PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No. 746 Seattle, WA
VOL 33 NO 34
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
FREE
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
Meeting Tommy Chong Counterculture legend visits Seattle to promote marijuana brand
FOOD Yay for KIMCHI! » P. 7
Is it funny or is it racist?
HBO’s “Jonah from Tonga”
By Zachariah Bryan Northwest Asian Weekly
Photos courtesy cascadiavape.com
That’s the question being asked of Australian Comedian Chris Lilley’s new HBO mockumentary, “Jonah from Tonga.” While some critics say it’s a clever satire on youth, others say that the depiction of the Tongan people is offensive. The show started airing on Aug. 8 on HBO, but before people could even set their DVRs, Asian and Pacific Islander groups had already Tommy Chong and Reid Mukai
By Reid Mukai Northwest Asian Weekly Before “Harold and Kumar” there was “Cheech and Chong” a counterculture comedy duo which became hugely successful in the 70s and continue to be discovered by new generations of fans. Though they’re still working on projects together today, Cheech and Chong were
{see BROWNFACE cont’d on page 12}
Fans meet Tommy Chong
inactive as a comedy team for an extended period of time (between 1985 and 2002). From all accounts, the break-up was the result of a number of factors including creative differences, Cheech wanting to do less drug humor and to break out into a solo career, and possible tensions resulting from the success of their hit single “Born in East LA”, one of the few songs from the duo to have been solely written by only one of them (Cheech).
By that time, they had been working together for over 15 years so it wouldn’t be surprising if they’d want to take a break to explore different creative paths. Though Cheech and Chong are venerated by comedy fans and stoners, Tommy Chong is held in particularly high regard by the marijuana consumer and civil liberties fan {see CHONG cont’d on page 12}
Hawaii Democrats seek unity after dramatic races
Carter will be featured for China Town Hall
By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly
By Cathy Bussewitz and Juliet Williams Associated Press
HONOLULU (AP) – Hawaii’s Democratic Unity Breakfast the morning after the primary election is traditionally a time for candidates to set aside their differences and coalesce against the Republican candidates they will face in November. But the Sunday’s festivities were awkward this year after the primary left the top-ticket U.S. Senate race undecided and the sitting governor was trounced by his Democratic opponent. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, the Senate
Former President Jimmy Carter
Brian Schatz
Colleen Hanabusa
candidates who are separated by only a slim vote margin, largely ignored one another as they sat at neighboring tables until they were finally forced to acknowledge each other with a hug in between their speeches to about 200
Neil Abercrombie
David Ige
party faithful. “This really is an extraordinary moment in Democratic Party politics for so many {see HAWAII cont’d on page 15}
Former United States President Jimmy Carter will be a featured guest of the eighth annual China Town Hall meeting on October 16, 2014. The goal of the Town Hall is to facilitate the exchange of ideas through educational exchanges {see CARTER cont’d on page 13}
The Inside Story NAMES IN THE NEWS People in the news » P. 2
■
NATION China espionage inquiry ‘mindboggling’ » P. 5
SPORTS Get out and breathe » P. 8
EDITORIAL You just got animeeyed! » P. 10
412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 • f. 206.223.0626 • info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
asianweekly northwest
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
■ NAMES IN THE NEWS Club started in 1972 and every year the club honors donors who contribute $2,000 or more annually, become members of the club. The members get privileges such as borrowing from the UW libraries and discount parking at the Seattle campus.
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
Orchestra plays in Seattle
Photo by Assunta Ng/NWAW
Media panel held in King County
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
Movie at the Hing Hay Park
Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra
The Hong Kong Children’s Symphony Orchestra performed at Benaroya Hall on July 29. The orchestra consists of kids varying in age from 7 to 18 with more than 60 musicians. Over 1,000 people were in attendance. International Performing Arts and Emerald Chinese Times presented this event. The orchestra also played shows in Toronto, Portland, and Vancouver.
Photo by George Liu/NWAW
UW professor gets promotion
Ethnic and disability media panel
The King County Ethnic and Disability Media Networking event was held on July 29 at the King Street Center. The event was co-sponsored by King County Executive Dow Constantine, the Washington Hispanic Association, and the Asian American Journalist Association. The media panel consisted of Terea Jones from Univision TV, Mohamud Yussuf from Ronta Somali News, David Junius from Evergreen Radio for the Blind & Deaf/Blind, and Assunta Ng from NW Asian Weekly and Seattle Chinese Post. A question and answer session was held between the media panel and Constantine along with networking with King County staff.
UW thanks its donors
Asian Bad Guys on Aug. 23. The event is free and is put on by Seattle Asian American Film Festival along with the help of Seattle Parks and Recreation. Entertainment is provided before the films around 7:30 p.m. followed by the films starting at dusk.
From left: UW President Wolf Yeigh, his wife Sandy Yeigh, and Nate Miles
Free movie screenings at Hing Hay Park
University of Washington’s (UW) President’s Club held a reception on July 29 to thank its donors. The President’s
Hing Hay Park kicked off its first outdoor movie night on Aug. 9 with Linsanity: The Movie. Two more movies will be shown this month: The Haumana on Aug. 16 and Awesome
Presented by Northwest Asian Weekly and Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation
Diversity at the Top
Honoring Asian Americans who have broken the glass ceiling
Dr. Vikram Jandhyala
Dr. Vikram Jandhyala was promoted to Vice Provost for Innovation at University of Washington (UW). Jandhyala is the first Indian American to hold this position. He has received numerous awards and honors in the past including the Inventor Award from NASA in 2008. He is currently a professor and director of the Applied Computational Engineering Lab at UW.
Saturday, October 18, 2014 6 p.m.– 9 p.m. China Harbor Restaurant 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle 206-286-1688 SPONSORS:
HONOREES
REGISTRATION: $75 before October 13. $85 after October 13. $90 walk-ins. $35 students with I.D. $40 student walk-ins. $500 for an individual table of 10. $950 for a corporate table of 10, with the corporate logo
Andy Hwang Federal Way Police Chief
Hyeok Kim
Deputy Mayor of Seattle
Mary Yu
WA State Supreme Court Justice
Mary Knell
CEO, WA and Western Canada Wells Fargo Bank
To purchase tickets, call us at 206-223-0623, or email rsvp@ nwasianweekly.com. PLANNING COMMITTEE: Joan Yoshitomi, Kiku Hayashi, Buwon Brown, Teri Wong, Karen Tsuo, Seungja Song, John Liu, Assunta Ng, Rebecca Ip, and Carol Cheung To reserve your space, fax a copy of this form to 206-223-0626 or send a check by December 3 to: Northwest Asian Weekly, Attn: Diversity at the Top, P.O. Box 3468, Seattle, WA 98114 Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Telephone: ________________________________________________ Fax: _____________________________________________________
Dr. Vikram Jandhyala
Vice Provost for Innovation, UW
Brad Miyake Bellevue City Manager
Ketu Shah
First Indian American Judge in WA, King County District Court
Email: ___________________________________________________ Organization: _____________________________________________ Title (if applicable): _________________________________________ Name of guests: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ Mastercard
Visa
Card no.: _________________________________________________ Exp. date: ____________ Signature: ___________________________
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ politics
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
Voter tally finalized
By Daria Kroupoderova Northwest Asian Weekly
General election takes place Nov. 4
King County voters have decided who will be in the general election. There were ten API candidates in the running. Sarah Sanoy-Wright is running for Representative position no. 2 in Legislative District no. 11. Sanoy-Wright received 34 percent of the vote while her opponent, Steve Bergquist received 66 percent. Both are moving forward to the general election. Shari Song is running for State Senator in Legislative District no. 30. During the primary election, she received 43 percent of the vote, while her opponent, Mark Miloscia, received 57 percent of the vote. Both are moving forward to the general election. Incumbent Cindy Ryu is running for Representative position no. 1 in Legislative District no. 32. She has no opponent and received 96 percent of the vote. With no one running against her, Ryu will not have to worry about the general election. Mia Su-Ling Gregerson received 49 percent of the vote for Representative position no. 2 in Legislative District no. 33. Her two opponents, Jeannette Burrage and Les Thomas received 37 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Gregerson and Burrage will be moving forward to the general election. Pramila Jayapal and Louis Watanabe are both are running for the State Senator position in Legislative District no. 37 with four other candidates. Jayapal received 54 percent of the vote while Watanabe received 16 percent. Both will be moving forward to the general election since they took the top two spots during the primary election. Incumbent Sharon Tomiko Santos is running for Representative position no. 1 in Legislative District no. 37. Santos received 86 percent of the vote while her two opponents Daniel Bretzke {see GENERAL ELECTION cont’d on page 15}
■ briefly
Panel discusses business opportunities
From left: Jerry Lee, Suzanne Dale Estey, and Kelly Ogilvie
Business Opportunities in Washington,” a panel luncheon hosted by the Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, was held at Sun Ya restaurant in the International District last Friday, Aug. 8. Panelists included Jerry Lee, chairman of the board of Mulvanny G2 Architecture; Suzanne Dale Estey, President and CEO of Economic Development Council of Seattle and King County; and Kelly Ogilvie, of Quemulus, a Seattle start-up. Over 40 people attended the panel discussion, and topics ranged from issues of crowdfunding, (which can admittedly can be “high risk” according to Ogilvie, and Estey warned “to be prepared for accountability”). Other issues included transportation—streetcar and mass transit development in Seattle’s downtown corridor, which can be a “major distraction” according to Ogilvie, but also a benefit.
