December, 2002, LOS ANGELES - This is the beginning of the last month of the year and it's a good time to pause, reflect, and take measure of the events that took place over the past twelve months. It has been, for me, a time filled with some glorious highs as well as the lows that seemingly are the inevitable attendants of life.
The year began with a pilgrimage to Ground Zero in New York City in the bitter cold of January. The devastation I witnessed there, most certainly, was not inevitable. It was madness - a grotesque cruelty that festered out of the ugliness of blind hate. The last time I visited the World Trade Center, it was the vibrant economic beehive of the world. What I saw this time was a vast, hideous void. But I also talked to David Lim, an officer with the Port Authority Police, who was an inspiration. He had rescued countless people from the fiery north tower of the complex, went down with the collapse of the building and miraculously survived. Out of the chaos and tragedy came so many stories of incredible courage, humanity and valor.
This was the year that I lost my beloved mother, Fumiko Emily Takei, after a prolonged illness. Her death, at 89 years, was almost a relief of sorts because the struggle she put up against the series of assaults on her was so ravaging. She lived with me the final three years of her life and her passing left an aching emptiness. But the kindness and compassion of so many friends and relatives that surrounded me were life affirming. The memory of her love and a life fully lived will be a lasting comfort.
This year was when we held the summer meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, because the largest Arab American community in the nation is resident there. The backlash of blind hatred and suspicion that the Arab Americans have suffered in the wake of September 11th resonates deeply with the Japanese American experience after Pearl Harbor. By coming together as fellow Americans and sharing our experiences, we worked to remind the nation that we must not repeat the mistakes of history. Our constitutional guarantees of due process must not be pitted against expedients of national security. America has become better but our democracy is a continuing work in progress that can be intensely challenged at times of national crisis.
This was also a joyous year. I returned to the stage with a concert production of Stephen Sondheim's "Pacific Overtures" in Dayton, Ohio. It was wonderful working with Dayton's Human Race Theatre Company and a cast of gifted singer-actors in a piece that I consider a classic of our times. The play is about the opening up of Japan from its centuries long isolation by Commodore Matthew Perry of the U.S. Navy. Next year, 2003, is the 150th anniversary of that historic visit.
A flight to Hawaii is always a joyful occasion but my trip there in September was especially happy. Aloha shirts, floral leis and juicy fresh pineapples were not the only enticements. My mission was to serve as a master of ceremonies for what was billed as the Aloha Peace Concert with jazz greats, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. At a time when threats of war were in the air, this concert for peace was an opportunity to both comment on our times as well as connect with history. It was here at Pearl Harbor that the last world war began for our country. Herbie, Wayne, and I placed wreaths at the Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor in a prayer for peace.
As if to round out that chapter of history, my next trip the following month took me to Hiroshima, Japan. It was here, where the first atomic bomb in history was dropped, that was the beginning of the end of that world war. The desire for peace in Hiroshima is almost palpable. The great park in the center of the city is called Peace Park. The museum housing the horrible artifacts of the bombing is called the Hiroshima Peace Museum. A bridge, designed by famed Japanese American sculptor, Isamu Noguchi, is named Peace Bridge. My mission here was to meet with the governor of Hiroshima to build on the relationship that had been established earlier this year by a visit of an exhibit of the Japanese American National Museum. From such sharing comes understanding that can lead to happier, fuller, more peaceful relationships between nations.
A blessing that came unexpectedly out of the Hollywood blue last month is a wonderful role in an exciting independent film titled "Patient 14." I play a research scientist involved in a highly secret governmental project in this techno-thriller. John De Lancie from the Next Generation of Star Trek is a fellow researcher in the project with me. A lovely and talented young actress, Lucy Jenner, plays the lead. Keep an eye on her. I think her star will soar high.
And on this final month of the year, I continue some of my most enjoyable activities. I fly off for my annual visit to my beloved Dickensian London for shopping and theatre-going, and then hop over to Mannheim, Germany, for a Christmas party with devoted Star Trek fans. With all that the year brings - the wonderful blessings as well as the heartbreaking losses - it is these warming realities, the friendships, the people and things one loves that make life good.
I wish all of you a very happy holiday season.
'Captain Marvel' May Have Just Introduced A New Black Female Superhero Right Under Our Noses
Warning: Minor spoilers ahead.
Nothing is a coincidence in the complex Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now that Marvel Studios and Disney finally gave a female superhero her own movie, we realize Captain Marvel may have introduced a young character who takes on a more significant role in the future of the MCU.
