Great Moments in Community Organizing: The 1945 Okinawa Race Riots

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Okinawa race riots.

Witnesses report hostilities began when a predominantly white mob armed with military style assault weapons initiated an unprovoked attack, targeting Asian men at a scenic beachfront resort. Violence escalated for days, during which many men of Japanese descent were murdered in an orgy of gunfire and terrorist bombings.

Afterward a group of largely white Americans celebrated the atrocity by raising their racist flag over land they’d stolen. FBI informants verify this flag has been used as a symbol of hate in many other military style attacks, including violent hate crimes perpetuated against Asians by white skinheads at Tarawa and Guadalcanal.

The gang believed to be responsible for these and other attacks is known to relish their history of racial violence, even singing songs celebrating displays of anger in places ranging from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.

Though conspiracy buffs contend the attack was planned & coordinated in military fashion, sources in DC indicate it was likely just a spontaneous response to a vicious and racist John Wayne movie.

President Roosevelt went on radio to assure all that Bushido is a creed of peace… and warned racist white Americans that “the future must not belong to those who slander the emperor of Japan”.

I'm Rob Jones... and I approve this message. — I’m Rob Jones… and I approve this message.

GREAT MOMENTS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: Appomatox Courthouse

This series following contributions of famous community organizers today celebrates the work of a president often likened to President Obama… by President Obama.

In 1865 following the historic surrender of Lee to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse… President Lincoln fulfilled his campaign commitment to withdraw all US troops from the states with whom we were at war. Though General Grant and his entire staff cautioned against the move, claiming it would leave a power vacuum… Lincoln boldly refused to be deterred.

Statue of Lincoln in Richmond, capital of the Confederate States of America. The statue required the labor of over 2000 slaves. — Statue of Abraham Lincoln in Richmond, capital of the Confederate States of America.

“I said I’d end the war in the south, & I ended the war in the south. Stonewall Jackson’s dead, the Confederates are on the run.

Let me be clear. We will not be an occupying force. That’s just not what we’re about.”

~ Abraham Lincoln 1865

Initially sensing a trap, southerners held off acting on the unexpected turn, but shortly thereafter they rebuilt their own army and set up a new government led by a man freed from US custody.

Today a statue of Lincoln stands in the public square of Richmond, capitol of the Confederate States of America. The inscription reads “To our great emancipator”.

The statue was built using the labor of over 200 slaves.

GREAT MOMENTS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: Benedict Arnold

Let us not forget the great community organizers amongst the founding fathers. Chief amongst them, George Washington… remembered today for his historic trade of five Hessian commanders to retrieve Benedict Arnold.

Pictured: Washington bravely trades 5 Hessian leaders to save Benedict Arnold.

Washington subsequently honored Arnold in a ceremony at the White House Rose Garden, which confused many since the White House did not yet exist. Though his soldiers persisted in pointing out Arnold had defected to the British and Washington had previously stated he would not negotiate with Hessians, he boldly refused to be swayed by their negativity.

“Remember our Community Organizer credo” he said. “We never leave a man behind.”

Arnold was subsequently given multiple promotions and all back pay he’d missed while in Great Britain. This was unfortunate for him, as he was hung by redcoats after Washington lost the war.

As they now say in DC… God Save the Queen.

GREAT MOMENTS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: The Alamo

I’ll never forget that great moment in Texas history when, rather than rallying troops to battle with a cry of “Remember the Alamo”… Sam Houston instead blamed the loss on the wholly insensitive treatment of Hispanics in the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”.

“Let us remember… the future must not belong to those who insult those south of our border. Mexican bandits built the very fabric of our nation.” ~ Gen Sam Houston

Random Mexicans armed with field artillery engage in spontaneous protest in response to insensitive video. — Random Mexicans with field artillery engage in spontaneous protest in response to insensitive video.

Afterward, Houston declared victory in the war against Santa Anna and withdrew all troops to Baton Rouge Louisianna per his previous campaign promise.

That is why, as we all know, Texas is the northernmost of Mexico… though we have a bit of a problem with Texans swimming the Red River to seek a new life in Oklahoma.

Face it. Replace Sam Houston with Obama… this post would be in Spanish.

GREAT MOMENTS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: Iwo Jima

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the battle of Iwo Jima, which we won after Franklin Roosevelt wisely observed… “We cannot kill our way out of this war… we must concentrate on improving the Japanese economy and providing them viable job opportunities.”

Then we held a giant job fair at which we hired over 20,000 Japanese soldiers to create cheap transistor radios and cars that get better gas mileage than ours.

US Marines lure pensive Japanese fighters from cave with job apps and promise of a $15 minimum wage.

Think about it. Replace any one of several prominent figures in history with Barack Obama… George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, Abraham Lincoln, US Grant, John J Pershing, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, George Patton, Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower…

Would the flag over your courthouse look the same?
What language would you be speaking?

There’s a very good chance it would not be the same one as now.

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