Asian Legal Services 1971

Asian Legal Services information flyer

Chinatown Draft Counseling Center 1969

AAPA Newspaper FEB. 1969 VOL 1 NO.3 P.4

Draft counselors needed in Chinatown

"On 4 January 1969, the Chinatown Draft Counseling Center will begin its services for all Asian American draft age young men. Its headquarters shall be at the Chinatown Legal Aid Society at 755 Commercial Street, and it will operate every Saturday from about 12 to 8p.m. Why draft counseling, and why in Chinatown?

In America, regardless of race, color or creed, there is a distinct lack of knowledge on the part of draft-aged young men about the workings and regulations of the Selective Service System, that arm of the U.S. government which handles military conscription. This fact is no surprise, because the entire structure of the Selective Service System and its regulations reflect its attitude of placing the burden of proof upon the young men of America. Unlike the court system in the U. S., you are guilty until proven innocent; you are inductable until proven deferred or exempt. In the context of a game, the draft system throws the ball to the young registrant and forces him to make the next play. Not only must the young man make his play quickly and at the convenience of the draft system, but the rules of the game were never explained to him. Thus the chance of losing the game is very high for the young man, and it's a game of life or death.

The extreme lack of true knowledge and abundance of misinformation about the draft by young registrants is reflected in statements and questions such as these: I thought you had to be a religious person to get a C.O. (Conscientious Objector status)? ; I have a wife and two kids, but I don’t think that will keep me out; and I 'm too physically fit to be exempt. All these statements are questionable if not untrue. With information like this, how can any young man make an intelligent decision with the draft? That is why the Draft Counseling Center has started. The four counselors who will begin on 4 January 1969, have felt it necessary to furnish the young draft-age men information so as to make more intelligent decisions in regard to the draft. We feel that by making known the rules and regulations of the Selective Service System the registrants will be better able to carry their own cases and will decide for themselves. In a situation where the draft system regards young men as inductable until proven deferred or exempt and at the same time supplies little or no information on the draft itself, we feel that draft counseling is a necessity for the community of young men.

Why draft Counseling in Chinatown then? There are two obvious major reasons. First the Chinatown Draft Counseling Center will be bilingual. Chinese, hopefully in several dialects, will be spoken by the draft counselors in the service to the young men o£ the community. Later, we may be able to provide counseling in Filipino and Japanese languages. In a system where information is not furnished to the young American registrant to the draft, even less is furnished to that American male whose native language is not English. Not only does he not understand the common vernacular of the draft system, but he can in no way comprehend the complex legal explanations for the different legal statuses from C.O. to III-A Hardship deferments. Thus the Draft Counseling Center will provide in Chinatown a service to that individual whose native language is not English, who does not understand the draft system and who has been asked to participate in the functions (Army) of the United States.

Secondly, the Draft Counseling Center is working in Chinatown for two closely related reasons. To begin with, Chinatown in relation to the larger society of America, is culturally isolated. The young men of Chinatown do not understand the inner workings of American life outside of Chinatown, and consequently cannot comprehend the full meaning of the Selective Service System and its regulations, which are a part of that life outside the ghetto. We, of the Draft Counseling Center, feel that by furnishing information about the draft to these young men, that they can place the system into their own perspective. Lastly, many of the alternatives and deferments provided by the Selective Service System are culturally and institutionally deprived by the American society to the Chinatown young men. Occupational, Conscientious Objection and even student deferments are not easy to come by for the Asian ghetto dweller. The Chinatown Draft Counseling Center feels that there is an intense need for information about the draft and alternatives for Chinatown’s young men. Since many alternatives are in reality closed to the Chinatown's registrants, those that are available must be made known to members of the community. We, of the Chinatown Draft Counseling Center, intend to fill this need and serve the interests of the young men of Chinatown. We welcome interested persons who wish to help or donate money to contact

Chinatown Draft Counseling Center c/o

San Francisco Neighborhood Legal

Assistance Foundation

755 Commercial Street

San Francisco, California

Saturdays, about Noon to 8:00 pm"

