Foxwoods Defeat. Good News For Chinatown.

September 1, 2009 // 1 Comment »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, News, Philadelphia, Politics

Interesting things always happen in my absence. I should go away more.

Last Friday, good news came to Chinatown and all those who have been opposing the plans for slots casinos in Center City as Foxwoods pulled their plans for pursuing the 8th and Market St site (Formerly the Strawbridge & Clothier building). Foxwoods is revisiting their original site plans in South Philly and will likely be confronted by angry protests there as well. However, this time protests are a city wide effort and the Chinatown community will continue to add their voice to making Philadelphia casino free.
For now we can claim a major victory for Chinatown. I’d like to see Casinos entirely out of Philadelphia no matter how desperate we are to fix the doomsday budget outlook here.

Links
Looks Like it’s Back to South Philly for Foxwoods Casino, [Philly.com]
Beating the House, Helen Gym [Metro]
DiCicco: Foxwoods Ruling “Damages Philadelphia’s Fabric”
Mayor Nutter: Foxwoods Ruling “A Step Backwards”

Twitter Updates from Casino Free Philly

My Posts on “Saying No to Casinos in Chinatown”
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8]

Saying No To Casinos in Chinatown Part 8

February 23, 2009 // No Comments »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, Events, News, Philadelphia, Politics

Some highlights from the No Casino in the Heart of the City Coalition press conference

It is amazing how many Chinese churches/orgs have joined this coalition. They may not be at the forefront speaking but they can certainly get things done and mobilize Chinese in the Philadelphia and surrounding regions just as we have seen them do in their collection of over 24k petitions. This has really become a diverse citywide effort that I’m proud to be a part of.

The real star in this coalition is activist Helen Gym. She really adds the passion to this movement like no other. Her list of accomplishments and accolades are too long to mention. One statement that really stood out was when she urged officials to say no to shameful “unfair predatory gain in this time of greatest economic need.” I think that cuts to the heart of the issue. Hasn’t the city learned from the existing economic crisis with regard to unfair predatory practices?

It’s also a pleasure to see the active participation of Luella Trip, wife of Dr. Paul Tripp of Tenth Presbyterian Church. They moved into the Chinatown area a few years ago and since have solidly expressed their heart for the area and convictions to minister to the people of Center City. That’s a rare find. We need more people like them.

News Links
“Churches Join Anti-Casino Protest” – The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 19, 2009

Next Up:

Philadelphia City Planning Commission Community Meeting on Preliminary Findings for the Market East Strategic Plan
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 7 pm

Jefferson University
Dorrance Hamilton Auditorium
1001 Locust Street
For more information contact Laura Spina 215.683.4638

Saying No to Casinos in Chinatown Part 7

February 18, 2009 // 1 Comment »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, Church, Events, News, Philadelphia, Politics

UPDATE: The battle against proposed casinos in the heart of Philadelphia ensues. It’s now a citywide effort and not just a Chinatown matter. The thing is that it was never just a Chinatown matter but now a coalition has been formed (The No Casino in the Heart of the City Coalition) that includes major groups like The Black Clergy of Philadelphia and AAU amongst many others. The coalition’s first move is a press conference at the Bellevue Hotel (Broad & Walnut Sts) Headquarters for Gov. Rendell and PREIT (Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust), Wednesday, February 18, 11am.
Download the full press release
Link to AAU

Speakers include: Bishop Peggy Johnson, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church; Pastor Ellis Washington, president, Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity; Tom Earle, CEO, Liberty Resources; and coalition partners.

Below is the statement of Beliefs and Commitments of this new coalition.

No Casino in the Heart of the City Coalition
Statement of Beliefs and Commitments

We, the undersigned organizations, enter into coalition with each other, united by the following beliefs and commitments.

By joining the Coalition, each of our organizations commits to mobilizing our constituency and bringing our own strengths and resources to the work of the Coalition.

OUR BELIEFS:

1) We oppose putting a casino in the heart of our city.
A Center City slots parlor aims to take money from the pocketbooks of Philadelphians who can least afford it (especially low-income, elderly, and people of color, riders of mass transit, center city workers, Chinatown workers and residents, and Gallery shoppers).

2) We decry the unfair fast-tracking of the Gallery casino.
It is patently discriminatory for our public servants to work to protect some communities from this noxious industry and then to move at a feverish pace to impose it as quickly as possible in a place that will expose the maximum number of Philadelphians to it.

