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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you saw the PBS documentary, \u201cAsian Americans,\u201d then you got a big gulp of history over two days. And there were even Filipino parts, with my radar going off from the beginning. The whole shebang kicks off with a personal story of an ancestor of one of the Igorrots brought to the U.S. to be part of the exhibition at the 1904 World\u2019s Fair\u2014a shameful human zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is as terrible and immoral an origin story as it gets for Asian Americans. That\u2019s the Filipino contribution. We were colonized, then brought over as entertainment to sell American imperialism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funny how you don\u2019t see it much taught in history classes in America. When I was at Harvard, there were no published books at stores on this subject. I had to go deep into the stacks to find unpublished theses written by visiting Filipino scholars, that\u2019s how disinterested America is in its moral screwups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it was nice to see the PBS treatment of Asian Americans start with the indignity of the World\u2019s Fair. And then see other Filipinos included like Professors Daniel Phil Gonzales and Alex Fabros, of San Francisco State\u2019s College of Ethnic studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the producers chose Larry Itliong, the late labor leader, to be the Filipino poster boy for the documentary\u2019s PR materials. It\u2019s about time that Itliong, the man who actually started the Delano Grape strike of 1965, got out from under the shadow of Cesar Chavez. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve written about Itliong in columns previously, but it remained the dirty little secret of one of the key events in labor and civil rights history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Itliong was a heck of a leader and a speaker. In fact, it\u2019s too bad he\u2019s not around to do a few commencement speeches. He died of Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease in 1977.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A few years ago, a tape surfaced of a talk Itliong gave to students at University of California, Santa Cruz in 1976.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If Chavez was \u201cSi se puede,\u201d (\u201cYes we can.\u201d), then Itliong can be remembered as the man who was fearless for saying no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the tape, he talked about being offered money to do things for the powerful in American society. Big Labor. Big politicians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lot wants to buy me off,\u201d Itliong said to the students. \u201cOne of the biggest organizations that I grew up with in this country offered me $200,000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Itliong described a deal with conditions that included helping Cesar Chavez run the service center in the fields. But it was after Itliong decided to leave the United Farm Workers as a VP to Chavez. Big Labor wanted him to stay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know what I tell them,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t need that $200,000. I can eat rice and posit (squid), bagong, mango. I don\u2019t need $200,000.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The students were amazed by his refusal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI said, $200,000 to sell out my countrymen?,\u201d Itliong asked rhetorically. \u201cI figure we have about 350,000 Filipinos in California. That\u2019s only $200,000. That\u2019s not even $1 dollar a head. No, I don\u2019t want your money. If I want to sell my countrymen, then give me $50 million\u2013I\u2019ll take it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So Itliong did name his price, but as he told the story, he laughed with the students in the seminar. \u201cDo you want to buy my countrymen, give me $50 million?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Itliong said it wasn\u2019t an isolated instance either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey tried to buy me many times,\u201d Itliong said on the tape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We could use a leader like that today. Filipino or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the very least, he\u2019d be a great commencement speaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No one asked but here\u2019s what I\u2019d Tell the Class of 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Five years ago I went back to visit Harvard, my alma mater, when Harvard coincidentally admitted more Asian and Asian Americans than ever\u2014 about 22.1 percent of the freshman admits, a record for the entire school at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Little did we know they would be in a special historical class that was forced to endure the perils of Covid-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Class of 2020 was kicked out of the dorms mid-semester and made to social distance from their tiny liberal arts education. For the last two months, it\u2019s been the University of Phoenix version of the Ivy League\u2013all of it culminating May 28\u2013in a virtual graduation that feels a little like reaching a new level in Super Mario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the class has been given the Covid experience, which should be viewed as the ultimate enhancer when your moniker includes 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After what these students have been through, they will need to be the class of perfect vision\u2014that is, if we as a society have anything good to look forward to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s always been the clich\u00e9 to hail new grads by saying, \u201cYou are the future!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But this time we really mean it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the future? What do you see? Anything clearly? It will be up to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And this goes for all the graduates of 2020, not just Harvard. Everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things are happening in this country that haven\u2019t quite happened this way before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The devaluing of truth has never occurred like it has these last four years, let alone eight weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our leaders have taken us down the path where all our democratic institutions are endangered from the top down. Will there even be voting in November? One hopes, though there are fears of a slowdown to save our democracy, or just the presidency?