On May 4, 2011, the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission held its
Annual Cultures & Communities Dinner at the Hilton Netherland Plaza in
downtown Cincinnati. At the dinner the following individuals were
recognized: Champions for Connecting Cultures & Communities:
Dianne Dunkelman, Bill Fee, and Marla Fuller; the CHRC Lifetime
Achievement Award: Marion & the late Donald Spencer; The Merlin
Pope, Jr, Leadership Diversity Award: Laura Brunner; The Bishop
Herbert Thompson, Jr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award: Ariel Miller.
On November 17, 1943, the Mayor’s Friendly Relations Committee
(MFRC) was created by resolution of Cincinnati City Council. The
resolution provided that the Mayor be authorized to appoint an
independent committee representing various racial, industrial,
religious, and other groups, for the purpose of studying the problems
connected with the promotion of harmony and tolerance, and acting as
an advisory committee for the solution of such problems. The
Committee, the second group of its type established in the United
States, was composed of 36 trustees appointed by the Mayor and about
150 citizens.
Annual Cultures & Communities Dinner at the Hilton Netherland Plaza in
downtown Cincinnati. At the dinner the following individuals were
recognized: Champions for Connecting Cultures & Communities:
Dianne Dunkelman, Bill Fee, and Marla Fuller; the CHRC Lifetime
Achievement Award: Marion & the late Donald Spencer; The Merlin
Pope, Jr, Leadership Diversity Award: Laura Brunner; The Bishop
Herbert Thompson, Jr. Distinguished Humanitarian Award: Ariel Miller.
On November 17, 1943, the Mayor’s Friendly Relations Committee
(MFRC) was created by resolution of Cincinnati City Council. The
resolution provided that the Mayor be authorized to appoint an
independent committee representing various racial, industrial,
religious, and other groups, for the purpose of studying the problems
connected with the promotion of harmony and tolerance, and acting as
an advisory committee for the solution of such problems. The
Committee, the second group of its type established in the United
States, was composed of 36 trustees appointed by the Mayor and about
150 citizens.
| TO RETURN TO FIRST PAGE NEWS, CLICK HERE CLICK TO GO TO >PAGE 1> >PAGE 2> >PAGE 3> >PAGE 4> >PAGE 5> >PAGE 6> >PAGE 7> >PAGE 8> >PAGE 9> >PAGE10> >PAGE11> >PAGE 12> >PAGE 13> >PAGE 14> >PAGE 15> >PAGE 16> Photocredit for this page: Charleston C. K. Wang |
THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR has gotten bigger - we are now on the air weekly on public radio WAIF-CINCINNATI 88.3 FM and our broadcast time has moved to prime-time THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR CELEBRATES 10 YEARS ON THE AIR Date of First Broadcast: 6/7/2001 THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR will continue to feature talk, and music, and other good things with a discernable slant towards Asian American affairs, immigration, and many other issues of interest to our community-at-large. THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR is produced and hosted by Charleston Wang with Mary Joan Reutter as co-host, together with our distinguished guests. So, tune in to THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR on WAIF-CINCINNATI 88.3 FM. every Monday 5-6 PM. Get the latest on the Asian American community in Cincinnati, the fast growing & mobile community in the Tri-state. After listening to the THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR, e-mail us direct feedback and thoughts by clicking here. If you or a friend wish to be a guest on THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR, please let us know. Tune in to THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR every Monday 5 - 6 PM on WAIF 88.3 FM Cincinnati on the air - Or on the internet streaming audio by clicking here, |
| THE ASIAN AMERICAN HOUR on WAIF 88.3 FM Cincinnati IS NOW A WEEKLY PRIME-TIME SHOW EVERY MONDAY EVENING 5 - 6 P.M. Informing the People of Cincinnati (and Beyond) since 6/7/2001. Listen via internet streaming audio by clicking here, CONTACT US AT asianamericanhour@wangnews.net |
| ARTHUREX DEBUTS ON YOUTUBE ORIGINAL AND COVER SONGS CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENJOY |
To read old "First Page News," click here
| Your breath is sweet. Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky. Your back is straight, your hair is smooth on the pillow where you lie. But I don't sense affection. No gratitude or love. Your loyalty is not to me but to the stars above. One more cup of coffee for the road. One more cup of coffee 'fore I go to the valley below. BOB DYLAN. |
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| Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety - Benjamin Franklin (1759). |
| To read "A Reflection of Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem from the Ground," click here. |
June 2011 Extra
For January 2011 Extra Click Here
For January 2011 Extra Click Here
For Upcoming Sunday
Seminars on Current Issues
at Christ Church Cathedral
in the City of Cincinnati
click here.
