Letters to the Editor
November 24, 2000
Art or Vandalism?
Dear Editor: I am writing to you as a concerned and avid reader of your newspaper. I have recently read “No Writing on the Wall,” (Nov. 2) in which you summarized much of what is currently going on with our city’s graffiti problem.
I was quite disturbed to read that Supervisor Mabel Teng sees racist graffiti and other forms of tagging, (such as the colorful piece done by “Jade” that you included in the article), as virtually the same thing. She claims that because both are “vandalism,” the intentions behind their creation are somehow irrelevant. I feel that this is an extremely ignorant and narrow-minded statement. To say that a swastika done by a racially charged individual is the same as a tag done by a passive student is ridiculous.
I have taught painting to many students here in the city through organized art classes, and I have had several students who choose graffiti art as a way to express themselves. These are not violent racists but rather young adults with a knack for creativity.
I just cannot see how you could let that comment be published without a line underneath explaining that there is a huge difference between deliberate acts of racism, and “vandalism” with artistic motivation. I am sure that you will agree with me on this point. I also would like to note that I fully understand the comment made by Teng does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianWeek. I do, however, feel that it is necessary to give readers the other side of the issue.
Bob Thompson
via e-mail
Japanese Program at Clarendon Alive and Well
Dear Editor: We feel we must respond to a letter by parents at De Avila School about the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program, “Support a Candidate Who’ll Support Bilingual Education,” (Oct. 27). By omitting certain important facts and by using emotive language, the letter may have given the misleading impression that the entire program had moved to a new school site and is now the only elementary level Japanese program in the San Francisco Unified School District. This is decidedly not the case.
Readers of AsianWeek and advocates of Japanese bilingual bicultural education should know that a vibrant Japanese program exists at Clarendon Elementary School and they should have the opportunity of visiting it and judging it for themselves.
Clarendon is a top-ranking public school in San Francisco for grades K-5 with an Academic Performance Index of 862. The Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program at Clarendon continues to deliver top-notch instruction based on sound educational and financial principles. Currently, 300 students of diverse backgrounds enjoy an excellent academic core curriculum enriched with Japanese language and culture, art, music, computers, physical education and library in a safe, pleasant, park-like residential setting.
School tours will be conducted each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon (except Nov. 22) through Dec. 6.
For more information, interested parents should phone 415-759-2796 or visit at 500 Clarendon Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94131.
Parent Advisory Council Clarendon Elementary
via e-mail
Saving a Community
Editor’s note: The following letter was sent via mass e-mail
Dear Editor: On Nov. 13, Philadelphia Mayor John Street finally announced that he had decided to drop his plan to build a new stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies near Chinatown. Instead, he will try to make a deal to build both the Phillies stadium and the Eagles stadium near the existing South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
The decision is a tremendous victory for the broad coalition that has vigorously opposed the plan since it was announced in the spring. Forces in the Asian American community, neighborhood groups, religious, labor, ethnic, political and others were able to mount an effective and sustained campaign, involving mass organizing, coalition building, legal work, public relations, technical research and fundraising.
We were able to quickly and clearly demonstrate the unity and strength of the opposition in Chinatown and the entire regional API community. No one could ignore the 30 years of development attacks that have chipped away at Chinatown and walled it in. The stadium would have been a fatal blow.
We also were able to criticize the use of public funds for the private benefit of team owners, showing that you just can’t earn a return on this type of investment in tax revenues, jobs, and the other forms of elusive spin off.
We saw this project as one of many examples nationwide of API communities that were being harmed or killed by bad development decisions. For once, the people have won.
Many of you were instrumental in helping us in this fight. We received political support, connections, information and advice from many sources that was quite valuable. You helped make Philadelphia Chinatown an issue known across the country, and we have no doubt that the resulting buzz of opposition was heard eventually in high places. Thanks for your support and interest.
Paul Uyehara
Stadium Out of Chinatown Coalition
via e-mail
How Unpresidential!
