Asian Outlook | Fall 2018 Issue #1

ASIAN OUTLOOK

Not there yet! LGBT Rights in Asia

“Ako ay Pilipino”

Reprint: ASU’s Newest Committee (PAL)

October 2018 Vol. XXXV, Issue 1

ASIAN

Volume XXXV, Issue 1

contents OUTLOOK 2

ASIAN OUTLOOK

featured 14 | Reprint: ASU’s Newest Committee (PAL) | Lambert Torres 18 | Not there yet! LGBT Rights in Asia | Tod Dotia 21 | “Ako ay Pilipino” | Michaela Nepomuceno

opinion 4 | Japan’s Summer of Disasters| Benny Louie 5 | Conan O’Brien Visits Conan Town | Benny Louie 6 | A Crazy Rich Review | Michelle Pao 8 | What it means to be an “ABC” in today’s white America | Kaelan Lui 10 | Open Sesame! | Camille Guo 12 | Glow from Within | Jessie Yang 16 | On Asia: Remembering Obama and Moving Towards Trump | Thomas Hur

conscience 22 | A Fan Letter to Gordon Hirabayashi | Michael Angelo 23 | To My Past Self | Farhan Sanyoto

Cover photo by David Peterson on Pixabay Back photo by Phinny Vincent on Unsplash

letter from the editor

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SIAN OUTLOOK IS NOT A MAGAZINE. Asian Outlook (AO) is an idea. AO is one of many factions fighting for a level playing field, a platform through which small voices with big messages can be amplified.

Sometimes contributors make us laugh, sometimes they make us cry, but they always make us think.

With that said… hi! My name is Mike. I’m this year’s president of Asian Outlook and I cannot wait to continue engaging with this amazing, classy little community of our’s. Together, we can challenge perceptions, spread ideas, incite conversations and, unlike so much of today’s media, do it all civilly. Meeting middle fingers with peace signs, that sort of thing.

“But what should I expect from AO this year?” Excellent question. Here at AO, we realize that relying solely on the printed word can be limiting to those trying to spread ideas and art. As such, we look forward to bringing you new forms of content… let me fill you in!

‘Inside Outlook’ is our SoundCloud podcast interviewing members of the community every other week. We have also instituted a weekly blog to more quickly (and often, more casually) spread timely messages which can be read every Tuesday on our Facebook page. #AOspotlight is a Facebook contest in which you post about a terrific community-member and what makes them so great; the most popular post will win an AO interview with the spotlighted individual as well as awesome prizes for both the candidate and the person posting. Some video content is also in the works along with some particularly ambitious community events, so keep an eye out for those…

Of course, we haven’t forgotten our flagship work: our magazine!

This issue, which dutifully exceeds standards with beautiful layout design and thought-provoking material, celebrates FilipinoAmerican History Month. Fittingly, we appreciate our fellow subgroup, the Philippine American League (PAL), by featuring a poem by PAL Educational Chair Michaela and reissuing an AO story covering PAL’s rise as part of the ASU family.

Naturally, we couldn’t let a cultural milestone like ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ pass us by without adding our two cents. We also touch on very real socio-political issues such as US-Asia foreign policy, the Orwellian Sesame Credit system, the asian LGBTQ+ community and what it means to be an ‘ABC.’ A two-page spread on Japan includes both entertainment and humanitarian commentary while “Glow from Within” examines the cross section of economics, environmentalism and the ever-iconic Neon Light District of Hong Kong. Our Conscience section rounds out the magazine with two retrospective pieces: a poem to a past hero and a message to a past self.

So, without further ado, I present to you the fruit of an incredible E-board’s blood, sweat and tears: Issue XXXV of Asian Outlook Magazine. Enjoy!

Michael Messina Editor-in-Chief, Fall 2018

ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD FALL 2018 Editor-in-Chief Vice President Secretary Treasurer Publicity Manager Copy Editors

Conscience Editor Layout Designers Intern

Michael Messina Camille Guo Brandon Li Brandon Ng Tao Jiang Dayne Feehan Thomas Hur Kylie Wen Benny Louie Tram Duong Michelle Pao Jessie Yang Mengshu Ye Sherry Dang

EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine at the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matters contained within these beautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submission.

All submissions may be submitted as an e-mail attachment to ao.editor@gmail.com.

CONTACT POLICY Inappropriate contact with writers and contributors is strictly prohibited. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail.com.

E-mail us at:

ao.editor@GMAIL.com

For more info check us out on facebook: FACEBOOK.com/asianoutlook/ Look at our past issues: ISSUU.com/asianoutlook Inside Outlook Podcast SOUNDCLOUD.com/asianoutlook

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UMMER DISASTERS STRIKE THE GLAMOUROUS, MUST-VISIT TOURIST COUNTRY OF JAPAN. Continuing off a summer of natural disasters, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake recently struck one of the country’s mainlands on Thursday, September 6th. Hokkaido, a major tourist spot of Japan, has been left devastated by the landslides following earthquake aftershocks.