The '90s-set origin story is led by the dual personalities of Carol Danvers — a U.S. Air Force pilot; and Vers, a Kree from the planet Hala in another life — and becomes Captain Marvel, expertly played by Brie Larson.
Without sounding too cryptic, Captain Marvel is the sum of Carol and Vers, and the complex narrative revolves around Vers finding out about her past.
Captain Marvel introduces us to a varied ensemble of personalities, including a young Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, with whom she teams to fight off shape-shifting aliens called skrulls.
Instead of relying on a male love interest, Danvers has a best friend in Maria Rambeau, played by Lashana Lynch, giving the genre a refreshing feminist twist on the buddy action flick.
But it's Maria Rambeau's daughter Monica (Akira Akbar) who is making ardent fans giddy with anticipation about the character's future.
the future is beautiful and your name is monica rambeau https://t.co/HtNuXrWaZL— captain carol ︽✵︽ (@captain carol ︽✵︽) 1551819911.0
The precocious 11-year-old is, for all intents and purposes, just an adorable, "normal" kid who has ambitions of flying in the Air Force to emulate "Auntie Carol."
Monica's bravery belies her age as she encourages her mother to flee into space at the risk of never seeing her again for a mission involving the skrulls.
But there is more to her intelligence and inherent altruism, and those familiar with the comics are aware of her exciting destiny.
Refinery 29 revealed that the adult Monica Rambeau is just another iteration of Captain Marvel, and she is expected to come into prominence during the supposed 24-year time gap between Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame.
T'Challa is in the MCU Carol Danvers is in the MCU Monica Rambeau is in the MCU Y'all we are so close! https://t.co/rilnRAoErT— Raymond X (@Raymond X) 1552076618.0
Monica's origin story includes being a lieutenant in the New Orleans harbor patrol who comes into contact with "extra-dimensional energy" while preventing the creation of a powerful weapon.
As a result, she is able to manipulate, absorb and create energy.
Give Monica Rambeau her things!!!!— Ira Madison III (@Ira Madison III) 1552331197.0
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Monica is the second of six characters to take on the name of Captain Marvel and becomes the leader of the Avengers. She eventually adopts the codenames: Photon, Pulsar and in 2013, Spectrum.
✴️ monica rambeau: captain marvel | photon | pulsar | spectrum reading guide ✴️ https://t.co/etPruwZfbA— val saw captain marvel (@val saw captain marvel) 1552160876.0
The multifarious identities are complex for the uninitiated, for sure.
This might help:
In #captainMarvel they introduce the daughter of Monica Rambeau. Her name is also Monica Rambeau. In 2019 she would… https://t.co/MZMR6Cjcqm— Marc Dirix (@Marc Dirix) 1552071449.0
Fans are keeping their fingers crossed in the hopes that we'll be seeing the black female superhero's destiny realized.
Is anyone hoping that little Monica Rambeau is all grown up and busts into Avengers headquarters to show up the Sci… https://t.co/T56AX95nOC— Liz Nicole (@Liz Nicole) 1552015405.0
I know they didn’t give me all those heroic closeups of baby Monica for no reason. @ Marvel GIVE US MONICA RAMBEAU https://t.co/ECp8TlrPpQ— Eartha Snit (@Eartha Snit) 1552011810.0
Monica Rambeau and all of her code names getting ready for the next phase of the MCU https://t.co/o87qOdsoBo— Child of Hazel and Smoke (@Child of Hazel and Smoke) 1552257376.0
fun fact: maria’s daughter monica rambeau actually becomes captain marvel in the future and becomes the leader of t… https://t.co/pzzVyfHMf7— natasha ☾ | SAW CAPTAIN MARVEL !!! (@natasha ☾ | SAW CAPTAIN MARVEL !!!) 1552208712.0
The #CaptainMarvel trailer didn't do a good job. With this piece, I wanted to be clear that this film is for Black… https://t.co/3hckZUDltH— Jaleesa Lashay Diaz (@Jaleesa Lashay Diaz) 1552069934.0
I want a sequel yesterday. I just don’t know where they will have it. Will it take place in the past? (So much more… https://t.co/taq2pR4NyN— RoboFan (@RoboFan) 1552018976.0
@MarvelStudios Monica Rambeau! #CaptainMarvel I can't wait for her to get her powers! https://t.co/CCQ9P3iFFV— Jason (Captain Marvel did THAT) (@Jason (Captain Marvel did THAT)) 1551802986.0
I also freaked when Maria finally called her daughter Monica and I was like THERE SHE IS, MY GIRL, MY STAR MONICA RAMBEAU— Becca 💛 ECCC Q8 (@Becca 💛 ECCC Q8) 1552063569.0
As we've seen in Black Panther, the emergence of more black female superheroes is encouraging, and the seed planted with Monica Rambeau in Captain Marvel augurs a bright and exciting future for the MCU.
