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Dear Erie Chinese Journal Readers:
I want to share with you an article writtem by Prof. Dr. S.
B. Wu , President of 80-20 Education Foundation, Former Lt. Governor
of State of Delaware.
"Practice Plowing Back to Enrich Your Own Community"
Here's a true story that may help you live happier. I
naturalized 35 years ago. During the ceremony, the presiding judge
gave a speech that helped me live happier till this day. He said to
hundreds of us new citizens that day, "You may have mixed emotions
today. You may be happy because you applied to be an Am. citizen,
and you got your wish. You may also be sad, because you think you
are saying good bye to the country and people you once identified
with."
"That is NOT what becoming US citizens means. In becoming a
citizen, it simply means that you now owe your primary allegiance to
the USA. You don't need to cut your tie with your old country. You
can still care about it and want to help its people."
"The US is a decent nation. It doesn't expect its new
citizens to cut off their emotional ties with another people and
culture upon naturalizing. If a person can do that during this
ceremony, then the same person can probably cut the US off
completely through another ceremony. America will NOT want people
with such an easy value system to be its new citizens." How well
said!
The topic of "a value system" that Americans generally expect
from their fellow citizens then get me to the subject of "plowing
back to enrich one's own community."
There are many rich individuals and a few powerful political
leaders in the Asian Am. community. How many rich Asian Ams have
given tens of millions to an Asian Am. cause Which of our
powerful political leaders have spoken out on the discrimination
against us in workplaces or the lack of Asian Am. Federal judges
There may be a few, but far too few. In contrast, I know quite a
few rich &/or powerful Asian Ams who have consistently turned their
backs to the need of our community, once they thought "they've made
it."
You know what? They may actually have limited themselves.
Here is a case I know:
A very powerful political leader once told me that he/she
tends to trust those minorities who have a record of serving their
own community. If they don't, he/she can't help but wonder, if those
individuals might not turn their backs to her/him when she/he needs
help.
America values those who volunteer to help their own people
in need, NOT those who are "success robots."
If you agree with what is said here, pass it around. Practice
"enlightened self interest" and plow back to enrich your own
community.
Sincerely yours,
Anthony Y. Yan
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