Seminars on Current Issues
at Christ Church Cathedral
in the City of Cincinnati
click here.
| WANGLAW Attorneys & Counselors at Law |
| To read "Confession of a Gentile in Jerusalem: The Paradox of the Five Sheklim Blessing," click here. |
CLICK HERE TO SEE
INDEX OF OP-EDS
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| From Left to Right - Charleston C. K. Wang, Esq., Professor Mary Ellen O'Connell & Dean Gordon A. Christenson, Emeritus University of Cincinnati College of Law |
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| BUSINESS MANNERS FOR SUCCESS BY MARJA WADE BARRETT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL SHOP AT 318 E. 4th STREET (4th & SYCAMORE) Pick up your copy by visiting the shop on location or via the internet. For more information, please, click here. |
| To view Pilgrimage to Bethlehem, Birthplace of Jesus, click here. |
| Michelle Alexander, Author of "The New Jim Crow" |
| Shown in photo above are from left to right- Robert Harris, incoming Chair of Cincinnati Human Relations Commission (CHRC), Author & Attorney Michelle Alexander, Charleston C. K. Wang, Commissioner CHRC, Judge Nadine Allen, Court of Common Pleas of Hamilton County, Ohio, and Judge-Elect Tracie Hunter, Juvenile Court of Hamilton County, Ohio. Date: 11/18/2010 in Cincinnati Council Chambers. |
| I first heard Michelle Alexander speak at the Cincinnati Human Relations Summit in 2010. Then over the holidays, I finished reading her book "The New Jim Crow - Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness." I got a message of hope from reading Ms. Alexander because by going through the discomfort of recognizing the disparity along racial lines in the administration of criminal justice across America, particular in conviction, sentencing and incarceration, we can move towards redress of the disparity. The need to re-enfranchise those who have completed their sentences take on particular urgency and this should become the hope of all Americans because we all have needed a second chance during some point of our lives. To read the Book Review by Michelle L. Watts, Ph.D. on "The New Jim Crow," click here. |
| VOLUNTEER PHYSICIANS OF MERCY CARE CLINIC: From Left to Right: DR. TARIQ SULTAN, DR. NEMAT MOUSSAVIAN, DR. DAN ROTH |
| To view "Herodion: A Fortress During the Gospels," click here. |
| To read "The Wilderness of Abraham, Jesus & Israel- Palestine," click here. |
| To view "In Search of the Messianic Secret - Caesarea Phillipi," click here. |
| To view "The Call for Simon Peter, Fisherman," click here. |
| To read "Descending to the Dead Sea and Ascending to Qumran," click here. |
| To read "Jury for Jericho," click here. |
Thumbnail Photo on right above: The 2011 recipient of the Charleston & Shirley Wang
Scholarship is Eunsol Jeon. Ms Jeon is a dedicated student and a warm, caring young woman.
A member of the Japanese Club and Art Club during her years at Sycamore, Eunsol is active in
her church and has worked as a volunteer at Bethesda Hospital. She ultimately wants to work
with animals. As a first step toward that end, she intends to major in biology in college. The
Charleston & Shirley Wang Scholarship is awarded to the outstanding graduate of Sycamore
High School, Montgomery, Ohio who had attended English as a Second Language at Sycamore
High or Junior High.
Scholarship is Eunsol Jeon. Ms Jeon is a dedicated student and a warm, caring young woman.