People Are Roasting Trump Over His Mind-Numbing Observation About The Wetness Of Water 😂
Donald Trump thanked the first responders who came to the aid of victims of Hurricane Florence. The storm devastated portions of North Carolina, dumping massive amounts of rain and damaging millions of dollars in property. Many natural areas were destroyed, some farmers lost everything and more than a few people have been left homeless. The first responders after this massive storm were literal life savers, and Trump was absolutely right to thank them. Unfortunately, the sentiment of his message was lost for many people because he didn't seem to put any effort or preparation into what he was saying. Then, in the middle of his off-the-cuff message, he confused everyone by talking about the wetness of water.
As Trump described the storm and the importance of first responders he told the world:
This is a tough hurricane, one of the wettest we've ever seen from the standpoint of water. Rarely have we had an experience like it and it certainly is not good.
The Tweet went out in the middle of the day on Tuesday, September 18th. At the time of this article, it hasn't even been up for 24 hours and already has over 13,000 comments. Many of them pointed out how Trump didn't even seem to try...
and how asinine his description was.
We don't know if Trump will continue to address the public by releasing these kinds of videos, or if they will continue to be as unrehearsed as this one is. We assure you, if they are, Twitter will have plenty to say about it.
H/T: Huffington Post, Twitter
The Kids From 'Stranger Things' Wrapped Presents For Superfans—And Did A Delightfully Terrible Job 😂
When it comes to giving gifts, not all celebrities are as crafty as Taylor Swift, but that didn't stop the adorable stars of Netflix's Stranger Thingsfrom giving it a try.
In a recently released video from Netflix, actors Millie, Finn, Noah, Caleb, Gaten, and Sadie got together for some holiday cheer and to wrap gifts for fans. But kids will be kids, even if they star in a hit television show. Watch as chaos ensues.
Fans loved every moment, even if the kids weren't the greatest wrappers.
@Stranger_Things I love seeing them mess around with each other.— Abby! (@Abby!) 1545318707.0
@doublejoywilson https://t.co/qgFgkZpTxQ— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545318849.0
@realrevella https://t.co/G5Er8pydg5— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545318801.0
@themallratss we do what we can https://t.co/POBMVbXfZS— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545319099.0
@Stranger_Things They’re a cute mess 😂— Janet ⁷✜🪐 (@Janet ⁷✜🪐) 1545318854.0
@minseokjin94 https://t.co/Dr4Y4xFYyM— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545318939.0
@Stranger_Things Thanks for the gif...they’re a MESS mess https://t.co/cG5ODdPDf0— Janet ⁷✜🪐 (@Janet ⁷✜🪐) 1545319571.0
@pvladins AH THE SOUND OF HOLIDAY CHEER— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545318737.0
@Stranger_Things HAPPY HOLYDAYS TO THE DEMOGORGON https://t.co/BpB1ZixUK5— 𝑣𝑎𝑙 ⚯͛ (@𝑣𝑎𝑙 ⚯͛) 1545318680.0
@edwardistheman @netflix ok here https://t.co/UwOLIa1T1C— Stranger Things (@Stranger Things) 1545318880.0
We just can't get enough of these talented kids!
White Supremacists Used App To Trick Brett Favre And Soulja Boy Into Recording Messages Supporting Anti-Semitism
White supremacists are truly a scourge. Every time they think you can't go lower, they find a new way to burrow underground and prove you completely wrong, as they did when they targeted two celebrities over the internet and tricked them into spewing garbage.
Brett Favre, star football player, and Soulja Boy, recording artists, were approached by a group claiming to be "a U.S. veterans organization for Cameo, a company that enables consumers to book personalized video greetings from celebrities."
Favre recorded the message, assuming the "request stemmed from [his] interest in veterans affairs" and recorded the message, a service that the perpetrators paid $500+ to complete.
Later on, Favre found his request was appropriated for the agenda of an anti-Semitic hate group.
"I was distressed to learn that the request came from an anti-Semitic group that reposted my video with comments implying that I endorsed their mission. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am therefore donating my $500 Cameo fee to Charities supporting their fight against hate and bigotry."
