Dear Chinatown,

We’ve been friends a long time. I lived among you for twelve years. Although throughout that long era I was fighting with the same things I have all of my life, the irrational demands of Pentagon Disney upon what they call my “persona” and the hostility of artists and politicians who didn’t think I answered them the way I should, I was very frankly happier in Chinatown than I ever thought I could be under the circumstances that were my life. When I came back from a long way to live in Tacoma, I sat in my favorite bakery, put my head down, and cried to be home. Much more influential people work and generate income, hire immigrants, work things out with the city, participate in justice movements, and higher learning. I don’t vie with them, they know I exist. They know I have worked hard to show that an illegal entrapment campaign in the 80’s proved that there was an attack affecting many people that our society recoils from addressing for the reason that we have adjusted to the situation through medicine. I’m not forcing anyone to read my book. I certainly do not want to start World War Three. I don’t understand why the authors of the script were never arrested, but I was horrifically abused, unless, of course, my book is right, in which case I do understand, and it isn’t pretty. This was always going on, despite this, Chinatown was also always an endearing, mellow, beautiful place that welcomed me.

The people I wish I could say the most to I can’t because they don’t speak English. They remind me so much of my beautiful friend, the Korean girl who taught me sign language. They are elderly, friendly, adorable, lovely, tremendously spirited, strong, courteous people. They didn’t mind my company or my being deaf.

The people who make Seattle the place it is, including the vagabonds, realize that Chinatown is a heartbeat of the town and appreciate the ethical arrangements that want everyone to be welcome. Chinatown is in danger from the anti-Immigrant feeling that comes from our society and looks for minority approval. You belong here, they say to the margins, who are these strangers? Chinatown recoils from the logic. We want to represent our hope for the human race, talk things over, and go about our business.

I’m heartbroken by the ugliness and mean-spirit of Seattle Administration, both the NAACP and UW Sociology. I doubt that their power structure in Chinatown is something I can live with now after the implications of the death of Saoirse Kennedy, but, its too much to ask me not to visit, so, I will do the asking. Let’s just let police investigators look into it, and if they don’t find anything they can use to either dispute my testimony or arrest the perpetrators, we’ll let, as far as I am concerned, bygones be bygones. I will go about my business, and just enjoy Chinatown as I always have, and avoid those who have never been honest, and who I fear have done something or been party to something dishonest. I’m not looking for confrontations, I never have. I’m looking not to be targeted. I find what has been done to me and others around me, simply for having my own point of view, unforgiveable, and I will have to live with that.

So, forgive me, if sometimes it’s too hard to drop by. I don’t want to be sold.