Sarah Sanoy-Wright
Shari Song
Cindy Ryu
Mia Su-Ling Gregerson
Pramila Jayapal
Sharon Tomiko Santos
Jessica Spear
Cyrus Habib
Marcus Naylor
Louis Watanabe
3
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
■ TRAVEL
By Dipika Kohli Northwest Asian Weekly My son Kush turned six, half a world away. Working out the time zones and putting a Skype slot on our shared iCal, his dad and me and Kush linked up. But our son jutted off in a torrent, an earbud dangling, and with a hurried “I love you, too!” he exited the pixelated rectangle of our shared moment of contact. At least I got to say the words, “HappyBirthdayandILoveyou” in a whirr. Barely, though. I never thought I’d say I live in Cambodia now. Hard to bring up in regular smalltalk here in California, where I’ll be just for four weeks. Then I’ll rejoin Akira and Kush, who are engaging with people making and doing projects in international development. Meanwhile I’m in America to design and run self-reflection workshops for exchange students from all around Asia. Our family team is building spaces, those which hold uncertainty, I realize now. Stuff that came up when we fumbled our way through five Asian countries, wondering how we’d manage to pay for it, and at the end, where
The Village Report From Phnom Penh to Palo Alto we’d land. What happens when you trust the process, ask a lot of questions, and see where things might go? Kush teaches us about uncertainty all the time, and for that I’m feeling super lucky. The ultimate lab in how to look at multiple ways to consider a problem is a tiny child learning how to use every minute thing. As Cambodia’s capital pulled us out of nomadic orbit---it had been a year on the road in India, Nepal, and other parts of Southeast Asia, we found more room to experiment with discovering what was right around us. People like Cambodian-Americans Ki Chong Tran, a young entrepreneur, and Eric Chuk, an editor at Khmerican, plus more than a dozen others both Khmer and expat, too. With all that beginning to bloom into a collaborative something, I’m wondering how I am in Palo Alto and living in a dorm. It’s funny to be in college again after all this time and perspective. My role here for the participants from Hong Kong, mainland China, Japan, and Korea is to create room to trust the process and make choices even when not all parts of a picture are known. Uncertainty isn’t an easy topic for students
in general, but particularly when it comes to Asia, the idea that we can experiment and test and prototype is sort of, well, new. That’s what they’re telling me, anyways. We’re able to reflect on the bigger picture things, like what one might care about most in terms of values, and how to make time in new ways to think about overall paths. Young people here want to know what you’ve done, where you’ve been, and how you’ve learned. How can I tell them that there’s no easy way to make all choices up front, before you even have a chance to try the things you don’t know yet won’t be right? Kush seemed not to mind that I wasn’t at his birthday. Prospects of cake and presents didn’t hurt, and I saw instantly that letting go is part of the real work of parenting. Guiding them to become their best selves is what parents try to do, but it’s also what great leaders can do for their employees. So in a way, after six years of practice I’m trying the same things I learned from taking care of my little son with these exchange students I’m meeting now. They’ve progressed through all the school years my son has only just begun. His first day of school was the day after our
Skype call. It’s intriguing to me to see these students and my son at different points in life, but starting new chapters to build something of their own, too. Words come out spontaneously as participants are gathered together in a round, open space with a tree in the center. “Imagine you’re driving a car at night, and all you have to guide you is the headlights.” It’s something someone told me about the process of writing a book.This seems to capture their attention, so I keep going. You’re driving, in a line, and all you have are the beams. There is no certainty that you will be there by morning, or by evening. All you know is that it’s a line, and the time that it will take is flexible, but you will trust in the process. Knowing everything ahead of time is impossible. All we can do is drive, focused on where we are in the present on the continuum of our lives. Start where you are. See what’s just ahead. Notice what’s around you. Adapt, reflect on the changes, and move with those new choices, too. By the time you read the next village report, I’ll be back in Cambodia. Until then, the night is young, I’m at the wheel, and the lights are on full beam.
■ national news Poverty rises among Asian Americans and Oakland mayor Pacific Islanders according to study After crash,
lets others drive
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan
AP Wire Service OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)— Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is leaving the driving to staffers or volunteer chauffeurs. Her spokesman Sean Maher tells the Oakland Tribune (http://bit.ly/1oRt7CI) that the change gives Quan more time to tend to city business. The newspaper says Quan’s driving has been scrutinized since June, when television news cameras caught her using her cellphone while driving her Toyota Prius and she got into a fender-bender that damaged a city-issued Lexus SUV. The other driver alleged Quan was on her phone before the June 8 crash; Quan said she submitted her phone records to show that she wasn’t. A police investigation was unable to determine which driver was at fault. Quan is running for re-election this November.
By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are one of the fastest-growing populations in the United States. However, the numbers for AAPIs in poverty have grown by 37 percent, while Pacific Islanders in poverty have increased by 60 percent. Taking a look inside the numbers reveals the diversity within the ethnicities of AAPIs A recent Center for American Progress study reveals that many AAPIs that fall within the poverty category are refugees without much education. The data shows that Cambodian, Hmong, and
Laotian Americans are among the ethnic groups that experience the most poverty. Due to their limited education, there are limited opportunities and room for advancement, which reflects “relatively high levels of poverty and low levels of household income.” Conversely, Indian and Filipino Americans show higher levels of employment based on their work-based visas. Both groups within the AAPI category have household incomes higher than the national average. According to the study which held data from 2008 to 2012, the median household income for Asian Americans averaged {see POVERTY cont’d on page 11}
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
■ WORLD news
5
Asbestos pushed in Asia as product for the poor
By Katy Daigle AP Environment Writer
VAISHALI, India (AP) — The executives mingled over tea and sugar cookies, and the chatter was upbeat. Their industry, they said at a conference in the Indian capital, saves lives and brings roofs, walls and pipes to some of the world’s poorest people. Their product? Asbestos. Outlawed in much of the developed world, it is still going strong in the developing one. In India alone, the world’s biggest asbestos importer, it’s a $2 billion industry providing 300,000 jobs. The International Labor Organization, World Health Organization, medical researchers and more than 50
countries say the mineral should be banned; asbestos fibers lodge in the lungs and cause disease. The ILO estimates 100,000 people die from workplace exposure every year. But the industry executives at the asbestos conference, held in a luxury New Delhi hotel, said the risks are overblown.Instead, they described their business as a form of social welfare for hundreds of thousands of impoverished Indians still living in flimsy, mud-and-thatch huts.“We’re here not only to run our businesses, but to also serve the nation,’’ said Abhaya Shankar, a director of India’s Asbestos Cement Products Manufacturers Association. Yet there are some poor Indians trying to keep asbestos out of their communities. In the farming village of Vaishali, in the eastern state of Bihar, residents became outraged by the
construction of an asbestos factory in their backyard. They had learned about the dangers of asbestos from a school boy’s science textbooks, and worried asbestos fibers would blow into their tiny thatch homes. Their children, they said, could contract lung diseases most Indian doctors would never test for, let alone treat. They petitioned for the factory to be halted. But in December 2012, its permit was renewed, inciting thousands to rally on a main road for 11 hours. Amid the chaos, a few dozen villagers demolished the partially built factory. “It was a moment of desperation,” a teacher said on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from the {see ASBESTOS cont’d on page 14}
Korean martyrs’ descendants Son says China espionage feel pride and burden inquiry ‘mindboggling’
By Hyung-Jin Kim Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)— They died well over a century ago, but the 124 Korean Catholic martyrs who will be honored by Pope Francis this week still have a hold over many of their descendants—even even some who learned of their sacrifices
only in recent years, or whose families are now Buddhist or Protestant. It will be a proud moment for them when Francis beatifies Saturday the martyrs, in the last step before canonization, or sainthood. Yet for some, it’s also overwhelming to know that {see KOREAN cont’d on page 11}
By Jeremy Hainsworth Associated Press
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The son of a Canadian couple arrested in China on suspicion of stealing state secrets about military and national defense research said Friday the situation is “mindboggling.’’ Kevin Garratt, 54, and Julia Dawn Garratt, 53, are being investigated by the state security bureau in China’s northeastern city of Dandong, which borders North Korea, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. Son Simeon Garratt, 27, said his parents ran a coffee shop and did Christian aid work for North Koreans. He said there must have been a mistake and hopes his parents will be released. “It really is bizarre,’’ he said in a telephone interview in Vancouver. “There’s no possible scenario I can think of that makes it plausible.’’ The accusations against the couple were
