10A THURSDAY, JANUARY30, 2014

LAURA HOLLINGSWORTH, President and Publisher MARIA DE VARENNE, Executive Editor and Vice President/News TED RAYBURN, Editorial Page Editor FRANK DANIELS III, Community Conversations Editor JOHN SEIGENTHALER, Chairman Emeritus

TENNESSEE VOICES OUR VIEW A‘Year of the Horse’ wish President’s Minority groups must get more involved in U.S. life visit is nod to By Ming Wang, M.D., Ph.D.

The Chinese New Year is ar- riving soon, and this year will TN education be the “Year of the Horse.” On behalf of the Tennessee Chi- Today, President Barack state’s schools were harboring nese Chamber of Commerce Obama makes his first visit to amisconception that students and the Tennessee Immigrant Nashville since 2008, when he were performing better than and Minority Business Group, I was presidential nominee they actually were. That led wish everyone a happy new Obama debating Republican Gov. Phil Bredesen and his year! contender John McCain on the successor, Bill Haslam, to America has been undergo- campus of Belmont Univer- make education reform their ing a tremen- sity. priority, with the added incen- dous amount of While reports suggest secu- tive of a half-billion dollars in change in re- rity and scheduling con- “Race to the Top” funds from cent decades, straints will make the chief ex- the federal government to most impor- ecutive’s visit brief, it is sig- make it all happen. tant of which is nificant that the president has President Obama’s pres- the increasing chosen to make Middle Ten- ence here today is in part a rec- amount of cul- nessee one of his first stops af- ognition of the hard work that tural and eth- ter his State of the Union ad- state leaders, educators and Wang nic diversity dress — and that the setting students throughout Tennes- due to the rise will be McGavock, a public see have put in to reverse their in population of minority high school in a state that has fortunes. groups. Today Hispanic Amer- seen its educational fortunes By the way, for the presi- icans, African-Americans and change dramatically. dent to make a favorable ex- Asian-Americans account for The overriding message of ample of a school system in 18 percent,15 percent and 6 per- Mr. Obama’s State of the Union your state — for the rest of the cent, respectively, of the U.S. was income inequality, and country to see — is a good population, and it is anticipated Tennessee certainly has its thing. The negative spin that that in the next decade these share of that, but the key driv- has been leveled by some in ad- minority groups will become ers of Tennesseans’ lower- vance of Mr. Obama’s arrival the majority for the first time in than-average per capita in- is deplorable, even if a major- this country. come and high levels of social ity of Tennessee voters do not The rising population comes assistance are inadequate lev- approve of his performance. with an increased amount of so- els of education and lack of in- Simple courtesy should be ex- cial and societal responsibility. centives to graduate. What the pected, just as Tennesseans Traditionally, minority groups president is expected to talk were hospitable to Presidents such as Asian-Americans are about today is how a good edu- Bush and Kennedy when they more focused on our own work cation can be a great equalizer. came to Nashville. and families, and have not been The energy and enthusiasm President Obama’s visit is a actively involved in main- surrounding education in Ten- strong acknowledgment that stream American activities nessee have been growing for the people of this state can such as politics and seeking Acrowd celebrates the Chinese New Year in 2012 at Eakin Elementary afew years now, since national show others how to make edu- leadership positions in the com- School in Nashville. This year the new year begins on Friday. yardsticks warned that the cation shape a better future. munity and government. This GEORGE WALKER IV / FILE / THE TENNESSEAN needs to change. As Asian- Americans increase in number OTHER VIEWS and influence, we need to par- more representation in the ing Chinese-Americans. We ticipate more actively in these American government, both should not be content with community and governmental which will come only if Asian- merely participating in our own activities, and help to solve the Americans increase our partic- communities’ activities, such Obama should quit problems America is facing as ipation in and contribution to as celebrating the Chinese New acountry today. society. Year with dumplings and drag- As Asian-Americans, we Asian-Americans do have a on dance festivities, we should have our own needs, as well. great deal to share with the rest also be more confident and will- campaigning, lead Like all other minority groups, of America. For example, one ing to step out of our own com- we desire racial equality and of the main issues facing Amer- munities and participate more By Chris Devaney bridges with members of Con- equal opportunity, and we con- ica today is education. Asian- actively in the mainstream ac- gress. Or how about an empha- tinue to fight against glass ceil- Americans are well known for tivities of the American society, Divided. Troubled. Deterio- sis on crafting smart policy in- ings in the workplace, discrimi- our ability to educate our chil- such as politics and leadership rating. stead of smart comments in nation in the admission process dren to excel in school. Howev- roles in the community and Those were the top three stump speeches? at major American universi- er, we need to not only succeed government, so that we can words used by respondents to That’s not how we operate ties, and racial discrimination, in educating our own youths, work with all racial and ethnic anational poll from NBC News here. You see, in Tennessee we which was exemplified by the but also and more importantly, groups and through collective asking about the state of our have a great story to tell. We’re nationwide demonstration share our knowledge and skills effort help shape the future of Union. Some may be surprised moving and achieving like across 27 U.S. cities that took in this area with the rest of America. at those adjectives being used never before. Gov. Bill Haslam place on Nov. 9, 2013, where America so we can all work to- to label America. But should was elected in 2010 to bring a more than 10,000 people gath- gether to improve the educa- Ming Wang, M.D., Ph.D., is the president of anyone be, in this era of a jobs-focused approach to Vol- Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce, ered and protested ABC net- tional system in America. White House that continually unteer State government — work’s racially