Author: Chao Wu

Chao Wu Maryland State Delegate, D9 ( Howard and Montgomery Counties)

Education and Casino

It is strange to put them together. Right? That is how it is ended in Maryland. We build casinos to support education. As some politicians point out , there is always lack of money to support education.

In many elections, the politicians and casino companies campaign for those wonderful things casinos can do. Our education do not have enough money and casinos are good places to get money.

I believe more people are aware that casinos actually hurt those people who we should help. The government is adding the damage.

I am wondering one day in the election there will be a vote like the following:

Our troop do not have enough money. Can we build a gigantic casino to attract aliens from the Moon, from the Mars, even from the Sun ?

Even with CA, I keep seeing casinos in many activities. Some casinos are sponsoring certain activities. I am not sure how much they paid to CA or how much CA actually benefited from these kinds of partnership.

Who do you vote for president?

1) Previous President’s wife

2) Previous President’s son

3) Previous President’s little brother

4) a ten billionaire

….

n) Previous President’s daughter ( Chelsy Clinton’s turn)

当仁不让的勇气

2 Comments

当仁不让的勇气

伍超， 2015-5-17

上周五，我跟其他马里兰州Howard County Chinese Parents Group(HCCPG)以及80-20 DC chapter的人参加了在DC National Press Club举办的亚裔申诉哈佛大学录取歧视的新闻发布会。数据显示，哈佛大学亚裔录取比例近十年来一直在20%左右，但是亚裔人口的增长却超过50%。 活动发起人赵宇空先生和李春燕教授讲的都很好，我们华人终于走出来这一步。华人被当成 “silent minority”，这个非常致命。本来在美国，很多时候利益需要自己争取。Minority，本来就是劣势；silent那就是作茧自缚。在美国，逆来顺受，没有人说你气魄好，有度量的。

我们华裔要有当仁不让的勇气。 即使我们自己将来可能叶落归根中国，但是我们的孩子是没有退路了。 当初我们飘洋过海的来美国，却发现我们被歧视着，让我们情何以堪？如果我们的美国梦，仅仅是一份工作，那也太卑微了。我们同是美国人，却仅仅因为长着亚裔的面孔，就没有被平等对待。而我们自己要么习以为常，要么麻木不仁，没有质疑的勇气，没有奉献的精神，何以做个自豪的爸爸妈妈？

当天新闻发布会后，美国中文电视（SinoVision）采访我。林记者问我，你的孩子申请大学吗？我说没有。她又问我孩子多大，我说大的五岁，小的一岁。她问那你为什么来参加呢？ 我说：我不能因为当前我的孩子不面临这个问题，我就不参加。我们要时刻关注着我们孩子生存的大环境。从远去的排华法案，到忽隐忽现的加州SCA5，都可以看出，华人地位堪忧。随着美国种族比例的变化，我们更应该居安思危。更何况，我们连“安“都谈不上。当我第一次知道很多东部的华人连加州的SCA5都没有听说过。我很是震惊。我们自己也许可以生活在一个独立的角落，家里讲着中文，看着中文电视，做着我们看来还不错的工作，那我们的孩子呢？

有人说你太敏感。有人说我现在比在中国好多了。这个就是明显的对比失误。我们在美国，我们要跟美国社会的公平来对比。种族歧视，对于大部分华裔来说，可能只有来美国才能经历过。我第一被很明显的歧视，是我唯一的一次骑自行车去马大，经过一片住宅区，被一群年龄不一的女孩子扔石头，高叫着“滚回中国去“。我当时很愤怒，丢下车子就追，她们做鸟兽散。从此我对这个问题就开始留心起来。当公立学校称呼母语不是英文的家长为”international parents“，这就是一种歧视，隐形而已。

NPR现场提问，你们要追求公平的大学录取，你们有没有问黑人，墨西哥人的意见？我认为，我们不是要减少他们的录取名额，我们只是追求应得到的公平利益。我们反过来可以帮助他们，传授我们华裔重教育，重家庭，注重家庭财政健康的优良传统。

