More than 160 years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans still face institutionalized racism that often has deadly results. Witness the fact, explained in Jon Vankin’s article about the death penalty (below), that Black Americans are exceedingly more likely to be executed for their crimes than White Americans. Today is a good day to consider that harrowing fact.
Some scholars have argued that Black Americans invented the holiday we now celebrate as Memorial Day. On May 1, 1865, a group of 10,000 Black men, women and children in Charleston, South Carolina, newly freed by Lincoln's order, marched to honor more than 250 Union soldiers that had been buried in a mass grave at a nearby Confederate prison. They then unearthed the soldiers, gave them each a proper burial, and placed flowers on their graves. That event may have served as inspiration when Commander in Chief John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic declared May 30, 1868 as the first Decoration Day, which was offically renamed and made a national holiday in 1971.
Honoring All Veterans
Memorial Day is primarily meant to honor those who gave their lives in military service to the United States. It is also a good time to thank living veterans for their service. If you or a loved one are a veteran, follow these links to find some information that we hope will be useful.
Facts About California’s Veterans and the Resources They Have Earned
‘Stand Down’ Events Provide Veterans a Lifeline
Find local nonprofits and community organizations serving veterans. (Follow this link and select your county from the drop-down in the upper left corner of your screen.)
Some Arguments for the Abolishment of Capital Punishment
"A 2022 report by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund tabulated all U.S. executions since 1976 and found that, though they comprise 13.6 percent of the American population, Black people have been executed at a rate almost three times as high: 34 percent of all executed convicts."
When Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on the death penalty in 2019, he cited racial inequity as a primary driver of his decision. He also pointed to studies that strongly suggest that a significant percentage of the convicts on California's death row are innocent of their crimes. Whatever your opinion on this topic you are likey to find surprises in these accounts.
Is California’s Death Penalty Finally Dead?
The death penalty remains legal in California, but Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a moratorium on executions in 2019. Will capital punishment end in the state? Here’s what’s happening.
• TheatreWorks Postpones World Premiere Originally Set for July
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley announced that it’s postponing the world premiere of the new musical “Alice Bliss,” which had been set to run this summer at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto.
(05/29/2023) → Mountain View Voice
• About 1,000 First Republic Employees Lose Jobs in Takeover
About 1,000 employees of First Republic Bank are being let go about a month after it was seized by regulators and acquired by JP Morgan Chase.
(05/27/2023) → Daily Post
• Supreme Court Rules on Wetlands. How Will It Affect California?
Wetlands in California will stay largely protected despite a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that limited the authority of federal regulators.
(05/26/2023) → Monterey Herald
• CA Dems Scotch Newsom’s Infrastructure, Environment Plans
Gov. Gavin Newsom rolled out a plan to speed construction of major public infrastructure and demanded quick votes from lawmakers. His Democratic allies put the proposals on ice.
(05/25/2023) → CalMatters
• Lawsuit Doesn’t Stop San Jose Park Concerts
Friends of Levitt Pavilion San Jose hosted its first springtime concert in St. James Park, the latest step in establishing a permanent outdoor performance venue. The shows will take place despite an appeal in a lawsuit to stop the revamp of the park.
(05/25/2023) → San Jose Spotlight
• San Jose Officials Challenge Mayor’s Housing Plan
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan’s controversial plan to divert millions of dollars away from affordable housing is being challenged—this time by his own colleagues. Now, the mayor is trying to get ahead of his plan being thwarted.
(05/24/2023) → San Jose Spotlight
• Foothill-De Anza Announces Next Chancellor
Lee Lambert will replace Judy Miner, who has led the district for eight years and plans to retire on Sept. 5. The plan is for Lambert—currently the chancellor of Pima Community College in Arizona—to start Aug. 1.
(05/24/2023) → Mountain View Voice
• Theater Plan Moves Forward
Four out of five Los Altos City Council members voted in favor of the creation of a downtown theater. Headed up by Los Altos Stage Company, the theater plan has been met with positive feedback from the community.
(05/23/2023) → Read the full Los Altos Town Crier report
Service members stand in formation during a Memorial Day service.
