Human Lives Matter

Week 2
Richard Nguyen
Section 001
March 31, 2015

            As an Asian American, I do not agree completely with the article Why Ferguson Matters to Asian Americans. The shooting and killing of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri did not surprise me at all and had little effect on my opinion between race wars in the United States. If an African American gets killed by a Caucasian police officer, it will always be because of race and not truly about the facts and the justification of the incident. The killing of the young teenager sparked outrage and protest all over the United States for no complete reason. This led to riots and destruction of people's home and businesses. People did not consider the fact that Mike Brown robbed a convenience store and attacked the officer. If someone robbed your home and attacked you, wouldn't you think you have the right to defend yourself and incapacitate the person? If an Asian American individual gets killed by the police will it bother me? No not really because I am pretty sure that person did something to antagonize the officer in order for the officer to open fire on the person. Let's just say that Ferguson does not matter to me.

Question: When is it justifiable for the law enforcement to kill someone? 

Social Justice Toolbox

Drucella Anne Miranda
Section 01

The article The 'Four Prisons' and the Movements of Liberation, written by Glenn Omatsu did an important analysis to situate ourselves currently as a legacy of historic roots in past social movements. I personally really enjoyed reading about the politics and ideologies of Philip Vera Cruz because it is very radical in terms of really tackling injustice at its roots. Like several earlier movements for change, their later generations have been privileged of a particular movements effects. In regards to the more recent generations, some have been lulled into complacency with the larger structural and ideological systems at work throughout society. As many movements and political beliefs are bouncing off each other and redefining their politics in reaction from one to another -- for example as we become more progressive, there is a push back for conservativeness-- we are also utilizing past knowledge to inform ourselves as we try to create change again. But as Audre Lorde says, "the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house."

How can we create new discourse so we do not keep perpetuating systems of oppression?

Asian American Social Movements

Week 1

Richard Nguyen

Section 001

March 30, 2015

            After reading Asian Pacific Americans' Social Movements and Interest Groups, I was able to get a better understanding of the struggles Asian Americans had to deal with living in the United States. Many people do not talk about the different social movements established by Asian Americans because historically Asians were minorities and did not have a major impact in the political movement. Growing up I did not learn any of the Asian organizations and interest groups discussed in this research article. The United States' school system were mainly focused on the movements established by Native Americans, African Americans, and Mexican Americans. This article talked about how the diverse Asian-Pacific American population had to fight against their own communities in order to keep their small businesses and affordable homes alive. It is shocking to me that the Asian population had to deal with so many hardships and discrimination here in the United States. The foreign affairs of the United States forced the Asian American community to build nationwide networks to better the lives of individuals held down by oppression.

Question 1: How do Asian Americans today feel able the oppression their family felt first arriving in the United States?