亚裔孩子，尤其是男孩子被歧视，有人专门提出了这样的问题。这里面隐藏的歧视，看来越来越得到大家的注意了。这种歧视，对于我们华裔族群实际上致命的。当孩子长大以后，他们因为自己被歧视，也相对少了勇气为下一代的亚裔发声。这也就是华裔在美国历史虽然很长很长，却没有什么政治势力的另外一个原因。当年谣传华盛顿州长骆家辉要选副总统，于是他被要求滚回中国去的时候，他连怒斥这是种族歧视的勇气都没有。

我们要有当仁不让的发声的勇气。不久前听NPR一个节目，谈到教堂对男性的歧视。其中一个例子就是去教堂男女比例40/60，还有教堂喜欢叫听众“love Jesus“，让很多男人不舒服。刚听到的时候，我觉得这个节目多么荒谬啊。可是NPR却给了一个小时的时间。从采访中的数据分析，我也慢慢认同了被采访者的观点。我的印象中，除了说中国不好，NPR很少有一个节目给华裔这么长时间。所以很多时候，我们要能够不停的发声，对于我们华裔来说，只可能是理性的发声了，才来让我们自己更关注我们的利益，同时让社会关注到其中的不公平合理。即使短时间没有效果，但是持续发生，才可能有量变到质变的可能性。

我们这个群体很多人太习惯于平庸了。但是生活中到处是政治，你无处可逃：办公室政治，国家选举的政治。工作中开会不发言，拼命的工作，还加班。公司面试新人不参加，怕浪费时间。开会不举手，怕英语不好出丑，怕问题不深刻显自己浅薄。PTA会议不参加，孩子还有好几个补习班需要上呢。很多时候，舞台在那里，只需要我们轻轻前进一步。

文章的结尾，我想给大家一个挑战，主要是Maryland Howard County的父母。我们Howard County Chinese Parents Group希望家长们能够轮流参加Board of Education的会议。一年参加一次会议，这个时间应该不难吧。我们希望每次重要的会议，都有我们的代表参加，而且我们还要站起来提问。英语不够好也没有问题，把问题写好念出来。别人听不懂，我们就重复一次。重复一次还听不懂，那是别人的问题。有兴趣的，请联系我。

不要觉得少你一个不要紧。真的，也许你就是那唯一的一个。上次我竞选Columbia Association council representative，在哈维中文学校开了一个见面会，来了两个人。虽说一个不能够给我投票，一个是我们隔壁邻居。我非常感激他们。来一个是一个。

我们要以当仁不让的勇气，参与到孩子的生活当中，而不仅仅是自己可以掌控的SAT。我们的参与，是孩子前进的另外一种动力。

这一刻从不晚

这一刻从不晚
伍超， 2015-04-28
谢谢各位的鼎力相助，我已经成功当选为马里兰州新的Columbia Association （CA） 的 Council Representative. 那天我自己投票的时候，看到其他华人也朝投票处走，就知道他们也是去给我投票的。非常谢谢他们。

这是一个很小的地方选举，也是我工作后在美国的第一次选举。不需要资金赞助，但是需要拉选票。之前在马里兰大学读书时，我竞选过中国学生会主席。那是第一次拉选票。一个朋友一个朋友的拉着去给我投票，最终顺利当选。之所以参加竞选，是因为看到CA好像老是花钱搞一些花狸狐哨的建设。而且听说钱还不够用，要加税。心里有些不平啊。一年将尽七千万的花费，都是我们交的钱，怎么管理我要发个言。我要想办法改变这个。

坐而论道，不如起而行之。我们这个社区建立25年来，每年有十个Council Representative, 我们社区亚裔超过27%，但是据说我是第一个亚裔来参选。从我决定竞选起，就受到很多认识的朋友，不认识的人的鼓励和支持。以前，只是跟邻居点头微笑，大部分时间只跟华人朋友来往。投票前一周，每天晚饭后我带着女儿，挨家挨户去发传单，第一次认识到我们社区的多样性。有一天傍晚我一手抱着一岁多的儿子，一手给人递传单，几乎每个人都很热情的跟我聊聊选举，感谢我站出来。

