Posts
Last but not least Glenn would really like to see Kauai give the county manager style of Government a chance.
Discrimination needs to end
 |
| Mr. Mickens is locally known as one of Kauai county's political watchdogs. Mahalos Glenn! |
AJA baseball is once again kicking off.
I have been the biggest opponent of this leagues discriminatory practice of allowing only those with Japanese blood to participate. And, no matter if you want to call it cultural or use any other term for the practice, it is flagrantly discriminatory.
Since I was 15 years old I have spent my life in baseball and it has been very good to me. When I got out of the Army in 1953 and was invited to spring training with the Dodgers, I was shocked and sickened to find out that the great Negro ball players on the Dodgers---Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcomb, Joe Black and Jr Gilliam could not stay in "our " hotel nor eat with us.
Born and raised in So Calif I had never seen black and white rest rooms, black and white drinking fountains, nor any other facilities where race prohibition was used.
For those in the South this discriminatory practice was a cultural thing---Negros were thought to be inferior to whites and slavery was one of the ways of using this terrible bigotry for that purpose.
Dodgers owner, Branch Rickey had the vision and brains to break this wrongful practice by signing Jackie Robinson and today we see some of the greatest Negro players making baseball the greatest sport ever played. And not only are African Americans enhancing baseball (and ALL sports) but Cuban, all Latin countries, Japanese, Korean and many other countries are participating to the benefit of baseball.
People, why not insist that the President of AJA baseball, Tom Shigimoto open this fine league to all and any players who have the ability to participate.
Race or ethnic background should NEVER be a criterion for participating in any sport---only desire and ability.
Wherever my worldly travels took me to play, coach, or watch baseball, it was a sport that brought all people together. Each team respected the players on the other team without animosity whether or not they won or lost. With sports, all sports, the world can be a better place to live and be an example for countries to get along without wars. The Olympics are probably the greatest example of world sports uniting nations.
Think of the Kenyans that come to our country and dominate the marathons---other runners do not hate them for their ability but salute them.
I have great respect for those Japanese who have kept baseball alive for so long on Kauai and I only ask that the league be made stronger by letting all who can compete play.
P.S.
Check out Glenn's Wikipedia page;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Mickens
Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared From Facebook...
27 comments:
Imagine having a baseball league where only white people were allowed to play? People would be up in arms. This practice of discrimination needs to stop. I have often said Hawaii is a racist state!
How about that AJA Baseball league.
Still going on.
Still using public parks at tax payers expense.
Still have to be Japanese to play baseball.
No lawsuits?
Nope.
This ethnic discrimination is okay in Hawaii.
I too just wonder how and why civil laws stop at Hawaii shore lines. Today even Private Golf Clubs have changed to a non-gender, non-discriminatory policy. But for the county / state to allow tax payer dollars to embrace the AJA discriminatory league is just part of the old boys racist plantation mentality. Which also runs rampant within Kauai County hiring practices. Proven with all the lawsuits settled out of court. I sure see many local businesses that continue to operate by the closed door, secret knock policy. To name one is Kalipaki Joes, Stink eye and lacking service. Not only is it uneasy but if they could, this restaurant would maintain a "white only counter seating." To bad they close locations as their business model continues to support segregation. The world is better when it is inclusive.
white only?
Yes as in the late 1950's black counter seating only, and the black only drinking fountains..... true....been there and will not patronize again. Bamboo Grill at Anchor Cove set My wife and I .... after 10 minuets we finally asked for menus and water.... 5 minuets later a group of 6 locals came in...They were greeted, given menus, water, and utensils. We asked again for menus and service. After she walked away and went to the back kitchen and waited on the other table again we got up and left. Never again, We have choices...
OK you mean't non white, not white, that's what I thought! Right?
No.....I said it just like I meant it. The locals and owner would have a "White Counter Only" There just like the 1950's segregation of Black Only Counter Seating and Black only drinking fountains.....Or All Blacks must sit at the back of the bus...... We have a choice and my choice is not to play there game.
OK, got it? I thought the counter was a good thing, that's what I was missing.... wink emoticon
Sorry Kimo.....it might not fit good with your blog...just blowing steam again......But The world should be welcoming to all. Inclusion not Exclusion.... smile emoticon
No fits great, I was just confused... Always appreciates your commments, keep em coming bruddah! wink emoticon
Yes.....and I've been told I have no aloha....Aloha is between mutual parties. Both Give!!!
Aloha these days seems to mean if you agree with me you have Aloha, there is no tolerance for differences of opinions....
