Election Aftermath: Disappointment, Fear and Hope

This Article is from the CPA San Francisco Newsletter

Chinese Progressive Assn. - SF
posted 1/19/05

The re-election of President Bush and expansion of the Republican Party’s control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on November 2nd led to immense disappointment, not only among faithful Democrats, but also among a range of grassroots progressive forces, many of whom were new to electoral politics. Media reports focused considerable attention on new efforts of young voters, anti-war activists, hip-hoppers etc. to Get Out The Vote against Bush. In the end, conservative political forces prevailed through greater resources, more sophisticated organization and highly disciplined political strategies.

Locally and nationally, immigrant communities also stepped up their electoral involvement. Through our Political Empowerment Campaign, CPA conducted nonpartisan voter education and organized our members and the broader community to exercise their voting rights in this critical election. We also coordinated efforts with other immigrant-based groups in the Bay Area and statewide through the Northern California Citizenship Project and other immigrant rights networks.
On November 3rd, 14 hours after the polls closed, CPA organized a rally in the heart of San Francisco’s Financial District with immigrant workers from the King Tin Restaurant, New On Sang Poultry Market and Wins Garment factories. Over 50 CPA members and allies from groups such as the Asian Law Caucus, the SF Day Laborer Program, Young Workers United and Asian Immigrant Women Advocates stood with the workers as they spoke out about their uphill fight to recover more than $2 million in unpaid wages. The action highlighted how corporations have used favorable government policies to cheat and exploit low-wage workers and increase corporate profits and power—a disturbing trend that workers fear will accelerate following the political victories of right-wing forces on November 2nd.

Mid-way through the worker rally, we were joined by a diverse group of 100+ activists, mostly young and white, who were marching through the Financial District to protest the election results and the policies of the Bush administration. Our combined forces chanted together in Cantonese and English about the urgency to unify and expand our efforts for justice and peace locally and globally. The immigrant workers then marched to the Bankruptcy Court for a hearing on the King Tin case and the activists continued their march down Market Street towards other strategic targets.

In the election aftermath, this brief, spontaneous moment of solidarity between immigrant workers and radical activists offered a glimmer of HOPE for CPA and the broader movements for social and economic justice which we are a part of. In the coming year, CPA will strive to deepen our community education, organizing and capacity building initiatives with working class Chinese immigrants, workers, tenants, youth and women. We will also continue to build and strengthen our alliances with other progressive grassroots organizations and political forces.