Letters: Recognizing the positive impacts of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. It is a celebration and acknowledgment of the history, traditions and culture of Asians and Pacific Islanders that continues to impact American society positively.
AAPI Heritage commemoration was proposed in 1977 as a week-long observance of the accomplishments and history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, including the immigration of the first Japanese to the U.S. in May 1843. Also, the transcontinental railroad was completed in May 1869 due to the assistance of countless Chinese laborers. This observance was extended to the entire month of May in 1992 by President Bush.
The Federal Asian Pacific American Council (FAPAC) chose “Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration” as their theme for 2022. It continues FAPAC’s 2021-2024 series on leadership, intended to empower community leaders and inspire innovation creating a brighter future for people of all ethnicities.
The Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) recognizes the increase in hate crimes, especially those directed toward the Asian community. All Americans, regardless of race, deserve to be treated kindly and equally. As executive director of the FCHR, I urge citizens of Florida who feel they have been discriminated against in the workplace, public accommodations or housing to contact us. Our vision is to eliminate discrimination in Florida, and contacting us is the first step towards that goal.
Contact the FCHR at (850) 488-7082 or by visiting http://fchr.state.fl.us/.
Cheyanne Costilla, executive director, Florida Commission on Human Relations
Roe v. Wade just bad law
The 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
This is the essence of Federalism, and it’s what helps keep this country free. This country was not designed to have a top-down authoritarian government; it was designed to have a bottom-up government of the people, by the people and for the people. Each state was to be a laboratory to determine what works best for the citizens of that state.
This is why Roe v. Wade was wrong. Aside from the fact that more than 60 million pregnancies have been terminated since its passing, it is simply a bad law. There is nothing in the Constitution, either stated or implied, that justifies abortion. If and when Roe v. Wade is overturned, the decision about abortion will go back to the states, where it belonged in the first place.
That decision belongs to those closest to the issue — not nine people in black robes in Washington. Our rights will be better protected, as well as those of countless numbers of the unborn.
Charles Bickerstaff, Orange Park
Hill will do good work in Congress
A May 10 story announced that former state senator Tony Hill will run for Congress. In St. Augustine, we have long been grateful to Hill for his work on behalf of historic preservation. He did this while both in and out of office, so it was not just a political trick at election time.
If he goes on to Congress, I am sure that the nation as a whole, not just Florida, will benefit from the kind of heartfelt support he has shown over the years.
David Nolan, historian, St. Augustine
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Letters: Positive impacts of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders
