The Tribute to Don White and Racism in LA

Culture

The August 10 Tribute to Don White and Racism in LA

Arturo P. Garcia, AJLPP

Los Angeles- The long tribute to Companero Don White last August 10th at the Emmanauel Presbyterian Church went well except it was filled with Latin American machismo as well as racist undertones.

It was a deliberate attempt to overlook a specific race- the Asian American Pacific Islander (API) communities which Don White worked well while he was alive. Which calling a spade a spade- a smack of racism within the progressive community.

The organizers instead of making a serious effort to reach out to API’s, readily acknowledge their deliberate omission by saying in the program:

“ Don worked with many organizations throughout throughout the course of his life as an activist. His level of involvement in each group varied, from committed board member to a volunteer at a demon but in instantly his efforts were put forth in the spirit of solidarity, based on his deep desire to bring justice to the world. While the organizers strove to to include all of the groups and coalitions with whom Don worked we are aware that some may have been overlooked and apologize for any omissions.”

The fact that the event never gave one API or Asian speaker a chance to say anything about Don White is unforgivable and not an omission. It was deliberate. To think that this was an event of the progressive movement. Don White might be squirming on his grave. on this unforgiveable insult.

Don White worked with the Filipino-American community and always bridge the El Salvador experience and the Latin American repression of the United States with the US-Marcos dictatorship. Don White helped founded the Alliance-Philippines with his work with SOLCOM as early as 2003. For the AJLPP it was an omission some people who talk about international solidarity forgets or probably honestly omitted.

But knowing Don White. He will never forget but let this omission pass. What was odd was the song by Maria Armoudian saying “Don gives and forgives.” I think on this matter of Latin American machismo and lack of international solidarity Don will not forgive. Don will never forget or forgive blatant racism

Asia and the Pacific is too big to be forgotten, The lack of international solidarity is too big a crime, to be forgiven. This is a fact that racism is still exist and very much alive even in the progressive movement.

DON WHITE, PRESENTE!! MABUHAY ANG DIWA NI DON WHITE!