3) We reject actions by our public officials that make them active partners with the casino industry – promoting gambling to our residents and transit riders and redesigning our central historical, business and residential corridor around a gambling anchor.
The slots business is a predatory industry that profits off addiction and impoverishes its clientele. We do not build a healthy economy or a balanced budget by increasing levels of poverty and addiction among our citizens.

4) We reject the choice of any site for a casino that would threaten the health and welfare of any neighborhood.
No casino should be sited in any neighborhood that would change the nature and character of the neighborhood, or interfere with that neighborhood’s sustainable economic development.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EACH OTHER:

• The Coalition will operate utilizing a fair and open process.
• The Coalition will share its knowledge and all relevant information with the community.
• The Coalition will speak with unity. At the same time, the multiple voices of our members make us stronger. Individual organizations and persons are encouraged to voice their own issues and perspectives within the broad unity expressed in this statement.
• The Coalition will collectively make strategic decisions, especially regarding lobbying, meetings with politicians and other decision makers, and significant public statements.
• Coalition members commit to speaking openly with each other about differences, mistakes, criticisms, and rumors. We enter into this Coalition with a spirit of unity, generosity, and good will.

SIGNATORIES (as of December 17, 2008)
Arch Street United Methodist Church, Outreach Committee
Asian Americans United
Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity
Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia
Casino Free Philadelphia
Chinese Benevolent Association
Chinese Christian Church & Center
Chinese Christian Herald Crusade
Chinese Overseas Association
Family, INC
Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School
Germantown Clergy Initiative
Greater Germantown Business Association
Greater Philadelphiaa Chinese Chamber of Commerce
Leadership Learning Partners Charter School
Liberation Fellowship CDC
Media Mobilizing Project
New York Tai Look Association
ODUNDE, Inc.
On Leong Chinese Merchants Association
Palmer Foundation
Philadelphia Chinese Dragon Boat Association
Philadelphia Guang Dong Association
Shalom Center
Students Against the Gallery CasiNO!
Temple University Chinese Student Assoc.
Teo Chew Association of Philadelphia
Tsung Tsin Association
University of Pennsylvania Chinese Student Association

If your organization is interested in joining the many groups that have signed on to the coalition, please contact Helen Gym at 215.808.1400 or HGBF @ aol.com

…And Justice For All

January 20, 2009 // 1 Comment »

Posted in Events, News, Politics

“True peace is not merely the absence of tension:
it is the presence of justice.” -MLK

Just think. Today is about “the peaceful transfer of power.”
What an incredible day to live and pray no matter where we stand on issues. It’s a day we should all pause for at least a moment. How can we not be moved by what this day represents?

Barack Obama’s official swearing-in ceremony as the 44th President of the United States will take place this morning, (January 20) beginning at 11:30am EST.

Full Schedule of Events
Track on Twitter – Obama Official Inauguration Twitter Stream: http://twitter.com/obamainaugural

Watch the Inauguration Live Online

President Obama’s Official Live Video Stream - watch the swearing-in ceremony live at: www.pic2009.org

Hulu – Offering up a live video stream (available in U.S. only, unfortunately) http://www.hulu.com/inauguration

Joost – Live video stream http://www.joost.com/Obama_Inauguration_Live

Ustream – Multiple live video streams http://www.ustream.tv/channel/barack-obama-inauguration-day-live. Ustream has also developed an iPhone application specifically for viewing the inauguration: Watch the Inauguration Live on the iPhone with Ustream

LinkLive – One of the content providers for Ustream’s coverage http://www.ustream.tv/channel/link-live-inaugural-web-gala

Mogulus – Multiple live video streams from C-SPAN, Democracy Now, The Real News, USA Today, and more: http://www.mogulus.com/blog/?p=911

Qik – Live video from NowPublic, BBC, CBS, Houston Chronicle, and more: http://qik.com/event/1224/obamas-inauguration-2009

YouTube – Special Inauguration Channel: http://youtube.com/inauguration

Top 5 ways to watch the Obama Inauguration Online from NowPublic

Saying No to Casinos in Chinatown Part 6

November 13, 2008 // 1 Comment »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, Church, Events, News, Philadelphia, Politics

***Updated***
WHYY, “Now Chinatown must take the fight directly to Foxwoods”
- John Chin, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation

Pressure must to put on the City Planning Commission, City Council and the Mayor to ensure that this process that they enacted is an “open and transparent” process. They must be held to the highest standards to ensure that the citizens have every opportunity to participate in all discussions. If this is not the process, then the CED legislation needs to be amended. Anything less would be unacceptable.

