‘Can you speak English?’: GOP operative’s racist jab at Asian American lawmaker draws condemnation
Turning Point Action executive targeted Arizona Rep. Quang Nguyen, who came to the US as a refugee from Vietnam at 12
PHOENIX, United States (MNTV) — The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned a racist online attack on Republican state Representative Quang Nguyen, warning that ethnic taunts aimed at public officials normalize the bigotry that extremist movements feed on.
Tyler Bowyer, chief operating officer of Turning Point Action, wrote “Can you speak English?” at Nguyen — who fled Vietnam and immigrated to the United States at age 12.
CAIR-AZ said the jab exemplifies identity-based attacks that target officials for their heritage rather than their record, hollowing out political debate and replacing it with prejudice.
CAIR-AZ Executive Director Azza Abuseif said racism has to be rejected regardless of the party of the person targeted or the person responsible, and that officials should be judged on their ideas and leadership, not subjected to racial stereotypes or made to prove they belong.
Demanding to know whether an Asian American elected official can speak English trades on the old stereotype that casts Asian Americans as perpetual foreigners no matter their citizenship or contributions.
The Muslim community, CAIR-AZ said, stands with everyone facing antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, and white supremacy — defending democratic institutions means defending the equal dignity of all of them.
That the condemnation came from a Muslim civil rights group defending a Republican lawmaker is the point: the principle does not depend on whose side the target is on.
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