reported Monday, nearly a week after Canada accused a China-sponsored hacker of infiltrating Canada’s National CounResearch cil, a top research and development Simeon Garratt organization. China’s Foreign Ministry expressed strong displeasure over the allegation, urging Canada to withdraw the “groundless’’ accusation. Canadian consular officials were able to secure a meeting with the Garratts on Wednesday, meeting separately with each of them for half an hour, their son said. “We are in contact with local Chinese authorities and the family, and are monitoring developments closely,’’ Canadian Foreign {see GARRATT cont’d on page 13}
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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.” The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article. Subscriptions cost $30 for 52 weeks of the NW Asian Weekly and $25 for 52 weeks of the Seattle Chinese Post. The NW Asian Weekly owns the copyright for all its content. All rights reserved. No part of this paper may be reprinted without permission. 412 Maynard Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98104 • t. 206.223.5559 info@nwasianweekly.com • ads@nwasianweekly.com • www.nwasianweekly.com
asianweekly northwest
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
■ COMMUNITY CALENDAR THU 8/14 THRU TUE 8/19 WHAT: Polynesian Festival WHERE: Uwajimaya Beaverton and Uwajimaya Renton locations INFO: uwajimaya.com
THU 8/14 WHAT: IDEA Space’s open house WHERE: 409 Maynard Ave. S., Ste. P8, Seattle WHEN: 4-7 p.m. INFO: facebook.com/ IDEASpaceChinatownID
SAT 8/16 WHAT: Rock & Soul for the Cure WHERE: Benaroya Hall, S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium WHEN: 7:30 p.m. SILENT AUCTION: 6-7:15 p.m. COST: $25 TICKETS: 206-215-4747, seattlesymphony.org/benaroya
Seattle WHEN: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. INFO: seattlemartialartsexpo. com WHAT: A fundraising event, “2nd Seattle International Martial Arts Championship,” all proceeds will go to Seattle’s Children Hospital and Kin On Health Care Center WHERE: UW, IMA Gym WHEN: 12 p.m. REGISTRATION: www.simac. us, 360-631-9803
THU 8/21 WHAT: Music Duo Imeruat WHERE: SAM, 1400 E. Prospect St., Seattle WHEN: 7-8:30 p.m. TICKETS: reserve free tickets online INFO: seattleartmuseum.org
SUN 8/22 THRU TUE 8/24
WHAT: Outdoor Summer Film, “The Haumana” WHERE: Hing Hay Park, Seattle WHEN: Movie start at dusk COST: Free
WHAT: 40th Anniversary CancerLifeline’s Flea Market WHERE: Dorothy O’Brien Center, 6522 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle WHEN: 2-5 p.m. INFO: 206-832-1273, jlamont@ cancerlifeline.org
SUN 8/17
SAT 8/23
WHAT: Seattle Martial Arts Expo 2014 WHERE: 1025 S. King St.,
WHAT: Outdoor Summer Film, “Awesome Asian Bad Guys” WHERE: Hing Hay Park, Seattle WHEN: Movie start at dusk
COST: Free
SUN 8/24 WHAT: Celebrate Little Saigon WHERE: 1200 S. Jackson St., Seattle WHEN: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. INFO: friendsoflittlesaigon.org
■ briefly
Two events highlight a weekend of martial arts
SAT 8/23 & SUN 8/24 WHAT: Seattle Center Festál – Tibet Fest WHERE: Seattle Center Armory WHEN: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. COST: Free INFO: washingtontibet or 206684-7200
SUN 9/7 WHAT: Seattle Center Festál – Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival WHERE: Seattle Center Armory, Mural Amphistheatre, & Fisher Roof WHEN: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m COST: Free INFO: seattlecenter.com or 206684-7200
THU 9/11 WHAT: The ethnic media candidates meet and greet WHERE: Sun Ya Restaurant, 605 7th Ave. S., Seattle WHEN: 5-7:30 p.m.
Two martial arts events will be held on the same day, one at the University of Washington and one at the Asian Resource Center in the International District. The second annual Seattle International Martial Arts Championship (SIMAC) is being held 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Aug. 17 at the University of Washington IMA Gym, 3924 Montlake Blvd NE. The event is hosted by International Lion Dance Team, Northwest Wushu, Chinese Wushu Tai Chi Academy, Chinese Radio, Best in Class Education Center, and Husky Wushu Team. The event is free, but asking for donations from spectators to help raise money for the Seattle Children’s Hospital, Kin On Health Care Center and the China earthquake relief fund. Special guests include Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen, Chinese community leaders and kung fu masters from around U.S. and Canada. There is a $300 grand prize for each category winner. The categories are Wushu Forms, Traditional Kung Fu, Tai-Chi and Push Hand, and Point Sparring. The first annual Seattle Martial Arts expo is being held from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Aug. 17 at the Asian Resource Center, 1025 S King Street. The event is hosted by Northwest Kung Fu and Fitness. Tickets are $20 prior to the event and $25 day of. There will be live performances of Kung Fu, Tai-Chi, Judo and more. There will also be demos and classes for spectators. Sensei Bob Wall is the special guest for this event. For more information, visit seattlemartialartsexpo.com.
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ FOOD
By Laura Ohata Northwest Asian Weekly
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
Yay for KIMCHI!
When people think of Korean food, the first thing that comes to mind is “kimchi.” The word kimchi means “pickled vegetables,” and there are many different varieties, depending on the ingredients used. The most famous type is “paechu,” made with Napa cabbage, garlic, red pepper, and sea salt. Paechu kimchi is only one of many dishes served in a labor-intensive Korean meal. Each night, the family cook prepares rice, soup, a main course, and a constellation of side dishes called “banchan.” Tradition aside, few families have time to prepare all of the food presented at the dinner table, so they rely on store-bought kimchi to supplement the meal. “I don’t want to make kimchi at home,” says Hyoshin Park, who lives in Sammamish. A busy housewife, Park taxis her children to numerous after-school activities, in addition to preparing the family meals. Purchasing kimchi at the store allows her to focus on the main course, and other side dishes. When asked where she buys kimchi, Park says the South Gate Oriental Grocery is one of her favorite purveyors, because they use good sea salt and fresh ingredients “My mother comes from Jeolla-do, an island in Korea well-known for kimchi,” says Danny Jeong, who has worked at South Gate Oriental Gro-
cery since his brother took control of the family business 12 years ago. “Our mother taught her younger brother how to make all of her recipes. She taught him all of the ingredients, so our uncle has been making all of our side dishes for the past four years. We make kimchi every day.” When asked about the biggest challenge of running a small grocery store, Jeon says, “[It’s] the competition. There used to be a lot of small stores, then H-Mart came in and they all went out of business. Now, we’re left because people use us like a convenience store.” Located in Factoria, South Gate Oriental Grocery draws customers from Bellevue and Issaquah, but some customers drive in from as far away as Spokane and Yakima just to buy their side dishes. In addition to Korean customers, around 30 percent to 40 percent of the shoppers hail from Japan, China, and other countries that consume pickled vegetables similar to kimchi. Growing competition from big stores like H-Mart has advantages and disadvantages for the kimchi-eating consumer. “In the short-term, places like H-mart are great, because they offer a wider variety of fresh products at a lower price,” says Donglok Kim, an electrical engineer at Samsung. “In the long-run, however, if they don’t have any competition, the prices will go higher.” Kim believes that South Gate Oriental Grocery has survived a long time because of its convenient
location. Kim’s favorite kimchi is the one that his wife makes at home. “The saltiness is just right to my taste. I don’t like it too salty,” says Kim. Even so, she does not make kimchi that often. “Kimchi takes a lot of work to make, and you can’t store it for a long time,” says Kim. “People used to store kimchi in large jars underground during the cold winter months. Today, there are special refrigerators to store kimchi at a consistently cool temperature.” Young Park is the head chef at HMart in Federal Way, and her assistant chef is Myungsoo Kim. “We make kimchi by hand, the old-fashioned way,” says Myungsoo Kim. “Ms. Park uses salted shrimp and ground onion in her recipe to make the kimchi taste fresh and add depth to the flavor.” As a housewife, Hyoshin Park prefers shopping at South Gate Oriental Grocery, yet she still shops at H-Mart. “Each kimchi has its own unique flavor. You want to change the flavor, so every time I finish a bottle of kimchi, I go to a different shop.” In the end, whether you make kimchi at home, buy it in a small shop, or grab a jar at a large store, there is one thing upon which everyone agrees. When it comes to kimchi, variety is still the spice of life.
Banchan, the side dishes that accompany every Korean meal, often include:
Paechu: (Napa cabbage) This is the most recognizable, and probably the most popular form of kimchi.
Oi (cucumber)
Pa (green onion)
Chonggak (ponytail radish)
Where to buy kimchi: South Gate Oriental Grocery & Gifts 3900 Factoria Blvd. S.E., Bellevue H-Mart 3301 184th St. S.W., Lynnwood H-Mart 31217 Pacific Hwy. S., Federal Way
Laura Ohata can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
Amazing Women Mentors Volunteering as a way of life
Friday, September 19, 2014 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle
Honorees
Sponsors
Grace Kim
Architect Schemata Workshop Inc.
