Howard University law professor Frank Wu debated the legal and historic impacts of affirmative action Wednesday night at Lesar Law Auditorium, saying that the fundamental issue of racial discrimination is not discussed in the United States.

As the only Chinese tenured faculty to serve at the historically black Howard University, Wu lectured for an hour about affirmative action to an audience of 40.

As part of Asian-American Awareness Month, Wu’s speech was sponsored by the United Asian American Council and American Asian Coalition of Psychology.

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He testified against legislation before the U.S. House of Representatives in 1997, which would had abolished affirmative action in federal government contracting. Wu debated affirmative action as a television guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show, MS-NBC and C-SPAN.

Wu said the public affirmative action debate should lead to pragmatic solutions for Asian-Americans as a culture that does not fit into traditional black-white racial debates. Ideally, Wu said, racial discrimination needs to be debated publicly, instead of affirmative action.

Let us not debate affirmative action. It’s a waste of time, said Wu. We need a dialogue. We need to start with racial discrimination, the real experiences and day to day lives of those affected.

Wu said there are direct and subtle discriminations toward Asian-Americans, but anyone would be foolish to make racial slurs publicly.

Lawsuits are hard, proving racism in the courts is hard, Wu said. Affirmative action puts people into unexpected roles.

Wu said affirmative action is not reverse discrimination, but an opportunity to see Asian faces in positions of political and social power. Absence of Asian-Americans in politics is an on-going condition because they are not associated with important government positions.

Paul Techo, a junior in pre-med psychology from Anna, said Asians are overlooked by public debate pertaining to racism. He said Americans see racism only as a black and white issue.

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There has been a lack of involvement in politics [by Asians] and making our voice heard, Techo said, but a lot of it has also been societal where the government sees it as a black and white issue.

Juari Clark, graduate assistant for student development multi-cultural programs and services, introduced Wu’s speech and said interracial dialogue is very important.

We first have to make the effort to have that dialogue and see that the action is taken to broaden our perspectives of race to make sure that we can make the changes that we would like to see in the country, Clark said.

Wu is Chinese and said his parents were Chinese in the 1950s, but became Chinese-Americans later, and ultimately Asian-Americans. Over time, Asian-Americans have fulfilled roles, Wu said, and by fulfilling stereotypes have become invisible in society.

On campus when a white student encounters an Asian student the conversation always concludes, So when are you going home?’ Wu said. In that context Asians aren’t talked about because we’re always going home.

Wu told audience members to challenge themselves by asking others to debate racial discrimination as a matter of principles.

Ask yourselves What is your vision of this country?’ Who’s in Congress and who’s in the Fortune 500 companies?’ Wu said. Then recognize that principles are at stake here, and be prepared to defend your viewpoint as a matter of principle.