Dear Editor: All of this hoopla and ha-ha down in Florida is just so un-presidential. If Bush and Gore can’t be adults and gentlemen about it, then I say step aside, and let Bill Bradley and John McCain give it a try.
Frederick Hobson
San Francisco
Corrections
In the Nov. 9 issue of AsianWeek, the story, “Chinatown Senior Center Gets a Boost,” an aide to Assemblyman Kevin Shelley should be correctly referred to as Angela Louie, not Andrea, as stated. Also in that issue, the story, “Esther Returns and Stars Come Out,” had model Esther’s last name misspelled as Wong. It should be Hwang. AsianWeek apologizes for the errors.
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I was quite disturbed to read that Supervisor Mabel Teng sees racist graffiti and other forms of tagging, (such as the colorful piece done by “Jade” that you included in the article), as virtually the same thing. She claims that because both are “vandalism,” the intentions behind their creation are somehow irrelevant. I feel that this is an extremely ignorant and narrow-minded statement. To say that a swastika done by a racially charged individual is the same as a tag done by a passive student is ridiculous.
I have taught painting to many students here in the city through organized art classes, and I have had several students who choose graffiti art as a way to express themselves. These are not violent racists but rather young adults with a knack for creativity.
I just cannot see how you could let that comment be published without a line underneath explaining that there is a huge difference between deliberate acts of racism, and “vandalism” with artistic motivation. I am sure that you will agree with me on this point. I also would like to note that I fully understand the comment made by Teng does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianWeek. I do, however, feel that it is necessary to give readers the other side of the issue.
Bob Thompson
via e-mail
Japanese Program at Clarendon Alive and Well
Readers of AsianWeek and advocates of Japanese bilingual bicultural education should know that a vibrant Japanese program exists at Clarendon Elementary School and they should have the opportunity of visiting it and judging it for themselves.
Clarendon is a top-ranking public school in San Francisco for grades K-5 with an Academic Performance Index of 862. The Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program at Clarendon continues to deliver top-notch instruction based on sound educational and financial principles. Currently, 300 students of diverse backgrounds enjoy an excellent academic core curriculum enriched with Japanese language and culture, art, music, computers, physical education and library in a safe, pleasant, park-like residential setting.
School tours will be conducted each Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon (except Nov. 22) through Dec. 6.
For more information, interested parents should phone 415-759-2796 or visit at 500 Clarendon Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94131.
Parent Advisory Council Clarendon Elementary
via e-mail
Saving a Community
Dear Editor: On Nov. 13, Philadelphia Mayor John Street finally announced that he had decided to drop his plan to build a new stadium for the Philadelphia Phillies near Chinatown. Instead, he will try to make a deal to build both the Phillies stadium and the Eagles stadium near the existing South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
The decision is a tremendous victory for the broad coalition that has vigorously opposed the plan since it was announced in the spring. Forces in the Asian American community, neighborhood groups, religious, labor, ethnic, political and others were able to mount an effective and sustained campaign, involving mass organizing, coalition building, legal work, public relations, technical research and fundraising.
We were able to quickly and clearly demonstrate the unity and strength of the opposition in Chinatown and the entire regional API community. No one could ignore the 30 years of development attacks that have chipped away at Chinatown and walled it in. The stadium would have been a fatal blow.
We also were able to criticize the use of public funds for the private benefit of team owners, showing that you just can’t earn a return on this type of investment in tax revenues, jobs, and the other forms of elusive spin off.
We saw this project as one of many examples nationwide of API communities that were being harmed or killed by bad development decisions. For once, the people have won.
Many of you were instrumental in helping us in this fight. We received political support, connections, information and advice from many sources that was quite valuable. You helped make Philadelphia Chinatown an issue known across the country, and we have no doubt that the resulting buzz of opposition was heard eventually in high places. Thanks for your support and interest.
Paul Uyehara
Stadium Out of Chinatown Coalition
via e-mail
How Unpresidential!
Frederick Hobson
San Francisco
Corrections
Do you have something to say? Send a letter to the editor via e-mail (to asianweek@asianweek.com)!
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