by Gwynne R. Dumbrigue, Esq.
IN Ms. Noeth’s opinion piece, “Why am I a Filipino-American Republican?” — published in the Las Vegas Asian Journal on Sept. 1 — she writes that her Republican identity comes from the party’s embrace of her Catholicism and family values. She tells her parents’ story of coming to the United States as immigrants to create a better life for themselves, and how she followed their example and started her own small business.
Ms. Noeth’s pride in her Filipino heritage is undeniable; however, she is misled in thinking that Donald Trump is the right leader for the Fil-Am community.
By asking us to support Donald Trump, she encourages Filipino Americans to set ourselves up for failure. Trump has proven many times that he is no ally to Filipinos, and he has shown us through his policy proposals that what Noeth says she holds dearest, faith and family, are not on his priority list.
Donald Trump has also displayed dangerous, unstable behavior, and has expressed an allegiance to concerning ideologies that promote racism and division. He has used his candidacy to villainize Fil-Ams, labeling immigrants from the Philippines as a threat to the United States, and suggesting that we are engaged in a plot to kill Americans. He wants to make cuts to DAPA and DACA, which have successfully protected thousands of Nevadan immigrants from deportation, keeping their families together. Had Noeth’s parents come to this country during a Trump presidency, the opportunities they seized to reach their goals would not have existed.
Like Ms. Noeth, my faith is also of the utmost importance to me, which is why Trump’s hateful rhetoric is incredibly alarming to me. In a direct violation of the very principle of religious freedom upon which our country is founded, Trump has proposed banning those who practice Islam from our country. His campaign’s message also reflects a disdain for the basis of all the world’s faiths: love.
Instead, Trump wants to take hate mainstream. He has embraced the ‘alt-right’ philosophy, which preaches division and paranoia, and rejects diversity.
Ms. Noeth also cites her concern for the future of small businesses as her reason to support Trump. Yet, if Ms. Noeth wants her business to succeed, she should vote for the candidate who respects American enterprise, and will help small businesses grow. As a businessman who has had many opportunities to support America’s small businesses, Trump has set a record of stiffing vendors instead of lifting them up. Unsurprisingly, his economic plan would create a loss of 31,000 jobs in Nevada alone.
Finally, if Ms. Noeth wants a leader who values what she does — family, faith and equality — then Hillary Clinton is the candidate for her.
Hillary’s immigration plan is rooted in keeping families together and extending the same opportunities to everyone. Her economic plan would level the playing field for all Americans and lift bureaucratic barriers so that small businesses can thrive.
On Election Day, Filipino Americans need to vote for love, not hate — we need to vote for Hillary Clinton.
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