Medic service during the vietnam war, racial tension, and being wounded in battle. The interview is about 70 minutes. Pointare here at the west center for oral history studio with mr. Ry 23, 2015 henry james thomas. Hello, mr. Thomas. Hank hi, how are you doing . We are very happy to have the chance to talk to you today. Bityou tell me a little about your childhood . I am interested because it seems your independent fighting spirit seemed to emerge earlier than most. Hank yes. Childhoodrt of my and georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age wasably three to eight spent in georgia. Considered middle georgia, not are from augustine, georgia. After that, i went with my family to saint augustine, florida, and that is where i came of age as a teenager. Activism very early. An innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. Andidea of segregation things that white people could do and blac
Than most. Hank yes. I spent part of my childhood in georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age probably three to eight was spent in georgia. An area considered middle georgia, not are from augustine, georgia. After that, i went with my family to saint augustine, florida, and that is where i came of age as a teenager. I came by my activism very early. I always had an innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. The idea of segregation and things that white people could do and black people could not do, i understood very early. Maybe as early as 7, 8 years old, that there was something wrong with that. Obviously i wasnt capable of any deep philosophical thinking, it is just that, why cant we go there and the white folks can . Or why are we poorer than white people . Those were things as a child that concerned me. I did have one incident in georgia wherein i guess i violated a very
After we get the updated report we might have updated items but i want to thank the chief and all of you for engaging with us and all of you and its important thank you. Thank you. Next speaker. Good evening. Im also a staff attorney at the asian law caucus id like to share a little bit more information about the Suspicious Activity Program briefly mentioned in the annual report. Suspicious activity reports ill call sars for short and in our look out we allege the national sars program uses a vague standard even lower than reasonable suspicion of criminal activity and at high risk of racial profiling. Thats not an abstract fear but a fact. Ill read a couple of these out to demonstrate some some of some of the problematic ones we came across. Two middle eastern males taking photographs. Buying several large pallets of water and a middle eastern male adult who is very un friendly. One of them was reported because he was appeared to be middle eastern and attempted to buy quote a large amo
Computers he turned out to be a purchasing manager for a computer center. Another plaintiff was reported because of his quote full conversion to islam and so the clear trend is none of these reports include evidence of criminal activity. Its important to realize that those reports when filed by local police can result in the fbi interviewing an individual in the community so the reports i quoted were not filed by sfpd but thats because the public doesnt know the types of reports the department has filed. That is despite the fact that other centers in california have disclosed those reports and the la Police Department discloses more information in its annual audit and in the spirit of the ordinance sfpd can and should do more to explain the sar activities to the public. Thank you. Thank you next speaker. Good evening. My name is im the Community Advocate of the asian law caucus. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today and for your continuous engagement with us on this iss
Plaintiff was reported because of his quote full conversion to islam and so the clear trend is none of these reports include evidence of criminal activity. Its important to realize that those reports when filed by local police can result in the fbi interviewing an individual in the community so the reports i quoted were not filed by sfpd but thats because the public doesnt know the types of reports the department has filed. That is despite the fact that other centers in california have disclosed those reports and the la Police Department discloses more information in its annual audit and in the spirit of the ordinance sfpd can and should do more to explain the sar activities to the public. Thank you. Thank you next speaker. Good evening. My name is im the Community Advocate of the asian law caucus. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today and for your continuous engagement with us on this issue. Since the passage of the ordinance our Community Partners continue to receive