Carole Carmichael
Assistant Manager Editor The Seattle Times
Lourdes Salazar
Volunteer Program Coordinator City of Bellevue
PLANNING COMMITTEE: Elizabeth Younger, Kiku Hayashi, Bonnie Miller, Connie Sugahara, Diane Martin, Francine Griggs, Kathy Purcell, Leny Valerio-Buford, Winona Holins-Hauge, Assunta Ng, Shoko Toyama, Rosa Melendez, Jaime Sun, Sonia Doughty, and Carol Cheung
Isabelle Gonn
Administrative Manager Nordstrom Technology
Emcee Jean Hernandez
President Edmonds Community College
Regina Glenn
Vice President Seattle Metropolitan
Diane Ferguson
Interim Director Central Area Seniors Center
Luz Iniguez
Director of the Migrant Program University of Washington
CO-CHAIRS: Charlene Grinolds and Gladys Romero
Kirstan Arestad
Director Seattle City Council’s Central Staff
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asianweekly northwest
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
■ SPORTS
Truc Allen
{see ROCK CLIMBING cont’d on page 15}
Get out and breathe
■ ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Mike Chinoy’s documentary reviews Chinese history By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly
Mike Chinoy is a Senior Fellow at the University of Southern California (USC)’s U.S.-China Institute. He served as a foreign correspondent to CNN for 24 years, including eight years’ service as the network’s Beijing Bureau Chief, from 1987 to 1995, for which he collected Emmy, Peabody, and Dupont awards. He is the writer and narrator of the new series “Assignment China,” providing an overview of Chinese history over the last century. He took some questions over e-mail. NWAW: Please describe your journalism background. What were your earliest assignments and for which publications? What were the most important lessons you learned at school and in your early years as a professional? Mike Chinoy: I became interested in journalism in the mid-1970s because I was interested in China. Back in those days, becoming a foreign correspondent seemed to be one of the few ways that an American could get to China. I’d done a Chinese Studies degree at Yale and had been lucky enough to get on a student trip to China in 1973. That whetted my appetite. So after doing a Master’s in journalism at Columbia, I moved to Hong Kong in late 1975 and became a stringer for CBS News. I was quite lucky, because 1976, my first full year of trying to make it as a foreign correspondent, turned out to be one of the most tumultuous years in modern Chinese history. It began with the death of Premier Zhou Enlai in January, followed by the horrendous Tangshan earthquake in July, which killed 250,000 people, the death of Chairman Mao in September, and the ouster of his widow, Jiang Qing and her so-called radical “Gang of Four” in October. So for someone with limited journalism experience but some knowledge of China, it was an opportunity to break in. I originally thought I’d spend a year in Hong Kong and
A multi-part documentary explores Chinese issues.
move on. Here I am now, still working on China issues. I think one of the most important lessons I learned is that having a specialization — in my case China — matters. In the world of journalism, “parachute journalism” — where someone flies in for the immediate crisis or big story and then flies out — was common when I began and has become even more common, especially for TV. There is no question that a good journalist, who is a quick study and has a capable local assistant or interpreter, can do terrific work. But with a story as complex as China, I found that knowing the language, having a familiarity with the culture, politics, history etc. made a big difference in terms of the kind of insights and observations I could offer to the audience. NWAW: What were your early experiences with China like? How has the country changed over the decades? Mike Chinoy: My first trip to China was in 1973. Chairman Mao was still alive and the Cultural Revolution, which he had launched in the mid-1960s to revive China’s
“revolutionary spirit,” was still underway. The country was dominated by Maoist ideology. Everyone wore little Mao buttons on their lapels. At every factory, commune, school, or work unit we visit, our hosts spouted the party line. This always involved praising Mao for all their alleged achievements. At that time, the state controlled virtually every aspect of peoples’ lives — where they lived, where they worked, where they studied, how they dressed, what they could read, watch, or listen to, whether they could travel. Internationally, the country was isolated, and for Americans, it was still a remote, exotic destination. The experience of being a foreigner there was strange and unsettling. Large crowds gathered whenever my group walked down the street. It was as if we had come from another planet. Today, China has changed almost beyond recognition. Thirty years of economic reform and opening to the world has turned the country into an economic powerhouse. Its factories have become the workshop of the world, and its cities are full of skyscrapers, traffic jams, luxury hotels, and enormous wealth. China’s people have more personal freedom — as distinct from political liberty —than at any time since the communist revolution. The rise of China has become arguably the most important trend in the world today. However, the scale of the changes, compressed into such a short period — in historical terms — has also produced a host of internal tensions and challenges. These include a widening gap between the rich and poor and the prosperous eastern coast and the less developed west, rampant corruption, an environmental crisis of staggering proportions, compounded by the lack of a social safety net and an authoritarian political system. {see CHINOY cont’d on page 13}
Photo by Brett Owens, headshot, Brian Poon
M
y life has been a little lonely. Ever since I first put on a climbing harness, stepped into snow skis, got my first skateboard kickflip, or even my first whitewater combat roll, I’ve always been a little alone. It’s not for the lack of having friends and it’s not because I live in some rural part of the country. For over 25 years, I’ve spent my life in the outdoors and for almost every day of those years, my life has been mostly devoid of Asian Americans. I’ve long wondered what the reasons would be. Is it culture? Perception? Exposure? Influence? In a recent study of outdoor participation, Asian/Pacific Islanders represented only 7% of the overall outdoor participant population. Even living in Seattle, one of the top 10 cities with the highest Asian populations, it’s still a mystery why there’s still a lack of Asian Americans in the back country. I recently caught up with a Korean friend of mine, Lisa Kim, who had just accomplished one of her hardest
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
9
■ arts & entertainment Trailblazers and debt Adieu to Shigeta and mortgages; casting call for Star Wars
Timmy DeLaGhetto
James Shigeta
By Vivian Nguyen Northwest Asian Weekly
with a check of $210,000 to pay off their mortgage. Tim, whose YouTube channel has amassed more than 2.4 million subscribers, dropped out of college five years ago to pursue a career as an entertainer. Naturally, his Asian parents balked at the decision. Tim vowed that he would one day be successful and earn enough money to pay off their house. He finally made good on that promise, and filmed his parents’ reaction. In the video, Tim’s parents start crying and proclaim their gratitude to their son. It’s a very sweet moment until his parents, in what I assume is a part-jest but part-real request, ask Tim for a few additional gifts: A Mercedes. Or grandchildren. If it’s not one thing, it’s always another with Asian parents! Regardless, Tim easily wins the award for World’s Best Asian Child. We should all be jealous.
The sun’s been shining bright in Seattle this last month! But despite the sizzling heat, things have not been as high in Hollywood. Read on to find out about last month’s unfortunate lows and a few highs.
Adieu to James Shigeta
I start off this column with somber news about actor James Shigeta’s recent passing. Shigeta, who was 85 at the time of his death, was a pioneering Asian American actor who had lead roles in films such as “The Crimson Kimono,” “Flower Drum Song,” and “Bridge to the Sun.” Shigeta was one of the first prominent Asian American actors to enter the Hollywood scene. Readers may remember Shigeta for his starring role in the 1961 feature adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Flower Drum Song,” which showcased an all-Asian cast. Though its influence in American media has been controversial, “Flower Drum Song” is often credited as being one of the first films to portray Asian Americans beyond model minority stereotypes. Shigeta helped introduce this movie to mainstream audiences. He also did extensive work in television, and appeared in episodes of “Hawaii Five0,” “Little House on the Prairie,” “The Love Boat,” and “Magnum, P.I.,” among many other shows. Shigeta also had a brief but important role in the iconic action movie “Die Hard,” where he played the illfated corporate executive Joseph Takagi. Though Shigeta hoped to take on more leading roles throughout his career, he recognized his race as a limitation to success in Hollywood. This is why honoring his legacy is so important — Shigeta was a true trailblazer of our time, and he showed Asian audiences that it’s possible to see a familiar face reflected in the media. Here’s to hoping that his work will continue to influence and lead the way for Asian actors in the future.
YouTube star pays for parents’ home with video money
Popular YouTube rapper and comedian, Timmy DeLaGhetto (known by his online handle), made headlines for posting a web video in which he presented his parents
Latest casting news for Asian Americans
Whoever implied that summer was a time of idleness certainly wasn’t referring to the bevy of casting announcements for Asians this summer! There’s a ton of casting news to catch up on. The hotly anticipated “Star Wars: Episode VII,” the next installment in the legendary “Star Wars” movie franchise, broke news that actress Christina Chong will join the movie’s cast. Chong, who is British and of Chinese descent, may be best known for her guest role on the television show “24.” “Star Wars: Episode VII” will land in theaters in December 2015. Meanwhile, another major film announced its casting. “Big Hero 6” is an animated adventure film from Disney, and it’s based on an adaptation of the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The cast includes actors Ryan Potter and Jamie Chung. Potter, who is half Japanese, currently plays a superhero on the teen action show “Supah Ninjas,” while Chung has starred in several mainstream films, such as “The Hangover Part II” and “Sucker Punch.” This movie marks the first animated Marvel adaptation from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Actor Daniel Henney will also have a small role in the movie. “Big Hero 6” opens in theaters on Nov. 7.
Christina Chong
Fans of the epic martial arts film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” may be delighted to know that a sequel is in the works. The film stars acting and martial arts veterans Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen, and will also include the recent addition of dancer and actor Harry Shum Jr. Shum Jr. is best known for his supporting role in the hit musical-comedy television series “Glee.” The sequel, currently titled “Crouching Tiger 2: The Green Destiny,” will be set 20 years
after the events of the first film and focus on four heroes who must defend a legendary sword from potential adversaries. Though the plot remains minimal and vague at best, I think we can all agree that the sequel to “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” won’t be anything less than legendary. Vivian Nguyen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
asianweekly northwest
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
OPINION
■ editorial
You just got anime-eyed!
One of our readers sent in a comment about our article about the “yellowface” issue regarding the Mikado. This was the letter: Relative to the ongoing discussions about Yellowface: I’ve always been interested in the fact that anime portrays its Asian characters as having giant round blue and green eyes, ala Margaret Keane, and wondering why that isn’t an offensive portrayal. I’m interested in hearing the view(s) of you and/or your writers. Thank you. Diane Dambacher It’s a good point, right? So what is up with those anime eyes? Issues of brownface (see the article by Zach Bryan on page 1) and yellowface (google Mikado if we haven’t already overloaded you with it already) have stirred up nice editorial material. So now, instead of yellowfacing, we can focus on “Westernization” (if that is even the right term) in extremely popular anime. It’s weird. We are applying huge goggle eyes and eyelashes on characters that are supposed to resemble… us. Maybe the best way to discuss this is to illustrate it.
