Speak Out

WG resident leaves for New York

As we prepare Sept. 19 for departure to New York, I just wanted to thank my friends, neighbors and the people of Willow Glen.

I am the leader of the Menlo Park-based California Task Force 3 team, one of eight National Urban Search and Rescue Teams with the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, carrying cargo to New York. The last week has consisted of 18-hour days in preparation for our team's response to the terrorist attacks in New York City.

The support of my neighbors and the patriotism of Willow Glen residents through candlelight memorials and flying Old Glory has been inspirational at least. While we are prepared for the grim task ahead, know that I will be looking forward to my visits with my neighbors and walks with my family down the "strip" and to the park once I return. Willow Glen holds a special place in my heart.

Harold Schapelhouman
Britton Avenue

More tolerance for our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters

On behalf of the San Jose/Silicon Valley Branch of the NAACP, I extend my prayers and sincerest regrets to the families, friends and all who have suffered as a result of this tragic loss of life and attack on America.

Everyone in America is truly suffering as a result of this attack on the American community, which is also an attack on everyone who shares our American soil. I sincerely hope that the perpetrators of this attack will be swiftly identified and brought to justice.

On behalf of the San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP, I encourage all Silicon Valley citizens to honor and respect all our brothers and sisters in the Valley. It has been disturbing to hear that some fellow Americans have used this tragedy as an opportunity to verbally attack our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters with hateful messages and accusations. Everyone in our American ommunity, including our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters, are equally as devastated by this attack on our soil.

In Silicon Valley we enjoy a diverse and educated community. I ask that all of our Silicon Valley residents continue to show support for all of those who share our soil with us, and for you to encourage all that you come in contact with to do the same. This great tragedy should not allow the terrorists that committed this deplorable act to drive a hateful wedge in our community for those who had no responsibility for this act.

This is a time for compassion and understanding, and I ask that each of us enter into a period of silence, mediation and prayer for those who were on the planes, in the World Trade Center or in the Pentagon and have lost their lives as a result of these terrorist attacks.

Rick Callender
President, San Jose/ Silicon Valley Branch of the NAACP

Gov. Davis must veto Assembly redistricting

California Gov. Gray Davis must veto the Assembly map passed by the California Legislature on Sept. 13. It puts a dagger in the heart of Silicon Valley.

The map violates the rights of the people of Silicon Valley, in particular those communities of color, which includes the Asian Pacific American population. Members of this large community contribute to the financial success accredited to Silicon Valley. Many of the engineers, visionaries and infrastructure workers are Asian Americans. Our financial contributions have been made, yet, our efforts at political empowerment have been ignored, and even suppressed.

Members of the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans for Fair Redistricting-Santa Clara County (CAPAFR-SCC), which includes the Organization of Chinese Americans, National Congress of Vietnamese in America, Asian American Public Policy Institute, Asian Americans for Community Involvement and Asian Law Alliance, have testified and submitted a proposed Assembly map. We have been a part of the process because we believe that change, and the continuing efforts of creating new districts that respect existing communities, requires active participation.

We are concerned that people within our own borders are trying to limit our expressions of our democratic values. The original proposed Assembly map was similar to the one proposed by the coalition. However, the final map passed by the Assembly could only have been one that came from the backroom of political ambitions.

The Asian Pacific American community in Silicon Valley urges everyone to stand and speak up to build a better community of consensus, mutual understanding and cooperation. We are outraged that the Berryessa area of San Jose--an area with more than 52 percent of Asian Pacific Americans--has been fragmented into four Assembly Districts! We are outraged that the Evergreen area, an area with more than 44 percent of Asian Pacific Americans, is divided into Assembly Districts 23 and 28! In the original Assembly map, District 23, represented by Assemblyman Manny Diaz, D-San Jose, had 35 percent of Asian Pacific Americans, 43.49 percent of Latinos, and 15.86 percent of White population. The Assembly map passed by the Legislature dropped the Asian Pacific American representation in Assembly District 23 to 27.11 percent and raised the Latino population to 47.16 percent. We are outraged that the city of Santa Clara is split into Assembly Districts 22 and 24.

This is not an issue of "us" against "them." It's an issue of fair and equal representation. Regardless of a person's race or gender, elected officials must provide fair representation. We want our voice to be heard because we are the people.

Assemblywoman Elaine Alquist advocates for the concerns of the entire community and does not ignore the interests of the Asian Pacific American community. Where are our other elected officials in this tug of war that occurs every 10 years that is supposed to be a fair and accurate reflection of the census? We demand leaders and elected officials who will represent and stand up for the needs of the community.

In the upcoming elections, we, as a community, will elect leaders who have the integrity to stand up, defend and represent the interests of the larger community, not those interested in self-preservation. Right now, we implore the governor to continue to look out for the interests of Silicon Valley by vetoing the Assembly map awaiting his signature. We invite the members of the community to stand up and be counted!

Hung Quoc Nguyen
CAPAFR Member, San Jose

Correction

The Willow Glen Resident's Sept. 9 news story "Neighbors opposed to WG recovery residence," incorrectly attributed two quotes to Willow Glen resident Bruce Brunger, a neighbor spearheading the opposition to the expansion of a drug and alcohol recovery program in Willow Glen on Kilo Avenue.

The quotes, "The actual neighbors in the community wouldn't be as well supervised as these ladies," and "In your lifetime you probably will never have a neighbor with as much to lose as these women. They can lose their kids, so a lot is on the line," should have been attributed to Deputy District Attorney Julianne Sylva, who works with drug and alcohol certification programs in Santa Clara County.

Around the Glen

Carl Heintze: Buying a new refrigerator saves on knee strain

Photo: Adopt-A-Pet

Sports Briefs

Willow Glen High School field hockey

Presentation High School volleyball

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