insensitive pro- Ihope this year’s Chinese the co-founder of Tennessee Immigrant and Minority Business Group, the director places an emphasis on cam- and he’s succeeding in com- grams. The only way for Asian- New Year — the Year of the of Wang Vision 3D Cataract & LASIK Center, paigning — and dividing — in pletely revamping how our Americans to achieve racial Horse — will bring “galloping” the founder of Wang Foundation for Sight lieu of leading? state markets itself and lures equality, however, is for us to changes in this country in the Restoration, and the international presi- The latest example of Presi- investment. Thanks to his vi- have more of a voice in the interest and attention of Asian- dent of Shanghai Aier Eye Hospital; [email protected]. dent Obama’s preference for sion and the hard work of our American society, as well as American community, includ- lecturing on the hustings, and Republican legislators, Ten- not policy- nessee has been named a top making, will five state for job growth and occur later to- was recently awarded the title day here in of “State of the Year” for eco- Music City. nomic development. In educa- Mr. Obama is tion, Tennessee is the fastest- Whimsical Gelett Burgess scheduled to improving state and we saw be at McGa- the largest gains in the class- gave world the blurb vock High room that have ever been mea- Devaney School, sured by the National Assess- where he will ment of Educational Progress. California gold rush. He was an teachable surely remind us all of the But these accolades were early investor in mining stocks lofty promises made to Amer- not given because Gov. Has- moments and real estate, and he became a ica during his State of the lam bludgeoned his way Frank Daniels III leader of the temperance move- Union address on Tuesday through the General Assem- [email protected] ment. Cogswell believed that if night. bly or because every single men had access to cool drinking On its face, this should be legislator with a different idea “To appreciate nonsense re- water they would not frequent expected: Presidents rally was undermined or castigated. quires a serious interest in life.” saloons. He erected three drink- support for their causes. In Quite the contrary. An envi- Gelett Burgess arrived at ing fountains in San Francisco fact, it has nearly become a ronment of innovation has this observation through expe- —Burgess and his pals toppled time-honored tradition for our dominated legislative deliber- rience. one in the wee hours of Jan. 1, national chief executives to ations where fiscally responsi- In his 1902 essay “The Sense 1894. travel around the country and ble and unique policy perspec- of Humor,” Burgess reflected While considering his career make an appeal directly to tives have been advanced. The that nonsense could be found by choices, Burgess and some Americans. Typically, this in- results speak for themselves. reading between the lines of a friends founded a magazine volves corralling support In Tennessee, Republicans story. with a humorous outlook on life. from Democrats, Republicans are building an opportunity “It is ever the situation that is The title, The Lark, reflected Gelett Burgess and independents alike. economy for all. That means absurd, and never the victim; the whimsical beginnings, yet But this Oval Office es- children, regardless of income and in this lies the secret of his the publication was moderately chews that last part and tends or ZIP code, are prepared by ability to appreciate a farce of successful, and the magazine adult, where his most popular to use such occasions to extol high-performing schools to en- which he himself is the hero.” published 25 issues over two books were the “Goops” series the virtues of an expanded fed- ter society ready to contribute, Burgess was born in Boston years. The previously techni- of illustrated books and comics eral apparatus while rapping families are given a stable en- on Jan. 30, 1866. He graduated cally minded Burgess found that taught young people about Republicans over the head for vironment to grow, and ca- with an engineering degree that he enjoyed writing, and manners and etiquette. their failure to fall in lockstep reers are created for long- from Massachusetts Institute particularly enjoyed writing Burgess’ influence is seen on behind the president. See his term financial success. All this of Technology in 1887, and left nonsense verse, a writing style virtually every book cover, al- last stop in Tennessee as an ex- is being accomplished by a Yankee sensibility for the op- that was later popularized by bum cover and CD box, and ample. Mr. Obama’s Chatta- governor and legislature that portunity of California. He Ogden Nash, Theodor Geisel movie promotion. In 1907, to nooga speech quickly are working together and not worked as a draftsman at the and Roald Dahl. help drive interest in his satiri- morphed into a rally — far be- embroiled in never-ending Southern Pacific Railroad, and His verse “The Purple Cow” cal book “Are You a Bromide,” low what’s expected of a campaigns. in 1891 he was hired to teach to- is a classic: he included promotional text statesman seeking solutions. Amid thick irony, Obama is pographical drawing at the Uni- Inever saw a purple cow from the fictional Miss Belinda And Obama seriously wonders going to say he wants what we versity of California at Berke- Inever hope to see one; Blurb. why he cannot get anything have in Tennessee for the rest ley. But I can tell you, anyhow, Shortened to blurb, the through Congress? of the nation. Of course, that He was a natural iconoclast, I'd rather see than be one! “flamboyant advertisement, or Perhaps he should take a would require him to quit cam- and he was forced to resign his Once Burgess had deter- inspired testimonial,” is embed- page from the way we do paigning. And if you think position when he was suspected mined his future was as a writ- ded in our culture. things here in Tennessee. In- that’s going to happen, then I of the New Year’s Eve vandal- er, he moved to New York City, Burgess died Sept.18,1951, in stead of allowing his team to have a first-class ticket on Air ism of a Cogswell fountain in where he wrote books and mag- Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. play the search-and-destroy Force One to sell you. San Francisco. Henry Cogswell azine articles. political games that abound in was a dentist who had migrated He published 28 books in sev- Reach Frank Daniels III at 615-881-7039 Washington, President Obama Chris Devaney serves as the chairman of west at the beginning of the eral genres, including young and on Twitter @fdanielsiii. should focus on building the Tennessee Republican Party.