Millions have come before us to defend and protect what we more often than not, take for granted. Often times, these individuals are not celebrated at all near the capacity that they should. There are a few groups that work to make that a reality and I commend them and the individuals involved.

The Student Action for Veterans Equity (SAVE) is announcing a "week of action" from Monday, July 25 to Friday, July 29, 2005. The "week of action" is centered around July 26, which will mark the 64th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's executive order which inducted Filipino soldiers into the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). SAVE's week of action is in remembrance of the brave Filipino soldiers that fought during World War II and in continuation of their struggle for full equity.

*Monday July 25*
Luncheon for the Veteranos @ War Memorial
Time: 12-2pm Place: 401 Van Ness Ave.

*Tuesday July 26*
Candle Light Vigil Time: 7 pm @ War Memorial
The 64th Anniversary of Franklin D. Roosevelt's induction of all Filipino men and women into the United States Armed Forces of the Far East(USAFE)
Please join us as we pay tribute & remember the men and women who have fought and served this country and continue our dedication for nothing less then FULL EQUITY

*Thursday July 28*
Full Equity Now! @ the Lit Lounge (21+)
Sliding Scale $5+
9-10pm performances 10-2am dancing
PERFORMANCES BY:
POWER STRUGGLE
MINDZ EYE
GROUP THERAPY
Spinning on the turntablez ..... DJ Crook from K-DON 102.5

*Friday July 29*
Brown Ribbon Variety Show @ the Filipino Community Center
35 San Juan Ave, 6:30 PM
Youth under 18: $3
General: $5+
PERFORMANCES BY : KIWI, CAKA, GOLDA; the comic book heroes, PYC - Vallejo, Damayan and MORE

In February of 1946, President Harry S. Truman passed the Rescission Act, which under certain provisions denied the eligibility of most veterans benefits to the all those who served under the command of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), the Philippines Scouts, and the recognized guerilla units and deemed their services for the U.S. military as inactive. Because of this injustice, the Filipino community has been working to correct this inequity. The Brown Ribbon Campaign was launched in July 26, 2003.This year we continue to "Paint the Nation Brown," with the re-launching of the Brown Ribbon Campaign as a symbol of revitalized commitment to fight for our heroic Veterans.

In January of 2005, Rep. Randy Cunningham introduced H.R. 302, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2005, while Senator Daniel Inouye introduced S. 146, a senate companion bill to the Filipino Veterans Act of 2005. This is the first time since 1997 that the Filipino Veterans Equity Act for Filipino WWII Veterans has been introduced in the House and Senate, which indicates the growing movement towards winning full equity.

If passed, both H.R.302 & .146 will amend title 38, United States Code, to deem certain service in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines and the Philippines Scouts to have been active service for purposes of benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

Throughout the years there has been numerous attempts to get the passage of a Full Equity Bill, yet all have fallen short. With the Filipino WWII veteran population rapidly diminishing and death rates increasing daily, the fight for FULL EQUITY is critical now more then ever before. It is urgent that we strongly encourage the109th congress and the Bush administration to grant the passage of H.R 302 & S. 146 which will provide our veterans more than Healthcare benefits, but rather the acknowledgement that their valiant service for this country were not done in vein. The Student Action for Veterans Equity's focus is to push, fight, support and lobby for the passage of HR 302 & the Senate companion bill S.146.

Let's make sure that the country makes good on a promise made 64 years ago. What good is a broken promise? If you have any questions or would like to volunteer please contact SAVE at: 415.255.2347 or fullequitynow@yahoo.com

I highly recommend "March of the Penguins." Penguins totally rule, and boy do they go through some hardships for love. Us humans could learn a lot from the penguins.

Actually, us humans could learn a lot from everything, if we just took the time to notice and to really think about the occurences that go on during each day in our lives. Just think about that for a while. Mull it over. Then see how it may inspire you to become better, whatever you think that may take, or whatever direction that may be.

Ladies and gentlemen, if an employee, or more specifically, a superior, said to another employee, "You know, I am having a hard time concentrating on what you're saying because of your cleavage," would you consider that sexual harrassment? I know what I think, but I just want other opinions.

"Mad Hot Ballroom" was all that it was cracked up to be and then some! Go watch it! It makes you think about what we are doing with children, and how we are teaching them. Maybe we do need to teach more values, and less material. If they have more values, then they can do whatever they put their mind to. So much of life is attitude. Children have some of the best attitudes, because they haven't succumb to the jaded world that us adults have.

Even us adults need to revisit our childhood more often, before we developed our prejudices and other thoughts. So many of those thoughts, or lack of thoughts, have no analysis involved and are just plain wrong, whether our of selfishness, ambition, or jealousy.

