“What happens to one happens ….

“What happens to one happens to all.” I am proud to claim my membership in the Sunshine Club and stand in unity with all people, all religions, all races, all genders, all abilities—all are loved. Thank you Sunshine Club!

Teri Subia Mutual 17 Editor:

It’s happening here. My former associates in Boston; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; and Washington, D.C., asked us why we moved to Southern California.

Our response was quick: We moved to a place closer to heaven. Heaven has 1,000 steps, and our place has 999 steps.

When we leave this world, all we need to do is to climb up just one step, then, voila, we’re in heaven. Does heaven have hatred?

Our friend Byong Gook Choi, longtime LW resident, died at the age of 83, leaving his loving wife and four daughters. Byong was an active members of several clubs, including golf and line dancing.

He was a smiling and gregarious person. On March 22 Byong’s wife received a handwritten letter that was postmarked on March 19, the day of his funeral. It expressed satisfaction that Byong was gone and threatened his wife, saying go back to your country where you belong or watch out.

Not only is COVID-19 spreading like a wild fire, but the virus of hatred, especially toward Asians, is inflaming Americans’ minds as well.

This virus has even crept into our Leisure World, a heavenly place.

Do we have a vaccine to cure this hatred?

Can we afford not to cure this hatred?

Jane J. Nam Mutual 1 Editor:

With the COVID-19 vaccine universally becoming available, we finally begin to see the end of the year-old tunnel formed by the insidious virus.

For Asian-Americans, however, we may be forced to confront and endure yet another deadly virus in the form of anti-Asian hate crimes.

We know there have been more than 3,800 incidences of hate crime perpetrated against Asian and Pacific Islanders in California from March 2020February 2021, with 44 percent of those crimes committed in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

As a relative newcomer to Leisure World, I have felt blessed to be able to live in this wonderful community free of such ugliness—until recently when a longtime resident-family of our community received an anonymous, racist hate letter while they were mourning the loss of a family member.

My heart sank.

I hope that the ugly incident was an isolated, single case, an anomaly, one that most of our community condemn as ignorant and childish behavior as we strive to maintain the beautiful oasis that is our Leisure World!

T.S. Suhr Mutual 2 Editor:

We at LW Art League welcome everyone with open arms into our community.

We support diversity and condemn any form of hate, racism and discrimination.

Offensive and hurtful acts and statements directed to a person because of his/her ethnicity, color of skin and religion have no place in our community.

Our members express sympathy and condolences to the Choi family, who suffered a loss of a loved one and experienced a despicable act of hate and racism. LW Art League stands united in solidarity with the Asian Pacific Islander peoples.

Larry Sioson Mutual 4 Editor:

I would like to share my thoughts regarding incidents of assaults and abuse against Asians. I have been thinking about my role is in this situation while my heart is sad and aching.

This morning while I was praying, the following thoughts came to me: 1. We are living in a country with many races, different cultures, and different shapes and colors. We are all created by God, who loves us dearly.

2. It is our duty to love God, ourselves and our neighbors.

3. All of us have bad spirits. Satan lives in us, and we must fight back and win with good spirits.

4. As loving children of God, we must live our lives fully to make ourselves and the whole world a better place.

Chung Hur Mutual 17 Editor:

Fire broke out in Building 273, Mutual 11, at about 1:30 a.m. on March 29. As instructed, residents escaped the building to gather and stand in the cold on a green nearby while firefighters did their job.

The evacuees would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Pastor Bruce Humes and his wife, Margaret.

As soon as they learned about the emergency, they went to First Christian Church to open its doors and welcome evacuees. They provided each of them with a place to sit or lay down, restrooms, hot coffee, pillows, bottled water, etc., until the firemen allowed residents to return to their homes around 4 a.m.

Again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Lita Fernando Mutual 11