Updates
Blog
- Contributor bio:
- Emil Guillermo
San Francisco’s Political Gold Mountain
It’s official. And in Asian American history, it’s a big deal. San Francisco’s new mayor is named Lee—Ed Lee, the first Asian American of Chinese descent to hold that position. Anyone who jokes that…
It’s Brown in the Yellow State
In California, with 4.4 million Asian Americans–the most Asian state in the nation–Jerry Brown is once again the chief executive. Are you ready for the pain? Previously a two-term governor at age 36,…
Rendell’s comments far from innocent
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching Sunday night football on Tuesday and feeling happy that Gov. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania will be out of office on Jan. 18. It couldn’t come soon enough. He…
Legislation and Real Life
Too many historic votes in the Senate this past weekend. Some good. Some bad. So maybe it’s appropriate that my week began by attending a funeral of a young Asian American. My nephew Brian Francisco…
Tax-cut politics: “Robin Hood in Reverse”
When Barack Obama gets in trouble, he usually rallies with a rousing and passionate speech. But his compromising ways have turned him into just half the man we thought he was. So as the hot talk in…
Who’s Still Dreaming the Dream?
This week when Congress is expected to finally vote on the so-called Dream Act, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) will vote to kill it. And what of his one-time role as a lead sponsor of the original bill…
WikiLeaking on U.S. diplomatic efforts
For all journalists, this I know to be true: We all love a good leak. It’s the sexy part of the news game, to reveal something that heretofore was so off-limits and so verboten. That makes it one…
Since when did the “S” in TSA stand for “sex”?
In the last few weeks, airport security has gone X-rated in the hunt for terrorists. A new era has arrived when airline passengers are being quoted in the New York Times saying, “I didn’t really…
SNL’s Hu Jintao a new “Charlie Chan-ism”?
Nineteen years ago, the musical Miss Saigon first came to Broadway with a white actor augmented by eye prosthesis and bronzing cream to make him look more Asian. Sound a bit too Charlie Chan-like for…
Undocumented to get “Bushwhacked”?
George W. Bush smiled and chatted up Matt Lauer on the Today Show Wednesday. “I’m enjoying selling the book,” Bush said. “My debating days are over.” Yes, with his memoirs out now, Bush is all about…
On California, Nikki Haley and Identity Politics
So Democrats lost the House, but the Republicans couldn’t win the Senate. It means on the national level, we are in for two years of “incremental nothing,” when things only seem to…
Asian American Tea Party?
Even before the results are in, the Tea Party has impacted this year’s mid-terms. But have you seen any Asian Americans in its ranks? I haven’t noticed any. Which leads me to wonder, how…
Hate Crime For Rutgers Outers?
While we wait to see if New Jersey prosecutors will pursue hate crime enhancements against Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei in connection with the outing of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi, is there anyone…
Stay in touch with AALDEF
Get occasional updates via email, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.