NEW FACLA NEWS
June 19, 2015

FACLA’s Statement on the Shooting at the AME Church, Charleston, South Carolina, June 18, 2015

Los Angeles-- The Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) the oldest Filipino-American non profit organization in the United States based in Southern California extends its profound sadness, solidarity and sympathy with the African American community and all the victims families in Charleston racist shooting in South Carolina.

We are still groping for words to express for the tragedy that befell the AME Church that took away nine African American lives in a rampage by a White Supremacist racist person.

One of those killed was a 41 old Pastor and a South Carolina’s State Legislator. Rev. Clementa Pickney who was cut down at the prime of his life.

FACLA condemned this racist hate crime against the African Americans in South Carolina as a vestige of the Confederate ideals that uphold racism and slavery.

As long as the deep south flies the Confederate flags and the rest of the country holds this ideals of inhumanity and bigotry, there will be no justice and peace in our land.

FACLA was founded in 1945 and our founders on the basis of equality and we experienced the same racism. But we are with you in your the struggle against racism and inequality. We are proud say, we in FACLA are at the forefront of the struggle against national oppression with you.

We are one with you in this struggle .We marched with you during the civil rights struggle in the 1960′s. You stood with us against the war in Vietnam and during the darkest days of the US-Marcos Dictatorship in our homeland and in our struggle for Filipino World War II Veterans recognition and benefits.

Black or brown, yellow or white we are all are equal. As Abraham Lincoln said. “A house divide by itself cannot stand.”

Brick by brick, wall by wall, we will demolish racism once and for all!

Solidarity Forever!

Sincerely yours,

Austin Baul Jr.
FACLA President

****