This past summer has been a stream of disasters for Japan. After a magnitude 5.5 earthquake in June that was followed by a series of floods and heatwaves, Japan’s streak of misfortune continues.

As of September 14, Japan Times reports 41 dead while around 1600 remain in shelters. This occured while the country is still recovering from the damage of Typhoon Jebi, the strongest tropical storm to hit the country in 25 years. This category 3 typhoon has killed at least 11 people. Even earlier, a heatwave reaching 41.1oC (105.5oF) has killed at least 44 people since July 9.

While many often dream of visiting this wonderful country, these disasters may have started changing their minds. The typhoon had smashed a tanker into a bridge, forcing one of the country’s largest airports to close. This earthquake appeared during a time when tourism is high which will likely scare away many potential tourists. According to the Asahi Shimbun, Japanese news, nearly 40 percent of all tourists in Hokkaido visit from July to September. Nearly 10 percent of all foreign tourists

visit Hokkaido. These statistics don’t fare well when such a disaster hits at a time when tourism is so high. The unfortunate tourists who experienced the disaster may be traumatized, preventing repeat visits while news of the disaster may deter first-time tourists. Considering how Hokkaido’s economy is largely dependent on tourism, this will likely leave a devastating impact on its economy.

Along with the rising death toll and need for relief funds, Japan’s summer of disaster will likely take a long time to recover.

Even amidst such disasters, it is important to remember that Japan is a beautiful country with great people. While the country struggles to recover, you can help with its recovery. The International Relief Friendship Foundation (IRFF) has been running a disaster relief fund effort since July and continues to do so. Japan Platform, an international emergency humanitarian aid organization, is also accepting donations to help provide aid for the regions affected by the Hokkaido earthquake. With your help, Japan can heal from this summer of misfortune and once again shine bright as a popular vacation destination for families and friends.

Sites for disaster relief: https://www.japanplatform.org/E/programs/hokkaidoearthquake2018.html http://familyfed.org/news-story/support-irffs-japandisaster-relief-49706/

J AP AN’S SUMMER of DISAST ER 4

ASIAN OUTLOOK

By Benny Louie

By Benny Louie

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These hilarious exchanges of “modest” demands led to the fruition of O’Brien’s visit to Japan where the mayor of Conan Town gives him his three trillion yen. Of course, this visit wasn’t without its own troubles. As O’Brien arrived in Japan, he discovered he had landed in the wrong airport. He was supposed to arrive at Tottori Airport but instead landed in Yonago Airport, almost two hours away from his original arrival destination! He quickly rushed to Conan Town afterwards but did miss out on the big fan welcoming that awaited him at Tottori Airport. When he finally did arrive at Conan Town, his travel mishap was quickly forgotten by fans as they expressed their immense joy at meeting the star. He even exchanged honorary sashes with Mayor Matsumoto. Conan’s read “Mayor for the Day” while Mayor Matsumoto’s read “Miss Iowa.”

In regards to his three trillion yen, O’Brien did receive it. It came in the form of a single Daiei watermelon seed, a local specialty. The mayor reasoned that a watermelon usually produces around 1000 seeds and that in four years, O’Brien could gross over three trillion yen. O’Brien was rather impressed with the mayor’s wit. Of course, he had to return the favor and fulfill his promise. O’Brien donned an apron and personally helped cook batches of burgers for the residents of Conan Town. While not exactly the parachuting cow or the “true American hamburger” he promised (the burgers were made of Australian beef), the residents of Conan Town did not mind and happily accepted the free burgers that fulfilled O’Brien’s pledge to Mayor Matsumoto. As he left the wonderful town, he spoke to the people of Conan Town in Japanese, “I am honored to come to Hokuei,” before switching to English, “Thank you for welcoming me to your beautiful town. You have shown me great respect and hospitality.” Of course, his departure was not without more playful banter about not getting on the wrong flight home.

TOWN

.S. TALK SHOW HOST CONAN O’BRIEN MADE A VISIT TO JAPAN ON SEPTEMBER 6. This visit stems from O’Brien taking umbrage with the fact that a certain anime character appeared more well known than the U.S. talk show host.

“If you Google ‘Conan’ in any country, I am the first thing that comes up … except in one country … Japan,” O’Brien said on his Aug. 20 show. “I just learned, in Japan, the first thing that comes up if you Google ‘Conan’ is a manga and anime character named Detective Conan.”

“Detective Conan” (aka “Case Closed”) is a manga and anime series that debuted in Japan in 1994. With over 1000 manga chapters and multiple movie and anime adaptations, it remains extremely popular with fans all over the world.

