Musings

(In view of the globalization of hate violence in the wake of the recent mass murders in New Zealand, following are updated musings from my September 2017 blog.) Filipinos should condemn the hate, bigotry, and racism spewed by the forces of white supremacy beginning in Charlottesville VA in 2017, more recently by the murder of 11 Jews in Pittsburgh, the aborted mailing of explosive devices to Democratic leaders by a Filipino American resident of Florida, and the burning of three black churches in Louisiana. But I am appalled at the support some Filipino Americans give to these hate mongers as well as to leaders in Washington, D.C. that give credence to their movement.  In my day, we called such Filipinos “Coconuts” – brown on the outside but white on the inside. “Coconuts” are alive and well today.  As a proud 88-year-old Bridge Generation Filipino American, I have personally lived through the years before civil rights protections and affirmative action.  But even these legal remedies have not significantly reduced the hate which has a long history in America. We must not forget the history of hate in America.  We must not forget that the  Civil War was fought over slavery.  We must not forget that members of the Confederacy of America were not heroes but were, in actuality, rebels and treasonists.  We must not forget that the rise of hate following Reconstruction during the late 1800s saw the growth of segregation and the Ku Klux Klan. We must not forget that widespread lynchings of African Americans came when there was tacit support from the mid-1920s presidency of Woodrow Wilson when he filled his administration with racial segregationists. We must not forget that the murder of a Filipino farm worker, Fermin Tobera, by a white mob came during the “lynching era” of the 1920s.  Finally, we must not forget the August 1999 murder of Filipino American postal worker Joseph Ileto by a white supremacist.  Today, we are witnessing another rise of hate, emboldened by Donald Trump who fails to condemn it.  Today, we are witnessing another rise of the KKK and other white supremacists. Except — its followers no longer hide behind hoods and masks!  Will we as a nation learn from the lessons of history?  Will Filipinos in America learn that they, like other people of color, are targets of white supremacists? I learned those lessons long ago. Will today’s Filipino Americans do likewise?……………..  Countdown — Now 12 months and growing: For the Board of Trustees, Filipino American National Historical Society — who have program and fiduciary responsibility — to provide critically needed financing to assure keeping open the Filipino American Museum in Stockton, the historic center of Filipino immigration

