Komunidad
July 7, 2015

SINS OF LIBERALISM

By Arturo P. Garcia

More than 150 years ago, after the decisive battle of Gettysburg on July 4, 1863, The Confederacy was soundly defeated in the bloodiest battle ever in the Civil War in the American soil. But sad to say, more than 150 years have passed and yet the forces of slavery and racism still flies the flags of Confederacy in southern states.

Recently,we marked the 150 years of Confederate General Robert Lee surrender of his forces to the Union Forces under General Ulysses Grant at a courthouse in Virginia on April 9, 1865 ending the five years of Civil War in the United States.

But the Civil War did not end there at Lees Surrender. Until now, there are people who like to relive the Civil War, impose slavery and the vain glory of the ill-fated Confederacy of the southern states.

I personally blame this to the sins of liberalism. Liberalism is the idea of letting it be up to the point of not taking arms against the authorities. It is a very transparent of idea of letting people express their political opinions or views as long nobody get hurts.

It is prevalent in the US and that is what the conservatives hates. Yet it is the conservatives especially the rightist who benefits most from liberalism, not the ordinary citizens like us.

Right after the Civil War in the United States, the liberals did not punish the south from seceding from the Union. In fact they even helped the Southern states to reconstruct what was destroyed during the war. This is the policy of magnanimity that the liberal-democrats propagated.

They even give pensions to the Confederate officers and soldier who fought the Union and gave them life-time pensions to their relatives and widows up to this present day. On the other hand, they won’t give a single cent to the more than 260,000 Filipino World War II veterans for the last 70 days and counting.

Besides the life-time pensions, they let the southern states to fly the Confederate flag as a show of “magnanimity in victory.” Thus, until now, the symbols of slavery and racism still flies the capitols and state buildings of the deep south that revolted against the Union in 1861.

I honestly think that this sins of liberalism comes back to haunt us. They inspire racist and bigots to burn African-American churches, shoot the African American worshipers at the churches and kill people for their slave-owning and racist ideology. And that is what liberal magnanimity means to them.

Civil War veterans who fought in the United States brought this kind of magnanimity in the Philippines during the Filipino-American War and their 48 year occupation of the Philippines.

They even gave General Emilio Aguinaldo and other Filipino Generals and officers who surrendered pensions. On the other hand they declared as “bandits” those who continued the liberation struggle and hanged or imprisoned those who opposed them.

After banning the Filipino flag and all symbols of the Philippine struggle against colonialism for 16 years, they let the Filipino flag fly UNDER the American flag in schools and let them display their patriotism under control.

They even promised independence under a Commonwealth and gave the Philippines nominal Independence on July 4, 1946, declaring it as a free Republic.

But their treatment to their own Caucasian brothers are different. It validates the idea that both the Democrats and the Republican shares the ideas of White Supremacy in their own notions of liberalism.

“ Birds of the same feather flocks together”?

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Komunidad
July 04, 2015

DEADLINES

By Arturo P. Garcia

Is it a Deal or No Deal?

In every negotiations of great importance, this is a question that is always been asked.

As of today, three negotiations where there is a deadline stands out and this question is such of importance.

The first negotiation is between the Iran and the United States deal or the ongoing negotiations in Vienna, Austria about its nuclear capability. The bad news is that they, the negotiators –Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran Foreign Minister just failed to meet the deadline last June 30. The good news is that the deadline is again moved to July 7.

For Iran, nuclear inspection and the freeze of its assets and the lifting of embargo until the inspection is done is not acceptable. For Iran, its an imposition and a pre-condition that is van never accept.

For the United States, it is an insurance that Iran will not make nuclear warheads for its missile delivery system and a confidence building measure. But it seems the Americans blinked again on this issue. That pisses off its allies-The Israelis and the Saudis as well as the Quataris who are financing the ISIS against Iran and Syria.

The Republican opposition, together with the Israeli lobby hopes to block the Iran-US deal in case it is approved fearful of Iranian development of its nuclear capability against the US and its neighbor. But Obama wanted to allay their fear saying that “ he will not sign any agreement if does not benefit the U.S..”

The 2nd negotiations that seems to be stalled is between the European Union bankers and Greece on its debt settlement. Greece won’ t pay and cannot pay or do not have the capability for the debts it incurred to the EU to the tune of 1.7 Billion Euros.

Greece is the first European modern capitalist country in Europe who will default it debts to EU bankers in its post-world war II history. Today’s deadline passed and Greece stood up the EU on its debt repayment.

For now, Greece is defaulting on its payment and will cause a ripple effect because other European countries with debt to the EU Central Bank like Spain and Portugal may follow the Greeks. In turn it will be great problem for the EU.

The ripples of anxiety and fears about the Greek fall-out has reached it fever height when the U.S stock market and prices as well economic transactions fell down.

