Growing up, I thought I was white. It didn't occur to me I was Asian-American until I was studying abroad in Denmark and there was a little bit of prejudice.
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We can now have action movies with two stars where one might be African American and one might be Asian American. One of them doesn't have to be white, and the other one doesn't have to be the ethnic sidekick. We're way over that. And I think it's happening in society, too.
quote by Roger Ebert
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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There is no way that we know what is going on between the African American and the Asian American. We don't understand what an Indigenous American is. We don't understand what a Latino American is.
quote by Edward James Olmos
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I always hated my mole growing up. I even thought about having it removed. At the time I didn't do it because I thought it would hurt, and now I'm glad I didn't.
quote by Niki Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The direct investment of Japanese businesses to East Asian economies accelerates the reallocation of their production bases. Consequently, between Japan and the other East Asian countries, both exports and imports are growing substantially.
quote by Toshihiko Fukui
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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SOMETIMES Your Demonstrations Make Sense
Why do you hand me that noose?
Is this your attempt at comedy?
'Oh,
No.
Please I didn't mean to offend.
I know you are accustomed to saying,
'I am hanging in there! '
I thought it would be of a benefit to you,
If you did not swing too far from where you hung.
It didn't occur to me you spoke figuratively! '
You know,
SOMETIMES...
Your demonstrations make sense.
At at other times,
I wish I had kept my mouth closed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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The Human Shape
Racially pure European and Asian
men have straight hair growing
from their heads.
Some other men have hair that's
curly, growing from their heads.
But hair shape is not the shape that
really matters.
Because it's the shape of the human
forehead that makes you a man.
Rather than a chimpanzee.
Whether your skin color is white,
brown or bread-crust tan.
poem by Philip R. Garges Jr.
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Asian
Asian this.
Asian that.
Being Asian taking the front seat.
After being in the back!
And I am glad!
I've been 'aging' for years...
And finally...
We are getting some attention!
'I believe the topic is the economy! '
Exactly!
That's my point.
I'm on a fixed budget!
Dedicated To:
All my Asian brothers and sisters.
I respect your gifts, brilliance...
and devotion to humanity.
One Love! '
~LSP~
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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I was studying American politicians who were searching - allegedly - for American communists because it would put them on the front pages of the papers in their home towns.
quote by Robert Vaughn
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To The Dannebrog
(When Dybbol was captured)
Dannebrog of old was seeming
Snow-white, rosy red,
Through the mists of ages beaming,
Heaven's gift outspread,
Rich as fruits of Denmark's planting,
Grand as song of heroes chanting,
Spirit-winged to deeds of daring
O'er the wide world faring.
Dannebrog, thou now art seeming
Death-pale, bloody red,
Like a dying sea-gull gleaming
White with blood o'erspread.
Purple tides the wounds are showing
From thy faith in justice flowing;
Denmark, bear the cross, thy burden
Honor is thy guerdon!
poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
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Our theme for this year's festivities, Dreams and Challenges of Asian Pacific Americans, speaks to the many generations of Asian Pacific Americans who worked hard to overcome economic hardship, racism and other barriers in their pursuit of the American dream.
quote by Lucille Roybal Allard
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The School Where I Studied
I passed by the school where I studied as a boy
and said in my heart: here I learned certain things
and didn't learn others. All my life I have loved in vain
the things I didn't learn. I am filled with knowledge,
I know all about the flowering of the tree of knowledge,
the shape of its leaves, the function of its root system, its pests and parasites.
I'm an expert on the botany of good and evil,
I'm still studying it, I'll go on studying till the day I die.
I stood near the school building and looked in. This is the room
where we sat and learned. The windows of a classroom always open
to the future, but in our innocence we thought it was only landscape
we were seeing from the window.
The schoolyard was narrow, paved with large stones.
I remember the brief tumult of the two of us
near the rickety steps, the tumult
that was the beginning of a first great love.
Now it outlives us, as if in a museum,
like everything else in Jerusalem.
poem by Yehuda Amichai
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It's not like that often, I mean, I suppose out of a ratio of 10 fans maybe like 1 or 2 of 'em might be Asian, and maybe every second or third time they might bring up something that they're Asian and I'm Asian.
Burden
Always a do or die situation
You can only see in black and white
But you never thought, never thought that I'd be
A little different this time, and
Not every color that you will see
Is the real one every time
Let me clue you in on complexity
And everybody is so very fine
And I didn't mean to be a burden
Just thought I'd share a little light
But I thought you needed to know something
Something that comes from the inside
Something that comes from the inside
And as you wasted time playing detective
Is it to figure out my mystery?