A member of the Japanese Club and Art Club during her years at Sycamore, Eunsol is active in
her church and has worked as a volunteer at Bethesda Hospital. She ultimately wants to work
with animals. As a first step toward that end, she intends to major in biology in college. The
Charleston & Shirley Wang Scholarship is awarded to the outstanding graduate of Sycamore
High School, Montgomery, Ohio who had attended English as a Second Language at Sycamore
High or Junior High.
Bam!
Reflection on Life In the Turn Lane
Beverly Jones
May 28, 2011
Something dramatic is happening. Not an earthquake nor a tornado, but with potentially wider
consequences. Our paradigms may be shifting!
Just as our view of earth from space redefined how we thought about our lives on the planet,
our expanding electronic communications seem to be turning our professed ideals into reality.
Presto-change-o: freedom, independence and justice have leapt off the parchment paper of our
founding documents to re-appear in our everyday language; what’s more, we seem to care more
about each other.
At least that’s what I hear in all this talk about justice, individual rights, democracy around the
globe and even in our home-grown Medicare debate. Once again, rather than take the pundits’
selective reporting, I read Barack Obama’s speech to Great Britain’s Parliament and found this
description of our two nations’ journey:
“…through the struggles of slaves and immigrants, women and ethnic minorities, former
colonies and persecuted religions, we have learned better than most that the longing for
freedom and human dignity is not English or American or Western –- it is universal, and it beats
in every heart.”
Sure, we’ve been hearing about freedom and dignity for centuries, but ‘universal’?, ‘in every
heart’? As a basis for policy? Somehow, this time it sounds truer to me. I hope it’s not just
because I wish it to be so.
Which brings me to the ideas of prophecy and prophets. Or in Dreyfus and Kelly’s language1:
reconfiguring and articulators - the people and events that profoundly change the way we all see
ourselves. Our country became a country because of our ideals– but, now I sense they are
finally being nudged open to include all of us, not just the elites or the racially pure, not
because of a war, but simply because we’re human. It seems to be The Time and Barack Obama,
president of a powerful nation, includes these ideas in every major speech.
“We [Britain & U.S.]should help the hungry to feed themselves, the doctors who care for the
sick. We should support countries that confront corruption, and allow their people to innovate.
And we should advance the truth that nations prosper when they allow women and girls to reach
their full potential.”2
The thing about prophecy – reconfiguring - is that the majority of people who hear the message
do not understand it for a long time and then, bam, enough do so we can see actual change.
Martin Luther King, Jr and the civil rights revolution are a case in point. It’s almost unbelievable
there was a time when it wasn’t like it is now for people of color…or women.
As I recall even the Disciples didn’t “get” what Jesus was about, let alone the average person of
that time. We’ve been 2000+ years trying to “get it”:
“The compassion of God is an inclusive compassion, embracing the selfish and the unselfish,
the just and the unjust.”3
Now I hear that bullying and discrimination against homosexual orientation are “out” in the
competitive sports world! A professional football player, interviewed on NPR, explained the
differences now and described how locker-room language is changing: the idea that a gay
person “is my brother”, that bullying is bullying and is not acceptable, are becoming the norm.
And then there are attitudes re heterosexual exploits, with and without children. A piece4 in this
week’s New Yorker describes a party in Paris of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s social equals and
acquaintances, “…the handful who knew him were the most convincing about his (S.K’s) history
as an aggressive and incessant groper of women.”
Their reaction to his arrest and accusations had gone from disbelief to elaborated acceptance.
Philosopher Pascal Bruckner said of Strauss-Kahn, “He wasn’t a womanizer – he was sick. “
Others agreed and spoke of him in the past tense. Ditto Arnold, John Edwards and, maybe, even
beloved Tiger?
I don’t know anything about Strauss-Kahn’s childhood, but, I suspect something was missing.
Like the stability, acceptance, support – love – that tend to create responsible, loving adults.
Young Bradley Manning, accused of leaking government files to Wikileaks, now sits in solitary
confinement awaiting trial.. His life5 proves that rejection for his sexual orientation, lack of
friends and support probably contributed to his poor social judgment. Certainly a lot has been
missing in his life. I pray that our paradigms shift enough so that we can take better care of each
other than our society has for this young man.
We’re learning; ruined lives teach us; an Arab Spring teaches us. Our President tries to match
our ideals and words to our actions.
