THE BROWNSVILLE OBSERVER

Camp Harmony Assembly Center, Puyallup, Washington

Something Donald Trump has mentioned twice this week, invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, is not a joke, as it was last employed during World War II against the Japanese or anyone determined to have 1/16th "Japanese blood."

In May of 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, removing 110,000 Japanese on the west coast from their homes and businesses, about 13,000 of them in and around my home town, Seattle.

There was no such internment of Italians or Germans, only the Japanese, although the U.S. had declared war on all three countries.

The State of Washington had no actual internment camps, simply assembly centers, one at Puyallup, a temporary facility where Japanese were sent for reassignment to an internment camp. (About 200 Alaskans were initially sent to Puyallup, including some indigenous people who happened to be married to Japanese.)

Trump made his racism very clear as he rode down the escalator in 2015 spouting that Mexican Nationals in this country were "rapists" and "murderers."

What completely baffles me is that recent polls show that 36% of Hispanics support Trump for President. Those who do simply must have no idea where Trump wants to take this country.

Saturday, October 12, 2024

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗙 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗡'𝗦 𝟴𝟰𝗧𝗛 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗛𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗪𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗟𝗗𝗦, 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗞, 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗬𝗢𝗥𝗞

For over 30 years every October 9th, a few hundred folk assemble in the Strawberry Field's section of New York's Central Park to commemorate the birthday of Beatle John Lennon, this year his 84th.

A ragtag group of guitarists, a drummer or two and a few playing wind instruments, obviously have no battle plan; doing Lennon songs, Lennon-McCartney tunes and yes, some George Harrison creations like "Something" or "Here Comes the Sun."

While there are some my age in the group, most are younger, as the music of the Beatles has transcended generations.

I still remember clearly December 8, 1980 when Nena called me at my work to tell me John had been shot and killed. (While we had all the albums, the White album was a wedding gift from Tom Robinson 1/15/1969.)

One of my prized possessions, a John Lennon tie, sat in my dresser for several years before I decided to give it to Ben Neece, a big Lennon fan, on his birthday. Ben told me he wore that tie to his swearing in as Municipal Judge and as City Commissioner.

From the early 60's on the Beatles set the tone culturally, musically for the entire world. While the records were banned in the Soviet Union, it was obvious when McCartney played in Red Square in 2003, Russians knew the words to every song.

Every cab driver in the Philippines also seems to know the entire Beatle catalogue by heart.

It's hard to comprehend that John's now been gone 44 years.

𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗣'𝗦 𝗟𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧'𝗦 𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗘

Thursday, October 10, 2024

"𝗡𝗢𝗖𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗭𝗨𝗟" 𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗚𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦~𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗢𝗦 𝗕𝗬 𝗝𝗘𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗖𝗛𝗘

From the editor: While our city lacks a large arena sufficient for an NBA preseason game, Luis Miguel concert or to hold the entire UTRGV graduation class and parents, we have several moderately-sized, comfortable, air-conditioned venues around town, including the Amigoland Event Center used by the local Democratic Party Thursday evening to feature two candidates for office.

A sheet of heavy bond paper at each place setting set out the mission of "Noche Azul," showcasing Joaquin Castro, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, District 20 and James Talarico, candidate for the Texas State House, District 37.

La Vaquita Bakery-Restaurant, listed on the printout under "Special Contributions," provided the tacos, charro beans, limonada and an after dinner dessert.

James Talarico, who described himself as an "ordained minister," referenced the late singer, Selena, in his speech, but also Beyonce' Knowles, then brought up Christian Nationalism, which he described as "anything but Christian."

When Talarico mentioned Texas Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton, my mind wandered to the Nicaraguan asylum seekers I'd met in Matamoros, young families with babies clutching mommy and daddy, none fitting Trump's "rapists and murderers" description. I winced when I thought of barb wire bloodying the limbs of those babies and said to myself: "You assholes!"

While I couldn't stay to hear Joachin Castro, Attorney Jerry Danache kindly sent some great photos of the event: