djelf7

NYC's #1 street activist

I spend most of my time in NYC being a street activist.

A Street Activist differs from an Armchair Activist in that we have direct experience with the communities that others might claim to understand or work with. (Media pundits, celebs and astroturf activists just repeat what the consensus is, as determined by those with power.) We are the "hands on" component and the workers of the movement! Our knowledge is traditionally undervalued and therefore underreported by media that focuses on those with money power and access.

I participate and am a member of all the groups. Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Libertarians, and more! I know each group's personnel, capabilities and perspective. As a Street activist I get closer to the epicenter of activity and therefore have a more accurate view of events than pundits and celebrities. I have been high and I have been low. I have run businesses and had several stints of homelessness since the age of 16 after running away from home. I have experienced failure and success in many fields.

I therefore have a broad perspective and understand the strengths and weaknesses of these different societal roles, their realities and the mindset that naturally forms in response to a range of conditions. Being with and without money taught me to understand social hierarchy and to be resourceful, and it also showed me that the lifestyles of those with and without are not as far apart as ignorance might lead one to believe.
Being Korean American led me to at a young age to start to question the role of U.S. military forces abroad. Beyond the news reports that revealed American hypocricy regarding suppressing the development of democracy for violent dictators that would serve American interests, the violence I experienced at home, gave me a unique perspective and understanding regarding how violence is passed on generationally to war survivors.

When you hear about "anti-war" or "peace" movements, it is quite rare that you hear about Korea in the mix. My own narrative is hurled aside for celebrity millionaires reliving their glory days. And as they monopolize the resources and access to become millionaires using our pain and suffering, they leave the victims of war silenced and without aid.

The ongoing neglect for the issues of my people have led me to become more sensitive to the needs of other communities that also remain unheard. This is an essential part of my activist identity and why I work with the true poor, the disabilites community, the homeless and so forth.

I also serve as a warning bell for foreign communities, particularly those of Asian background to see what kind of treatment they can expect from American primacy, and the manufactured disregard for Asian lives. Just as my accomplishments and sacrifice and suffering are erased from existence, I serve as an example to Asians in Asia to understand their future should they choose to assimilate into America's current framework. The Asian American man is America's cuck. Despite dominating academics for about 50 years, the fate of the loser is disregard and disrespect.
We face discrimination in education and the workplace but this is NOT addressed. Many of those who call out for racial justice are not interested in true racial equality but rather their own interest. Those that call out for peace are not to be trusted if they continue to exclude war victims like myself from fair access and recognition. They will demand that you cater to their sensibilities and their values. Their timeline for justice for someone like myself is non existent and their continued silence and blackballing is proof of how you will be treated by these "peaceseekers" if you agree to their terms. Japanese war atrocities are not spoken about in the same way as German war atrocities. There are other forces at play beyond simplistic labelling of others as, "Nazis," and "Fascists."

My voice and perspective is an essential one in the anti-war movement, but it is being suppressed, and it is wrong.