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s the reverse of the current rush by the government to meet the invisible virus head on without knowing the full risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By opening too soon, will we have a new Covid surge, coincidentally in November? Will there be enough tests? Or just a never-ending string of deaths? (That is, if we\u2019re still counting deaths in a way that exposes the administration\u2019s failure.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I am not one to bow down blindly to science. There\u2019s plenty of bad science to go around. But there seems to be a willingness to disregard the honest search for the truth when it\u2019s needed most. Like right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are also reaching an anti-intellectual level in this country that could make your last four years in college seem passe in the next ten years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It all changed in March and Covid is the demarcation line. Get nostalgic about the years B.C.\u2013Before Covid. And get ready to imagine and define the years A.C.\u2013After Covid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In that sense, you, Class of 2020, are more important than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those of us who are older must now rely on your idealism\u2013your spirited, undaunted, boundless idealism\u2013to get us through. You still have that, right? It\u2019s the mark of youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those of us who are Boomers of various levels of boominess have life experience and maybe a little wisdom to offer. That\u2019s all we have. We are still relying on your idealistic fizz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope you never have to say the line, \u201cIf only I knew then what I know now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For starters, you may not have 40 years to get to that saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So I\u2019d like to give you a few things now so you don\u2019t have to wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Class of 2020, your gift of a Covid education has been the lesson of universal adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But you have also seen how the virus is not the great equalizer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some groups have been hurt more than others. People of color. Asian Americans. Blacks. Latinos. It\u2019s more than race; it\u2019s class too. Where are their jobs? Many Asian Americans are on the front lines as nurses and doctors in health care. Or they\u2019re in the service trades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To be essential is to be essentially sacrificed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You, Class of 2020, have felt the woes too. You missed your cap and gown ceremony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about the folks who are missing PPE. And how they\u2019re endangering their families when they come home from work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stand back and see how this period has accentuated all the divisions in our society. Counter that by developing an even deeper sense of empathy and a willingness to erase those lines that divide us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let that be the guide to where to apply your ameliorating vision. Act outward toward others, not yourself. The enduring lesson from these trying times may be to look for and be guided by the greatest need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One last piece of advice. I\u2019ve always found the old saying, \u201cKeep your friends close and your enemies closer,\u201d to be more effective than not. It\u2019s not easy to follow but if you do, you\u2019ll get to know your enemies and maybe they\u2019ll become friends instead. And then you can work together and get beyond the dishonest gridlocked politics that always seem to get in the way of real cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s where we need your idealism most in the A.C. period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So mask up Class of 2020, watch out for saliva-bearing plosives. Life is not your spittoon. Just keep your distance from stupid, selfish politics that divides us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And don\u2019t wait for perfection before acting. Perfect the imperfect as you go. It will keep you active and moving forward. Good luck. We\u2019re counting on you like never before. For your hope and your idealism, keep your price tag high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Larry Itliong did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Emil Guillermo If you saw the PBS documentary, \u201cAsian Americans,\u201d then you got a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=300%2C201&ssl=1",300,201,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=640%2C430&ssl=1",640,430,true],"large":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=640%2C430&ssl=1",640,430,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"ultp_layout_landscape_large":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"ultp_layout_landscape":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"ultp_layout_portrait":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=600%2C560&ssl=1",600,560,true],"ultp_layout_square":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=600%2C560&ssl=1",600,560,true],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=800%2C500&ssl=1",800,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=834%2C560&ssl=1",834,560,true],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=540%2C285&ssl=1",540,285,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?resize=375%2C250&ssl=1",375,250,true]},"author_info":{"info":["admin"]},"category_info":"Candid Perspectives<\/a>","tag_info":"Candid Perspectives","comment_count":"0","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/19380731_G.jpeg?fit=834%2C560&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2356"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2358,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2356\/revisions\/2358"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thefilipinochronicle.com\/backup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\n
EMIL GUILLERMO<\/strong> is a veteran journalist and commentator. He was a member of the Honolulu Advertiser editorial board. Listen to him on Apple Podcasts. Twitter @emilamok.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"