O’Brien claims that he appeared on TV a year earlier than the debut of this manga and, therefore, the manga is a ripoff of himself. He explains that he recently discovered that there exists a town in Japan called Hakuei, nicknamed “Conan Town,” that markets the manga character all over the community. He grumbled that someone had been making a fortune off an Asian version of himself and demanded to be reimbursed with a check for three trillion yen ($27 billion) and a key to the city.

Surprisingly, the mayor of Conan Town responded with a few “modest” demands of his own. Mayor Akio Matsumoto of Hakuei tells O’Brien that he wants his face sculpted next to President Lincoln’s on Mount Rushmore, his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and finally he wants O’Brien to bring 15,000 American hamburgers when he visits.

Of the first two demands, O’Brien humorously fulfills: creating a “statue of Mayor Matsumoto” on a “real mountain” in the city of Burbank and recording himself replacing the star of Pitbull on the Hall of Fame with Matsumoto’s star. He even promised to parachute an American cow large enough to make 15,000 burgers when he goes to pick up his money.

VISITS

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AS THIS THE ASIAN VERSION OF BLACK PANTHER? Is our “Wakanda Forever” now “Bok-Bok, Bitch?” Not necessarily. This movie was highly publicized as the first big production of an all Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club. The publicity that this movie had under its belt was stifling. With the advent of ubiquitous technologies such as television and social media, heated debates about the movie were rampant before the movie premiere. What was the real reason for me to give in and watch this movie, not once, but twice?

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By

Family was a major factor. As my mom, sister and I watched the great story unfold before us, it was easy to recognize the song that my grandma sang to me as a lullaby: “Tian Mi Mi.” Giving flashbacks to a sweet, youthful time, Jon M. Chu directed the strong relationship between a single mother and daughter perfectly. This was a Cinderella story, but this Cinderella had an independent, hard-working mother as her backbone. Whereas the protagonist had a small family, Nick Young had an extended family, one that was extreme old money like Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. The displays of wealth from the extended family shed light on the ugliness of affluence at the iconic wedding scene. However, the vivid colors, music, and language were rich in nostalgic culture.

There was no culture shock to me when the plot thickened in Asia. However, this movie brought the distinct divide between Asian Americans and Asians to my attention. Asian Americans are “soft” and following their dreams, while the Asians take the specific roles they were given from birth. Nick Young is an exception. He begins to adopt an “American” accent and rarely goes back home. Witnessing an Asian ready to conform to an AsianAmerican lifestyle, I questioned if I would do the same. I am a second-generation Asian American. I do not know how to read or speak Mandarin fluently. However, I do know what real, authentic Chinese food tastes like. I also understand and respect filial piety. . . . that does not change the fact that my skin isn’t as fair as rice or my Mandarin sounds like nails on a blackboard instead of “Tian Mi Mi.” They captured the strength of love too. Chick flick of the summer? Big check. There are hardships in every relationship. Canonically, a mother doesn’t approve, the whole family is too much to take in, there is jealousy from past relationships and the couple are from two opposite worlds. But, in love stories, sacrifices are always made. That is not the Chinese or Singaporean way; it is simply the way of love. Traveling great distances, being one with something out your comfort zone and finding what one is capable of is the power of love.

Finally, the song choices were unforgettable. The extravagant wedding with Kina Grannis’ voice carrying the footsteps of the bride made every step to the altar feel important. The ending song, Yellow, was a melody of Mandarin honey. Not only did this color represent the Asians as a whole, the lyrics were changed. It changed the connotative slur from putrid yellow to a yellow that hugs, warms and soothes. Her voice was a blanket to the audience and couples in the movie. Yellow is now an anthem.

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What it means to be an “ABC� in today's white America

By Kaelan Lui

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am just like every other American and at the same time I am not. I am a unique individual belonging to an ethnic group, but I should not have to be reminded by others of how I choose to identify myself.

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ASIAN OUTLOOK

Photo by Vojtech Okenka on Pexels. com

Photo by James Yang on Tolerance.org

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OR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, I HAVE BEEN ASKED CERTAIN QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO MY ASIAN AMERICAN BACKGROUND. Friends, classmates and strangers have all deemed it necessary to ask me about my culture at some point. I’ve heard it all, and at the ripe age of 20 years old I am sure I will only continue to hear these inquiries and comments as time goes on. Some of the more common questions I have been asked include: “What are you? Where is your family from? Where are your ancestors from? Where are you REALLY from?” Of course, once the ball starts rolling, it becomes an opportunity for more racial questions to be asked. This is where things often cross the line into the offensive and insensitive topics that are usually based out of stereotypes and ignorance. So, I am about to share some insight from my personal experiences.

I am a proud American Born Chinese (ABC). I truly do not have a problem with other people asking me about my background. However, it is the inherent nature and motive of the questions, along with the phrasing, that often causes me to become frustrated. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to learn more about Asian American culture and lifestyle, but my only request is that you really think about how and why you would like to learn more.

