[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[May 29, 1992]
[Pages 857-859]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 857]]

Remarks at the Asian-Pacific American Heritage Dinner in Los Angeles

May 29, 1992
    Thank you, Governor. And listen, it is a joy to be here. In a sense, 
it feels like a reunion. It's good to be here with Senator Seymour, who 
you met earlier, John Seymour, doing a superb job in Washington. I'm 
very proud of Pat Saiki, who came out with us yesterday, the 
Administrator of the SBA. Let me just say this, SBA moved faster in this 
situation than in any other situation of this kind across the country. 
And Pat, thank you for your leadership in that regard.
    May I salute my old friend Johnny Tsu here. We go back a long time. 
Susan Allan, Matt Fong, one of our most senior elected officials, Inder 
Singh, Elizabeth Szu, and let me acknowledge this marvelous choir and 
the fantastic band. I'll tell you, that was a great combo. You guys 
ought to go on the road for ``The Star-Spangled Banner.'' Thank you all 
very, very much. First class. Then, of course, the honorees, the eight 
that you have selected tonight, the men and women we honor tonight, and 
all of you. And what a moving welcome from the 442d Battalion, not only 
the most highly decorated unit but also a dramatic, inspiring personal 
story. I'm proud to be with you all to honor the Asian-Pacific Heritage 
Month.
    On days like this, America celebrates our exuberant diversity. The 
genius of this land is how we take the bright, varied pieces that 
immigrants bring with them from all over the world and together create 
the proud, strong mosaic that is America. One passion unites everyone 
who comes to these shores: the yearning to reach for a piece of the 
American dream. Millions of people, your parents, or their parents, 
maybe even some of you, yourselves, chose to come here, to the land 
where we make our dreams come true.
    I think of Quang Trinh, a young Vietnamese ``boat person,'' kissing 
the ground when he arrived and calling America ``Freedom Country.'' 
Asian-Pacific Americans came here seeking freedom. You came here wanting 
to work for it, determined to accept only the success you could carve 
out with your own discipline, sacrifice, and of course, tireless quest 
for excellence.
    When we were privileged, Barbara and I, were privileged to represent 
this country in China, Barbara and I felt strongly that everyone could 
learn from the Asian culture with its emphasis on hard work and family. 
Like you, we should all strive for the success that comes not from luck 
and shortcuts but from education and merit. Like you, we should live by 
an inner moral compass that stresses not entitlement but personal 
responsibility. In your homes each generation grows guided by values 
proven by the test of time. Children revere their parents, their 
parents' parents, and the wisdom of morality which they embody. In the 
words of a Chinese proverb, ``One generation plants the trees, another 
gets the shade.''
    In this land, Asian-Americans have created your own success and 
become full participants in the American dream. Through this proud 
determination, you've contributed to the strength of this entire Nation. 
Think of the legacies of so many who have enriched our lives, and this 
is but a handful, an honor roll of men and women like I.M. Pei; Yo Yo 
Ma, who performed so beautifully in the White House just a few nights 
ago; Seiji Ozawa; recently we all marveled at Kristi Yamaguchi; Michael 
Chang; Nobel Prize winners Leo Esaki and Yuan Lee; public servants like 
the late Spark Matsunaga, a dear friend; Hiram Fong; Danny Inouye; Patsy 
Mink; S.I. Hayakawa; Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch. Then of course, I 
take special pride in our Federal Agency heads Pat Saiki, Elaine Chao, 
Wendy Gramm; men of courage like Ellison Onizuka; and Taylor Wang and 
Damon Kanuha, who gave their lives for their country in the Gulf war.
    You have contributed more than inspiration. We need look no further 
than your commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit to see how you've 
helped our country and helped our economy. You've built dreams.

