A Call for More Asian Firefighters
June 5, 2009
By Norm Caba
Very few Asian firefighters I’ve met have “wanted” to be one since they were kids. My story is similar. In college, I knew I did NOT want to be a firefighter. I was an academic. I worked as an EMT, eventually becoming a paramedic on a 911 ambulance, where I saw many different things. The worst calls were burn injuries reinforcing my desire to NOT want to be a firefighter.
In fact, my brother became a firefighter when I was a medic so I heard all of his stories. He had always tried to convince me to be a firefighter but my focus was still more on academics and I was looking into other careers.
Read more
Pay-to-play Racism or Consumer Choice?
March 5, 2009
The decision by Dell Computer to offer telephone support by technicians speaking non-Asian-accented English raises a provocative question: How much money will Dell’s customers pay to avoid talking to an Asian?
Dell recently announced that its “Your Tech Team” service will guarantee that American customers will be able to talk only to its customer service agents located in the U.S. - for an extra fee. The “Talk-American” privilege costs $12.95 a month for customers with a Dell account, or $99 a year for purchasers of new computers.
Reinstate JROTC
February 25, 2009
As a co-chair of Choice for Students/JROTC, I was involved for the passage of Proposition V this past November. Additional development has taken place at the California Department of Education regarding the issue of physical education credits for the JROTC program that has clarified the local school board’s authority to grant such credits. Some of you may remember the school board voted to take away PE credits from JROTC fearing the granting of such credits would be in violation of state law under the education code. The California Department of Education has opined and issued a written clarification stating local school board does have authority to grant PE credits to programs such as JROTC and Marching Bands.
JROTC is sponsored and partially paid for by the Department of Defense. Fifty percent of the instructors’ salaries and the cost of 100% of all program related materials are paid by the Department of Defense. When the program was granted PE credits toward graduation, the program had enrolled over 1,600 students. Our district is facing an unprecedented financial shortage this coming school year. Reinstating JROTC will give our district some welcomed financial relief. The San Diego School Board recently voted to grant PE credits to its JROTC participants citing its acknowledgement of California Department of Education’s clarification.
Now that San Franciscans have spoken and Prop. V has won. What kind of message are we sending to the students who are learning the values of democracy if the school board does not act? Proposition V was approved by a large majority of San Franciscans and we are governed by the ideal that government entities must follow the will of the people. If the school board does not reinstate JROTC, it illustrates their lack of acceptance for the principles of our constitution, and exemplifies a lack of respect for the will of the people.
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma recently introduced legislation at the state level to grant PE credits to JROTC participants and to compel the San Francisco Unified School District School Board to reinstate JROTC. Her legislation simply put forth what the San Francisco School Board has failed to do thus far, which is to obey the wishes of the people.
When the State of Alabama refused to allow “Negroes” to attend an all white school, it took the actions of the Federal government to forced Alabama to accept integration. When a City School Board refuses to implement the will of its voters, it is perfectly appropriate for the State to compel such school board to act in accordance with the will of the people. I simply don’t understand why the school board has not taken any actions to resolve this issue. Regardless of how we feel about JROTC personally, it is a voluntary program. What gives us the right to deny others the chance to participate in a program of their choosing?
The SFUSD School Board needs to reinstate JROTC immediately. San Franciscans have stated the abolishment of JROTC was a mistake and needs to be rectified. Addressing this issue locally without being compelled by the State is the reasonable course that our school board must take.
- Nelson Lum is Co-Chair of Choice for Students/JROTC.
Winter Energy Savings Tips That Can Save You Money on Your Energy Bill
February 18, 2009
As the winter season is upon us, I would like to offer tips on how to save money on your winter heating bill. With energy prices going up, it pays to be smart about your energy use.
First, did you know your furnace needs a periodic tune up? Replace or clean your furnace filters every year. Keep your furnace lubricated and working properly. I have an old gas gravity heater in my San Francisco home, and PG&E will come out every few years and check it (including cleaning it) for free.
Help Senior APAs With Digital TV Transition
February 13, 2009
June 12, 2009. This is the new date when TV stations across the country are required to change from analog to digital signals, after the House of Representatives recently voted 264 to 168 and the Senate voted unanimously to extend the deadline for the DTV changeover.
The delay gives an estimated 6.5 million households that are not ready for the change more time to prepare. It is a move we at the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), think is the right one because, of those unprepared households, nearly half are low income -earning less than $25,000 a year, and many are likely with limited English skills. That means there’s a good chance your friend, relative, or someone you know could be affected.
New Year’s Wish for Asian American Immigration Advocates
January 1, 2009
With President-elect Obama’s nomination of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano — a supporter of Mexico’s immigration demands, including amnesty and massive guest worker visas — to head the Department of Homeland Security, should Asian immigration advocates rejoice? Read more
Asian Americans Represented
December 25, 2008
Diversity a priority for the Obama transition
President-elect Barack Obama’s team looks like America. He is selecting the best and brightest for his new administration, and I am so pleased that he values diversity and Asian American representation as part of that calculus. Read more
The Making of Multicultural America
December 18, 2008
Takaki’s updated ‘Different Mirror’
Editor’s note: A message of the 2008 presidential election was that the time has come for a more inclusive and hence more accurate history of America as a nation peopled by the world. Ron Takaki’s updated edition of A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America speaks to this democratic demand.
In America’s expanding industrial economy, workers were often swept into ethnic antagonisms. Irish Read more
Prepare Yourself for the Change to Digital Television
December 11, 2008
On Feb. 17, your television signal will change, giving you a better picture, improved sound quality and more channels. This upcoming change is called the digital television transition. Read more
Diversity in Real Estate
December 4, 2008
Is the U.S. a melting pot?
When the National Association of Realtors was established 100 years ago, its founding board and the 120 founding members were all white males. The word “diversity” did not exist in the real estate vocabulary because it was not necessary at that time. Read more
Asian and Latino ‘New American’ Voters Were Forces of Change in Election
November 27, 2008
Asian Americans and Latinos were a force to be reckoned with on Election Day. Our growing and engaged electorates in battleground states have bolstered our voices onto the national stage. With a president-elect Read more
Why Gay Marriage Is an Asian American Matter
November 22, 2008
When the San Francisco Chronicle ran a Nov. 7 article exploring why Asians were the only ethnic minority to produce a majority of voters against Proposition 8 and its ban of same-sex marriage, a reader commented on the Chronicle’s website: “Why in the world would the Asian American community ally itself with the gays? The Asian American community [has] virtually nothing in common with the gays except maybe being minorities.” Read more