In my experience, I rarely ever see two Caucasian people inquire about where they are from. However, once I get involved in the conversation, suddenly it becomes an important and otherwise necessary question to bring up.

Why is this so? Why is it also appropriate all of a sudden?

It should not matter where I am from or where my family is from. From my standpoint, it appears as though once I disclose this information I will inherently be treated differently than if you did not know or ask to begin with.

So, why is this something that is of so much interest or so crucial to know about me? I am just like every other American and at the same time I am not. I am a unique

individual belonging to an ethnic group, but I should not have to be reminded by others of how I choose to identify myself.

Now this is only the tip of the iceberg. Let me quickly dispel some of the myths and curiosities about my lifestyle that many people have asked over the years. No, I do not use chopsticks to eat my food. Yes, I can use them, but a fork is simply easier. No, I do not know Chinese (neither Cantonese nor Mandarin, much to my parents’ disappointment). I was born in New York, and I have spoken English my entire life. Sadly people still say to me that I speak English very well (so do you buddy). No, my parents did not force me to be a doctor. They wanted me to pursue my passions and follow my dreams, just like any good parents should encourage their children to do. I am not a Kung-fu master, nor am I a human calculator. Math is hard for me just as it is for you, especially when they started mixing in letters with numbers.

There are definitely some over the top things that I have heard, but I don’t have the time to disprove all of those ignorant comments. I truly hope people of all colors, races, genders and backgrounds treat each other the same way they would like to be treated. If sharing my insight about this topic that I feel so strongly about can change how one person goes about their life from now on, I can sleep on that. My goal is to make you guys think about why this is relevant and how it affects you as well as those around you. Perspective is everything. People are unique, but that does not make them immensely different and foreign. It is important to think about why you may be asking a certain question to someone, and how it may be viewed by the recipient. It is never okay to assume. I appreciate all that my culture and life experiences have taught me, and it has truly shaped who I am today and my understanding of the world around me. My name is Kaelan Lui and I am proud to be an American Born Chinese.

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Open Sesame!

By Camille Guo

(Photo) Threatpost. Inc

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magine if a company like Amazon swallowed eBay, Apple News, Groupon, American Express, Citibank and Youtube -- that is Alipay. Owned by Ant Financial, an affiliate of the massive Alibaba corporation, Alipay is sometimes called a super app.

The app’s home screen is neatly organized with icons, some of which are entirely third-party companies such as Airbnb, Uber or Uber’s Chinese rival Didi.

Through the eyes of Lazarus Liu, we get an inside look of how Alipay affects one’s lifestyle in China.

When he moved back to China in 2015, after studying logistics in the United Kingdom for three years, he noticed the drastic change. Society had converted into a cashless economy where everyone paid for everything with their phones. One day, after watching a woman his mother’s age pull out her phone to pay for her groceries, he decided to sign up.

The first step was to get an Alipay ID, in which Liu had to input his cell phone number and scan his national ID card. He did so reflexively as Alipay has created a reputation for trust and reliability with its

10 ASIAN OUTLOOK

slogan as an accurate gist: “Trust makes it simple.” Liu found the app so convenient that he began using it multiple times a day. Alipay helped him pay for his breakfast through a food delivery app. His parking could be paid for through Alipay’s My Car feature, in which he had to add his driver’s license, as well as the engine number of his Audi. The options were limitless. He booked doctors’ appointments on the app, allowing him to skip the infamous lines of China’s hospitals. The mobile payment services of Alipay no longer required Liu to bring his wallet when he left the house.

One day, a new icon appeared on Liu’s Alipay home screen. It was called Zhima Credit (Sesame Credit).

The name, like that of Alipay’s parent company, emblemizes the story of “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”, in which the words “open sesame” magically unsealed a cave full of treasure. When Liu tapped the icon, he was greeted by an image of the Earth. The text underneath read, “Zhima Credit is the embodiment of personal credit. It uses big data to conduct an

objective assessment. The higher the score, the better your credit.” The clean white characters beneath read, “Start my credit journey.”

The idea of Zhima Credit spawned in 2013 when Ant Financial executives retreated to the mountains outside Hangzhou to discuss new products. The executives realized that they could use the datacollecting power of Alipay to calculate a credit score based on an individual’s activities. “It was a very natural process,” says You Xi, a Chinese business reporter who detailed this pivotal meeting, “If you have payment data, you can assess the credit of a person,” and so Ant Financial began the process of creating a score that would be “credit for everything in your life,” as You explains it.

Ant Financial was not the only body that believed in using data to measure people’s worth. In 2014, the Chinese government announced it was developing a system of “social credit.” In 2014, the State Council, China’s governing cabinet, publicly called for the establishment of a nationwide tracking system to rate the reputations of individuals, businesses and even government officials. For the Chinese Communist Party, social credit is an attempt at a softer, more invisible authoritarianism. The goal is to incentivize people toward specific behaviors ranging from energy conservation to obedience to the Party.

