Condemn anti-Asian-American Hate Incidents in Philly, PA!

[Sizwe_X]

http://new.petitiononline.com/phillyhc/petition.html

To: Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, Hai-Chow Harry Kao, Executive Director of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs, and Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell
The intent of this petition is to show solidarity with the Asian-American community in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to condemn the racist hate letters and cowardly threats that were sent to Asian-American owned businesses in the Philadelphia area in October of 2005, and to request that the relevant authorities take appropriate action in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

On October 24, 2005 NBC 10 Philadelphia reported that letters were sent to least three Asian businesses -- one in Center City and two in South Philadelphia. The letters threatened the rape of Asian women and the bombing of Asian businesses.

Please refer to:
http://www.nbc10.com/news/5164409/detail.html

Police said that members of the white supremacist Aryan Nation are claiming responsibility.

This petition asks that Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, Hai-Chow Harry Kao, Executive Director of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs, and Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell move strongly to publicly condemn these acts intended to cause fear and dissention in Philadelphia. Additionally, the petitioners who have signed below respectfully request that the aforementioned individuals move to ensure that the relevant governmental agencies take these threats against the Asian American community of Philadelphia seriously and pursue and charge the perpetrators of these heinous acts for the common good.

The signatories of this petition request that:

1) Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, Hai-Chow Harry Kao, Executive Director of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs, and Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell publicly condemn these acts.

2) The aforementioned government officials utilize the power of their respective offices to facilitate the investigations occurring in regards to these events.

3) The aforementioned government officials move to ensure the safety and security of those individuals in the community who have been subjected to these terroristic threats.

Your comments and concerns regarding this issue can also be passed on directly to

Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street
http://www.phila.gov/contact/index.html

Executive Director of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian American Affairs, Hai-Chow Harry Kao
http://www.asianam.state.pa.us/asian....asp?a=3&q=232

Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html

Thank you for your support of social justice, and please pass the word along.


Sincerely,

The Undersigned

[Chu Chi]

Where can I view a copy of the threatening document?


CC

[VV o n g B a]

hmm. the petition currently has a grand total of ... wait for it... drum roll please... 2! signatories. gg.

[yoMAMA]

aryan nations...

what a bunch of losers.

i actually feel pity for them.

[Chu Chi]

Where can I view a copy of the threatening document?


CC

[hooligan]

Hey Sizwe, link some information.

[Sizwe_X]

http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/...l/12989722.htm

Asian bizmen get hate mail

By GLORIA CAMPISI & SIMONE WEICHSELBAUM


Hate mail received late last week by immigrant Asian business owners contained threats to rape the women of the community and kill the children.

The letters claimed to be from a member of the Aryan Nation, Police Inspector William Colarulo said yesterday.

He said at least three business owners received the hate mail on Friday.

Ken Wong, a Chinatown insurance agent and community activist, said other business owners had received the hate mail Thursday, and he placed the number of letters received so far at seven.

Two of the letters threatened to set off a mustard-gas bomb, police said. One was sent to Allen Ho, 30, who works at the First Oriental Market, 6th Street near Washington Avenue. The other was mailed to Michael Chan, 32, at Hung Vuong, a grocery store on Washington Avenue near 11th Street. Cops and K-9 dogs rushed to the shops but found no signs of bombs, police said.

A third letter was sent to Antoine Tran at his shop, China Viet News, on Arch Street near 9th.

Wong said all those who received the letters are Asian immigrants with businesses in Chinatown, South Philadelphia or Southwest Philadelphia. The South Philadelphia recipients were ethnic Chinese from Vietnam, he said.

Some other letters went to Chinese shop owners, but the letters railed against Vietnamese, Koreans and Japanese as well. One also targeted African-Americans and Jews, he said. Some contained "pretty graphic" photos of bodies of dead Asians, Wong said.

Colarulo urged anyone who receives the letters not to "blow this off as a harmless prank. It's disheartening and disgusting that we have people who feel this way."

When whoever is responsible is caught, Colarulo said, authorities will charge them with terrorist threats and ethnic intimidation.

He said police were checking for fingerprints and analyzing handwriting.

"It did look as if somebody's taken quite a bit of time," to produce the letters, Wong said. "They're handwritten, a full notebook page."

"They're [the letters] indicating that Asians are not welcome, and that they would rape the women in the community and kill the children."

[Sizwe_X]

Originally Posted by VV o n g B a

hmm. the petition currently has a grand total of ... wait for it... drum roll please... 2! signatories. gg.

A seed is small before it grows.

[Sizwe_X]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/5164409/detail.html

Letters To Asian Businesses Threaten Rape, Bombing
Police Say Aryan Nation Taking Responsibility

POSTED: 7:32 pm EDT October 24, 2005
UPDATED: 8:24 pm EDT October 24, 2005

PHILADELPHIA -- Disturbing hate letters and threats have left some Asian market owners rattled, prompting an investigation by Philadelphia police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The letters threatened the rape of Asian women and the bombing of Asian businesses.

