Letters to the Editor
May 21, 2008
APAs Driven Out, Real Estate Prices, Recalling Mom, and the Real Patriots
It is more a matter of socioeconomics than ethnicity (“‘Driven Out’ Of San Francisco?” Potstickers, May 9). San Francisco is only getting more expensive to live in. Do you really think Gavin Newsom cares about working-class families? Does he even know what one is? When is the last time he made $20 an hour?
Dioscoro R. Recio
San Francisco, May 13
I don’t really think APAs are being “driven out” of San Francisco — we are simply following a pattern.
For example, as researched by Nazli Kibria on Chinese Americans, where a group lives depends on the generation. For the first generation, it is typically within ethnic enclaves where there is a common culture and knowledge base within the community. The second generation typically goes to satellite ethnic communities, such as Irving or Clement streets in San Francisco. And eventually, it progresses to the point where families move out of the big city and into the suburbs.
It’s the dream of upward mobility. We all want to “up the ante” a little more every time. Heck, I want to live in a mansion sometime.
Aaron Kitashima
San Francisco, May 13
Real Estate Prices: Up or Down
It’s not what you think — notice they say median sales prices (“Real Estate Sales Down, Prices Up … How can that be?,” Asian Real Estate, May 9). That does not mean that prices went up. Median prices can be affected by the mix of houses sold. The Case-Shiller Index is the correct way to measure changes in prices. For more information: blog.lucidrealty.com/2008/04/25/the-truth-about-chicago-area-housing-prices/.
Gary Lucido
President, Lucid Realty
Chicago, May 13
Recalling Mom
Although I love my mom dearly, she has done a lot of crazy things (“From Person on the Street: Mother’s Day,” May 9). After my parents’ divorce, my mother was too scared to hit me; thus, she threw things at me. Frozen foods, my Super Nintendo (this hurt me both physically and emotionally), books, cassette tapes, small animals — you name it, she threw it!
Andre Nguyen
Via asianweek.com, May 11
The Real Patriots
As one of the organizers from the Council on American-Islamic Relations, I was humbled by some of the participants’ suggestions that the Japanese American community should get to know the Muslim community, because so many of us were interested in being part of the remembrance of the internment of the Japanese Americans (“The Ties That Bind: Muslim Americans join Japanese Americans on Manzanar Pilgrimage,” May 2).
I am humbled by the patriotism, perseverance and grace the Japanese American community showed through this period and through the period of seeking redress. This community was the first to come to the American Muslims after 9/11 and be supporters, and that is what America is about.
To be a patriot in America is to accept the bad and not just focus on the good. It should all be part of our narrative.
Affad Shaikh
Irvine, Calif., May 8
CLARIFICATION:
You may notice a gap in our pagination for this week’s issue. It is due to our special commemorative poster: Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month — Olympic Hopefuls.
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