Shortly after, Ant Financial stated in a press release that the company planned “to help build a social integrity system.” The government has already cooperated with the Chinese government in one major way: It has integrated a blacklist of more than six million people who have defaulted on court fines into Zhima Credit’s database. According to Xinhua, the state news agency, this union of big tech and big government has helped courts punish more than

1.21 million defaulters, who opened their Zhima Credit one day to find their scores plunging. Those guilty would be reprimanded by the law. The Zhima Credit general manager avowed, “There should be consequences for dishonest behavior.”

The service tracks your behavior on the app to arrive at a score between 350 and 950 and offers perks and rewards to those with good scores. Zhima Credit’s algorithm considers not only whether you repay your bills but also what you buy, what degrees you hold, and what your friends’ scores are. For those with good behavior, Zhima Credit offers perks through cooperation agreements that Ant Financial has signed with a number of companies and institutions.

Shenzhou Zuche, a car rental company, allows people with credit scores over 650 to rent a car without a deposit. In exchange for this vetting, Shenzhou Zuche shares data so that if a Zhima Credit user crashes one of the rental company’s cars and refuses to pay up, that detail is fed back into his or her credit score. For a while, people with scores over 750 could even skip the security check line at Beijing Capital Airport. The good scorers were moving without obstruction. A threat hung over the rest.

Signing up for Alipay and Zhima Credit is completely voluntary. However, the benefits are undeniably attractive and entice those who desire to live an easy and luxurious life. The app holds everyone accountable for their social and financial behavior with a goal of creating a more amicable society. Such privileges also entail the risk of having one’s privacy exposed; it all depends on what you care about.

https://qz.com/1097766/i-fixed-my-poor-sesame-credit-score-bybeing-a-more-loyal-user-of-alibabas-wallet-app-alipay-in-china/ https://www.wired.com/story/age-of-social-credit/

(Photo) gqindia.com

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By Jessie Yang

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EON LIGHTS. THEY’RE COLORFUL, GLOWING BRILLIANTLY AT NIGHT, AND WERE ONCE A DEFINING FEATURE OF HONG KONG’S NIGHTLIFE. For decades, neon lights have crowded the streets of Hong Kong, becoming an iconic part of cafés, saunas and restaurants. These intricate dragons and shimmering Chinese characters that used to decorate the streets have begun to make their way towards extinction. Government crackdown on these lights forced many business owners to take down their signs completely in favor of more durable and efficient LED lights.

What was once a symbol of sophistication and prosperity that came about from the economic growth during the 1950s was dying out, with about 90 percent of the signs already taken down.

The beginning of the neon craze came about because of store owners’ desire to bring some sort of excitement to people on the street. With the lack of availability of space in Hong Kong, these stores were often very small and cramped. Their only way to stand out was to have something bold and flashy to catch people’s attention. Neon signs were the perfect solution. LED signs, on the other hand, are a more sustainable and practical option, being safer to use, easier to make, as well as more energy-efficient.

However, the bottom line is that they do not give the same vibe as the original neon signs. The decline in demand for the signs has also affected the profits of the sign-makers. Wu Chi-Kai, one of the last neon lights craftsmen in Hong Kong, has revealed that his workshop’s revenue has gone down 80 percent in the last 25 years that he has been in the industry. Customers are a rarity and the workers are forced to be employed elsewhere. The people of Hong Kong started to realize that these neon signs are a large part of Hong Kong’s culture and that taking them down is equivalent to stripping them of their roots and traditions.

Efforts to revive and preserve neon signs are being made with the introduction of graphic designers and various artists

celebrating the artistry of the signs. Museum exhibitions have been implemented to display the works of art that these neon signs could potentially be. Advancements in technology have also allowed for exponential progression in the industry. Rather than having calligraphers hand draw each design, they are now being computerized and quickly produced to efficiently create these signs.

Examples of these signs can also be viewed on interactive online exhibitions, namely through Mobile M+. This online exhibition showcases different documentations of neon signs all over Hong Kong. The submissions are from the public, memorializing their beauty and nostalgia for what once was what made Hong Kong so unique.