I'm on Cameo & kinda jealous they didn't request me. Maybe I need to lower my price? Most importantly Brett Favre d… https://t.co/8hsC292nRs— Tom Arnold (@Tom Arnold) 1543784713.0
@TomArnold How do you not know something is anti-Semitic. #ComeOn— keith lyle (@keith lyle) 1543785859.0
@BuzzFeedNews Log everyone off everything now— Zinskē (@Zinskē) 1543635691.0
The organization refers to itself as the GDL, or Goyim Defense League. "Goyim" is the Hebrew word for a non-Jewish person.
According to BuzzFeed News, the group is run by two YouTubers who go by "Handsome Truth" and "Sway Guevara."
"Brett Favre here with a shoutout to the Handsome Truth and the GDL boys," they tricked Favre into saying. "You guys are patriots in my eyes. So keep waking them up and don't let the small get you down. Keep fighting, too, and don't ever forget the USS Liberty and the men and women who died on that day. God bless and take care."
The coded phrases here include "small" for "small hats," a slur for yarmulkes, and the USS Liberty:
"The USS Liberty is a dog whistle referring to an incident in 1967 where Israeli forces fired on the US spy ship, killing 34, during the Six-Day War. In the aftermath, Israel said that its pilots had thought the ship was an Egyptian vessel, and apologized — the government eventually paid out $6.7 million in reparations to the survivors and families of the dead. Ever since, there have been unproven conspiracy theories surrounding the circumstances that question whether the attack was intentional. Both the Israeli and the United States governments have said that it was a case of mistaken identity."
Soulja Boy was also tricked by the group, recording a video saying "Shoutout to Handsome Truth and Sway at GDL," and "GDL for life, b*tch."
The head of the group, Handsome Truth, admitted to the deception in a Livestream on Wednesday:
"Here's the deal, guys, they can reject it if they don't like it, right, so we were trying to get it, like — we wanted to be cryptic enough to where they would say it."
@BuzzFeedNews Sellebrities. I feel bad for people who are forced to treat themselves as products.— TomCat (@TomCat) 1543635593.0
@BuzzFeedNews Only in America...way to go potus, maga sadly 😟😥😠!!!— S Johnson (@S Johnson) 1543677369.0
@BuzzFeedNews This is what happens when you’ll do anything for money and fame...— gwyn (@gwyn) 1543641284.0
@BuzzFeedNews What a load of garbage!— Klopezdranat Tagor (@Klopezdranat Tagor) 1543682300.0
"Soulja Boy was unaware that the video on Cameo was tied to a group that promotes hate," said a Soulja Boy spokesperson. "The promo video was what the Cameo had directed and in no way supports his personal beliefs. He greatly apologizes to anyone who may have been offended."
The malice of this particular incident runs deep.
"On or about November 22nd, Cameo talent received requests that appeared to be aimed at supporting the American military. After recording the videos Cameo learned that the request came from an anti-Semitic group and contained content that could be interpreted as anti-Semitic," Cameo said in a statement to BuzzFeed News.
"This was a blatant misuse of the Cameo platform and a violation of Cameo's terms of service. This is the first incident of its kind in more than 93,000 Cameos and a gross misrepresentation of the talent's political beliefs," the statement continued. "Cameo immediately removed the videos from the website, requested YouTube to remove the content and created new filters to prevent this from happening in the future. The user has been banned from purchasing Cameos."
But will it quell the hate speech? Racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and misogyny have become commonplace since the election of Donald Trump, and it seems there are weekly incidents of that bigotry. Patrick Little, profiled by the Anti-Defamation League for spreading anti-Semitic hate speech, ran for State Senate in California, winning less than 2% of the vote and being barred from all California Republican events for his gross anti-Semitism. He greatly endorsed the white supremacists' actions.
If historical signs are correct, this sort of speech is likely to be misunderstood and catch fire, thereby inspiring even more hatred. The fight against bigotry must get stronger.
It only costs $500 to get Brett Favre to say something on video. So white supremacists used him to endorse anti-Sem… https://t.co/VdkFnujxrK— Gabriel Snyder (@Gabriel Snyder) 1543780513.0
Alexa, show me 2018 in one headline. https://t.co/7HtmwySIU4 via @mashable— Will Greenwald is still spooky in November (@Will Greenwald is still spooky in November) 1543754183.0
@mashable @BrettFavre may have been tricked, but vicious @ScottWalker taught our children to be Nazis and the best… https://t.co/7gMTCQCmRV— Brian Keith O'Hara (@Brian Keith O'Hara) 1543758130.0
just alt right folks paying Brett favre to unwittingly endorse anti semitism, the world is definitely not fundament… https://t.co/JaeOo61dXJ— R Zach Lamberty (@R Zach Lamberty) 1543635101.0
H/T: BuzzFeed News, Mashable