High Points from The Great State of Texas: State Rep. Betty Brown Follows the Grand Tradition of Ma Ferguson

Ma Ferguson was alleged to have said something like, "If English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for the children of Texas". Turns out that the phrase is apocryphal, but Texas State Representative Betty Brown (R-Terrell), was recorded as saying to Ramey Ko

"Well, rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese, as I understand, it's a rather difficult language," said Brown. "Do you think it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?"

Listen to the whole thing below the fold.

Brown is answering tough questions after an exchange between herself and Ramey Ko, a man who testified against the Voter ID bill before the House Elections committee.

Ko told lawmakers that Asian-Americans that live in states that required a photo ID at the polls were being denied the right to vote because the name on their identification card and the name on the voter rolls sometimes did not match.

"Chinese, Japanese and Korean names are not written with the English alphabet and frequently have multiple parts," said Ko. "When they transliterate these names, there are frequently inconsistencies."

Apparently, not fully understanding the problem, Brown offered up a suggestion that inspired gasps throughout the hearing room.

"Well, rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese, as I understand, it's a rather difficult language," said Brown. "Do you think it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?"

When Ko told her how changing names is actually the problem instead of the solution, Brown tried to explain the reasoning behind her suggestion.

"This is something that would make it a lot easier both for you and poll workers if there was some name you could adopt just for these identification purposes that would be easier for Americans to deal with," said Brown.

Ko was actually not surprised by the remarks.

"It just shows the stereotypes Asians face as a relatively small and new ethnic minority in the United States," said Ko.