Yellow Face

Content Warning: This section contains racist language against Asian people.

The action resumes in 1997 when Asian American groups file a complaint with the US Commission on Civil Rights against the harassment of Asian Americans suspected of violating campaign finance laws. Multiple Republican Congress members are quoted in the press making racist remarks about Asian people as “very crafty people” and using offensive puns and mimicry like “two Huangs don’t make a right,” “tip of the egg roll,” and “no raise money, no get bonus” (50). Another member of Congress decries how impossible it is to pronounce Asian names and argues that campaign contributions from people with these names are likely money from foreigners.

In 1999, a New York Times piece written by NWOAOC (Name Withheld on Advice of Counsel) reports that a Chinese American computer scientist in Los Alamos has been given lie detector tests and is under investigation. 

The scene shifts to HYH reading a fax to DHH from Marcus. Marcus implores DHH to attend a rally to support Wen Ho Lee, the nuclear scientist accused of treason. Marcus surmises that the recent events targeting Asian Americans signify that the US is gearing to make China and by association Asian Americans into enemies of the state.