“[The source of American and British influence] has been the values that we must never waver
in defending around the world -- the idea that all beings are endowed by our Creator with certain
rights that cannot be denied.”
One day soon we’ll “get it”. © Beverly Jones 2011. Do Good. Together.
1. All Things Shining, Hubert Dreyfus, Sean Kelly
2. President Obama’s speech to Parliament: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/25/remarks-president-
parliament-london-united-kingdom
3.. Marcus Borg, Conflict, Holiness and Politics in the Teachings of Jesus.
4. “Paris Postcard: Strauss-Kahnikov”, New Yorker, 5-30-11 5. PBS Frontline documentary of Bradley Manning: http:
//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/
Reflection on Life In the Turn Lane
Beverly Jones
May 28, 2011
Something dramatic is happening. Not an earthquake nor a tornado, but with potentially wider
consequences. Our paradigms may be shifting!
Just as our view of earth from space redefined how we thought about our lives on the planet,
our expanding electronic communications seem to be turning our professed ideals into reality.
Presto-change-o: freedom, independence and justice have leapt off the parchment paper of our
founding documents to re-appear in our everyday language; what’s more, we seem to care more
about each other.
At least that’s what I hear in all this talk about justice, individual rights, democracy around the
globe and even in our home-grown Medicare debate. Once again, rather than take the pundits’
selective reporting, I read Barack Obama’s speech to Great Britain’s Parliament and found this
description of our two nations’ journey:
“…through the struggles of slaves and immigrants, women and ethnic minorities, former
colonies and persecuted religions, we have learned better than most that the longing for
freedom and human dignity is not English or American or Western –- it is universal, and it beats
in every heart.”
Sure, we’ve been hearing about freedom and dignity for centuries, but ‘universal’?, ‘in every
heart’? As a basis for policy? Somehow, this time it sounds truer to me. I hope it’s not just
because I wish it to be so.
Which brings me to the ideas of prophecy and prophets. Or in Dreyfus and Kelly’s language1:
reconfiguring and articulators - the people and events that profoundly change the way we all see
ourselves. Our country became a country because of our ideals– but, now I sense they are
finally being nudged open to include all of us, not just the elites or the racially pure, not
because of a war, but simply because we’re human. It seems to be The Time and Barack Obama,
president of a powerful nation, includes these ideas in every major speech.
“We [Britain & U.S.]should help the hungry to feed themselves, the doctors who care for the
sick. We should support countries that confront corruption, and allow their people to innovate.
And we should advance the truth that nations prosper when they allow women and girls to reach
their full potential.”2
The thing about prophecy – reconfiguring - is that the majority of people who hear the message
do not understand it for a long time and then, bam, enough do so we can see actual change.
Martin Luther King, Jr and the civil rights revolution are a case in point. It’s almost unbelievable
there was a time when it wasn’t like it is now for people of color…or women.
As I recall even the Disciples didn’t “get” what Jesus was about, let alone the average person of
that time. We’ve been 2000+ years trying to “get it”:
“The compassion of God is an inclusive compassion, embracing the selfish and the unselfish,
the just and the unjust.”3
Now I hear that bullying and discrimination against homosexual orientation are “out” in the
competitive sports world! A professional football player, interviewed on NPR, explained the
differences now and described how locker-room language is changing: the idea that a gay
person “is my brother”, that bullying is bullying and is not acceptable, are becoming the norm.
And then there are attitudes re heterosexual exploits, with and without children. A piece4 in this
week’s New Yorker describes a party in Paris of Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s social equals and
acquaintances, “…the handful who knew him were the most convincing about his (S.K’s) history
as an aggressive and incessant groper of women.”
Their reaction to his arrest and accusations had gone from disbelief to elaborated acceptance.
Philosopher Pascal Bruckner said of Strauss-Kahn, “He wasn’t a womanizer – he was sick. “
Others agreed and spoke of him in the past tense. Ditto Arnold, John Edwards and, maybe, even
beloved Tiger?
I don’t know anything about Strauss-Kahn’s childhood, but, I suspect something was missing.
