I think 80-20 did the right thing

Not sure, but this is the email from S.B. Woo:

 

 When Officer Peter Liang's case was first reported in Jan. last year, 

80-20 smelled something fishy.  As a result, 80-20 sent out a e-newsletter 

"Indictment against Peter Liang politically motivated?" Click here to read it.

 

    We did much more.  We talked to Liang's first lawyer (Steve Worth), and 

Liang's two confidants - Doug Lee of NY and Bona Sun of NJ.  However, according to Doug, Peter Liang didn't want to talk to us on the phone.  So I offered to travel to NYC to talk to him in a restaurant.  You know what?  Liang backed out of that meeting although I took a specific trip to NYC.  After that 

80-20 washed its hands of Liang's case.   We couldn't help anyone who didn't want our help.   

 

    This is a teachable moment.  A lot of people still don't want 80-20's help even today, EXCEPT when they are in real trouble. 80-20 is NOT that powerful. We can't jump in to help at the last moment, when the situation is really bad.   

 

   We still fervently hope that the other orgs. will be effective in helping Liang, because his convictions are drastically different from those from earlier trials involving police officers.   Liang will be sentenced in April, and one of his lawyers said that there could be an appeal.

 

   However, 80-20 is not prepared to help Peter Liang today.   People have to learn that their actions have consequences - a necessary step in our community's political maturity and self-empowerment movement.  

 

    Think long-term!  If someone could repeatedly refuse our help, and if 

80-20 still jumps in to help at the last moment, it'll set a bad precedent.