AAPA PERSPECTIVES October 1969

Reprinted from ASIAN AMERICAN POLITICAL ALLIANCE, Vol. 1, No. 6, October, 1969. Berkeley, page 3.

AAPA PERSPECTIVES

“The Asian American Political Alliance is people. It is a people’s alliance to effect social and political changes. We be­lieve that the American society is histori­cally racist and one which has systematically employed social discrimination and economic imperialism, both domestically and interna­tionally, exploiting all non-white people in the process of building up their affluent society.

"They did so at the expense of all of us. Uncontrolled capitalism has pushed all of the non-white people into a social posi­tion so that only manual jobs with subhuman pay are open to them. Consequently, we have been psychologically so conditioned by the blue-eye—blond—hair standard that many of us have lost our perspective, We can only sur­vive if “we know our place”—-shut up and ac­cept what we are given, We resent this kind of domination and we are determined to change

"The goal of AAPA is political education and advancement of the movement among Asian people, so that they may make all decisions that affect their own lives, in a society that never asks people to do so. AAPA is not an isolated group, and should never pro­fess to be such. Its only legitimacy and value is in the effects it has on many people, not just a small group of people. In the same vein, AAPA is not meant to isolate Asians from other people; it is unhealthy as well as unwise to do such a thing. AAPA must con­stantly expand and grow, and reach out to other people and groups. At the same time, AAPA must meet the needs of its own members and deal with its own problems.

"In the past political organizations have tended to subject themselves to rigid, tradi­tional levels of structure in which a few make the decisions, present them to the body, and the body can vote either ‘yes” or “no.” This hierarchic organization, however, is only a manifestation of the elite control, primeval structure mentality in which you are not capable of making your own decisions, an idea drilled into you. from the foundations of this society.

"AAPA is only what the people make it. We have adopted a structure which better fits the needs and goals of our alliance, not a structure to which we have to adjust our­selves. Furthermore, there is no membership in AAPA in the strict sense of the word. There are workers who for common interests join together with one or more people to in­tensify the effectiveness of an action.

"Since May, 1968, AAPA has grown from a small group of students and community workers to a powerhouse for Asian thought and action. AAPA is now a member of the Third World Li­beration Front, Asian Association, and Asian Coalition. Some past activities of Berke­ley AAPA include: Free Huey Rallies at the Oakland Courthouse, Chinatown Forums, Mc­Carran Act lobbies, MASC Boycott, Third World Liberation Front Strike, development of Asian Studies, and liaison with and development of other AAPA’s throughout the state.

"AAPA is only a transition for develop­ing our own social identity, a multiplication of efforts. In fact, AAPA itself is not the important link but the ideas generated into action from it——that we Asian Americans are no longer going to kowtow to white America in order to gain an ounce of respect; that we must begin to build our own society along­side our black, brown and red brothers as well as those whites willing to effect funda­mental social, economic, political changes; that we have the right for determining our own lives and asserting our yellow identity as a positive force in a new life based on human relationships and cooperation.”