[[Page 858]]

You've also built jobs. You've opened up opportunities for all Americans 
by bolstering economic growth.
    We look to job-creation leaders like those that we honor: Maryles 
Casto, David Lee, Bob Nakasone. I told Bob that I'm sorry Barbara's not 
out here because if he ever runs for anything, Barbara Bush will be his 
campaign manager. I'll guarantee you that, another great admirer. But 
another old friend over here, Jhoon Rhee; Ram Thukkaram; Ted Ngoy; Jang 
Lee, another man who I saw in action the other day in Koreatown; and the 
late John Fang, represented here tonight by his wife, Florence, another 
friend of mine.
    Like these, the Asian-Americans' proud hold on the American dream 
seems secure. I still believe that today, even after this terrible 
tragedy that part of the Asian-American community suffered. I went 
through Koreatown, and I saw how a community that had been building its 
roots and reaching out for its dreams for 25 years could be reduced 
overnight to ashes, over 1,600 stores burned or ransacked in the 
rampage. I talked with victims like Helen Lim, who said that with each 
statistic America must realize that ``It's a life, a human being is 
suffering.''
    One person told me how teenager Edward Song Lee said to his dad that 
``the Korean community needs my help,'' and then went out unarmed to 
protect his neighborhood, only to be killed in the crossfire. I heard of 
devastation that spread through Chinatown, Japantown, Vietnamese and 
Cambodian neighborhoods in Long Beach. I was heartsick to see how low 
humanity can sink. But on the same streets, on the same streets, I also 
saw how high humanity can rise.
    Americans everywhere condemned the violence and the looting. 
Victimized neighbors, black, Hispanic, Asian-American, came together to 
renounce darkness and embrace healing. The buildings were destroyed but, 
you could feel it, not the spirit, not the spirit. The community will 
rebuild not just to make things the way they were but to make things 
better.
    You've drawn on your inner strength for courage and hope. Thousands 
of you marched together to reclaim your streets. And even as cinders 
smoldered, volunteers started cleaning and family storeowners started 
rebuilding. You have years of your lives' work invested in your 
communities and thousands of years of heritage to guide you. For those 
not in the devastated areas, you have support from the Asian-American 
community all across this country. And even after all that's happened, 
you still take to heart in the old Korean saying, ``After sorrow, joy.''
    The Federal Government will help. We're trying hard to help. I 
wanted to come back here 3 weeks later to see what we are doing to help. 
I'm proud of our Federal Agencies. Pat Saiki here came out the day after 
the riots and worked tirelessly to expedite relief, especially for 
small-business owners who are the heart of your community. We will help, 
and we'll be here for you until the sprouts of a new spring of hope can 
be seen on Vermont Avenue.
    America has embarked on a new chapter, a chapter of healing. Your 
Asian-American community shows how to begin. You came to this country to 
earn your share of the American dream, and you won't let this tragedy 
shatter it for you. You remind this Nation that the Asian-American 
values, freedom, family, self-determination, and opportunity, are the 
treasures of this land and the goals of our people.
    In Asia I learned a lot. And I learned that the phoenix is one of 
the four sacred creatures in Chinese tradition. It can become for this 
country the symbol of our healing, for the phoenix is a bird reborn 
triumphantly from its own ashes. Shopowners in Los Angeles are 
resurrecting their physical lives right now. Together, let's do the same 
work for our spirit.
    I wanted to be here today not just to speak to those whose close-in 
community had been victimized but to other Asian-American leaders from 
California and some from across this country. I have great respect, as I 
said at the beginning, for the values that unite you all, and I would 
say, unite us. I really wanted to come here and say thank you for this 
broad community's proud and very positive contribution to this land 
today and in the future.
    May God bless each and every one of you

[[Page 859]]

and this wonderful land that we call home, the greatest, the freest 
country on the face of the Earth, the United States of America. Thank 
you all very much for letting me come.

                    Note: The President spoke at 6:40 p.m. at the Hyatt 
                        Regency at Broadway Plaza. In his remarks, he 
                        referred to John Tsu, president, Asian American 
                        Political Education Foundation; Susan Allan, 
                        chairman, Pan American Chamber of Commerce; Matt 
                        Fong, member, California State Board of 
                        Equalization; Inder Singh, president, National 
                        Federation of Indian Americans; and Elizabeth 
                        Szu, coordinator, Asian/Pacific Islander 
                        American Coalition. A tape was not available for 
                        verification of the content of these remarks.