An Apology For Saying Asians Should Adopt Easier Names

Updated 12:15 PM CDT, Sun, Apr 12, 2009

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The state lawmaker embroiled in a controversy over pending voter identification legislation has apologized for her remarks regarding Asian-descent voters' names.

Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, said that she "apologizes for her remark in the Elections Committee on Tuesday, April 7," in a statement issued late Thursday.

She said she appreciates testimony that made legislators aware of problems faced by Asian-Americans when acquiring identification and that she understands the "diversity of Texas" and the "enrichment" that Asian-Americans have brought to the state.

The Texas Democratic party and others called on Brown to apologize after she said voters of Asian descent should adopt names that are "easier for Americans to deal with."

The comments were part of an exchange with Ramey Ko, a representative of the Organization of Chinese Americans, during a hearing Tuesday by the House Elections Committee.

Ko told the committee that people of Asian descent have problems voting because they may have legal transliterated names as well as common English names on their drivers licenses or other forms of identification. Brown asked whether Asian-Americans could "adopt" names that "we could deal with more readily here."

Brown, in the statement, said the controversial quote was one sentence from a conversation dealing with the difficulty in translating names. She pointed out that she was talking about the issue of transliteration and told Ko that she wasn't asking him to change his name.

John C. Liu, a New York City Councilman who had called on Brown to apologize, said Brown's statement is "a fair first step," but doesn't go far enough, in his statement. Liu noted that Brown's comments during the exchange with Ko went well beyond the concept of transliteration.

A bill that would require Texans to show a photo ID to vote passed the Senate after a highly-partisan, 23-hour session last month. Similar proposals are currently being considered by the House.

Republicans have championed the issue, saying it's necessary to combat voter fraud. Democrats have said there's no need for such a measure because fraud hasn't been a problem.

Jordan Berry, a spokesman for Brown, told The Associated Press on Saturday, that Brown's comment is being used by opponents of voter identification to obscure the real issues involved.

"Ninety percent of Texans -- Republicans and Democrats -- want the voter ID legislation," he said. "Let's move forward."