Newsbytes

Monday, August 04, 2008

Some quick news from around the way.

Largest Asian-American PAC Endorses Obama

On Saturday the largest Asian-American political action committee, the 80-20 Initiative, formally endorsed Sen. Obama for president. They decided on the endorsement after a day-long convention and discussion among 33 delegates of various ethnicities, ages and party affiliations. The delegates represent a national, nonpartisan organization of 700,000 supporters.
'Six Flags' commercials get thumbs down from Asian Americans

"More Flags, More Fun" may mean "More Outrage" for Six Flags over the amusement park chain's summer ad campaign featuring a screaming, thickly-accented young Asian man. The commercials, which have been airing nationally for months, are being called offensive, or worse, racist. "It's a pretty offensive ad, not only because of the thick accent, but also because someone is screaming at you," said Margaret Fung, executive director of New York's Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Women of Color and the Military - Vets Tell Their Stories

Women enlist in the US military for the same reasons men do - a sense of patriotism, a desire for adventure, a way to cover the costs of a college education, a need to earn money and ensure a stable income. But even as they serve their country, their gender puts them at greater risk of sexual assault and rape. And because they often live and work side by side with the perpetrators, women report these crimes far less because of fear of reprisal.
Not the Hendrix song

I went to see a play last night by a scrappy startup theater workshop, A-Squared, which is a brand-new Asian American group in Chicago. A welcome addition, though I get copious emails from the East-West theater company all the time. A-Squared's production of The Wind Cries Mary runs through Aug. 24, and I highly recommend it if you're in the area. The A-Squared link will give you info; it's in City Lit Theatre's space in the Edgewater Presbyterian church on Bryn Mawr (a small actual theater on the second floor of the church's massive building). You can get discounted tickets on Goldstar Events, too.