Another challenge for the creators of these signs is that, because the industry is dying out there will be no one capable of replacing and renewing them. This means that the number of workers able to make repairs on the alreadyexisting lights will decline and the number of blinking or dimming lights in the signs will increase. However, graphic designers and various artists are working to bring these signs inside the shops to give a similar neon-feel to the streets. All that can be hoped for is good fortune and good luck when it comes to Hong Kong’s neon signs. https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/jul/25/ hong-kong-neon-lighting-threat-chinese-regulations http://www.neonsigns.hk/?lang=en https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/world/asia/ hong-kong-neon-sign-maker.html

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ASU's Newest Committee: A Step Towards Asian Unity

By Lambert Torres This article is reprinted from Asian Outlook Newspaper of May 1989, in celebration of Filipino American History Month

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S THE RESULTOF MUCH D E L I B E R AT I O N , THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN LEAGUE (PAL) HAS OFFICIALLY JOINED THE RANKS OF THE ASIAN STUDENT UNION. The sequence of events that lead up to this decision began at the start of this school year, when several Filipinos decided that in order to be best represented on this campus, a Filipino committee should be formed as a part of the ASU. The committee that was initially formed, was named the Philippine American Cultural Society (PACS).

Spearheaded by Eileen Nano, attempts to join ASU soon followed. Filipino students began attending ASU general meetings, as stated in ASU’s constitution, to become active members.

In addition, Nano met with ASU’s Executive Board to learn more about the organization.

But, at the conclusion of Nano’s meeting with the ASU E-Board, Nano decided that the ASU would not best serve the interests of the Filipino student population. Instead, she felt that an independently chartered committee would be a better route.

Consequently, PACS was left divided. Some members felt that the ASU was indeed the proper direction that PACS should follow, while others were in agreement with Nano, that PACS should try to charter as an independent group.

In the midst of this confusion, three separate votes were held to determine the entire Filipino group’s feelings on this dilemma. The initial vote turned out overwhelmingly in favor of joining with the ASU. But, the vote was deemed invalid by Nano. A second vote also turned out in favor of joining with the ASU. Again, it was deemed invalid by Nano. Finally, a third vote was held upon agreement that the meeting was to be a voting process only, and that it was not to be a debating session. Nevertheless, the meeting lasted over two hours. It was mainly devoted to Nano and her explanation of why PACS should be chartered independently of the ASU. The vote was a tie.

Since a general vote proved to be a failure, PACS decided to elect an Executive Board of their own. This E-Board would then be responsible for determining PACS’ future.

A PACS constitution was then drawn up.

But before the PACS E-Board ratified it, Nano submitted a copy of this constitution to the Student Association Rules Committee, whereby doing the E-Board’s job of deciding the group’s future.

At this point, Filipino students in favor of joining the ASU felt unfairly represented and subsequently formed their own group, called the Philippine American League (PAL). In response to Nano’s action of submitting PACS’ unratified constitution to the Rules Committee, PAL then submitted their own constitution, and let the Rules Committee make a decision for the Filipinos.

Initially, the SA Rules Committee ruled in favor of PAL, in a 5 to 1 vote. But Nano, who was unhappy with the decision, tried to reverse the outcome at another Assembly meeting on April 18th. Nano failed to reverse the decision due to a 16 to 9 vote in favor of PAL. Although Nano tried once again to rescind the 16 to 9 vote, she failed to gain the 2/3 majority in order to do so.

So, at the present time, PACS is denied their wish to charter as an independent group; The Filipino student group that does exist on campus is PAL and they are now officially a part of the ASU.

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ON ASIA:

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EMEMBERING OBAMA

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APOLEON O N C E WA R N E D THE WORLD THAT “CHINA IS A SLEEPING GIANT. Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will move the world.” This prediction became eerily true, especially in recent years. Ever since the West imparted the Open Door Policy in China during the late 19th century, forcing it to open its trade markets, China has ballooned in wealth and geopolitical influence.

Former President Obama recognized this and was well known for his “Pivot to Asia” policy that became a focal landmark foreign policy initiative of his 2012 administration. In addition to China, President Obama attempted to establish healthy relationships with Southeast Asia as well as maintain a positive relationship with US ally Japan.

Perhaps the most enduring achievement of this policy lies in Obama’s reconstruction of US foreign policy towards the ASEAN countries, which include Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and more. To accomplish this, he joined the East Asian Summit, hosted by ASEAN, thus establishing a joint US-ASEAN conference. Since then, the United States has improved relations with nearly every ASEAN country with the exception of Thailand given their political instability.

The pitfall of the pivot to Asia policy had been Obama’s inability to get closer to China. Since his reelection, Obama failed on multiple fronts. First, the good part. He did succeed in conceiving the Paris Climate Deal, largely because he was able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to cooperate on a US-China landmark clean energy bill, reducing the gas emissions of both countries by an ambitious twentyeight percent by the year 2025. However, this bill had not turned into success elsewhere.

The United States’ growing commitment to Southeast Asia came into conflict when China began escalating tensions in the highly debated South China Sea, an area that many countries claim to own. President Obama attempted to stay neutral in the affair, but the US’s last resort guarantor of the ASEAN countries contributed to growing US-China tensions. Another issue that assisted this divide is the widely controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, which included many Asian countries and the US but specifically excluded China.

