George Bush signed the bill into law.
There
are some people who ask why we have these observances.
I
believe they are important precisely because the United States is the most
diverse nation in the world.
There is not an ethnic or religious group anywhere in the world that does
not count Americans among its numbers.
Asian
Pacific Americans make up almost 4 percent of our country’s population,
according to the Bureau of Census. And
by the year 2050, one out of ten Americans will trace their heritage to Asia or
the islands of the Pacific.
As
Asian Pacific Americans, we understand diversity. Many of our fellow Americans may assume that we are a single
community.
However,
I have long preferred to talk about the Asian Pacific American communities –
plural.
We
represent dozens of distinct ethnic groups, each with its own unique language,
culture, and history in this Nation. As
Asian Americans, we or our ancestors arrived in America from dozens of nations.
As native peoples of the Pacific, Pacific Islanders were here long before
America came into being.
We
recognize the challenges this diversity may sometimes present to us in terms of
understanding and cooperation -- but we have also learned from the tremendous
achievements that are possible when we build those bridges between our
communities.
The
events planned here at the Federal Communications Commission, and around the
Nation, during the month of May, are designed to help build those bridges.
As
a community, Asian Pacific Americans must seize this opportunity to educate
ourselves, and to educate our fellow Americans, about the contributions that the
Asian Pacific American community has made -- and continues to make -- to this
great Nation.
Certainly,
there is no doubt that we’ve made a lot of progress.
From
the Asian American Caucus in the Congress, to the President's Advisory
Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, to the Asian Pacific
American Institute for Congressional Studies, there are a variety of
organizations devoted to studying American policy through the lens of the Asian
American and Pacific Islander perspective.
But
from time to time we still must confront the stereotypes with which all of us
are familiar.
We
still must confront the myth of the perpetual foreigner – the tendency of many
of our fellow Americans to believe that we can never be truly American.
And we still confront the challenges of the glass ceiling in the
workplace.
We
know that our contributions to this Nation – despite those
challenges -- have been extraordinary.
Throughout
our Nation’s history, Asian Pacific Americans have made major contributions in
news and media, in health and science, in business and finance, and in politics
and government, and, of course, in transportation and infrastructure.
Today
we celebrate those contributions. We celebrate the unique heritage each of us brings to the
American tapestry, and we celebrate the faith in freedom and belief in the
American dream we share with all our fellow Americans.
Our Nation faces tremendous challenges today in the fight against terrorism -- perhaps one of the greatest challenges it has faced in its history. The support of all Americans will be needed to meet those challenges.
The
President’s cabinet and many other advisors, together with the Congress,
pulled together in the Nation’s time of need, and showed the world what
America is all about. It’s about
appreciating differences while unifying for a common goal.
As
Asian Pacific Americans, that is a lesson we understand very well, and one that is demonstrated here at the FCC today.
Thank
you very much for allowing me to be a part of your celebration today.
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