I totally agree with Mr.Mickens on his blog,This this the US, our ancestors all came from different land to escape discrimination from race,religion or gender. I personally had experienced in the US south in the 1950s during the Korean war where my black soldier friend & assistant cameraman was forced to sit in the back of the bus,the bus driver was puzzled where to put me ,an Asian guy,I had a choice,so I sat with my friend .Will send you a follow up letter from a black Ethiopian captain I befriended at the front line ,Ethiopia was one of our allies in the Korean war.France too,the French serve cheap wine with meals & helped George Washington in The American Revolution,merci beaucoup France,otherwise we in Hawaii may be eating them yucky fish & chips :-(even Lady Obama da Dog would not eat :-(
unc
I would like to put my two cents in please....being that I was born here and never ever left to go live out of the state...I dont feel that we are racist being that we were raised with so many different cultures we do not feel racist...Each have their own thing...we have Filipino basket ball and baseball teams also....also the Portuguese have their own base ball teams and there are teams that have mixed cultures.....when I was younger our nurses was all Japanese and Filipino and some Hawaiians our Dr. was mostly White our dentists were Japanese...We had Chinese store owners and restaurant owners Our state and county workers had all nationalities..I never ever had hard feelings or thought anyone was worst,than another because.....I was taught.there is good and bad in every race and we are NOT here to judge anyone..... Now we have a influx of "white" people that feel we are racists...but as I go out into the public......I see many many white people in all of those positions "local" people once held...In fact I have known a few who got jobs here even before they moved here....and talking to a customer of ours who works for the state who has openings in the department where he works they have 2 openings I asked you have lots of applicants?? Yes he said 4 from different departments and 2 from the mainland coming in for interview......people who are not here yet....applying for jobs here while our people move away because they cant afford to live here....Now I could go on and on and would probably at the end be called a racist...so I will stop now...dont want to anger anyone Just saying...Love to all of you....Aloha
All good points, Mahalo Yvonne for your explanation. wink emoticon
Thanks Unc... smile emoticon for the letter and your service....
Sorry Yvonne discriminatory and racist have two different meanings. Anyone that has policy of individulizim is discriminatory. And I being from the Bay Area where there is the real melting pot. Tolerance with respect. I also see your position but you are the one talking race while the rest question discrimination practice. People leave the islands for opportunity, the ones arriving come with hope....far more leave than arrive because they follow the rebirth of hope. What drives them away mostly is lack of living wage which has not been present on the islands. Not everyone wants to work the service / tourist industry for low wages. Now give them a career job with growth and good wages and they will stay. And be careful it is not PC any longer to imply "just saying" Also the ones entering Hawaii after applying and receiving a job did through an "Equal Opportunity Employer", federal law.... and many of them leave also because of the high (highest) cost of living in the country.
And to "UNC" I personally had friends who spoke NO Japanese and had lived here for decades get rounded up and sent to camps..................there was and is hate and no respect all over but we do NOT need to contribute to it........how about we all make our own teams and challenge others in a game???? should be fun
Great points, Rick and I am glad to know that you are on my page. I sent this letter to the Mayor as well as to the paper and will be eager to see if he responds---I am not holding my breath.
Keep the letters going to the paper and stay in touch.
Mahalo,
Glenn
AJA has the legal status of a private club. A private club can legally discriminate it's membership. "Discriminate" is not always a pejorative word. For example, the Kauai Filipino Community Council, in today's TGI, discriminates it's membership. They would love to have had you join the Rizal Statue ceremony; but, would not make you a member. This is perfectly legal. As far as AJA using public facilities, this is also legal as long as all other groups do so for the same fee and AJA does not use them in such a way as to completely deny their use by others. The essay posted is persuasive on an emotional level; but, it lacks a factual perspective as well as the more accurate analogy of private clubs.
No fees Pete....
No fee for all means the same fee for all.
Like · Reply · 1 hr
Pete there is no other clubs this is the last all have dissolved. but I do hear what you are putting down. thanks
I emailed him. I agree.
Aloha Kimo:
I am not a lawyer so cannot dispute what Pete has to say about AJA having the right to legally discriminate against those without Japanese blood.
But his example of wanting me to join the Rizal Statue ceremony but would not make me a member is oranges and apples with AJA baseball. In Pete's example I could take part in their ceremony but could not be a member. In AJA I COULD NOT TAKE PART IN THEIR GAMES NOR BE A MEMBER AND THAT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
And again, Kimo why have a league closed to all who can participate when open participation would only make the league stronger AND STOP THEIR HYPOCRITICAL PRACTICE THAT I KNOW OF.
Regards,
Glenn
Yes Glenn apples to oranges..... dilution embraces higher quality
No, the analogy holds because you can go and watch the games just as you could have gone and watched the Rizal ceremony!
Post a Comment