This is what Gong Li looks like without, and then with, anime eyes: You would totally recognize her (eyeroll with anime eyelashes and sweepy hair). Yes or no?
Gong Li
Gong Li with anime eyes
Send your thoughts to editor@nwasianweekly.c om.
And just for fun, this is what our intern looks like: And this is what she looks like with anime eyes.
Daria Kroupoderova, our intern
Daria now has big eyes
Does this represent us? Who needs to yellowface or brownface when you can have anime eyes? Thank you, Diane, for bringing it up. And thank you, readers, for giving us your opinion. And make sure you tell us what color your eyes need to be when you send in that headshot.
■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG
To mourn or not to mourn at a memorial… Photos by Assunta Ng/NWAW
Luther J. Carr Jr. remembered and celebrated
Cupcakes for dessert
This is supposed to be a sad blog. But Luther J. Carr Jr., a renaissance man, and a Seattle community leader and entrepreneur, reinvented the purpose of a traditional memorial. There was little mourning— mostly joy and hope. It was an unconventional service, but Luther’s life was not conventional either. Don’t wear black—this was Luther’s last wish for his service at the AME Church. I also learned a few more things aside from not wearing black for such occasions. The time listed for the service was noon to 3 p.m. Noon is my lunchtime. Should I eat first or not? Anyway, I ate some nuts before I headed to the church. The front door of the church was locked. I circled around and found colorful balloons on the backdoor, showing friends the entrance to the fellowship hall. Balloons, huh!? I peeped inside the packed hall and saw lines of people waiting to eat. There was plenty of food. There were three kinds of sandwiches, including veggie and meat, platters of
delicious vegetables and fruits, and potato chips, too. The message was clear. Eat first, then… tributes. You can’t be attentive when you have a grouchy stomach. Never have I attended a memorial where you get food immediately. I didn’t notice any flowers in the room. He must have thought flowers were more for the guests, an opportunity for them to show love and respect. To practical Carr, it was probably unnecessary. There were red tablecloths in the room, a sign of celebration in Chinese culture. On the walls were balloons of red, blue, and yellow. Several of his close friends dressed in festive attire. I was one of the few who came in black – scarf and pants. I didn’t get the family’s email. Carr must have laughed at us black-dressed folks in heaven! Over 500 family members and friends gathered to chat, hug, and remember. It was a good time, remembering Luther. He brought everyone together. That was his spirit. He enjoyed sharing wonderful moments with friends, and bringing
Luther J. Carr III speaks about his father, pictured on the poster on the podium
Guests remember and celebrate Luther. Note the festive red tablecloth.
folks together, creating communities. His community was diverse. It wasn’t just the black community, he had friends of all race attending his service. One Caucasian friend even said it was the most fun service he had ever attended. “Fun!” Is a memorial supposed to be fun? Apparently, Carr proved it could be. His family granted his wishes in the service with much love. The idea of having a funeral for loved ones to mourn was not his intent. Why focus on one moment of death and not a life of 77 years? He made this world a better place, and people celebrated his vision to inspire his friends to fight the barriers of their communities. The memorial focused on joy and hope, not sadness, anger, and hate.
Pastor Cary Anderson said at the ceremony that Luther was not the kind of man who would say “No, I can’t.” “Like President Obama, he gave us hope,” said brother Gary. As the oldest of nine children, Carr was his siblings’ role model. They grew up in a Tacoma housing project with no role models. But then there were no black civil leaders in the 1950s and 1960s. Gary said his brother was his guiding light for his family. The fact that Luther lived in Madrona, in a residence looking over the hill, gave his siblings hope. “It was like going to Disneyland,” Gary recalled of his fond visits to Seattle. A graduate of the University of Washington, Luther was a multisport star. He participated in football, baseball, and track and field. According to a family member, he picked football based on a business decision. Track and field didn’t pay well, he told his family. Luther was known as “...Hit and Run Carr” when he played football. Did I care how many touchdowns he
Luther the man
Luther’s achievements ranged from social justice to business, sports, and community. I met him when he joined the Seattle Rotary Club. At the time, I didn’t know he was Frances’ husband (former mayor Norm Rice’s executive assistant).
made? Not really. What impressed me most was his track record of community service--he served 35 years on Goodwill’s board--and that speaks volume about the man’s character---his commitment to help immigrants and the disadvantaged and giving back to society. Later, he started a construction company, which helped build the Washington State Convention Center and the second Lake Washington floating bridge. He died on July 1 at the age of 77. He was married to Frances for 56 years. He is survived by three children, Brenda, Dana, and Luther III, and his four granddaughters.
Want to get the inside scoop on the latest happenings of Seattle’s Asian American community? Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
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OPINION
■ letter
RE: Are we Asian-American or Asian American? Dear Editor:
American. If one is very proud of one’s heritage, one can say “American of Asian Heritage.” However, we should not automatically label ourselves as a sub-group as Asian American unless we label our entire fellow American into subgroups. Since I seldom see a newspaper refer to our governor, Jay Inslee, as European American governor, I would not refer to myself as Asian American. I was very
angry when people kept referring to Gary Lock as our Asian American governor. Somehow, it implies Gary Lock is not a full-fledged American like any other Washington governors. The continued identifying of ourselves as a subgroup is just perpetuating our image that we are not mainstream. With the continued increase of Americans with multiple heritage, I am not sure this continued labeling of Americans will help anything. I applaud NW Asian Weekly, as it advocates
{POVERTY cont’d from page 4}
{KOREAN cont’d from page 5}
about $72,000, while the national median household income was $53,000. The average for whites was $56,000. Median household income for Pacific Islanders was $55,000. The study also finds that AAPIs have larger households than the national average with an average of 3.02 for Asian Americans and 3.63 for Pacific Islanders. The national average is 2.58 persons. Based on this information, AAPIs have more individuals within their household to take care of and thus resources are stretched more than smaller households. Also, a fact which may contribute to the higher numbers of poverty, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are more likely to live in states and cities with higher costs of living. Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, and California are the top four states in which AAPIs reside. The AAPI poverty numbers have surpassed the U.S. national average of 27 percent. With the increase in poverty among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, 58 percent of the net increase comes from native-born Americans rather than immigrants. The study reveals interesting information on ethnic groups when it comes to poverty. In 2010, Chinese Americans and Asian Indian Americans comprised the two ethnic groups with the most people in poverty. However, the numbers may be deceiving considering the high number of Chinese Americans and Asian Indian Americans in the United States. The highest concentrations of poverty among AAPIs are the ethnic groups with the smallest representation in the total U.S. population. The highest rates of poverty among Asian Americans were Hmong Americans and Bangladeshi Americans. Between 2006 and 2010, the poverty rate for Hmong Americans was 27 percent (i.e., 27 percent of Hmong Americans in the United States are in poverty) and 21.1 percent for Bangladeshi Americans, according to the study. Among the Pacific Islanders, the highest poverty rates are Tongan Americans (18.9 percent) and Samoan Americans (16.2 percent). Pacific Islanders are the most concentrated group in poverty next to Asian Americans. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago are the top cities in which AAPIs in poverty reside. AAPIs living in poverty predominantly live in some of the most expensive housing markets across the nation. As one might conclude, poor AAPIs live in diverse multicultural neighborhoods with no single population as the majority. In addition, most AAPIs that are poor live in neighborhoods where the majority of residents are people of color. The study by the Center for American Progress was provided in conjunction with AAPI Data, a project at the University of California, Riverside. The study on poverty is one of a series of reports on the state of AAPI communities.