Like the stability, acceptance, support – love – that tend to create responsible, loving adults.
Young Bradley Manning, accused of leaking government files to Wikileaks, now sits in solitary
confinement awaiting trial.. His life5 proves that rejection for his sexual orientation, lack of
friends and support probably contributed to his poor social judgment. Certainly a lot has been
missing in his life. I pray that our paradigms shift enough so that we can take better care of each
other than our society has for this young man.
We’re learning; ruined lives teach us; an Arab Spring teaches us. Our President tries to match
our ideals and words to our actions.
“[The source of American and British influence] has been the values that we must never waver
in defending around the world -- the idea that all beings are endowed by our Creator with certain
rights that cannot be denied.”
One day soon we’ll “get it”. © Beverly Jones 2011. Do Good. Together.
1. All Things Shining, Hubert Dreyfus, Sean Kelly
2. President Obama’s speech to Parliament: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/05/25/remarks-president-
parliament-london-united-kingdom
3.. Marcus Borg, Conflict, Holiness and Politics in the Teachings of Jesus.
4. “Paris Postcard: Strauss-Kahnikov”, New Yorker, 5-30-11 5. PBS Frontline documentary of Bradley Manning: http:
//www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/
HAPPY 75th, BOB BEIRING!
| Editor's Note His Name is Obama Not Osama Race and perception of race is a very funny thing indeed. Why do people insist on calling Barack Obama black when he is white. Why is he African American when he is Irish American as he clearly claimed himself during his visit to his ancestral home of Moneygall, Ireland. Why do some people still believe that Obama is Muslim when he has said himself that he is Christian (maybe they really wish he was Osama). For Barak Obama, he has through his own effort and our majority support of his effort, become beyond all this hair splitting and petty differentiation. For you see, Mr. Barack Obama is our president. He is the President of the United States of America. This is what the USA is all about*, is it not, friends? Charleston C K Wang *Where people are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. |
| MEMORIAL DAY 2011 IN SILVERTON, OHIO, USA |
| 5000 CLUB OF CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL IN HUNGER WALK ON MEMORIAL DAY, 2011, SAWYER POINT, CINCINNATI, OHIO |
| TASTE OF CINCINNATI May 28-30, 2011 |
| RAISE HIGH THE GOSPEL OF THE RISEN LORD EASTER 2011, AT CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL |
| THE CHARLESTON & SHIRLEY WANG SCHOLARSHIP AT SYCAMORE HIGH SCHOOL RECOGNITION NIGHT MAY 26, 2011 |
| To view "The Empty Tombs," click here. |
| ARIEL MILLER RECEIVES THE BISHOP HERBERT THOMPSON, JR. DISTINGUISHED HUMANITARIAN AWARD OF THE CINCINNATI HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION. CHRC Commissioner Bertin Ondjaa, Bishop Tom Breidenthal and Ariel Miller |
Ariel Miller & CHRC Commissioner
Charleston C. K. Wang
Charleston C. K. Wang
After much transition and several years
of struggle over the reorganization of the
MFRC, an agreement was reached on
March 17, 1965, and City Council adopted
Ordinance 112-1965 providing for the
establishment of the Cincinnati Human
Relations Commission (CHRC).
of struggle over the reorganization of the
MFRC, an agreement was reached on
March 17, 1965, and City Council adopted
Ordinance 112-1965 providing for the
establishment of the Cincinnati Human
Relations Commission (CHRC).
Ms. Marian Spencer
CHRC has continually been a springboard and resource to other human
relations related groups such as the Urban Appalachian Council, Martin
Luther King, Jr. Coalition, community and resident councils, and individual
citizens. CHRC, a trouble-shooter for human rights issues, continues to
operate under a City ordinance as an independent, non-profit
organization. CHRC serves as a catalyst to unify individuals and groups to
improve human relations in the Greater Cincinnati area. For more
information on the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, click here.
relations related groups such as the Urban Appalachian Council, Martin
Luther King, Jr. Coalition, community and resident councils, and individual
citizens. CHRC, a trouble-shooter for human rights issues, continues to
operate under a City ordinance as an independent, non-profit
organization. CHRC serves as a catalyst to unify individuals and groups to
improve human relations in the Greater Cincinnati area. For more
information on the Cincinnati Human Relations Commission, click here.