16 ASIAN OUTLOOK

https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/09/03/thelegacy-of-obamas-pivot-to-asia/ https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/24/opinions/ trump-made-a-mistake-on-north-koreaghitis/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/17/us/ politics/trump-china-tariffs-trade.html

A

ND MOVING TOWARDS TRUMP

By Thomas Hur

Ultimately, Obama’s legacy when it comes to Asia will be a rocky one and something that President Trump will have to address with. Trump has already declared himself a victor with his “monumental” building of diplomatic relations with North Korea that have culminated in future peace talks. However, there are a number of things that first have to be taken into account to truly call these efforts a “success.”

First, North Korea has to actually dismantle its nuclear program. A recent CNN article reports that the International Atomic Energy Agency found that even despite Trump’s peace efforts, North Korea has not slowed down its nuclear building. Furthermore, North Korea has since stopped shutting down its missile testing site, a crucial promise that has already been broken. Trump has ironically fallen into the same trap that he has criticized previous presidents like Obama for such as making major concessions in exchange for empty promises and small improvements.

Another area that Trump can be criticized on is his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Previously, the US President had spoken many times about his great relationship with the Chinese leader, citing their collaboration on toning down the North Korean threat. However, recently President Trump accused China of undermining his prospects in upcoming elections, causing a rift in the two’s relationship. When asked at a press conference about what he thought of Xi Jinping, Trump stated that ”he may not be a friend of mine anymore but I think he probably respects me.” To exacerbate this issue, Washington further enacted new tariffs against Chinese imports totalling over $200 billion, with China immediately responding with $60 billion of its own, almost half of the $130 billion that it imports already.

Starting a trade war with China and giving in to North Korea’s questionable demands is a harsh mark on Trump’s foreign policy record. If by the end of his presidency he wants to be remembered as a president that truly made America great again, he should seek to start by rectifying the problems that he has just created.

Vol. XXXV, Issue 1

17

Not There Yet!

LGBT rights in Asia 10

out of

By Tod Dotia

27

of South, East and Southeast Asian countries criminalizes homosexuality

√ X √ X Survey: “Being LGBT should be a crime” agree agree Pakistan 54% Pakistan Indonesia 38% Indonesia Malaysia

35%

Pakistan Malaysia 54%

India 38% 31% Indonesia India

Philippines Malaysia 35%20%

54% 38%agree

20% Vietnam

Vietnam

Japan 0 12%

Japan

0

17%

12%

37%

40%

40% 50%

37%

50%

40%

59%

50%

59%

59%

61%

20%

Japan

37%

31%

China Vietnam 20% 17% China

disagree

28%

28%

20%

Philippines

neutral

28%

35%

Philippines

India China 31%20%

√X

neutral neutraldisagree disagree

17% 12%20

0 20

18 ASIAN OUTLOOK

59%

20 40

40 60

40

60 80

61%

61%

59% 59% 61% 61%

100 61% 80 Source: 100 ILGA Global Attitudes Survey

60

80

100

Country

Brunei

Homosexuality is legal NO (fines and imprisonment up to 10 years or death by stoning) NO (up to life sentence, unenforced) NO (fines, prison sentence (2-20 years), or whippings) Legal for female Illegal for male (up to 2 years prison sentence; unenforced since 1999)

Same-sex marriage

AntiTransgender people discrimination are allowed to laws / protection change legal gender

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

NO

YES

NO

NO

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

Legal in some areas

NO

NO

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

Vietnam

YES

NO

NO

NO

Japan

YES

NO

NO

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

Korea

YES

NO

NO

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

China

YES

NO

NO

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

Myanmar Malaysia Singapore Indonesia

Bans antidiscrimnation in some areas Bans some anti-gay discrimination Bans some anti-gay discrimination (in work and education)

Allowed only after sex reassignment surgery

Philippines

YES

NO

Hong Kong

YES

NO

Taiwan

YES

NO

India

YES

NO

Bans all anti-gay discrimination

YES

Thailand

YES

NO

Bans all anti-gay discrimination

YES

NO

YES

Source: ILGA State Sponsored Homophobia

Vol. XXXV, Issue 1

19

Filipino art by Cesar F. Balagot

AO conscience 20 ASIAN OUTLOOK

"Ako ay Pilipino"

By Michaela Nepomuceno

“Ako ay Pilipino Ang dugo’y maharlika” 10 years later and I will never forget The blood and sweat.

My roots rising up from the ground Keeping my family ties tightly wound.

“Ako ay Pilipino Isang banwa isang diwa” Born and raised in a subdivision Of a country over 7000 islands Merely the size of Arizona But our people’s hearts bigger than Anahaw and banana leaves.

“Ako ay Pilipino Taas noo kahit kanino” Fragrances of sampaguita After a Sunday mass Barbecues and palabok The sweetest juices of mango From the local “palengke” Bumpy roads and tricycles Opo and po, Mano kay Lola and Lolo Tito and Tita, Nanay at Tatay.