有一天去拉选票，一个华裔问说，你可以给我带来什么好处啊？我回答他说：没有什么直接的好处。但是如果你选我，将来你有什么问题，我可以在社区管理层次帮你反应并设法解决。同时如果有什么问题涉及到我们亚裔的利益，我会第一时间通知大家。也可能你什么问题都没有，但是你选我，这就是一个亚裔声音的代表。我们不能够太功利。不是不能够想着直接的好处，而是眼光要放远一点，没有直接利益也要投票啊。

不参与，就容易被边缘化；不发声，就容易被别人代言；不投票，很可能就只有接受的命运。

听到有人说： “serve the people”, 让人有点肉麻； “make an impact”， 有点空乏。我却不这样认为。不管是哪一种，能够站出来，很多时候没有直接的利益，反而还要搭上很多的时间，都是一种勇气。这种求新，求变的勇气，可以帮助第一代华人在职场上和社会中，带来更大的进步。更重要的是让我们的下一代，勇敢的参与社会，不被歧视，不被忽略。 前年我带女儿一起去DC抗议ABC节目的Jimmy Kimmel的“Kill all Chinese”的言论时，看到少的可怜的第二代华人的时候，我就非常担忧。那次全美20多个城市同时发起的声势浩大的游行抗议，美国大媒体基本没有报道。我们的后代， 是American, 更是Chinese American，无法改变。我们需要站出来的勇气，领导我们的后代，向前看。

参与社会，发出声音。 捐钱，投票，是美国社会的一种常态。作为后来者，我们更应该加入这种常态，发热发光，照亮我们后代的前程。我们要以理直气壮的心态，参与这个社会，推动有利于我们的变革。只有当哪一天，“Kill all Chinese”的言论不被言论自由庇护，而是受到谴责的时候，我们才能够稍微歇一口气。

这一刻从不晚。

Symphony Woods and Inner Arbor Plan

I did not pay much attention to it before although I notice something is being built there for years. I attended the wine festival and other activities there. It is a wonderful nature park.

Today Cy and Alan presented me the history of its development. Thanks for their wonderful preparation for so many materials. It is interesting to see the original Symphony Woods is now changed to Inner Arbor Plan. There were three key features which caught my eye:

1) It is fine to have a gigantic caterpillar. Kids may call it the Caterpillar park in the future.  The cost of maintaining it may be huge given all the trees nearby and such a big metal structure.

2) The 300-foot picnic table close to the little Patuxent parkway seems a difficult choice. It is very noisy to have a normal conversation there. Then we may have to build a noise-cancellation wall there.  People may need some privacy on the picnic table.

3) The random S-shaped, not connected trails seems a little odd to me. I don’t think I would be brave enough to let my little kids play there if I could not see them play under my eye. If it is for family with kids, we need open space for the kids to play and the parents can watch them from the sides. Considering so many trees and non-flat terrain, there is a risk there.

The problem now is that CA approved it before. Let’s hope the best and move forward. Anyway, it will take probably 20 years to finish all the constructions there.  Who know what will happen in the long term?

I love the Merriweather Post Pavilion idea. It gives me some feeling of wildness and nature. I recalled some experience in Georgia ten years ago. There have been consistent complains on the noise generated by those concerts held at Merriweather. I do see why there are different opinions. For those people participated in the concerts, noise usually is not an issue at all. For people living nearby for 30 years, they began to feel this strong rock and roll. They are thinking “their” community is changing to the way they don’t like. Undoubtedly we should seek a solution to mitigate the noise.

  

Love Columbia Swim center

Went there yesterday. Especially the kids pool. It is clean, large and safe for 16-month old. The water is a little warmer comparing with the temperature in the Columbia Gym and other outside pools. The design for this pool is unique with an transparent, triangular cover. Probably it can take some sunlight in to warm the pool. And some water from the underground hose is warm.

Make a positive impact (The Villager 2015-6)

Make a positive impact (The Villager 2015-6)

(This article is published in our Villager.)

Upon The Villager’s call to make an impact, I submitted my nomination petition and ran a small local campaign for River Hill’s Columbia Council Representative position. For the first time, I brought my daughter with me to knock on our neighbors’ doors one by one. Talking to them and asking for a vote was quite a different experience for me. Now I am the community’s new council representative, and I feel honored to serve both River Hill and all Columbia residents.

