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CELEBRATING CHINESE NEW YEAR
IN CINCINNATI, OHIO USA
Chinese American Association of Cincinnati Dinner on 1/24/2009 at Grand Oriental Restaurant
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GOT RICE?
Those who would give up
Essential Liberty to
purchase a little Temporary
Safety, deserve neither
Liberty nor Safety  -
Benjamin Franklin (1759).
February 2009 Extra
For January Extra Click Here
For Upcoming Sunday
Seminars on Current
Issues at Christ
Church Cathedral in
the City of Cincinnati
click here.
FAMILIES WITH CHINESE CHILDREN CELERATE THE YEAR
OF THE OX AT MASON HIGH SCHOOL ON 1/25/2009
WANGLAW
Attorneys & Counselors at Law
CLICK HERE TO SEE
INDEX OF OP-EDS
MARTIAL ARTS COURTESY OF I. K. KIM TAE KWON DO CENTERS, INC.
UNTITLED - A RARE CAPTURE OF A SCENE FROM JANUARY 2009
PHOTOCREDIT: DAVID THOMSON
Mr John Klei, Master of Ceremony
IMMIGRATION SEMINAR AT
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI
For four consecutive Sundays ending with
the first Sunday in February, Christ Church
Cathedral hosted a seminar series entitled
"Immigration & the Church."  Shown in
photo on right is Mr. Alfonso Cornejo,
president of the Hispanic Chamber
Cincinnati USA presenting demographics
on Hispanic immigration and explaining
the contribution of Hispanics to the
Greater Cincinnati economy.  Other
speakers were Mike Phillips, formerly
Director of Editorial Development with
Scripps Newspapers who developed
an Hispanic cultural awareness training
program with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and Charleston
Wang, immigration attorney.  This seminar series focused on immigration from
Latin American countries, the prospects of legislative reform for all immigrants
in 2009 and the role of the Church in crucial  immigration issues.

THE MYTH OF THE  MODEL MINORITY

One Sunday morning in October, our community was jolted awake by the morbid news
of an apparent double murder-suicide at a local Chinese restaurant.   The comments
that were triggered by this tragedy on the internet and elsewhere are just as
disturbing.   Some people pointed to the economic slowdown and linked it with the
stereotype of Asians committing suicide to escape the dishonor of business failure.  
Yet others manifested a glib “they are not like us” attitude. Asian American small
businesses, many of which are restaurants, are an inseparable part of our economy
and they share in the hard times and well as good.   We are not isolated islands but
every one is part of this land.   The stereotype of the model Asian minority who can
outwork the rest is just a myth.  I know of more Asian American businesses which
have closed or are closing along with the others in this downturn of economic
fortunes. The unexpressed tragedy I have sensed, beginning with my own gut
reaction, is that the Asian American community tends to pretend that “no big matter”
has happened and life for the rest somehow will go on as normal if only we take care
of our own business.   This is followed by an inability to talk about and deal with such
problems as a community.  Because of cultural differences and language
complications, generally there is also reluctance within those afflicted to reach out for
help early when tragedy may yet be prevented.    Beyond this, the reality is that there
is limited availability of organizations and professionals to help Asian Americans who
are suffering domestic violence and other severe social and mental health problems
that may lead to homicide. I hope our greater community can come to view the lives
lost with compassion and then reach out to help when help will still make a difference.  
We should realize that during these difficult times, misfortune can strike any of us.  In
the final reflection, we will be seen as helping ourselves.

An opinion by Charleston C. K. Wang 11/11/2008.
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THE MAGIC OF THE SNOWBALL 2009
Christ Church Cathedral in the City of Cincinnati. 01/30/2009
I’m A People, Too
Reflections on Life In the Turn Lane & Beyond
by Beverly Jones

There they were again – The People.  They had moved from Grant Park in Chicago to The Mall in Washington, but
t was the same crowd:  men, women and children, young, old, black, white and all colors in between.  And it felt
like they were there just for me.  Thank you, People!  
Yes, it was grand to see the other people, too  - the ones whose decisions affect my life - all dressed up, smiling
and greeting one another; Barack’s serious demeanor matched his words and this, most certainly, was An
Historic Moment....but, for me it was The People who stole our great American show.
Without them the spectacle of the Inauguration Ceremony  would have been colder, more distant, less
participatory.  Because they were there in such numbers, I was there.  I can’t identify with George and Barbara
Bush, with the Clintons or Yo-Yo Ma and Itzak Perlman, even though I was happy to see them all.

But, maybe that’s the whole deal – the whole American story – which I didn’t see in my school’s history books -
comes down to The People.  As in: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…do
ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.  Preamble to U.S. Constitution

And: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands
which have connected them with another…Declaration of Independence

We hold these truths to be self-evident …and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish
and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…
What I see in those words and on the Mall is: The People  us  me.  Wow!
Maybe that’s the message that is so appealing to people around the world.  They know they are People, too;  or,
rather, we all know we are people; therefore, everyone is part of this story of humanity.