someone in their family was willing to die for their faith. “I was baptized as an infant, and I’ve been a Catholic for about 50 years, but I’ve been asking myself whether I could do’’ what the martyrs did, said Kim Dong Sup, a 55-year-old office worker from a prominent Catholic family that includes 13 martyrs. “What they did was incredible.’’ Kim has a relic from one of those martyrs: a fingernail-sized piece of spine, mounted on a cross, from Kim Tae-gon, Korea’s first Roman Catholic priest. He was beheaded in 1846 at age 25 for attempting to help foreign missionaries enter the country, and his bones were later divided and kept by hundreds of Catholics. The 124 martyrs perished from 1791 to 1888. Catholic officials believe that, in all, about 10,000 Korean Catholics were executed by the Joseon Dynasty, which tried to shut the Korean Peninsula off from Western influence. The dynasty’s rule ended in 1910, when Japan annexed Korea and began its 35-year colonization. Today, the South Korean church accounts for more than 10 percent of the country’s population of 50 million, and the local church hopes for continued growth. But as in Europe, the church here has been affected by an increasingly secular and materialistic culture and by competition from other faiths. Church officials lament that South Korean youths are so pressed to excel at school that they don’t have time to go to church. During his five-day visit, which begins Thursday, Francis is expected to encourage young Catholics to spread the faith and not get caught up in what he often calls a materialistic, “throwaway’’ culture. It’s the first papal visit to South Korea in 25 years. Kim Tae-gon and more than 100 other martyrs were canonized—meaning they were declared saints—during a 1984 visit by Pope John Paul II, who returned in South Korea in 1989. Two more of Kim Dong Sup’s ancestors are to be beatified this week; both refused to renounce their faith. One died in prison in 1814. The other, who was beheaded in 1816, transcribed religious books by hand to distribute to believers and taught Catholicism at his home. Catholicism took hold in Korea in the late 18th century among those who had read imported books on the religion—years before foreign missionaries started coming to Korea. Historians say
Jason Cruz can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
a lot of issues for our community. Label the issues, but not the people. I am a Rotarian, but never say I am an Asian Rotarian. I am an American and not a hyphenated American. I think the debate of Asian American or AsianAmerican is completely missing the point. Thank you for allowing this discussion. — David Chan
early believers were struck by the idea of a religion that preached universal equality in divine eyes at a time when the nobility’s discriminatory hierarchical system brutally exploited ordinary people. Park Geun Tae, a reverend at a Seoul Catholic church, said the emergence of Catholicism in Korea was seen by some as liberation from a system where some of the lowest-class believers had been “treated like animals.’’ Catholics were persecuted for allegedly disrupting the social order, plotting treason, denying the Joseon Dynasty’s legitimacy and seeking help from foreign powers to spread Christianity. The religious crackdowns caused families to scatter around the country to avoid persecution. Many stopped passing on their beliefs to their descendants, and analysts say some families were likely completely exterminated. Descendants of only 24 of the 124 martyrs will attend the beatification ceremony Saturday in Seoul because relatives of the other martyrs could not be found, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea. Paul Yoon, a 56-year-old who runs a business supplying electronic products to U.S. army bases, said he only found out about his relation to a martyr about seven years ago, after his wife discovered lineage records. “I was surprised, but I also felt a heavy burden because I wasn’t leading a devout religious life,’’ Yoon said. South Korean Catholic officials say Yoon’s ancestor, Yun Jichung, is the first Korean martyr. He was beheaded in 1791 with his cousin, Kwon Sang-yeon, for refusing to follow traditional ancestral memorial practices. Both are to be beatified. Yoon doubts that his late parents ever knew about the family’s history, but he recently found that a Buddhist descendant of Yun holds annual memorial services for him at a Catholic church. A descendant of Kwon is now a Salvation Army officer in southern Chungcheong province. Kwon Sungil didn’t know about his ancestor until 2005 when church history researchers informed him. “I realized that it was my ancestor’s will that I should be in ministry,’’ said the 58-year-old Kwon. AP writer Nicole Winfield contributed to this story from Rome.
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
{BROWNFACE cont’d from page 1} started calling for the show to be shut down. “Such over-the-top ‘brownface’ is an affront to the proud Tongan people, and given the lack of any other depictions of Tonga or its people in the United States, the show can seriously damage the perception and self-image of Tongan Americans,” said Daniel Mayeda, co-chair of the Asian Pacific Media Coalition in a statement against “Jonah from Tonga.” “Jonah from Tonga” follows the title character, 14-year-old Jonah Takalua, played by a white, 39-year-old Lilley dressed up in brownface and a curly-haired wig. Jonah, a troublemaking teen that nobody can seem to get a handle on, was kicked out of Summer Heights High and was taken back to Tonga by his family, who would then ship Jonah to a Catholic school in Sydney, Australia in an attempt to mend him. Long story short, Jonah remains a crude, immature teenager who loves sex jokes, hassling the red-haired kids, spraying graffiti, and getting into all manner of trouble. Despite the supporting cast’s attempts at intervention, Jonah has a hard time becoming a nice, appropriate kid. Perhaps no one describes Jonah better than his uncle Mamafu in the opening of the first episode, which takes place on an island of Tonga. “Everything was happy. It was a peaceful place here until Jonah came along. Jonah’s like a f---ing idiot. He uses swear languages most of the time. He’s very annoying. No one likes {CHONG cont’d from page 1} bases because of his outspoken advocacy of cannabis legalization. He’s an advisory board member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and has credited a hemp oil treatment with the effective curing of his prostate cancer which he announced he had in 2012. Chong also became a rallying figure for the cannabis decriminalization movement when he was imprisoned for selling bongs on the internet in 2003, a story chronicled in the 2006 documentary “AKA Tommy Chong”. In 2008, Tommy Chong had another runin with the law when DEA agents raided Spectrum Labs (producer of urine cleansing products endorsed by Chong and a distributor of the documentary about him). They seized company records and 8,000-10,000 copies of “AKA Tommy Chong”. Whether he was targeted for being a high-profile celebrity they could make an example out of, for having assets which they could potentially seize, or for having mocked law enforcement officials in his films and comedy routines, it’s clear that what the federal government did to Tommy Chong was unjust and absurd given the countless real crimes they could have been addressing. Since the passing of initiative I-502 which legalizes recreational marijuana use for adults in Washington State, figures such as Tommy Chong are vindicated and more respected than ever for having stood firm in their beliefs which the mainstream is now realizing to have been correct all along. So when it was announced at a Seattle Cannabis Tech Meetup that there would be a raffle contest for a chance to meet Tommy Chong in person, I was the first person to drop my business card in the hat. It was a pretty hectic scene at the C&C Shop Medical dispensary in Lake City. It was a relatively small shop with a lot of personnel and associates along with a professional photographer with studio equipment setting up for a shoot taking place after the meet and greet. Chong was busy with other media events
him here,” Mamafu said. Lilley’s depiction of the Tongan people, particularly Jonah, has not gone over well with many Asian and Pacific Islander groups in America. A change.org petition, which has received nearly 10,000 supporters as of press time, asked HBO to not “import someone else’s racism” and “slander a whole nation.” In the petition, Tongan Americans Sione Latu and Jarom Vaha’i writes, “All of the teenage ‘Tongan’ boys in the show are low achievers, gang members, or in jail. Much of the ‘comedy’ is derived from Jonah’s acts of violence, sexual aggression, ignorance, and profanity. Jonah swears at his sister and his father. He is extremely disrespectful to teachers. He is sexually suggestive to his aunt and a nun. His father swears during prayers. His sister swears at him. All of this is deeply offensive in Tongan culture in which respect for elders and women are core pillars. Tonga is a devoutly religious country, very family-oriented, with one of the highest PhD rates per capita.” However, not everyone thinks Lilley’s depiction of the Tongan people should be pooh-poohed so much. Some people, such as the Australian-based New Daily’s Giles Hardy, heralds Lilley as a rare comedic genius. Giles writes, “There are some comedians, some of the best, who stand and stare at the edges of polite society. They don’t look out, but in. They tug on the threads. They question the assumptions. They challenge us. They force society to laugh
earlier in the day but he seemed not high, but high spirited and friendly. I haven’t had much experience being around celebrities so it was interesting to see up close just how demanding it could be. As soon as he entered the room it was a flurry of activity as he continually spoke to one person after another amidst the flashing of cameras. When it was finally my turn to meet him I couldn’t resist asking for his autograph, being a longtime fan, and he kindly obliged. He seemed a little surprised that what I had brought for him to sign was a dvd of AKA Tommy Chong and self-effacingly joked about his mugshot used on the cover of the box. Expecting a relatively quick meet and greet and knowing there wouldn’t be time enough for a full interview, I didn’t record the conversation but can report that since the 2008 Spectrum Labs raid, it seems the feds have been leaving him alone and he’s been moving forward with plans to do another live action film with Cheech Marin (they did an animated film together in 2012). Chong also confirmed and elaborated on how while he was in prison he was cellmate of Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street), how they struck up a friendship, and how he was the first person to urge Belfort to write a book about his life. He said they’re still friends and he enjoyed the film adaptation of the book except for the ending. By then our time was almost up but since he was curious I told him a little about my business and I let him know how important his case was to me as a fellow entrepreneur selling products online. He gave kind words of support and encouragement but unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to smoke together. Nevertheless, I’m happy to have had the opportunity to chat with the legendary Tommy Chong, who was as mellow and funny (though not quite as high at the time) in person as his on-screen persona. Reid Mukai is a Seattle blogger and owner of Cascadia Vape. Reid Mukai can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
in recognition at an unacknowledged reality and while it laughs, to engage in some healthy introspection. That is what Lilley does. And he is one of a handful of comedians in the world who do so.” Lilley has tangled with controversial roles before. In the series “Angry Boys,” he put on blackface to play the African American rapper S.Mouse and he put on yellowface to play the Japanese tiger mom Jen Okazaki. In an interview with New York-based vulture.com, Lilley acknowledged that he was often the target of criticism in regards to his more controversial roles. But, he said, his act has always been to play multiple characters, and he is not willing to shy away from a character just because he or she happens to be Japanese, African American, or a troublemaking Tongan teenager. “If I thought it was funny, I don’t think I would be scared to do it,” he said in the interview. “I think I’m pretty brave with putting myself out there, and looking stupid and doing things that are potentially offensive.” “Racist and offensive portrayals fuel intolerance and bullying. ‘Jonah from Tonga’ is attractive to young audiences that cannot distinguish between satire and a racist joke,” said Priscilla Ouchida, executive director of JACL. Zachariah Bryan can nwasianweekly.com.
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32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
■ astrology
AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
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For the week of August 16–August 22, 2014 By Sun Lee Chang
Rat — Starting to feel like you have it all figured out? Hold on, for you are about to find out that there are more lessons to learn.
Dragon — Some arguments don’t merit your attention or participation. There is no shame in opting out when appropriate.
Monkey — A stroke of good fortune has been bestowed upon you. All that remains is to make the most of it.
