Activism

The War of Modern Life in America

As we come out of Memorial Day, let’s not forget the victims of all our “other wars.”

Published

3 years ago

June 3, 2021

Mia Lane

Photo by Jason Leung

I don’t want to diminish the memory of those who fought in our military wars. They deserve Memorial Day.

But perhaps post-Memorial Day, we should take a moment to remember those who died in our other “American wars.”

Like the American Covid war, which as of Tuesday, stands at more than 594,201 deaths—more than any U.S. war since the Civil War.

Clearly the fight against Covid was a failure from the start, only coming into a better sense of control with a new administration’s no-nonsense, more scientific approach.

I thought about all that during a memorial tribute on Sunday to Corky Lee, the Asian American photographer who made it his life mission to document AAPI lives.

It was an event I was honored to have emceed.

While some people tried to get back to normal over the weekend, I was on Zoom with about 300 others celebrating my friend Corky, who died of Covid on Jan. 27. On that day, he was one of 4,101 to die of Covid in our country, making the total number back then around 429,000 deaths. In four months, the number of deaths has increased by nearly 30 percent.

That’s now considered “acceptable.”

It shouldn’t be.

The other war we must consider is the one we saw last week.

SAN JOSE-VTA RAMPAGE

Paul Megia, 42, would have been driving back home from Disneyland right now after celebrating the middle school graduation of one of his three children.

Instead, the family is in mourning. Megia, a Filipino immigrant, died in another mass shooting in America, this one in San Jose at the Valley Transit Authority..

The deaths from gun violence in our country have become so routine we hardly pay attention to them– unless they are “mass shootings.” Even then, there are so many that some only get cursory news coverage. (More than 239 as of May 31, according to the Gun Violence Archive).

But the ones covered are usually carried out by a gunman, a man on a mission, armed with a military assault weapon, and since March, a surprising number of Asian Americans were killed.

In Atlanta on March 16, six of the eight were Korean Americans.

In Indianapolis on April 16, four of the eight victims were Sikh Americans.

In San Jose, on May 26, nine innocent lives were lost in the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the Bay Area.

Two of the nine were Asian American. Taptejdeep Singh, 36, a Sikh American, was seen as a hero–, in the final moments of his life, he alerted others about the gunman. And then there was Megia, who immigrated to America from the Philippines as a toddler and found his American Dream working his way up the ranks from bus operator to assistant superintendent.

By my count, that’s 12 Asian American deaths in the three most publicized mass shootings since March.

The San Jose gunman, Samuel Cassidy, had three semi-automatic handguns, 32 high-capacity magazines, and fired 39 shots, as he went from building to building militaristically, killing some people, passing over others. Cassidy was known as a disgruntled employee since 2016 when he was stopped upon re-entering the country after a visit from the Philippines. DHS found books and notes about terror and violence, and how he hated the VTA.

This is modern life in America, where people like Megia and Singh can go to work with no guarantee of returning home.

As we come out of Memorial Day, let’s not forget the victims of all our “other wars.”

And mind you, I’m not even counting police-related shootings and incidents which make up its own category of shame.

Political folks must have the courage to acknowledge and deal with these “other wars” within our modern America that cost real lives and cause real pain. They will when we do.

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He vlogs at www.amok.com FaceBook@ emilguillermo.media Twitter@emilamok

Mia Lane

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

7 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”

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WOMEN IMPACTING THE CHURCH AND COMMUNITY

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Juanita Matthews

Sister Juanita Matthews

55 Years with Oakland Public School District

The Teacher, Mother, Community Outreach Champion, And Child of God

Juanita Matthews, better known as “Sister Teacher,” is a walking Bible scholar. She moved to California from the great state of Arkansas in 1971. Sister Teacher has a passion for teaching. She has been a member of Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church since 1971. She followed her passion for teaching, and in 1977 became the lead teacher for Adult Class #6. Her motto still today is “Once My Student, Always My Student”.

Beyond her remarkable love for the Lord, Sister Teacher has showcased her love for teaching by working for the Oakland Unified School District for 55 years, all but four of those years spent at Emerson Elementary and Child Development School. She truly cares about her students, making sure they have the tools/supplies needed to learn either at OUSD or Bible Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.

She’s also had a “Clothes Closet Ministry” for 51 years, making sure her students have sufficient clothing for school. The Clothes Closet Ministry extends past her students, she has been clothing the community for over 50 years as well. She loves the Lord and is a servant on a mission. She is a loving mother to two beautiful children, Sandra and Andre. This is the impact this woman of God has on her church and the community.