Asian American Groups Protest Magazine Cover

Most Harvard students probably have not seen the March 24 issue of the conservative magazine National Review. But if the Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association (AAA) has its way, they soon will.

The cover, which has been assailed by many Asian-Americans nationwide as racist and offensive, will be the target of a campus-wide campaign to halt Asian-American stereotypes in the media.

The cover depicts the President and First Lady as narrow-eyed, buck-toothed Chinese in Mao suits and Vice President Al Gore '69 as a Buddhist monk.

John O'Sullivan, editor of the National Review, said in an interview on the "Today" show that the illustration is an appropriate jab at Clinton's Asian campaign donations.

But Alexander T. Nguyen '99, co-president of AAA, said the cover insinuates much more.

"I realize the cover is supposed to be funny, but it's not OK to use physical features to make a general comment on a whole race," he said.

Starting tonight, AAA will circulate a petition condemning the National Review in house dining halls. AAA co-President Grace Y. Shieh '99 said the organization will mail a copy of the petition to the Review's advertisers.

AAA members will also pass out pamphlets in front of the Science Center tomorrow morning.

Shieh said the Review cover was one of many examples of Asian-American's being scapegoated in the media.

"The media does not distinguish between Asians and Asian-Americans," said Shieh. "Asian-Americans never have any political influence unless it's as a scapegoat."

Shieh said that the eradication of Asian-American stereotypes should be a matter of importance to all Harvard students.

"We respect the right of the National Review to express its political statements, but the fact that these are untruthful and harmful stereotypes is what makes this matter transcend political and ethnic bounds," she said.

The week-long awareness campaign has garnered support from the Black Students Association, the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian Transgendered and Supporters Alliance and other such diverse groups.

The Chinese Students Association will also co-sponsor a lecture with AAA by Professor Paul Y. Watanabe, co-director of the Institute of Asian-American Studies at UMass-Boston, on Sunday.

"We want to make students aware of the stereotypical portrayals of Asian-Americans in the media," said Chinese Students Association co-President Harrison W. Lin '99.

On April 4, students of various New York universities participated in a national protest rally in front of National Review's Manhattan headquarters. Last week, Asian-American students at Yale protested against Sullivan's presence on campus.

The protest escalated into a brawl and led to the arrest of 21-year-old political science major Robert Hoo, according to the Yale Daily News

On April 4, students of various New York universities participated in a national protest rally in front of National Review's Manhattan headquarters. Last week, Asian-American students at Yale protested against Sullivan's presence on campus.

The protest escalated into a brawl and led to the arrest of 21-year-old political science major Robert Hoo, according to the Yale Daily News