Emil Guillermo talks with Prof. Daniel Phil Gonzales about the fear post-Atlanta, what we call ourselves, Filipino American attitudes, Rob Bonta’s politics, Asian American history, Harvard KKK, and more.
Catch Emil Amok’s storytime on Facebook on Friday, April 2, 4pm Pacific, 7pm Eastern. It’s Live. He’ll tell a story from his “Amok Monologues,” and be joined by members of the Asian American Storytellers In Unity. Listen, learn Friday April 2
We talk about the op-ed column that appeared in the New York Times and take apart its argument that the Atlanta killings were not hate crimes. They certainly were more than a coincidence. Yes, they were hate crimes.
It’s been frustrating to see the Atlanta story unfold, and harder still to see America and the mainstream media finally catch up to what Asian Americans have known and felt for a year. The community was alarmed when Trump first uttered the slur “Kung Flu,” or mocked Asians by scrunching his face and bucking his teeth while saying “CHY-na Virus.”
When the leader of the free-world models racism, his mignons and followers listened. There are now nearly 4,000 instances of anti-Asian hate. We didn’t need Atlanta to know that, but it seems like the rest of the country did.
Ishmael Reed is a novelist, poet, social critic, and playwright. His new play is about painter Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life under the thumb of Andy Warhol and the New York Art scene. “The Slave Who Loved Caviar,” is having a reading over live stream this Saturday and Sunday at 7p EDT. Go to nuyorican.org to get your free link.
Go deep into the interview about 23 minutes in to hear him discuss the Atlanta shootings, anti-Asian violence, America’s caste system, and other topics.