Well let me tell you now that I'm no secret
'Cause I can sin before you righteously
And I didn't mean to be a burden
Just thought I'd share a little light
But I thought you needed to know something
Something that comes from the inside
Something that comes from the inside
Something that comes from the inside
Don't grow bored too quickly
I haven't finished yet
I know it must be painful
To hear what's left unsaid
Don't refuse
It's no use
You can not run from this
Just sit still
And listen
Listen to all you missed
But it's always a do or die situation
You can only see in black and white
But you never thought, never thought that I'd be
A little different this time
And I didn't mean to be a burden
Just thought I'd share a little light
But I thought you needed to know something
Something that comes from the inside
Something that comes from the inside
Something that comes from the inside
song performed by by Vanessa Carlton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Native American Pride
Equa Adanvdo adanedi aya hia nvlinegvgv Yv uduladi nudale iga
(Great Spirit give me the strength I need another day)
nashi Yv anasgvti adasehede anisoi
(that I may guide others)
Nasquu gohi Yv adadvdodi vhnai nehi
(Also this I ask of you)
Equa Unitsi Elohino
(Great Mother Earth)
We walked in peace and harmony
warriors brave and strong
guided by the Great Spirit in the sky
respecting the way of Mother Earth
we taught this to our children at birth
We were all but one, just like the Eagle, we were free
this was our way, the way it would always be
with our wings spread, we would fly
this was our Native American Pride
Then white man came to take our land
said our way of life was wrong
this is what they would decide
and it didn't take them long
Still we didn't run and hide
we stood tall and made our stand
never to carry the white man's brand
this was our Native American Pride
For our own beliefs, so many died
both women and children cried
as one by one, all was lost
at the white man's cost
Said the color of their skin, made them right
but we didn't give in, without a fight
no matter how hard they would try
they couldn't break our Native American Pride
(Spiritwind-2010)
poem by Spiritwind Wood
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In many Asian households, to not go on to higher education, that's like a big no-no. I know my parents' discouragement was for my own protection, and I'm really close to them now, but they didn't understand that there is value in this. That's because they didn't know.
American Dream
American dream
held on for so long
in the memories of my forefathers
I want to seek it out
still prejudice hides
in so many places
Keeping hidden
what the world frowns on
what the world hides from
Still its there as real as
it was yesterday
so many forms of it
Ashamed to say
its in the big house
right there on Pennsylvania
Covered in white
it hides
hendering the American Dream
Stopping what over forefathers
deemed possible
studdering past and repeating history
poem by Sunitria Couser
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Any person without invincible prejudice who had the same experience would come to the same broad conclusion, viz., that things hitherto held impossible do actually occur.
quote by Oliver Joseph Lodge
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I defied nothing at all. I ignored the law because I didn't know it existed. It didn't occur to me that anyone would want to curb my inspiration.
quote by Margaret Anderson
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How Do We Deal With Prejudice?
even those of us who've worked very hard
at not being prejudiced, have some type of
prejudice remaining. for example:
it could be prejudice by color, over religion,
over political views, concerning sexual orient-
ation.... prejudice against those who have money,
or those who dont! ...etc.
all prejudice is wrong by nature, most of it grounded
in the 'self'... in our own irrational fears, and our
stubborn streak of ignorance....
it's always taught, but doesnt have to be allowed!
it ofen hides under the banner of morality, or the
flags of patriotism...
we battle prejudice by being open minded, being
willing to listen, and learning to see ourselves
in other people...
if we say we have no prejudices, we have lost,
and prejudice has us bound.
if we admit our prejudices, name them, look at
them with naked eyes and resolve, then we're making
headway....
prejudice in the end is humanity failing to be human!
being human is a 24 hour a day,7 days a week job!
poem by Eric Cockrell
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Singing Skies And Dancing Waters
So many years ago, I can't remember now, someone was waiting for me.
I had the answers to all of my questions, love was so easy to see. I didn't know.
When I was younger, I should have known better, I thought that nothing was new.
Through all the spaces, in all of the changes, the one I lost sight of was you.
I didn't know, I didn't know.
I could see you in singing skies and dancing waters, laughing children, growing old,
and in the heart and in the spirit, and in the truth when it is told.
My life became shaded and I grew afraid and I needed to find my way home.
I just couldn't see you, I thought that I'd lost you.
I never felt so much alone. Are you still with me?
Somehow in reason, I lost sight of season, tides rolling out and rolling in.
Sometimes in evening when daylight was leaving, I though I'd never see you again.
Are you still with me? Are you still with me?
I'm with you in singing skies and dancing waters, laughing children, growing old,
and in the heart and in the spirit, and in the truth when it is told.
If my faith should falter and I should forsake you and find myself turning away,
will you still be there? Will you still be there?
I'll be there in singing skies and dancing waters laughing children, growing old,
and in the heart and in the spirit, and in the truth when it is told.
song performed by by John Denver
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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