Asian Pacific American History Month.

[Aaron Burr]

Personally, I prefer the term "American" as it puts the important information up front. Some people still understand this.

[Aaron Burr]

Un-freaking believable. No one liked this video? Wow. I thought it was pretty patriotic myself.

How about these guys? They seem susceptible to marketing.

[Aaron Burr]

Still no love for the Asian Islands? Not even these? They look so peaceful.


Probably good these scenes didn't make the final cut.

[Aaron Burr]

I feel like a fat kid pushing Lima beans around on his plate with this thread. Can it be possible that the very idea of celebrating one's irrelevant racial heritage with empty platitudes like "Asian Pacific American History Month" is laughable to Mr. and Mrs. America?

Strength is in unity, not divisiveness.... rocket Launchers help too. Just ask the Japanese.

[Aaron Burr]

You know, next month is GLBT Pride Month. You're really going to miss these Asian Island themed vids when June rolls around.

No one seems to realize that the whole point of Asian Pacific Island whatever month is to make modern day Americans feel guilty for what grandpapy Joe did back in WWII. Yes, I'm talking about interring Am-Japs during The Big One. Manzanar specifically, a lovely garden spot up in the high desert of California. Wow. We must be the worst country on earth for doing that. I'm sure you all feel guilty.

Let's just skip the Manzanar video and move on to New Zealand. Are these guys Asian? I'm pretty sure they live on some islands in the Pacific. New Zealand ain't shootin' at us so I bet we've got some Maoris running around somewhere in the U.S. They might even recognize the tune.

[jejujohn]

I have to reluctantly agree with you on this one Burr. Too much time spent on diversity is too much time wasted. But at the same time we can't ignore that a multitude of cultures make up our country presently and historically. I don't think the point of alot of this is to make you feel bad about your granpappy, it is to make other people (like pacific islanders) feel good about theirs too. America was built by white Americans, as well as Asians, Latinos, Blacks....and on and on. So should we have a month for each group? In my opinion, no. But we should try to build a society that recognizes the contributions everyone has made, and doesn't play the "my people built this country alone" tune.

[Aaron Burr]

Man. We should get a room.

Actually, I never gave any of this stuff much thought, but I have a Bank of America calender that lets me know about important dates like GLBT or Asian Pacific Atoll month. Oddly enough, my Reagan Library calender doesn't mention any of these dates. But it does tell you when to fly the Flag, and when to lower it to half staff. Take Memorial Day for instance. The Flag should be flown at half staff until noon. Which is totally opposite from Armed Forces Day (17th) when the Flag is lowered to half staff until sunset.

I like the Reagan calender better because it honors Americans. Us. This Nation. The other calender separates us into irrelevant subcategories that prevent us from focusing on those things that we share as Americans.

Anyway. The other night I was at a friends place when he flipped on the tube. A local station was airing some video in Honor of Asian Pacific Island History Month. Yup. A 2 part special on Manzanar.

There are many who stand to profit and stay in power by exploiting or creating false divisions between the peoples of this country. We could accomplish so much more as a people if we looked up once in a while from our navels.

Besides, we have this argument as a nation every 50 years. It always sounds the same.