Ox — Be careful about showing too much eagerness. You do not want to show your hand before the deal is done.
Snake — Use the resources you have available to their best advantage. You will likely have more at your disposal than you originally thought.
Rooster — A major purchase looms ahead of you. Ask yourself whether it is something you merely desire or a true necessity.
Tiger — Have your actions been misinterpreted recently? Rather than keeping quiet, clear the air by articulating the feelings behind the deeds.
Horse — As the moment of truth approaches, you are having second thoughts. Working through your doubts will go a long way in easing your fears.
Dog — Do you feel as though you are on the cusp of a big breakthrough? Maintain your momentum and push on.
Rabbit — Are you nervous about an upcoming meeting? It will be well worth your time to do your homework beforehand.
Goat — If you have been lucky enough to find the winning formula, then by all means put it to use more than once.
Pig — In a quest to get the job done, you may have overdone it recently. Make it a priority now to get some deserved rest.
What’s your animal sign? Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007
*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.
{CARTER cont’d from page 1} and public education. President Carter’s remarks will be web cast for free nationwide by the National Committee on United States-China Relations. The program featuring the former president will address China’s rapid development and Sino-American relations and how it affects the United States. Entitled, “CHINA Town Hall: Local Connections, National Reflections,” it is a national day of programming designed to provide Americans across the United States the opportunity to discuss these issues with leading experts according to the NCUCR press release. The program is a form of public outreach for those interested in continuing Sino-American issues. The event is underwritten by the Starr Foundation which provides grants in the areas of education, medicine and healthcare, human needs, public policy, culture and the environment per its organization web site. President Carter appears as part of the Conversations at The Carter Center speaker series. President Carter will talk about the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China when he was president. He will {CHINOY cont’d from page 8} The central challenge for foreign correspondents covering China is how to make sense of this astonishing transformation, and how to explain it to audiences that, while generally interested in China, are unfamiliar with the country. How American journalists have tried to do that is one of the central issues explored in “Assignment China.” China has never been an easy assignment. A combination of an inward-looking culture long suspicious of foreigners, and a tightly controlled political system in which the Communist Party has long sought to monopolize the flow of information, has made getting the story a daunting challenge. Until recent years, reporters had to get permission in advance to travel out of Beijing, and official approval for interviews. One of the fascinating things about the crisis in Beijing in 1989 was that, for a brief period, as the protestors took over the city center, it became possible to talk to people with virtually no restrictions. And in the heady atmosphere before the crackdown, ordinary citizens were willing to say what they thought in a way that I had not previously encountered. NWAW: What in your view, are the most important aspects of Chinese history given by this set of documentaries? Mike Chinoy: There is an old saying that journalists write the first rough draft of history. One of the goals of the
also speak to present diplomacy between the two nations. After President Carter’s presentation, he will respond to question from audience members throughout the country viewing the webcast. In addition, President Carter’s speech will be preceded by local presentations from on-site China specialists addressing topics of particular interest to the community including economics, governance & civil society, politics and security and transnational issues. The National Committee on United States-China Relations is sponsoring the event. Founded in 1966, the organization remains at the “forefront of the dynamic Sino-American relationship by encouraging constructive dialogue, fostering face-to-face interaction and the forthright exchange of ideas and educating Americans and Chinese about the realities of each other’s countries,” according to its web site. The organization had a hand in what is known as the “Ping Pong Diplomacy” in 1972. The committee assisted in bringing over the Chinese Table Tennis Team to the United States as part of a quasidiplomatic exchange. The ping pong exhibitions between the Chinese team and the American team brought good will between the two countries and it facilitated further
“Assignment China” series is to explain how that was done, and what it was like to do so. The journalists featured in these films covered virtually all the key stories in China from the late 1940s onwards-the triumph of Mao’s revolution, the Great Leap Forward in the late 1950s, the Cultural Revolution, the opening to the United States, the death of Mao, the reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping, Tiananmen Square etc. They were witnesses to many of these and other events. However, from 1949 until the 1970s, China was largely closed to American journalists, so a whole generation of correspondents became “China-Watchers,” covering the country from Hong Kong, in the process developing a whole net of tools--media analysis, refugee interviews etc.--to help them figure out what was going on. In looking through the coverage over these many years, what was striking to me was the degree to which the reporters got the broad outlines right. Despite frequent errors and inaccurate or incomplete information at key moments, my own view is that they did accurately convey the main trends, issues, and developments in a country that is extremely difficult to cover. NWAW: Which are the most important aspects of the Tiananmen Square saga? Do you feel we are losing perspective on the entire thing? What needs to be remembered most? Mike Chinoy: The legacy of Tiananmen Square is a complex one. In terms of journalism, especially TV, it
sports and educational exchanges between the countries. Last year, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright served as the featured guest for the town hall. President Carter was the 39th president of the United States serving from 1976 until 1980. During President Carter’s administration, the most notable event in Sino-American relations occurred when on December 15, 1978, the United States and the People’s Republic of China announced that they would recognize one another and established official diplomatic relations. The announcement was the culmination of months of secret negotiations between the two countries. As a result, the United States recognized the People’s Republic as the sole legal government of China and withdrew diplomatic recognition from Taiwan. Prior to this, there were no formal diplomatic relations between the United States and the People’s Republic. For more information on the event, visit ncuscr.org. Jason Cruz can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.
was unquestionably a watershed moment-the first time an upheaval on that scale in a previously remote and isolated nation was broadcast live around the world. The coverage of Tiananmen was full of what were, at the time, dramatic technical breakthroughs, which set the stage for the next dramatic development in news, the live coverage of the Iraq war in 1991. Tiananmen obviously was also a turning point for China. It led to the crushing of the student movement, but also convinced China’s then-senior leader Deng Xiaoping that the country had to accelerate marketstyle economic reforms for the Communist Party to hold on to power. The fallout from 1989 was one of the factors behind Deng’s push in the early 1990s to speed up reforms, which laved the way for the remarkable economic development China has witnessed since then. At the same time, however, the power of the images from the coverage of Tiananmen, such as the man in front of the tank, also had an enormous impact on perceptions of China around the world. This influenced the policies of many Western governments, and, to a surprising degree, still helps to shape public discussion about China outside the country. For more information on the “Assignment China” series, visit http://china.usc.edu/ ShowArticle.aspx?articleID=2526 Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.
{GARRATT cont’d from page 5} Affairs spokesman John Babcock said. Simeon Garratt said his parents were at a restaurant Aug. 4 when security police apprehended them, he said. “They’ve been separated ever since,’’ he said. “My dad is probably freaking out wondering if my mom is OK, and she’s probably doing the same.’’ He said his mother reported their conditions were fine. He believes his parents are being held in nongovernment compounds in Dandong. Simeon Garratt said legal documents, computer equipment, phones, an electric piano, money and two safes have been taken from the couple’s home and coffee shop located just a few hundred meters from the North Korean border. He said his brother Peter is in China studying languages on a Chinese scholarship and has received brief written communications from their parents. He said his parents’ experience with China would help them. “They know how the Chinese government works. They’re not scared for their lives or anything like that,’’ he said. “It’s going to be a process.’’ The couple had worked with North Star Aid, whose website said the British Columbia-registered charity seeks to help North Koreans primarily through providing humanitarian aid. Simeon Garratt said his parents made no secret of their faith but did not flaunt it in China, where proselytizing is against the law. He said they worked on getting school supplies, cooking oil and food into North Korea. The coffee shop, Peter’s Coffee House, is located within sight of the Friendship Bridge linking China to North Korea. It’s known for its North American cuisine and attracts a mix of tourists, students and locals.
asianweekly northwest
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014
{ASBESTOS cont’d from page 5} company. “There was no other way for us to express our outrage.” The company later filed lawsuits, still pending, accusing several villagers of vandalism and theft. Medical experts say inhaling any form of asbestos can lead to deadly diseases 20-40 years later including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis, or the scarring of the lungs. Dozens of countries including Japan, Argentina and all European Union nations have banned it entirely. Others like the U.S. have severely curtailed its use. The asbestos lobby says the mineral has been unfairly maligned. Medical experts reject this. “All
types of asbestos fiber are causally implicated in the development of various diseases and premature death,’’ the Societies of Epidemiology said in a 2012 position statement. Russia now provides most asbestos on the world market. Meanwhile, rich nations are suffering health and economic consequences from past use. American businesses have paid out at least $1.3 billion in the largest collection of personal injury lawsuits in U.S. legal history. Billions have been spent stripping asbestos from buildings in the West. Umesh Kumar, a roadside vendor in Bihar’s capital, has long known there are health hazards to the 3-by-1 meter (10-by-3 foot) asbestos cement sheets he sells for 600 rupees ($10) each. But he doesn’t guide customers to the 800 rupee tin or fiberglass alternatives.