CHRC Cultures & Communities
Dinner
Dinner
WASHINGTON, DC – The 1882 Project applauds the bipartisan introductions of H. Res. 282 and S. Res. 201,
expressing regret for the passage of discriminatory laws against the Chinese in America, including the Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1882. The passage of this Act marked the first time in our nation’s history that Congress
expressly singled out a group of immigrants for denial of citizenship rights.
“The 1882 Project deeply appreciates the leadership and commitment from the resolutions’ cosponsors and will
work tirelessly to help Congress pass these resolutions,” said Michael Lin, Chair of the 1882 Project Steering
Committee. “We are dedicated to educating the American public on the discriminatory effects that the Chinese
Exclusion Laws had on other Asian Pacific American communities in the years following the Chinese Exclusion Act
of 1882 and of their significance to all Americans.”
The resolutions address a series of legislative measures passed between 1879 and 1904 that severely restricted
the immigration of Chinese persons to the United States and violated the civil rights of Chinese immigrants already
living in America. H. Res. 282 was introduced byRepresentatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Mike
Coffman (R-CO), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and S. Res. 201 was introduced by Senators Scott Brown (R-MA),
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Daniel
Akaka (D-HI).
“It is long overdue that Congress officially acknowledges these ugly laws, and expresses the sincere regret that
Chinese Americans deserve,” said Rep. Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC),
in a national press conference announcing the introduction of the House resolution. “The last generation of
settlers impacted by this legislation are leaving us, giving Congress a short window to make amends to those who
were directly affected.”
While the laws were repealed in 1943 in order to strengthen the alliance between the United States and China
during World War II, Congress has never formally acknowledged or expressed regret for the pain and suffering
endured by Chinese immigrants as a result of the discriminatory laws. In addition to finally providing such
acknowledgment, H. Res. 282 and S. Res. 201 recognize the significant contributions of Chinese Americans to the
growth and success of the United States.
Rep. Chu was joined by fellow House cosponsors Reps. Biggert and Coffman in a press conference that closed out
Asian Pacific American Heritage month on Capitol Hill. The press conference also included in attendance
grassroots constituents and national Asian Pacific American community leaders.
“America’s strength has always derived from the principles of our founders and our ongoing struggle to live up to
those ideals,” said Rep. Biggert
Rep. Coffman added that the resolution represented “an important step in acknowledging a great injustice in
American history when Congress, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, enacted a series of discriminatory
measures against Chinese Americans that not only limited their rights but denied them citizenship.”
The Senate companion resolution was also filed on Thursday 5/26/11 by lead cosponsors Senators Brown and
Feinstein.
“Today we take a step toward expressing regret over an unfortunate period in U.S. history when Chinese
immigrants were discriminated against because of their race,” said Sen. Brown. “Chinese Americans have been a
critical component of our national fabric and have contributed to our country in so many ways. This resolution
expresses our nation’s gratitude for their contributions.”
Sen. Feinstein remarked that “[t]he enactment of Chinese exclusionary laws is a shameful part of our history that
must not be forgotten. I hope this resolution will serve to inform those who may not be aware of this regrettable
chapter in our history, and bring closure to the families of immigrants who lived through this difficult time.”
###
The 1882 Project is a nonpartisan, grassroots effort spearheaded by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, the
Committee of 100, the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Council of Chinese Americans, and OCA.
The Project’s larger mission is to educate the American public about the history and consequences of the Chinese
Exclusion Laws, their extended impact on persons of Asian descent, and their continuing significance for all
Americans. For more information on the 1882 Project, please visit www.1882project.org. To read additonal
reasons why an Apology is important today, click here.
expressing regret for the passage of discriminatory laws against the Chinese in America, including the Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1882. The passage of this Act marked the first time in our nation’s history that Congress
expressly singled out a group of immigrants for denial of citizenship rights.
