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| The Wintersburg Japanese Presbyterian Church in 1910. |
In the April 1 edition of Rafu Shimpo, former Assemblyman Warren Furutani wrote about some of those opposing the preservation of Historic Wintersburg – an important Japanese American historical site in Huntington Beach. While many of the pro-bulldozer crowd are driven by the usual greed or banal ignorance, some of the opposition to preservation is, he says, “based on a simmering and festering hate against Asians, specifically Japanese.”
He writes that because of Mary Urashima’s work to save Wintersburg, “she has become a ‘proxy’ target for the haters and racists that have come out from … the shadows to attack Mary. But in actuality the attacks are on the Japanese and Asian community. …Mary has received graphics and pictures depicting anti-Asian attitudes, old World War II-type anti-Japanese ads and one superimposing Mary’s face on a woman bound and placed on the railroad tracks... In other words, a death threat couched in an old-time graphic.”
Furutani calls on civic leaders and the general public to “…Shine a bright light on these cowardly actions by anonymous haters and racists. We can stand with Mary and the Wintersburg Project. The bright, warm light of the truth and exposing the festering hate that lingers just below the surface and right under our noses will drive these cowards back under the rocks from whence they came.”
I do not believe that there's a large number of people in Huntington Beach (despite recent smears against this city) who are racist. But after watching the Wintersburg battle for many years, I know that at least some of that kind of evil exists in our midst. And I know that even a relative handful of dregs can do a lot of harm and deserve to be called out for their egregious behavior.
Yes, world history is full of racism (and other unfortunate isms) at every turn -- but it's most disheartening to see the study and preservation of local history subverted to serve modern racist purposes (or any other stupid social agenda). Local history is a search for the truth and can be a lot of fun, too. Seeing it bastardized and used as a tool to spread ignorance and grind axes is infuriating. And seeing Mary threatened is sad and extremely upsetting.
See https://www.rafu.com/2021/04/og-san-just-below-the-surface
It's really easy to quantify how many racists you think there are or aren't from the comfort of your computer. Obviously, from the hate mail Mary has been getting, along with the rocks delivered in plastic bags with announcements from the KKK for the White Lives Matter protest this weekend in Huntington Beach, there are enough haters out there, who cloak themselves under all sorts of armor. Through history, racism has been cloaked by politics, which created policies and practices in order to subjugate others in order to have control (control meant money). Sadly, it also continues with the same people today who use the First Amendment to justify hate speech, never mind that extremist groups that were rooted in white supremacy have a long history of violent tactics such as murder, property destruction, threats, and intimidation.
ReplyDeleteThat Mary is being singled out is an outrage, and done by seeing history through a distorted lens of trying to subjugate someone in order to feel more powerful. I hope these persons are caught, and arrested for hate crimes.
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with you that Mary “being singled out is an outrage, and done by seeing history through a distorted lens...” It is abhorrent on at least three levels: 1) racism is disgusting, 2) Seeing a good woman attacked and threatened is infuriating, 3) threats of harm or death are not only intolerable but criminal, and 4) twisting history out of all recognition as a way to grind axes and serve your own political/financial gain is another easy way to annoy me.
I'm beyond impressed at all Mary has accomplished in spite of the obstacles she's faced. And for many years I've spread the word on my own about Wintersburg and its significance in Orange County's larger history and beyond. (Mary will vouch for me.) I even organized a well-attended public roundtable discussion on the subject.
I have lived in H.B. for almost half a century, gone to school here, volunteered on city boards and with non-profit groups, etc. When it comes to guessing what’s in your neighbors’ hearts, all *anyone* can do is develop a sense of things based on their interactions and observations over time. And that’s all I have too: An overall sense, based on my experiences and the people I’ve known here over the decades. Based on that, the vast majority of H.B. residents seem to be decent human beings. Of course, like any town, we have a smattering of crackpots mixed in also.
But I think a lot of the "trouble" of late can be traced to the fact that kooks of all stripes (and from all over Southern California) seem attracted to visit Main Street and the pier any time the weather's nice and they think they can attract some attention. (Or if they decide to attend events like the MOUNTAIN DEW EXTREME HACKEY-SACK PANGALACTIC CHAMPIONSHIPS). It's the one thing I hate about the weather improving: The heart of Downtown becomes a freak show, and crime, chaos, traffic, inebriation and stupidity temporarily increase. And that crap also tends to spill into other neighborhoods. Nobody who lives her enjoys that.
So, I'm curious,... What percentage of H.B. citizens do YOU think are racist, as ascertained “from the comfort of your computer?”