WEN HO LEE’S LEGAL VICTORY- A VICTORY FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS!

Los Angeles – The Coalition in Defense of Immigrant Rights (CDIR) rejoice with the prominent Asian –American scientist Wen Ho Lee and his family over his legal victory last week from his being wrong fully accused as “ a foreign spy or agent for China” and being jailed for the racist accusations.

The US courts have awarded him more than $ 6 million dollars. But for the CDIR it is not the amount of money he won but also for the redress of the wrongs that was committed against his person and his family. The American media especially those owned by the big business, pilloried him during the period and barraged him with racial innuendoes when he was accused until he was acquitted were forced to pay some of the legal indemnities, a first in American media history.

During the time that Wen Ho Lee was accused and being tried, only a few Asian American organizations in Southern California like the Pesante-USA, People’s CORE, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) and the Chinese American Associations stood up for him. and against racism .These groups held a rally during the Los Angeles Democratic National Convention in 2000 for Wen Ho Lee.

But came Sept 11, 2001 and another wave of racist attacks against Asian, Muslims and Arabs as well as immigrants reared its ugly head again. The tempo of racist slurs hit is height with the passing of the dreaded HR 4437 in the House of Representatives by Congressman Sensenbrenner and King that criminalizes illegal immigrants.

Wen Ho Lee is not alone being racially profiled. But when he stood up and the community stood up for him, the American people supported his just struggle.

We in the CIDR and its allied organizationss will continue our struggle against racism and its all its evil intents and manifestations in order to uphold America’s ideals of genuine freedom and democracy. The legal victory of Wen Ho Lee is an sinpiration for us all!