“The 1882 Project deeply appreciates the leadership and commitment from the resolutions’ cosponsors and will
work tirelessly to help Congress pass these resolutions,” said Michael Lin, Chair of the 1882 Project Steering
Committee. “We are dedicated to educating the American public on the discriminatory effects that the Chinese
Exclusion Laws had on other Asian Pacific American communities in the years following the Chinese Exclusion Act
of 1882 and of their significance to all Americans.”
The resolutions address a series of legislative measures passed between 1879 and 1904 that severely restricted
the immigration of Chinese persons to the United States and violated the civil rights of Chinese immigrants already
living in America. H. Res. 282 was introduced byRepresentatives Judy Chu (D-CA), Judy Biggert (R-IL), Mike
Coffman (R-CO), and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and S. Res. 201 was introduced by Senators Scott Brown (R-MA),
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Daniel
Akaka (D-HI).
“It is long overdue that Congress officially acknowledges these ugly laws, and expresses the sincere regret that
Chinese Americans deserve,” said Rep. Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC),
in a national press conference announcing the introduction of the House resolution. “The last generation of
settlers impacted by this legislation are leaving us, giving Congress a short window to make amends to those who
were directly affected.”
While the laws were repealed in 1943 in order to strengthen the alliance between the United States and China
during World War II, Congress has never formally acknowledged or expressed regret for the pain and suffering
endured by Chinese immigrants as a result of the discriminatory laws. In addition to finally providing such
acknowledgment, H. Res. 282 and S. Res. 201 recognize the significant contributions of Chinese Americans to the
growth and success of the United States.
Rep. Chu was joined by fellow House cosponsors Reps. Biggert and Coffman in a press conference that closed out
Asian Pacific American Heritage month on Capitol Hill. The press conference also included in attendance
grassroots constituents and national Asian Pacific American community leaders.
“America’s strength has always derived from the principles of our founders and our ongoing struggle to live up to
those ideals,” said Rep. Biggert
Rep. Coffman added that the resolution represented “an important step in acknowledging a great injustice in
American history when Congress, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, enacted a series of discriminatory
measures against Chinese Americans that not only limited their rights but denied them citizenship.”
The Senate companion resolution was also filed on Thursday 5/26/11 by lead cosponsors Senators Brown and
Feinstein.
“Today we take a step toward expressing regret over an unfortunate period in U.S. history when Chinese
immigrants were discriminated against because of their race,” said Sen. Brown. “Chinese Americans have been a
critical component of our national fabric and have contributed to our country in so many ways. This resolution
expresses our nation’s gratitude for their contributions.”
Sen. Feinstein remarked that “[t]he enactment of Chinese exclusionary laws is a shameful part of our history that
must not be forgotten. I hope this resolution will serve to inform those who may not be aware of this regrettable
chapter in our history, and bring closure to the families of immigrants who lived through this difficult time.”
###
The 1882 Project is a nonpartisan, grassroots effort spearheaded by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, the
Committee of 100, the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Council of Chinese Americans, and OCA.
The Project’s larger mission is to educate the American public about the history and consequences of the Chinese
Exclusion Laws, their extended impact on persons of Asian descent, and their continuing significance for all
Americans. For more information on the 1882 Project, please visit www.1882project.org. To read additonal
reasons why an Apology is important today, click here.
| 1882 PROJECT APPLAUDS THE INTRODUCTION OF CONGRESSIONAL RESOLUTIONS ADDRESSING CHINESE EXCLUSION LAWS |
| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE COMPLETE PHOTONEWS ON MEMIORIAL DAY 2011 |
| CLICK ON PHOTO TO SEE COMPLETE PHOTONEWS ON TASTE OF CINCINNATI 2011 |
Defend Our 14th Amendment – Child of Steel and Fire
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution came into existence on July 9, 1868, only after
the end of the Civil War – a child born of trial by fire and steel. Section One begins with the Citizenship
Clause which provides that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The purpose of
the Citizenship Clause was to reverse the ignominy of Dred Scott v. Sanford , an 1857 decision of the United
States Supreme Court which barred African Americans from becoming citizens of the land in which they
were born, a decision that affirmed the institution of slavery, a decision that led to war. Slavery was
profitable because the children of those enslaved were automatically the property of the slave-owner and
never a free citizen of the Nation into which they were born, never to be protected by the Constitution and
the laws of the land.