Next on the menu is "March of the Penguins" just because it looks so darn cute. I think I'm on an independent film kick. The last movie I saw was "Crash" and now I want to make it three independent films in a row.

I also happened to find out that the actor that plays Dr. House on "House M.D." is British! He has a British accent and all. I never would've known from the show, as no accent whatsoever is noticeable from my perspective. It just goes to show how good actors are out there.

Well I have some time before I head into a stretch of two weeks where I have work and meetings after work every day. I hope I can keep up. I'll have to make sure that I maximize my rest and relaxation whenever I get the chance, be it five minutes or five hours. Today, I just really want to relax, at least my version of relaxing, which is to sit down, think about the play and production, and get some reading in.

Speaking of the production, it's a good thing that we will all be learning Tai Chi. It'll be another way for me to relax. Time management at its very best will still need support systems as far as stress management.

It's official. Filipino American History Month is now recognized at the California Department of Education (CDE). Find the Calendar of Events 2006 on the CDE website: www.cde.ca.gov. I'm pretty proud of that. It's a small gesture, but it could start a tidal wave.

Another official occurence was my introduction as assistant director for the "Carry the Tiger to the Mountain" show for Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre (InterACT). This means I will actually direct a couple of the scenes from the play, and that I will help out in all needed areas. Up until the moment that I was introduced to the cast as such, I had felt that I could always back out. Not anymore. Now it's do or do not. It looks like we have a good cast. The camaraderie should be great. I really can't wait.

Part of my anticipation is because the play is about the racist killing of Vincent Chin, the unfair justice system that let the killers go free, and the struggle for Vincent's mother to rally the country to justice. I studied the event while I was at Davis, and even read part of the play for another class. To dramatize such an important event in Asian American history is awe-inspiring.

If I may, I'd like to speak on a few of the ballot measures that are going to be put on this November ballot. There is a proposal to extend the two year teaching probation to five years. Here's what I think: It's ridiculous. Supposedly, this is a way to make better teachers. If you want to make better teachers, you don't make it harder for all teachers. You provide more teacher development.

There is also the "Live Within Your Means" initiative, which to me is an attack on services. How can a country based on democracy, believe that we should give one individual the power to make cuts to the budget when there is a shortfall. That's too much power in one person's hands, especially when that one person isn't representing the people as a whole, but big businesses.

Then there's the whole union dues for political purposes. Politics are part of the business of being a union. Politics are part of life. You bet businesses are political. And they have the money to fund the political actions. Union dues are the main source of income for the union. They don't sell products like businesses do. At first glance, this measure sounds great. However, it would serve to handicap all workers, and if we vote yes on it, we would be handicapping ourselves.

Agree or disagree with me, but please make an informed decision. Please vote, please research the measures, and please do your part to stand up for what you believe in. Nobody else will.

Well, after all was said and done, the press conference did both lobby for AB 15, as well as urge the Governor to write a letter in support of the Filipino World War II Veterans Full Equity Bill. The pieces are all available for this for full equity to be acknowledged and found. I hope that we are able to make it happen. There's no time to only give it lip service and not back it up.

I can't hate the people that don't support. They have their own reasons. I can only hope and urge them to change their mind. Then there are those that say one thing and do another. That's a little harder for me to swallow. Yet there are many hypocrites in the world, so I better get used to it.

Despite all of these sayings and thoughts, I've been analyzing how much of a pessimist I am. Even though I say I'm an optimist, I think that's my logical, analytical side trying to overpower my natural side. I doubt that I'll ever figure it out though. See how negative that is?

This country is in denial. Citizens walk around thinking everything is okay because they are okay. Some of those people that are financially independent are so able to take care of themselves that they can block everything out that is wrong in the world.

It turns out that the press conference that I thought was to urge Governor Schwarzenegger to write a letter of support for the Full Equity Bill, is actually for AB 15, which would encourage schools to include instruction on Filipino World War II Veterans' contributions during the war. This is according to a document I received this morning from the Capitol, which keeps fairly close tabs on what is going on in and around the capitol. While it is related to full equity, it is not a "full equity" press conference, so I'm sorry to those that I inadvertently misled, as I had received the incorrect information as well.

Tomorrow, July 12, 2005, at 11:30 AM, there is going to be a press conference at the Veteran's Memorial near the California State Capitol in regards to the Filipino World War II Veterans' Full Equity Bill. Come if you can, and try to bring a one paragraph of your relationship to the issue for all the media that is going to be around. If you can't, check out this website www.fullequitynow.com to learn more about the cause and to see what you can do to help us out. We could use all the help we can get.