by Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV)
Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010 at 6:25 PM
jfav_us@yahoo.com 213-241-0906 1610 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90026
The Day that will live in infamy”
Today, the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), AWARE and MHC marks the 69th year of the infamous Japanese fascist sneak attack on Pearl Harbor naval base in December 08, 1941 ( in the Philippines, Dec.7 Pacific Time).
The public should know, that at that time the attack coincided with the bombing of the major cities of the Philippines and two days later, the Japanese invaded the country and the Philippines was involved in a colonial war not of its choosing.
JFAV with People's CORE marked the day with a memorial meeting yesterday in FACLA with a private ceremonies and meeting. Scores of Filipino World War II veterans, widows and relatives as well as advocates attended the memorial.
al__s_jfav_pix_002.jpg, image/jpeg, 1600x1200
JFAV UPDATE
December 08, 2010
On the 69th Pearl Harbor Day, Fight Racism in the United States
Los Angeles- “The Day that will live in infamy”
Today, the Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), AWARE and MHC marks the 69th year of the infamous Japanese fascist sneak attack on Pearl Harbor naval base in December 08, 1941 ( in the Philippines, Dec.7 Pacific Time).
The public should know, that at that time the attack coincided with the bombing of the major cities of the Philippines and two days later, the Japanese invaded the country and the Philippines was involved in a colonial war not of its choosing.
JFAV with People's CORE marked the day with a memorial meeting yesterday in FACLA with a private ceremonies and meeting. Scores of Filipino World War II veterans, widows and relatives as well as advocates attended the memorial.
JFAV Express Outrage on racism
We are outraged however to learn that the New York Times and other sources are reporting that scores of southerners are planning to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Confederacy's secession from the United States next year without addressing the legacy of slavery at all. The N.A.A.C.P. has already announced its intention to protest this blantant act of racism.
JFAV protest this act of racism as a proof that racism that discriminates more than 250,000 Filipino American veterans and widows who until now are unrecognized as American veterans. Adding insult to injury, the DVA has denied more than 22,000 veterans or more than 46% of those who applied for claims.
We also denounced the plan earlier this year, of conservative politicians like Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Bob McDonnell of Virginia supported the creation of official holidays celebrating the history of the Confederacy—11 Southern slaveholding states that seceded from the U.S. in 1860 and 1861.It is just right that African-Americans and whole Asian American community are horrified that public figures can memorialize the Confederate states, despite the hellish abuses suffered by enslaved Blacks in the antebellum South.
Racism is Conferedarate Racist Shame, Not Glory
JFAV and the Filipino Community knows for a fact that many well-intentioned white southerners have been bombarded with propaganda that the secession of the South was about "states' rights" and not about slavery, but this is a deep misunderstanding of the Civil War.The film "Gone With The WIND " and other films that glorify the south is one of them.
The principal "right" that the Confederacy defended was the right of a tiny white slave holding class to own Black laborers as their personal property. In fact, immediately after declaring independence, the Confederacy explicitly made it illegal under their constitution to limit or prohibit slavery.But until now the racist still flies the confederate slave owners flag even in California!
While we recognize the right of all oppressed nations to self-determination and equality, but that does not mean support for wars for independence in every historical circumstance. Our critical position toward the Confederacy is totally justified by our progressive analysis of the social and class composition of the Old South.
For JFAV the secession of the Southern Confederacy was a failed effort by the slaveholder class to legitimize and defend their decaying social order through violence. While many white southerners are taught that the Civil War was an offensive by the North against the South, it was actually the aggressive provocations of the slaveholders to maintain their privileges and power that sparked the conflict.
Fight revisionism, confederate defeat was a giant leap forward
Regardless of the contradictions within the Union and abolitionist movement leading up to the Civil War, the victory of rebellious slaves, northern free Blacks and abolitionists against the Southern Confederacy was a progressive moment in both American and world history. The destruction of the Confederacy set the stage for a second American revolution during the post-Civil War era, called Reconstruction.
The 150-year celebration of Southern independence from the Union (independence for white southerners only) is more than a simple confusion of history. Reactionaries will use the anniversary to send a message that they are prepared to use violent force again to prevent any profound political or social reform by "big government."
The celebration of the Southern Confederacy is not only insensitive to African-Americans and us Filipinos whose ancestors were victims of slave society, but it also exhibits a callous disregard for the current confrontations of Black and Asian communities with racist institutions and discrimination.
All progressive and revolutionary people should use this anniversary of the Confederacy as a moment to bring attention to the historical and on-going struggles against racism and exploitation in the South.
NO TO RACISM!
JUSTICE NOW!
