I’m giving a storytelling workshop and performing an excerpt of my “Amok” monologue, “All Pucked Up: A short history of the American Filipino,” at the Filipino American National Historical Society conference in New York City on June 24.
Read about it here, on my blog post on the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund site.
Also, I reflect on Vincent Chin, 34 years later.
Read the column on Remembering Vincent Chin.
But imagine what would happen if he really went radical and suggested that the women he thanked could be seen as equals to ordained priests?
Maybe he’s saving that for his second trip to America.
I’m still getting over the Pope’s Congressional speech and his reference to Dorothy Day of the Catholic worker movement, and Thomas Merton.
It indicates he’s serious about social justice by holding up Day as an example. And that he’s also hoping for more the openness and dialogue by pointing to Merton.
And delivering it all is the Pope in his soft spoken voice, alluring to all. There’s no “capitalism is the dung of the devil” rhetoric like he used in South America. But the message in the U.S. is both critical and loving at the same time.
Like a good, grandfatherly pastor. We sit back and listen with respect. And take it all to heart. And maybe going forward, we act.
As I wrote in my post ( http://aaldef.org/blog/amid-the-super-bowl-hype-randy-geners-story-is-more-typical-of-the-asian-american-immigrant-story.html ), I consider it still an open question if what happened to Randy Gener is considered a bias crime against the Filipino gay journalist.
The police think not. I say, hold on.
Hate crime or not, the family is of Gener is very gracious in this public statement issued on Jan. 29, 2014:
The family of Randy Gener would like to thank all of the people who have helped move along the investigation. We are thankful to the New York Police Department, particularly the Hate Crimes Task Force, for conducting a thorough and swift investigation. We are eternally grateful to the community (particularly the Filipino American and arts communities) for raising awareness about this incident, for showing solidarity and generosity through organizing vigils and events, and for creating a fund to support ongoing medical expenses. Finally, we are thankful for all who have benevolently offered their services, particularly the New York City Anti-Violence Project.
We are pleased and relieved that a suspect has finally been apprehended and trust that the NYPD and District Attorney will make all efforts to bring justice for Randy. At this time, we are focusing on Randy’s healing and moving forward together as a family.
Stephen Nisbet & Jessica Blair-Driessler
Nisbet is Gener’s husband. Blair-Driessler, Gener’s sister. It’s still unclear if their views have changed now that the police are saying it was not a hate crime.
In the meantime, a fundraising effort for Gener’s medical costs is located on this website:
http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/for-randy-gener/130589
CHECK OUT THE NEW HOME FOR THE AMOK COLUMN: www.aaldef.org/blog
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was his progressive use of hair color.
Now that was the kind of black he really could get into.
He also passed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, 25 years ago this month.
How can we forget it? Easy. Do you remember what the Act even did?
But Stop and Frisk policies will help jog your memory. Stop and Frisk is like the internment—without the housing.
Read my blog at the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund website.
