Ethnicity / Integrity

(Das' Grandfather, "Opa," full-blooded Javanese Indonesian, who immigrated to the United States [Ojai] in the early 1950's)

In answer to an anti-Das editorial by Travis Armstrong in the SANTA BARBARA NEWS-PRESS on 5/16/2006, Das wrote:

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Dear Friends,

Just wanted to send a personal message to my supporters and arm you with
some truth to combat the out-of-context insinuations in the News-Press.

First, though many people assume because of my skin color, and I did grow up
in Latino neighborhoods, I am not Latino by blood. Both Josh Molina and Barney Macmanagal know this, AS DO THE LATINO LEADERS
THAT GAVE ME THE AWARD, though Barney chose to treat it as a smoking gun in
his profile of me.

This morning, Travis Armstrong sought to further question my integrity by
bringing up a hearing in which I was decrying the lack of Latino
representation. He used a partial quote to make me look bad:

"This isn't a diverse council. In a community where we have a population
that is 35 percent
Latino, we now have half a Latino. That's me."

He did not include what I said after that: "I am the closest thing we have
to a Latino councilmember." I was trying to illustrate the need for more
diversity on our elected boards and, hey, I do think of myself as part of the
Latino community. Growing up, I was very much adopted into the culture,
learned Spanglish, and I know much more about being a Latino than I do about
being an Indonesian or a Native American.

I guess I should count my blessings that the NP is only getting this vicious
with me, compared to the things they've said about my mentor Hannah-Beth
Jackson and Mayor Marty Blum.

Anyway, what we really need now is more volunteers. I can't talk to
everyone myself (though I am trying), so I need you to come in sometime this
week to walk or phone. Please come help out!

Contact my Field Director Jim Taylor to help out. Jim's phone is 617.417.2541, e-mail jalama@gmail.com, you could also stop by our office at 3820 State St.

Thanks for your support,

Das