Liberal Fil-Ams still incredulous, anxious as Trump takes office

Lawyer Beatrice Ann Pangilinan of the Asian Law Alliance says there’s a need to keep the community informed, engaged and ready to fight for their rights. CONTRIBUTED

SAN FRANCISCO — As the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump nears, the sentiments and anticipations of some Filipino Americans echo those of the liberal-minded segments of the general population that gave the popular vote to Hillary Clinton.

There are Filipino Americans who may not have voted for Trump but still hold out hope that he would reconsider on his campaign positions on immigration issues and racial diversity.

One of them is Migrant Heritage Commission (MHC) Executive Director Arnedo S. Valera, a Virginia-based nonprofit, While congratulating Trump on his forthcoming inauguration on January 20 as the nation’s 45th President, he urged him to take three actions:

• Support a bipartisan bill addressing both legal and illegal immigration that passed in the Senate in 2013 but fell short in the House of Representatives;
• Re-authorize the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which granted lawful stay and work permits to 700,000 undocumented minors brought to the U.S. before the age of 16;
• If comprehensive immigration reform is not doable in the 115th U.S. Congress, extend the executive action granting parole visas to Philippine-based single adults and married sons and daughters of surviving Filipino and Filipino American World War II veterans so they can enter the U.S. and obtain work permits to care for their elderly parents.

Know-your-rights drive

As for another Fil-Am immigration lawyer, Beatrice Ann Pangilinan of the Asian Law Alliance, her biggest concern is the protection of her clients and the community she serves.

“In the last few months, we have been conducting know-your-rights presentations and consultations with people so that they are aware of their rights, any possible remedies, and hopefully start the process

Migrant Heritage Commission Executive Director Atty. Arnedo Valera believes Aemrica is great because of immigrants. CONTRIBUTED

to avail of any benefits they and their family members are eligible for,” shared Pangilinan.

“We have gotten calls from clients who are concerned about the change in administration and what it means for them.  We need to keep the community informed, engaged and ready to fight for their rights,” she explained.

Princess Cecilia Bustos of Migrante averred that there are some real and valid fears and concerns among Filipinos because of the anti-immigrant pronouncements of the incoming President.

“We have a big population of undocumented Filipinos, a majority of whom are their family’s breadwinner. We cannot afford to sit back any longer, we must stand up to the threats made against our community and reach cross culturally, educate ourselves about our rights, and protect the most vulnerable. We believe that it is through our collective effort can we really make positive changes and we stand for the rights and dignity of all people,” said Bustos.

Signs of paranoia

Some Fil-Ams were not optimistic to the point of showing signs of paranoia.

“(There is a) newly diagnosed condition: Trumpophobia! I cannot believe I got a panic attack today when I reached the dentist. I actually don’t have dentophobia. Then I realized that last night and all morning today I was listening to the news and thinking about the prospect of the president-elect taking power and how depressing it all seemed,” blurted Margie Torres of Arizona one early morning.

“I had to apologize to my dentist and tell him that it wasn’t him but the ‘dark force.’ I refuse to call him the soon-to-be POTUS. It was not an outburst of anger, it was like I couldn’t breathe and I just wanted to go out and get some fresh air! I wonder how many people are feeling the same way?”

Outspoken Trump critic Vivian Araullo of Daly City, California still finds it very difficult that someone like Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States. CONTRIBUTED

Torres also felt “sadness, frustration, almost resignation to the fact that DT will succeed in getting his way with self-aggrandizement, lying to everyone and dehumanizing those who are already marginalized, sinking the country economically and morally. I didn’t realize the growing hopelessness I was beginning to feel and I am hereby nipping it in the bud. Although I don’t think I can do a total news blackout, I can be more selective.”

New York City-based architect “Beth” admitted that she was still feeling post-election stress, which she fears may actually last four years.

“As a woman and a minority, I have every reason to be fearful and threatened, due to the sexist and racist things that trump said during the campaign. The Trump presidency — hard to accept but this is our reality. I hope that this president will respect our constitution and laws and America’s diversity,” Beth confessed.

Another outspoken Trump critic, Vivian Araullo of Daly City California finds its “very difficult for me to come to terms with the truth that a person who has called Filipinos terrorists, openly admits to sexual assault of women, and campaigned by fomenting racial hate will be the President of the United States.”

Not the new normal

“We must not allow ourselves to accept this as the new normal. I will do this by joining a protest on January 20, his inauguration day, and the million women march on the 21st. This administration appears hell-bent on promoting corporate greed and undoing all the gains that benefit, women, immigrants, people of color, LGBTQ and other traditionally marginalized communities,” Araullo reminds everyone.

“I encourage others to join protests and support organizations, labor unions, candidates that advocate for equity and protection of these communities that will suffer most under a trump presidency. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but we must stay hopeful and believe that collective action can and will make a difference.”

California State University Filipino-American history professor James Sobredo of Sausalito California finds it unfortunate that the election of Donald Trump signals a major political shift for the worse for the United States. CONTRIBUTED

Prominent California State University Filipino American history professor James Sobredo of Sausalito, California thinks that “the election of Donald Trump signals a major turning point and shift in the United States, and unfortunately I think that turn is for the worse.”

He said further: “Mr. Trump is a billionaire with a terrible business record (the New York Times wrote extensively about his business failures) and is someone with NO elected pubic office experience at all. Thus, Trump is completely unqualified for holding the highest political office in the United States and is not and was never an advocate of working people’s rights and interests Trump knew how to play to the fears of white workers and disenfranchised Americans.”

Sobredo is very thankful that he lives “in the blue and very liberal state of California, which has the largest economy (in GDP terms) in the United States.” He will be in China during the inauguration, “so I am spared the pain and misery of having to deal with this sad turning point in American history.”

Another Fil-Am teacher, gay mathematician Jude Thaddeus Socrates of Pasadena, California consoles himself with the thought that Juan and he live in California, a solid Democratic state, whose legislators and leaders have declared that “the great strides that we have made towards social justice and equity will remain in place. I only hope and pray that the rest of the United States will follow our example.”

Socrates married his co-immigrant Mexican husband, Juan, on the first month that same-sex marriage became legal in California in 2008. Refusing to refer to the president-elect by name, Socrates calls Trump Voldermort, a character in the popular Harry Potter series.   (SEE Socrates’ op-ed in this issue.)