Bridge Generation News

Bridge Generation Personality of the Month: Domingo Los Banos, 93, RIP.  The Hawaii educator, World War II decorated veteran, and advocate for Filipinos who fought for America, died on March 15.  Enlisting in 1943, he was assigned to the First Filipino Regiment and underwent training in Camp Roberts and Camp Beale, both in California.  Early in 1944 Los Banos, then 19, was among 500 cream-of-the crop Filipinos selected for a secret assignment.  Their mission: to prepare for General Douglas MacArthur’s “I shall return” promise to the Philippines.  The men were taken by submarine to various parts of the Philippines for reconnaissance and espionage work that proved to be critical to the successful October 1944 landing of U.S. troops on Leyte and eventually to the liberation of the Philippines. In jungle combat during mopping-up operations, Domingo came face to face with a Japanese soldier.  Los Banos shot first. He lived; the enemy soldier did not.  He found a locket from the slain soldier.  In it, was the hair of the soldier’s sweetheart.  This incident would forever change his perspective on life.  Domingo vowed that if he survived the war, he would become a teacher and work for peace. After his discharge, Los Banos came back to the U.S. mainland to pursue his goal of working for peace through a teaching career by attending Springfield College in Massachusetts.  His first job was as a teacher on Kaui.  He went on to become a principal and district superintendent in Oahu. (His vow to work for peace had its roots in his youth when he  witnessed racial discrimination faced by his father and other pineapple workers. While white plantation owners tried to keep diverse ethnic workers apart by divide and conquer tactics, his father fought for better working conditions by bringing minority groups together.)  I first met Domingo in 1947 in my hometown of Livingston CA when he stopped by on his way to Springfield College to visit a boyhood friend. My meeting Domingo was the beginning of a friendship that included visits in 1993 in Waipahu HI where he served as Director of Plantation Village, in Honolulu in 1994 at the FANHS national conference, as fellow FANHS national board of trustees members from 1996-2002, and in the course of developing the  documentary of the First and Second Filipino Regiments — “An Untold Triumph” — for which he served as project director.  According to his son, Todd Los Banos, the documentary — which took five years to complete on a budget of $400,000 — was Domingo’s crowning achievement.  His last years was keeping in touch with his “local boys” from Hawaii with whom he served in the Army.  Originally 400 in number, by 2018 the group had dwindled down to 15 men.  “To Domingo: You along with the other brave Filipino Americans who gallantly fought for America during World War II —  Thank you.”…………….. Other BG deaths: (1) Manuel Samonte Viernes, 79, of Sacramento was born on April 4, 1939 in the Delta hamlet of Walnut Grove CA.  Like most other Bridge Generation youth, Manuel worked in the fields and orchards of California.  He went on to serve with the U.S. Air Force.  We first met not long after his honorable discharge when he and I found ourselves on the same team of the old Filipino Bowling League in Sacramento.  Manuel was employed by the State of California as a financial auditor for 43 years.  He passed away on March 6 and is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ann (Manlupig) Viernes, their son Clifford Viernes (Christina), three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.  (2) Helen (Abrecy) Valdez Rodriguez, 96, was born April 13, 1924.  The eldest of seven children – four girls and three boys — she and her late husband Candelario Valdez operated a farm labor camp outside Stockton CA for decades.  She died on March 3 and is survived by four children, sixteen grandchildren, and 31 great-grandchildren. With her passing the only remaining sibling is the youngest, Glenn Abrecy, 76, of Merced CA. (3) Sam Gonzalez, 80, was born on December 2, 1938 in San Francisco, the son of Cecil Calnia Gonzalez and Isabel Wightman.  Circumstances beyond his control during his childhood resulted in many early moves which influenced him to use his inborn artistic talents in positive ways.  Later, he honed his talents as an art major at San Jose State.  Sam first worked as a graphic illustrator for several companies before establishing his own company — “Top Drawer Studios” in San Francisco in 1968.  He then worked for the Modesto Bee for nineteen years, rising to the position of marketing director for the newspaper.  Consistently active with the Filipino American community, Sam served as President of Filipino Action Coalition Today for ten years and as vice president of the Central Valley Chapter of the Filipino American National Historical Society when the chapter was established in 1998.  An accomplished golfer and tennis player, he was a top competitor at FA old timer Grand Reunions during his retirement years.  He died on March 23 and is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nina (Dublin) Gonzalez; daughters Shelley London (Patrick) and Celeste de Bustamante (Hector); and grandchildren Taylor, Samuel, and Matthew London and Claire Bustamante……………. I’m proud to announce that the University of California at Santa Barbara Library recently completed  integrating materials on Peter Jamero‘s life into its Special Collections.  Jamero’s collection consists of document boxes containing correspondence, organizational records, photographs, and audio-visual materials.  Those interested in viewing the materials may contact UC Santa Barbara: Special Collections direct link at www.library.ucsb.edu/peter-jamero-papers…………….. Happy May birthdays to: Wilma (Bucariza) Aguinid, Bernie Cantil, Jeannette (Castillano) Tiffany, Jose Fidel, Plorenze “Jack” Hipolito,  Irene (Plaza) Edralin, Walter Yuponco. 

Pinakbet

During the recently concluded NCAA basketball tourney, Kihei Clark, the University of Virginia Cavaliers 5’10” pinoy guard from Los Angeles made a play that will forever remain a highlight for loyal Cavalier fans. His bullet pass with just a few seconds left in the semi-finals resulted in the winning basket and eventual national championship.  Other Filipino Americans appearing in the tourney were Remy Martin, Arizona State guard;  Kurtis Townsend, University of Kansas Assistant Coach; and Christopher Jamero, St. Mary’s (CA) University trainer…………… On March 5 Seattle human rights activist Cindy Domingo received the prestigious Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service from King County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles……………… Also on March 5 Pope Francis named Monsignor Alejandro Aclan, 68, as the newest auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The LA area is home to the largest Filipino immigrant community in America.

############