Philadelphia Chinatown always seems to get shafted and nothing’s different today as City Council by vote of 14 to 1 passed re-zoning the Gallery at MarketEast as a Community Entertainment District despite such clear community opposition. Does anyone care about Chinatown other than Chinese people?

Here’s a question, Do you think gambling should be considered community entertainment?

This is a big step for Foxwoods but there are many other steps ahead and if we were able to gather 20,000+ signed petitions with broken English (or for some us very bad Chinese) we’ll be sure to meet the City and Foxwoods each and every time.

With Mayor Nutter declaring a $1Billion dollar shortfall this week and budget cuts leading to the closing of area Fire Departments and Recreation Centers, all this does not bode well for the city cited as “The Next Great American City.”

Links
NBC Philadelphia, Philly City Council Clears Way for Gallery Casino
KYW Newsradio 1060, City Council Approves Casino Zoning for Foxwoods at Gallery
The Evening Sun, Philadelphia’s Chinatown seeks to keep out casino

Download
WHYY interviewing Harry Leong [1:11 mp3]

Saying No to Casinos in Chinatown Part 5

// No Comments »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, Church, Events, News, Philadelphia, Politics

Our Center (Community Outreach) Director, Harry Leong, had a 10 minute interview with WHYY and other news station before a press conference called at City Hall. Harry also led off that press conference in front of the Mayor’s office speaking about the petitioning and efforts by our church and many others. Our staff had been working hard on gathering signatures and organizing them. We presented 23,514 signed petitions to Mayor Nutter which he graciously received in front of news cameras.

Over the weekend, many of our church’s Chinese members with their broken English boldly collected signatures at the Greyhound Station, Gallery and Reading Terminal. I am humbled by their courage. This has brought the three congregations of our church together in ways we would have never perceived.

The Mayor still seems pretty intent on passing legislation.

NBCPhiladelphia covers today’s events

Obama and the Kingdom of God

November 5, 2008 // No Comments »

Posted in Cause, Events, News, People, Politics

I was so overjoyed that my church was able to be a polling station this year. The line wrapped around the block. There were probably people that never even knew that a church existed on that corner. Perhaps many never even stepped foot inside of a church building before. I hope each person was able to experience the presence of Christ in some way.

Last night was pretty exciting. I went to an election day party and rushed off to celebrate a birthday all in my neighborhood. I stayed up to watch Obama deliver words that resonated deep within me. I would almost say I’m a believer. This was seriously a tough election year for me. I had tried to keep myself objective and emotionally detached. I’m glad it’s over.

However, I do feel hopeful like a new age is upon us. In the sense that it really does seem like the old guard is done. The face of arguably the most powerful man in the world is not like what we’re used to seeing. I think there will be kids now that will not look at themselves the way many of us did growing up because of the color of our skin or the shape of our eyes. They will be more confident and secure than my generation will ever be. Still for Asians we’ve yet to associate cool, power and status with a yellow face although it has gotten better. We’re still looking but Obama may help us feel more emboldened.

One of the remarkable things is that Obama’s message and campaign of change has really found a likeness to things I’ve been teaching my congregation on rediscovering what it means to be the church. Like Obama, our Christian message is one about change that has finally come and to the challenges we face our cry is also, “Yes we can”. (more…)

Saying No to Casinos in Chinatown Part 4

November 2, 2008 // No Comments »

Posted in Ain't the Way it's Supposed to Be, Cause, Chinatown, Church, Events, News, Philadelphia, Politics

Some 600 or 700 people marched from the Chinatown Friendship Gate to City Hall 9AM Saturday. Many Chinese churches in the Philadelphia area also showed their support with us.  This was definitely a historic occasion on many fronts particularly for our church and for Chinatown.  It was historic for City Hall because they’ve never held hearing on a weekend but rushed this special hearing to consider re-zoning the Gallery at Market East as a casino district. All to say this was a pretty significant deal. There were hours of testimony and in the I felt like it was all very anti-climatic. Despite much opposition, zoning was still passed. It was all very eye-opening to me.

Links