I’ll never forget Vibrant sun and stars Of a waving flag I am Proud.

I am Powerful.

I am Passionate.

“Ako ay Pilipino.

Pilipinong totoo.”

Photo by wroiee on Devian Art

Vol. XXXV, Issue 1

21

A Fan Letter to Gordon Hirabayashi

By Michael Angelo

Dear Gordon Hirabayashi, I wish we didn’t need you A single sane voice in a world gone mad Reaching through bars, reaching freedom for the future Patron saint of the Asian-American, the Far East on the West Coast Gordon Hirabayashi, You said: “I will defy your rules, Lest your rules stop me But your rules cannot stop me” Gordon Hirabayashi, Between Ghandi and King, There was you.

But unlike Ghandi and King, You stood alone.

Gordon Hirabayashi, You’re a G. From now on, “G” stands for Gordon Hirabayashi.

From now on, I stand for. . .

Gordon Hirabayashi, We have many differences: You look to faith while I look to facts You fight for your principals as I work to define mine You rest in peace as I continue to fight for it Yet we share those differences, have them in common, As well as one other contradiction: We love America, But we will fight America Because we love America We fight so we will not need heroes like you Yet time, eras, generations pass, And we need heroes like you One day, I may meet you. Yet by that time, my work in this world will be done.

Your wisdom granted to me at the threshold where I can no longer use it: Yet I am grateful for what I know, for the energy passed on from your past to our future.

I wish we didn’t need you, But thank god we have you, Gordon Hirabayashi

Photo: AFSC / Courtesy Sharon Yuen

22 ASIAN OUTLOOK

To my past self,

By Farhan Sanyoto

I

know you are worried about the path you’ve taken and the path you’ll be taking. But don’t you worry. I won’t ruin the surprise, but I will tell you that you are going to the best university for you and you’ll meet the most amazing people in your life. Also, without this letter you wrote for your father and the resolution to change yourself, I would not be where I am today. So, for that, thank you. Thank you for always smiling and laughing. Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for believing in yourself. All I have to say for you now is: Dare to live. Dare to live until the very end. Dare to live, giving something of yourself to others even when it seems there’s nothing more to give, because that is what you have decided to do with this one wild life of yours.

“

I spent my childhood days in a small suburban town in Indonesia. Unlike many households, I was privileged enough to have my room filled with illustrated children’s books, most of which were about the tales of renowned leaders: Bill Gates with Microsoft, Gandhi with civil rights and Julius Caesar with Rome. I knew them all inside and out. Yet, ironically, the role model who paved the way to this knowledge was only faintly illustrated in my early years’ pages.

My father is a dreamer, the few who dare to pursue their aspirations. Ever since he was young, he set himself apart from his colleagues. Not only did he excel in college, he made sure to exhaust every opportunity available. Milestone after milestone, from becoming a secretary general in the student council to surviving the cold winters of the Netherlands where he got his college scholarship to becoming the self-made entrepreneur that he is today. To me, my father is the embodiment of success.

I wish I knew about his remarkable accomplishments and strenuous journey much sooner. Everything that I know about my father, I learned from experience. My childhood was teemed with countless nights anticipating the tired man’s return from work. Some nights, I would tell him how infinitely enormous the universe is or who Genghis Khan was, as he sat on the sofa, falling asleep. Other nights, I wondered why he didn’t come home. On days when he was home, I remembered my father as a strict man. He would shout at me for spilling water or force me to study subjects beyond my understanding.

Yet, despite the lonesome nights and frightening days, I didn’t resent my father nor regret my background. In fact, I was grateful for all the late-night work my father endured to make me who I am today. Were it not for my upbringing, I wouldn’t have the diligence and the early perception of independence necessary to adapt in America.

Like my father, I am a dreamer. More than the leaders I read about in my childhood stories, my father inspired me to pursue my entrepreneurial and philanthropic endeavors. He didn’t just believe in me, he also instilled in me the importance of pushing myself beyond my limit. My father was the first one to congratulate me when I founded a club at my current college. And, when I joined the student council, he was also the first one to challenge me to do better.

My father is not only a family figure or a mentor, he is also a friend. Throughout my difficult journey, he is the first one to reassure me that I could do anything as long as I put my mind to it and that it was okay to fail as long as I get back on my two feet. He was the only one who believed in me when no one else did, and I heeded his every word.

However, I realize that it is time to leave his shoulder, stand on my own two feet, and accelerate further on my own accord. My father paved the way for me and it is an honor to continue walking that path.

I am proud to have acquired my father’s persistence and enthusiasm. Six months from now, a chapter in my life will be over. I have exhausted every opportunity that I could find at my community college. It’s time to venture in a new chapter and reach another milestone towards my dreams.

Photo by Craig Whitehead on Unsplash

Vol. XXXV, Issue 1

23

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