Getting Together Newspaper West Coast Edition

Getting Together Newspaper February 1971 , I Wor Kuen

Getting Together. Special West Coast Edition February 1971 page 1

article excerpt

“This paper is a joint effort of the Red Guard Party of San Francisco and the I Wor Kuen organization of New York ~ our two organizations will continue to cooperate on a common basis of political unity . “

“One day last week, some Chinese Six Companies officials met with a few police officers from Central station over lunch at Joe Jung's restaurant. The police officers wanted the Six Companies to finance the Police Athletic League operating out of Victory Hall on Stockton St. The Six Companies agreed to fork over the money if the police would shut down Leways and clear the street of troublesome youth.

“At 8:30 pm on the first day of the Year of the Pig, twenty plainclothes pigs accompanied by several uniformed officers forced their way into Leways and the Asian Community Center on Kearny St. without warrants. And under the pretext of looking for a unnamed Chinese youth for a robbery and murder, the police searched everyone and checked everyone’s ID’s. This included elderly people who were in the Asian Community Center who were reading newspapers and playing chess. The pigs told the people that they would continue their harassment throughout the New Year.

“At 12: 30 the same evening, eight more uniformed pigs again entered Leways without warrants and repeated their harassment of the people. Bill Sorro, a worker at the

International Hotel was beaten to the ground and arrested when he told the police to quit harassing a group of teenagers who were peacefully standing outside Leways. The pigs a1so stopped several cars being driven by Chinese youth, searched them and checked their ID’s. Several other hangouts of Chinese youth were also raided that same night including the Smokeshop on Washington St. and Mike’s poolhall on Green St.

“A few days before this massive pig assault on the community, a teenaged Filipino sister was beaten to the ground by uniformed pigs on Jackson St. after she refused to let the pigs interfere in a personal argument between her and her boyfriend. This time, several squad cars, a paddy wagon and a helicopter were called out to contain an angry crowd of 100 people who had gathered to prevent the pigs from further injuring her. The pigs jumped out of their squad cars armed with shotguns.

“Why are the Six Companies unleashing this pig terror on the youth? Why are they bent on destroying Leways? For decades, the Six Companies have controlled Chinatown. They have caused the people of the community much suffering and misery because of their greed. In recent years, however, the youth of Chinatown have begun to rebel against the oppressive rule of the Six Companies and the racism and loneliness of Amerika. Unable to find employment, having virtually no decent place to find recreation and having difficulty with their traditionally strict families, the youth have taken to the streets to build a new way life. The rebellious youth movement of Chinatown has become a danger to the Six Companies and to the pig power structure because youth will no longer tolerate the selfishness of the Six Companies and the inhumanness of Amerika.

“There are many casualties in the youth 's search for freedom. The Mafia power structure which controls City Hall, has flooded Ch1natown with heavy drugs. Many youths turn to .these drugs to escape from the loneliness of life in Chinatown. Unable to accept the lies that are drummed into their heads at school; many youth stay away and do not educate themselves. There is robbery, gambling, and prostitution.

“In order to help themselves out of their dilemma, Leways,Inc. , a non-profit organization, was formed in autumn of 1967 by the youth of Chinatown. Originally just a poolhall on Jackson St., Leways began to organize the youth into a political force. The poolhall provided the youth with a friendly place to hangout other than the streets. The organization attempted to find jobs for the youth and help them to stay out of jail. Leways also provided lega1 assistance for youth who were constantly being harrassed by the pigs.

“But the Six Companies and the pig power structure saw the organized resistance of· Leways as a danger to .them. The landlord raised Leways rent $50 per month each year. The pigs began to harrass Leways on a daily basis, entering the poolhall four times a day in squads of twelve strong! The community failed to.rally to.Leways. As a result, in the summer .of' 1969, Leways was forced to shut down. A part of Leways became the Red Guard Party.

Leways reopened its doors in September of last year responding to the needs of the youth of Chinatown. During the time Leways was closed, many youths got into serious trouble with the law. Leways is now located in the International Hotel building at 842 Kearny St…”

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