To emasculate the 14th Amendment of its Citizenship Clause is to take a step backwards into the time when
slavery marred the humanity of this land and the fairness of our politics. It is to disrespect all those who
gave their lives to end the institution of slavery and of Jim Crow. Furthermore, to take out the Citizenship
Clause is to endanger the remaining Clauses of the Section - the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses
as they are to be applied in the several States: “Nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws.” Chinese Americans may take pride in the fact that Wong Kim Ark challenged the Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1882 that sought to deprive persons born in the United States of Chinese parents their
right to natural born citizenship and won a decision from the U S Supreme Court (U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, 1898)
upholding the born- in-the-USA Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. In 1954, the Equal Protection
Clause became the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education (1954), a decision of the Supreme Court
which called for an end to racial segregation all across these United States.
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution came into existence on July 9, 1868, only after
the end of the Civil War – a child born of trial by fire and steel. Section One begins with the Citizenship
Clause which provides that “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The purpose of
the Citizenship Clause was to reverse the ignominy of Dred Scott v. Sanford , an 1857 decision of the United
States Supreme Court which barred African Americans from becoming citizens of the land in which they
were born, a decision that affirmed the institution of slavery, a decision that led to war. Slavery was
profitable because the children of those enslaved were automatically the property of the slave-owner and
never a free citizen of the Nation into which they were born, never to be protected by the Constitution and
the laws of the land.
To emasculate the 14th Amendment of its Citizenship Clause is to take a step backwards into the time when
slavery marred the humanity of this land and the fairness of our politics. It is to disrespect all those who
gave their lives to end the institution of slavery and of Jim Crow. Furthermore, to take out the Citizenship
Clause is to endanger the remaining Clauses of the Section - the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses
as they are to be applied in the several States: “Nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of
the laws.” Chinese Americans may take pride in the fact that Wong Kim Ark challenged the Chinese
Exclusion Act of 1882 that sought to deprive persons born in the United States of Chinese parents their
right to natural born citizenship and won a decision from the U S Supreme Court (U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, 1898)
upholding the born- in-the-USA Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment. In 1954, the Equal Protection
Clause became the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education (1954), a decision of the Supreme Court
which called for an end to racial segregation all across these United States.
Does the fact that these Clauses protect all “persons” who are “within the jurisdiction” of a state within the Union cause offense to anyone? This ideal is a vital
cornerstone of the majesty of American law, a beacon of hope and a guiding example to all Nations of the world. It is a shining light proclaiming that our laws apply
fairly and equally to all who live within our borders, without regard to our status but just because we are vulnerable human beings deserving of and entitled to due
process and equal protection of our laws. This I believe was the dream deep in the hearts and souls of those who wrote the Constitution, as amended, and of the
many more who fought to defend it.
An opinion by Charleston C. K. Wang, Memorial Day 5/30/2011
cornerstone of the majesty of American law, a beacon of hope and a guiding example to all Nations of the world. It is a shining light proclaiming that our laws apply
fairly and equally to all who live within our borders, without regard to our status but just because we are vulnerable human beings deserving of and entitled to due
process and equal protection of our laws. This I believe was the dream deep in the hearts and souls of those who wrote the Constitution, as amended, and of the
many more who fought to defend it.
An opinion by Charleston C. K. Wang, Memorial Day 5/30/2011
ICONS IN TRANSFORMATION by acclaimed abstract expressionist Ludmila Pawlowska At Christ Church Cathedral until June 24, 2011 The work of the expatriate Russian now living in Sweden is deeply influenced by traditional Eastern Orthodox icons. It's "highly original, in-your-face abstract art with a deeply spiritual feel," says Mike Phillips, who is co-chairing the Cincinnati event with Priscilla Dunn, both members of the cathedral. There are as many as 180 pieces of Pawlowska's work, plus a collection of 24 traditional icons made by contemporary artists at monasteries in Russia. A portion of sales of any art and voluntary donations will go to the YWCA for a program that benefits girls who are at-risk. For more information, click here. |
Photo courtesy of Priscilla Dunn