Response From Cartoonist

November 21, 2006

Dear Mr. Kwok,

With all due respect, I've heard this argument before and it falls flat given there is never any cry or hue when a similar lampoon is directed at Caucasians or other white European groups. That Asians or any other people are more entitled to preferential treatment than anyone else is racist. The argument for equality is loud but when it includes equal standards of play I get letters like yours.

An anecdote: Recently, a handicapped high school kid in Atlanta was allowed to play in his teams last game and the opposing coaches got together and decided they'd let him "score" towards the end of the game but not count it since, presumably he wouldn't know the difference. Upon learning of this he and his parents became indignant. He didn't want the experience of playing to be artificial. He wanted to feel what it was like to compete. So they handed him the ball, he got hammered and felt what it was like to be just like the other kids. That's not affirmative action, it's equality, it's life for all of us.

Respectfully,
Mike Lester