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“This is a country of poor people, and for less money they can have a roof over their heads,” he said. The two-day asbestos conference in December was billed as scientific, though organizers admitted they had no new research. One could say they’ve gone back in time to defend asbestos. The Indian lobby’s website refers to 1998 WHO guidelines for controlled use of chrysotile, but skips updated WHO advice from 2007 suggesting all asbestos be banned. Its executive director, John Nicodemus, dismissed the WHO update as ``scaremongering.’’ Many of the speakers are regulars at asbestos conferences in the developing world. Toxicologist David Bernstein said that while chrysotile could cause disease if inhaled in large quantities or for prolonged periods, so could any tiny particle. Bernstein consulted for the Quebec-based Chrysotile Institute, which lost its Canadian government funding in 2012. He presented an animated video showing a type of white blood cell called a macrophage breaking down a chrysotile fiber and carrying it out of the lungs. “We have defense mechanisms. Our lungs are remarkable,” Bernstein said. Other studies indicate, however, that chrysotile collects in the membrane lining the lungs, where the rare malignancy mesothelioma develops and chews through the chest wall, leading to excruciating death. Research such as Bernstein’s frustrates retired U.S. Assistant Surgeon General Dr. Richard Lemen, who first advocated a chrysotile ban in 1976. In Vaishali, the permit for the asbestos plant was canceled by Bihar’s chief minister last year. But Indian officials remain divided and confused about the risks. India placed a moratorium on new asbestos mining in 1986, but never banned use of the mineral despite two Supreme Court orders. The position of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new government is unclear. Meanwhile, Vaishali’s resistance has sparked other protests, including in the nearby district of Bhojpur. “Many people are not aware of the effects, especially the illiterate,” said Madan Prasad Gupta, a village leader in Bhojpur, sipping tea at the roadside tea shop he built decades ago when he had no idea what asbestos was. Over his head: a broken, crumbling asbestos cement roof. Follow Katy Daigle on Twitter at http://twitter.com/katydaigle.
32 YEARS YOUR VOICE
{HAWAII cont’d from page 1} reasons,’’ Schatz said. “Colleen and I, in a very particular way, are not `pau,’’’ he said, using the Hawaiian word for done. Hanabusa asked, “Where else would you have a situation like this? I mean, look at this election. Two hurricanes, we were down to the wire.’’ The other election drama was resolved Saturday night, when Gov. Neil Abercrombie was resoundingly defeated by a fellow Democrat and onetime underdog who took on the 40-year politician. Abercrombie pledged his full support to Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Ige and linked arms with him onstage on election night. The 76-year-old governor on Sunday reiterated his intention to help Democrats and reminisced about his political career. Choking up, he vowed: “My every breath until the last I take will be for Hawaii.’’ As Democrats shifted their focus to defeating Republicans in November, the focus of the U.S. Senate race shifts to a remote region on the Big Island known as Puna, where up to 8,255 registered voters will be mailed ballots in the next few days.
In an unprecedented move, elections officials postponed voting in two precincts after Tropical Storm Iselle hit the state this week, damaging roads and downing trees on the Big Island. Exactly how the election will proceed was unclear to candidates Sunday morning. The state faces a 21-day legal deadline. “As long as civil defense deems the roads passable, they can start campaigning today,’’ said Stephanie Ohigashi, chairwoman of Hawaii’s Democratic Party. It will be a challenge to campaign in the rugged volcanic region, where many homesteaders are without water and power, she said. “People are going to learn a lot about that part of the state,’’ said former Gov. John Waihee. “It’s made up of a lot of people who are very independent ... they like being country. They like where they live.’’ The two Senate candidates were praising Big Island voters Sunday, with both candidates planning to fly there to continue their campaigns. Hanabusa’s team planned to head to the island later Sunday, said her spokesman, Peter Boylan. Schatz also planned to go. “I’m a grassroots guy,’’ he said in an
{GENERAL ELECTION cont’d from page 3} and John Dickinson received 8 percent and 5 percent respectively. Santos and Bretzke will be moving forward to the general election. Jessica Spear is running for Representative position no. 2 in Legislative District no. 43. Spear received 20 percent of the vote while incumbent Frank Chopp received 79 percent {ROCK CLIMBING cont’d from page 8} rock climbs to date. At about 5’3” and in her 20s, Lisa thrives in the climbing environment, whether it’s with friends or actually climbing, she brings a contagious exuberance and spirit. I took the opportunity to ask her about the racial disparity, as well as why she became involved in the sport. “I think it’s about the culture and the expectations from our parents. As a second generation child, I grew up with a pretty religious upbringing, and with a very traditional family. My parents worked hard to provide as much as they could, with the hopes that I’d become successful in later life. Most of my Asian friends in school weren’t interested in the outdoors at all and I wanted to do something different. I wanted to find adventure and something more fulfilling.” I took what Lisa said and dug a little deeper, thinking about how culture and heritage plays a significant role in our upbringing and thus, choices on what roads we can take. This is especially difficult with families who are tied deeply in their beliefs, whether they’re religious, pragmatic, cultural, or just having simple expectations for their perception of a successful life and career. She led me to reflect on my own story of coming to the States in 1980, after the fall of Saigon with my mother. We had endured an escape from a prison camp, separation from my biological father and 3 other siblings, and being placed in a Malaysian refugee camp. We pretty much made it with just the clothes we wore. You can imagine that the hopes my mother had for me at that point wasn’t necessarily to spend my life chasing mountains. Yet, I craved the very thing that my friend Lisa craved: something different. Cases like Lisa’s and mine are prime examples of how we diverged from cultural expectations in exchange for taking a different path and seeking physical, mental, and emotional rewards. We strive to find what we consider fulfilling. Spending even one weekend day in the
interview. “I started my career walking house to house, wearing out several pairs of shoes, so I’m comfortable communicating to voters directly.’’ Abercrombie, who led the state’s tropical storm response, said officials “will get this election completed in record time.’’ “People deserve to have the elections handled in an expeditious manner that they can have confidence in,’’ he said. After Saturday’s unprecedented ouster of the incumbent governor, fellow Democrats lavished praise on Abercrombie Sunday, prompting the governor to joke that he “hadn’t realized what incredible virtues I still possess’’ after the divisive race. Abercrombie has occupied just about every political office since he was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1975, later moving to the state Senate, serving on the Honolulu City Council and then holding nine consecutive terms as a congressman, from 1993 to 2010, when he returned to Hawaii full-time to seek the governorship. But the governor’s confrontational approach was a sour note for many voters, and he drew the ire of fellow Democrats last year with a proposal to raise taxes on
of the vote. Both will be moving forward to the general election. Incumbent Cyrus Habib is running for State Senator in Legislative District no. 48. Habib walked away with 63 percent of the vote while his opponent, Michelle Darnell, received 36 percent of the vote. Both will be moving forward to the general election. Marcus Naylor is running for Judge position no. 3 and
craziness of the city instead of being out engaging in an outdoor activity and we’re like fish out of water. On another perspective, I asked one of my close Vietnamese friends the question of why he never considered getting into the outdoors. Quan Chao is a fit and healthy mid-20s male, whose passions include fast cars and motorcycles. We’ve been riding together for a few years and I’ve never been able to convince him to join me on one of my trips. His reply when asked why, “I guess I don’t see the rewards for it as others do. I perceive outdoor activities to be strenuous, dirty, and somewhat cliqueish. I don’t think skills are a part of it, since I consider myself pretty good at gaining physical skills.” I thought Quan’s statement provided a lot of insight, and probably echoes the thoughts of many people, regardless of nationality. But I also felt that it doesn’t totally explain the fact that according to a 2010 census, the Asian & Pacific Islander demographic accounts for almost 258,000 of a total 1.8 million in the King County population. Where is everyone? In addressing the mystery of why Asians are missing from the outdoors in America, I don’t think it’s simply about diverging from the norm, nor is it simply heritage or culture. Japan as a country seems to always be in a transformative state, whether it’s fashion, food, technology, or embracing of the outdoors. Some of the strongest rock climbers of our time have been from Japan, and even in May of 2013, Yuichiro Miura became the oldest climber to summit Everest at 80 years old.(4) Koreans, too, have been in the forefront of the outdoors with their significant history of mountaineering accomplishments dating back to 1927 and appear throughout first ascent accounts around the globe.(3) So that brings me to exposure and influence. With the constant growth of technology and its implementation into our everyday lives, it’s easily assumed that it’d be hard to make a compelling reason to go outside, get dirty, and challenge oneself physically and emotionally. However, it’s that very technology that has also given outdoors a boon. Social media has played
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retiree pensions, hotel rooms and plastic bags, among other things. He also lost favor with the politically influential teachers union, which supported his candidacy in 2010 but turned against him in 2011 when he imposed a final contract that cut their pay. Abercrombie is the first Hawaii governor to lose to a primary challenger and only the second not to win re-election. His defeat comes despite the endorsement of President Barack Obama in his native state. Obama also endorsed Schatz. Now Ige, 57, a mild-mannered state lawmaker of 28 years who took on the powerful incumbent, has to step into a much higher-profile role. He acknowledged some of his campaigning skills need work. After making an issue of the governor’s sometimes aggressive style during the campaign and promising he would be more collegial, Ige on Sunday praised the governor’s passion. Ige, whose speech followed Abercrombie’s, said he had been advised to “have more passion and emotion, and that’s certainly something that I look to you and have always gotten from your speeches.’’
received 20 percent of the votes. His opponents, Lisa O’Toole and Rick Leo received 61 percent and 19 percent respectively. Naylor and O’Toole will be moving forward to the general election. The general election will take place Nov. 4. Daria Kroupoderova can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
a large role in both exposure and influence. Platforms like Facebook has allowed us to see pictures of the cool things our friends are doing and perhaps instill some influence or inspiration to get outside and try it. It’s with that intent that I hope to provide future stories, trip reports, interviews, and
even Q&A from our readers that will get more Asians into the backcountry. Hope to see you out there. Truc Allen can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.
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AUGUST 16 – AUGUST 22, 2014