Our community is always watching what the Columbia Association (CA) and Howard County Government are doing. When I knocked on one neighbor’s door, he thanked me for coming forward to serve our neighborhood and then complained about a road near the Columbia Gym. He said the problem has been there for 15 years and has not been fixed. While I had complained about the road to myself, it is muddy when raining and slippery when snowing, I had never thought this was a big problem for others. At that moment I realized this condition is actually affecting many people in the community, and as individuals we all have a responsibility to take steps to improve situations that are of concern to us. I will make sure that each complaint or concern that I receive from our residents will be heard, considered, forwarded to the appropriate organization for resolution when necessary, and factored into my decision-making.

In today’s society, it is not difficult to make a living if we work hard. However, to make a positive impact is not all that easy. For the majority of people, our family is our highest priority, and that is what we focus on. As residents of River Hill, how can each of us make a positive impact on our community?

We just need to get involved. We need to spend extra time and energy to dedicate ourselves to the issues that are important to us. We need to balance our job, our family, and our community involvement. Since volunteering in the community may not lead to a direct benefit to one’s family, sometimes we don’t have the support for a huge time commitment. However, there are many small ways that individuals can make an impact in our community. We occasionally need to get out of our comfort zone, deal with people from other backgrounds, and learn new stuff, all of which is challenging and even a little scary.

To serve the people, it is very important to listen to others and take a balanced approach. A positive impact for one group may mean a negative impact for another group. Elected representatives need to make choices when we vote. As your Columbia Council Representative, I recognize that at times I will have to make difficult choices. Our community is more complex than ever. Issues such as “not in my backyard”, green energy, social integration, big business bullying little people, and corrupt politicians are among those I heard about from residents when I talked to our neighbors. These various viewpoints will make the decision-making process much harder and require patience and collaboration from all involved parties.

We don’t need to be a significant figure to make an impact. Our participation and leadership in any activity will make an impact. Volunteering to help count the number of pedestrians on a section of the CA pathways is one way to make an impact. Serving on the Board of Directors of CA is another way to make an impact. We just need to get involved in the manner that works best for us as individuals and for our families. I hope to make a positive impact on our Columbia community, and I will devote my time to make our quality of life better.

I am looking forward to hearing from you on the matters that are of importance to you. Chao Wu, PhD River Hill Representative to Columbia Council Columbia Association Board of Directors Email: superbwu@gmail.com Tel: 240-481-9637.

Issues in our neighborhood

We have many residents who voiced their concerns when four county councilmen and councilwomen had a town hall meeting at the River Hill. As a council representative to the Columbia Association, I have kept receiving many residents’ concerns related to the following issues:
1) Adding a new traffic light between the Linden Linthicum Lane and Clarksville Pike,
2) Realigning the Shepard Lane at the intersection of Clarksville Pike,
3) Rejecting the construction on the Donaldson funeral home
Not sure how exactly or how soon any issues will be addressed. We just need keep pressures on elected officials.

You can voice your concerns and sent email to the following recipients:

 Howard County Dept. of Zoning:  wmackey@howardcountymd.gov and rkudchadkar@howardcountymd.gov

County Executive:  akittleman@howardcountymd.gov
River Hill Village Board:  manager@villageofriverhill.org
Board of Education:  BOE@hcpss.org and superintendent@hcpss.org

Your inputs will be greatly appreciated and hopefully our residents’ opinions will help the officials make the proper decision on these key issues. If you do not do it now, after new constructions are finished, it will be even more difficult to have any changes to accommodate residents’ reasonable request. It is never too late to email or call our elected officials.

Quick summary of Columbia Association

from wiki The Columbia Association (CA) is a management organization for the financing, and maintenance of common-use facilities of the Rouse Company planned development of Columbia, Maryland. CA has 260 full-time employees, 800 part-time year-round employees and 150 to 500 seasonal employees.

Type Not for profit
Founded
Headquarters Columbia, Maryland, United States
Membership Individuals and companies
Budget $74.1 Million (2015)[1]
Number of Members 100,000+

Hello world!

Hello World, these are the two words when I first learned my C programming 20 years ago.

Tried to get a chaowu2015 and could not get it. So let’s roll over another year to 2016.