Robert Jensen, Common Dreams, 1-19-09  has taken this idea of The People one step further and offers a
Citizen's Oath of Office*:  “I do solemnly pledge that I will faithfully execute the office of citizen of the United States,
and that I will, to the best of my ability,  help create a truly democratic world by…” (1) going beyond mainstream
corporate news media to seek out information about important political, economic, and social issues.
(2) committing as much time, energy, and money as possible to help build [authentic] grassroots political
organizations that can pressure politicians to put the interests of people over profit and power.

For me this moment is a new start, a fresh look at the American story to see where I fit.  As an analogy, this
administration is young, like a child, and we citizens are like parents, whose responsibility is to guide and nurture
them toward independence so they can fulfill the promises made by our country’s ancestors. We didn’t do so well
in our parenting role during the last eight years; but, thank God, we get another chance.
Technology will help: 39,723 people had logged in to pose questions for the new administration on the day I
checked and 1,746,363 votes had been cast for the most important ones.  The transition team then picked the
questions that floated to the top and the new press secretary answered them in a YouTube video.  Now that’s a  
conversation.
In many ways we-the-people are also like children, learning new ways to be citizens.   I remember watching
children at the beach march confidently toward the water; and move fearlessly toward strange children as
potential playmates.  That was the spirit reported to me by friends who were on the mall.   It’s not that we don’t
know how to engage, we’re just out of practice.  
Sometimes it’s easy to move from complexity to simplicity – you just step over the complexity and Be There, in the
new place – like the Berlin Wall coming down.  The people on the mall didn’t have to unravel the complexities of
race, gender or financial status; they were just There.  When events get too complicated to follow, my plan is to go
with legislators and candidates whose ideas are closest to mine.

Our faith story is a story of a people and I’m in that story too.     From Moses and the people in Egypt where God
said, ”I will take you as my people and I will be your God,” Exodus 6:7   to the people [of Galilee]  “... who sat in
darkness [and] have seen a great light”    and “for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has
dawned.” Martthew 4:16.   And so it has.  Again!

©  Beverly Jones 2009   Doing Good. Together.   The maple trees’ buds are here!
THE REVEREND DAMON LYNCH, JR. GIVES
ABSALOM JONES SERMON AT
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL IN THE CITY OF CINCNNATI
On Sunday 02/15/2009, Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Cincinnati celebrated the Life and
Ministry of the Reverend Absalom Jones.  Rev. Jones was born in Delaware in 1746 and in 1784 he
bought is own freedom and began a career as a minister for Christ.  In 1795 he was ordained a
deacon and on September 21, 1802 a priest of the Episcopal Church.The Rev. Damon Lynch, Jr.
gave the sermon.  Shown on photo in lower right are Ellie Johnson,  Gil Brown, the Rev. Trevor
Babb,and Bishop Thomas Breidenthal. Mr. Gil Brown was honored for his life long service to
education.
Photo on left:  On 2/12/2009, Mr. Greg
Baker, Executive Manager for Police
Relations for the City of Cincinnati
updates the Cincinnati Human Relations
Commission on data from the Community
Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV), a city
wide program aimed at reducing
homicides and preventing violence among
young adults and high risk juveniles.   For
more information on CIRV, click here.

Photo on left:  On 2/17/2009, the FBI
Multicultural Advisory Committee met over
lunch in the Federal Courthouse.  Mr.
James Wahlrab, U. S. Marshall for the
Southern District of Ohio explained the
work of the Marshall Service and then
answered questions on diversity from
members of the Committee.  For more
information on the U S Marshalls serving
in our area, click here.
Click on thmbnails for large photo
Click on thmbnails for large photos
Photocredit: Charleston C K Wang
Click on thmbnails for large photo
On 2/12/2009, BRIDGES FOR A JUST COMMUNITY held its Board Meeting at the Cincinnati
Museum Center. As part of the agenda, members of the Board toured the on-going exhibition
"Race: Are We So Different?"   This timely and award winning exhibition is a project of the American
Anthropological Association.  As a component of this thought provoking exhibition, BRIDGES is
teaming up with the Museum Center to host "Talking Circles" which are designed to enhance the
experience of visitors to the exhibition. " Talking Circles" also provides a safe space to offer an
opportunity for visitors to engage in facilitated dialogue regarding issues that may arise from
viewing the exhibition.  Shown in photograph above are from right to left Dr. Mitch Livingston,
president of BRIDGES, Dr. Tonya Matthews, vice president of the Museum Center, Chip Harrod,
Executive Director of BRIDGES, and Charleston C. K. Wang, emeritus member of Board of
BRIDGES.  For more information on the "Race: Are We So Different." click here.  For more
information on BRIDGES FOR A JUST COMMUNITY, click here.
Click on thmbnails for large photo