Meanwhile, In the Philippines, the third and final deal is still not done. The US-Aquino Administration promised to passed the MILF that the Bangsa Moro Law (BBL) by the end of June 30, but the self-imposed deadline is gone and there has been no deal yet.

The Senate and the House sat down on the BBL after the tragic Battle of Mamasapano last January in Maguindanao. The deal was scrutinized at the floor by all the presidentiables from Chiz Escudero, Antonio Trillanes, Allan Cayateano ,Grace Poe and Bongbong Marcos.-all playing for the crowd.

They made the Senate as their forum for propaganda and early presidential campaign. And all of them brought the circus and the telenovelas into shame.

All has part in the blame game. But for me, it was President Aquino III is to blame for the failure of the BBL. IF he did not authorized the operations in Mamapasano that caused 44 lives of the PNP Police Commandos, then, the BBL has been an academic exercise and has passed his controlled congress.

Well, as they say, it takes two to tango, and in the case of the BBL in the Philippines, the Greece-EU Talks on Debt Repayment and the Iran-US Nuclear Arms Talks , all really needed deadline so peace can be achieved

But what do they do when they fail to make the deadline.?

Talk and talk again, until a deal or a compromise is reach or they drop dead and part ways without any compromised being reached.

It is exciting to see and watch who will blink first.

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For Immediate Release
Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV)
July 03, 2015

JFAV COMMENDS DVA FOR PROMISED COOPERATION ON 4,000 APPEALS OF DENIED VETERANS LUMP SUM CLAIMS

Los Angeles—The Justice For Filipino America Veterans (JFAV) in a press conference this afternoon today, July 02 at KAPISTAHAN GRILL commends the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Secretary Robert MacDonald for his promise to form a working group to expedite the appeals process of the 4,000 Filipino World War II Veterans who appealed their cases to the DVA Appeals Court .

The Secretary also acknowledged during the meeting with JFAV and ACFV last June 29 at the DVA Office that 41,000 Filipino World War II Veterans filed claims to the lump sun. JFAV reiterated this fact during the talks between them and the DVA last June 29 at the DVA Office

4,000 Unresolved Appeals

JFAV National Coordinator Arturo Garcia said, “ JFAV welcomed this move as progressive. It is good that the Secretary acknowledged that 70 years is long enough for the Filipinos to wait to get their compensation. “4,000 Appeals for Lump Sum
Claims still Unresolved

Garcia pointed out during the meeting with Secretary McDonald, ” that More than 25,000 veterans out of the 41,000 FIlipino veterans who applied for claims were denied their claims for lump sum and only 4,000 filed their appeals to the DVA Appeals Court.”

During the meeting, Usec Brad Florh said they have only 66 known claims for appeals at present. But later acknowledged the fact when the JFAV pointed out that it was DVA data that announced that there are unresolved 4,000 appeals to the lump sum claims since 2011.

Broken Promises

Newly arrived World Wart II Veteran 90 year old Ciriaco Sajuela said, “ I hope that the US to fulfill the broken promise of President Bush to Filipino World War II Veterans to recognize their services and pay their benefits.”

Ciriaco Sajuela was a Philippine Scouts under the US Army /USAFFE during World War II From Bicol. He served in an anti-tank unit and the HQ of the USAFFE in Bicol.

Jen Morada, a FASGI youth volunteer called her fellow FilAm youth to support the Veterans struggle for recognition and equity. She also said, “they need our help especially they are on the twilight of their years.

Rey Ganon, another FASGI volunteer called on Philippine President to help the Filipino World War II Veterans in the Philippines. There are still more than 25,000 Filipino veterans who are living in the Philippines at present.

Aside from Garcia, Veteran Ciriaco Sajuela , Ms, Bernie Ganon,PREsident of the FILAM INTERNATIONAL-USA; Rey Ganon and a youth volunteer Jen Morada attended the press conference in the KAPISTAHAN Grill.

For more information about the jfav please call us (213)241-0995 or email us [email protected]

END

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NEW FACLA NEWS
July 01, 2015

FACLA FORMS THREE MEMBER ELECTION COMMMISSION FOR THE FACLA ELECTIONS 2015

Los Angeles- The Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) announced today that it has formed its FACLA Elections Commission ( FEC) as provided by the revised FACLA by-laws.

The elections by a Special Membership Meeting for the two election commissioners were held last May 31, 2015.

Elected as Elections Commissioners were two FACLA members Avalyn Tapia, Chair and Emily M.Roberts as member.

Third Election Commissioner Appointed.

Tapia won the majority votes thus she was sworn –in by FACL President Austin Baul Jr. as the Election Commission Chair together with Emily Roberts as the two election Commissioners last May 31, 2015

The third Election Commissioner was appointed by FACLA President Austin Baul Jr.. Baul announced it to the FACLA Board meeting last June 15, 2015. Appointed as the third FACLA Commissioner was Salvacion Jomarambon,

Her appointment completed the FACLA Election Commissin that will oversee and supervise the FACLA Elections this coming November 2015.

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