"I'm angry and I'm disgusted because this is not the way most Philadelphians are," said Ken Wong, an Asian American community activist.

The letters were sent Friday to at least three Asian businesses -- one in Center City and two in South Philadelphia.

Police said that members of the Aryan Nation are claiming responsibility.

"The author of this letter indicates that they are from the Aryan Nation and that these people are basically being targeted because of their ethnicity," said Philadelphia Police Inspector Bill Colarulo.

Wong said that the disturbing letters were also sent with graphic pictures.

"There are photographs of Asian bodies, so it's pretty shocking," Wong said.

Philadelphia police said that they have confiscated the letters.

"Needless to say, we are taking the threats seriously and we are taking the proper precautions to protect the citizens of Philadelphia," Colarulo said.

Conmmunity activists in Philadelphia said that since the police have taken possession of the three letters, three or four other business owners said they had received similar letters. Within a week, a town meeting will be held to discuss the issue.
Copyright 2005 by NBC10.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Sizwe_X]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/n...a/12988558.htm

Posted on Tue, Oct. 25, 2005






Asian business owners get letters with slurs, threats


Three Asian business owners in the city received letters last week that contained racial slurs and threatened to kill all Asians and "rape their women and little girls," police said yesterday.

All three letters received Friday claimed the Aryan Nation, a white-supremacist group, would kill and rape Asians and that a mustard-gas bomb would go off that day. The threats forced evacuations while police searched for explosives.

Business owners in the 900 block of Arch Street, the 1100 block of South Sixth Street, and the 1100 block of Washington Avenue received the same or similarly worded letters. Anyone else who received such a letter is asked to call police.

"It's unconscionable to think in this day and age that people have to be subjected to this type of intimidation," Police Inspector William Colarulo said. "I can promise you that the Police Department will not tolerate this."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Sizwe_X]

Friends,

Earlier this week Asian-American businesses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania received threats of violence against their persons and their businesses. The white supremacist Aryan Nations claimed responsibility.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/5164409/detail.html

Please show your solidarity and support by signing the following online petition requesting that Mayor Street of Philadelphia, Governor Rendell of Pennsylvania, and Executive Director Kao of the Pennsylvania Governor’s Commission on Asian American Affairs act swiftly in regards to investigating these matters.

http://www.petitiononline.com/phillyhc/

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration,

Sincerely,

If anyone feels like sending this on, I've taken the liberty of putting this up so you can cut and paste it.

[Sizwe_X]

*For Immediate Release
October 28, 2005
Contact: Anh Phan - Director of Communications
aphan@ocanatl.org
202-223-5500
OCA Denounces Hate Letters and Threats Targeting Philadelphia Asian Business Owners
Washington, DC – OCA vehemently denounces the rash of hate letters that were sent to Philadelphia Asian business owners last week. According to Philadelphia police, at least three businesses received letters, and three or four other Asian businesses have received similar letters since then. Police further stated that members of the white supremacist hate group Aryan Nation were claiming responsibility and were specifically targeting Asians because of their ethnicity. The letters, which threatened to bomb Asian businesses and rape Asian women, were also accompanied by graphic pictures.

"We are outraged and abhorred by the alleged actions of the Aryan Nation against our community," said OCA National President Ginny Gong. "Such actions cannot and will not be tolerated. We are here to support the Philadelphia APA community and join them in standing up and speaking out against such unacceptable and racist behavior. No American should ever have to be singled out as a target for attack."

"The APA community in Philadelphia is united and coming together to work with the elected and law enforcement officials to put a stop to these letters and threats," said Jean Chang, OCA National Interim Executive Director. "The safety and well-being of the residents and business owners in the APA community is our first and foremost priority and we will do what we must to ensure their protection and rights as Americans."

OCA will continue to monitor the situation and collaborate with its colleagues in the civil rights community and the APA community in Philadelphia to find a resolution to this unacceptable situation.

# # # #

“Founded in 1973, OCA, a national organization with over 80 chapters and affiliates across the country, is dedicated to advancing the social, economic, and political well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States.”

SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE
---------------------
To sign up for OCA's e-mail newsletters, stop getting them or change your e-mail address, please contact oca@ocanatl.org

Organization of Chinese Americans
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW #601
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-223-5500 Fax: 202-296-0540
Web: http://www.ocanatl.org
E-mail: oca@ocanatl.org

Just received this.

[Sizwe_X]

Hi - yes - we are involved in looking into this incident where several Asian stores/restaurants have received similar hand written hate messages. The police and the FBI are also involved in investigating this. Please be aware that these hand written notes could be coming from anywhere and from anyone with any kind of motivation. Law enforcement is taking these notes very seriously and investigating every angle. In the meantime, PCHR continues to work with those affected and the larger Asian community as well.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,

Rachel Lawton
Acting Executive Director

This came in from the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations

[hooligan]

Thanks, we better get crackling.

[mr. x]

I find it odd they would admit it, because lately their whole MO has been to deny that they do anything overtly violent, that THEY are the victims