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

4 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 December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 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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‘Donald Trump Is Not a God:’ Rep. Bennie Thompson Blasts Trump’s Call to Jail Him

“Donald Trump is not a god,” U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Congressman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. Courtesy photo.

By Post Staff

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., said he not intimidated by President-elect Donald Trump, who, during an interview on “Meet the Press,” called for the congressman to be jailed for his role as chairman of the special congressional committee investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“Donald Trump is not a god,” Thompson told The Grio during a recent interview, reacting to Trump’s unsupported claims that the congressman, along with other committee members like vice chair and former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, destroyed evidence throughout the investigation.

“He can’t prove it, nor has there been any other proof offered, which tells me that he really doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said the 76-year-old lawmaker, who maintained that he and the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee – which referred Trump for criminal prosecution – were exercising their constitutional and legislative duties.

“When someone disagrees with you, that doesn’t make it illegal; that doesn’t even make it wrong,” Thompson said, “The greatness of this country is that everyone can have their own opinion about any subject, and so for an incoming president who disagrees with the work of Congress to say ‘because I disagree, I want them jailed,’ is absolutely unbelievable.”

When asked by The Grio if he is concerned about his physical safety amid continued public ridicule from Trump, whose supporters have already proven to be violent, Thompson said, “I think every member of Congress here has to have some degree of concern, because you just never know.”

This story is based on a report from The Grio.

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org