Something scandalous appears to be going on with the choice of a Thong Hy Huynh Award by the Human Relations Commission. If you're looking for the answer, you won't find it here. But that's not because I'm dancing around the issue, it's because I honestly don't know what the issue is, and for some reason those who do know what it is only want to imply to the public that there's a issue, but they don't want to say what person they have an issue with, why, or give any details.
This article, i.e. blog post, of mine isn't about answering that question. It's about the act of publishing pieces that imply something without giving any details. This is actually worse that stating nothing at all, because it fuels rumors and causes those reading to speculate since few actual facts are given. One of these is found in an article in the Davis Enterprise, and the other is in a 'guest commentary' to the Davis Vanguard (the Davis Vanguard is a blog based in Davis that has banned several prominent Davis commenters and therefore has a nearly dead and very uninteresting comment section).
The Davis Enterprise article is titled "HRC gives feedback on proposed scope, holds public forum on recent hate incidents" and can found at: https://www.davisenterprise.com/news/hrc-gives-feedback-on-proposed-scope-holds-public-forum-on-recent-hate-incidents/article_0173dd80-0410-11ef-a67f-e7973bfe8807.html
The HRC also held a public forum on recent hate incidents in the Davis community. Several concerned citizens shared fears of feeling unsafe in town due to anti-Semitic and anti-Jewish acts . . . There was unease over one of the HRC’s chosen awardees for this year’s Thong Hy Huynh Award and an eagerness for the commission to reevaluate their decision . . . One resident shared that she has not felt safe in Davis since the council passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire. She asked that when it comes to giving awards to people that the commission look at not just the good someone has done but to look for the bad too.
The "bad" ??? There is a person who has done bad? What "bad" did they allegedly do, and who are they? Why is there a weird sandwich being created with Thong Huyhn Award bread, ceasefire meat, and "bad" cheese?
One would think that a guest contributor on the subject in another space by another author would clear this up. But surprisingly, it makes the mystery deeper and gives no further information. The Vanguard published a piece called, "Guest Commentary: Build Bridges, Not Barriers", a title which says nothing about the article's subject. This piece can be found at: https://www.davisvanguard.org/2024/04/guest-commentary-build-bridges-not-barriers/ 
The Davis Jewish Community is suffering.
The next logical step is explaining that suffering, and how to stop that suffering.
Over the course of two evenings this week, dozens of Jewish voices have pleaded with both the Davis City Council and Human Relations Commission (HRC) to do more to combat antisemitism in Davis. There is a genuine fear amongst community members. Families feel it on our streets, at our homes, and in our schools.
How one feels is real, and I have no doubt this fear is experienced by many Jewish people in Davis, and throughout the country and the world. But what do these people expect the five people known as the Davis City Council, plus a handful of volunteer commissioners, to do about it? They can't even fix the long, linear potholes on J Street. Maybe local governments can start an initiative with the world "Hate" in it, to magically dispose of haters by paying website companies to build a website, and sign companies to make signs. Oh, and a table at the Farmer's Market :-| Does any of this change the hearts of haters? Do haters even go to the Farmer's Market for redemption?
The Jewish community is looking for allies and looked to city leaders for … leadership. Sadly, they haven’t found either yet.
And you won't, ever. This isn't a slam of the City Council, it's a reality check. Us Jewish people need to take care of ourselves and garner natural allies, not force local government to 'proclaim' allieship. Also, this is the same City Council that just passed a so-called 'cease fire' resolution that wasn't exactly seen as pro-Jewish, unless you are an anti-Zionist Jew (which is thing, a very specific thing). Now, that last sentence was a slam on our City Council, because taking on that cease-fire embedded resolution was stupid. And if you/we, as Jewish people, truly feel the need to protect yourself in today's political climate — since local government isn't actually able to do it — buy a gun and learn how to use it.
The Davis City Council has a strong opportunity to bestow their prestigious Thong Hy Huynh award unto someone who has actually been building bridges amongst the Davis Community since October 7th – that of Leah Hibel.
Wait . . . What ? This whole build up was to recommend a specific person for a City award? How do the former sentences about fear in the community lead to nominating someone for an award, and what could this person winning that award possibly do to make Jews feel safer in Davis?
Leah has been a working with DJUSD leadership to address the more than three pages of reported antisemitic incidents in our schools. She has regularly been communicating with the Davis City Council and the HRC about actionable steps to make the Davis Community feel safe. And she has been a voice for compassion and empathy during this trying time.
I'm glad someone is doing this. Is there also someone doing this for Muslims/Arabs/Palestinians? If someone wants to work for their own 'team', and do 'good' for that 'team', fine. BUT –> I have no doubt that others, besides Jewish persons, have felt fear during these times as well. And just as I believe the non-anti-Zionist Jewish people in this town got hosed by a stupidly-implemented 'cease fire' addition to a outside-issues resolution by the City Council, I'd think granting an award to a person specifically looking to root out so-called antisemitism (racist-ish hatred and stereotypes directed at Jews) could be viewed as hosing the 'other team' — and local government needs to stay the fuck out of this situation, except as to condemn and enforce against all forms of expressed hatred and violence.
Regardless of where you stand on the war unfolding 7,000 miles away, it is common sense that communities here must stick together.
It is? "Haters gonna hate" — Taylor Swift. And I think she's right.
And yet, antisemitic vandalism can be found anywhere on a wall in Davis now.
"anywhere on a wall in Davis now" ? I'm not sure exactly what that means, but I' guessing it means it can be seen on walls all over Davis? I live near several common graffiti walls, and I've never seen antisemitic vandalism. I know that some incidents have occurred as read about in our local paper — though one of them I didn't feel was literally hateful towards Jews, but was vandalism (spray paint) with a political statement on Israel. This is why I always demand that the actual words be reported so we can always decide for ourselves what words constitute hate, not assume what is hatred because another person has the power to make the judgement and 'report' their judgement rather than the facts.
The list of swastika drawings and antisemitic threats within DJUSD is pages long.
It is? Why is this the first I am hearing about this? This should be reported on, specifically and by incident, by our local (and ever-shrinking number of publication days) newspaper, and/or our city. And same for incidents involving the 'other team'. Is this being reported somewhere and I just didn't know about it ?
And there is a 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title 6, case unfolding at UC Davis this very moment.
Yeah, I read about the complaints. At least one of them is unfounded (I won't get into it as that's not the point here). On the other hand, the hateful/career-suicidal professor clearly was expressing hatred/threats towards Jewish people on social media. And although I'd also like to know what happened to that person, I'm not sure UC personnel law allows that. My point on the bogus item is that making a laundry list opens the Jewish community up to criticism by our enemies/detractors when items on that list turn out to be false, and giving them ammunition does not help the cause or the message.
The Davis Jewish Community is looking for allies.
Well, some of the 'Jewish Community' may be looking for allies. Me? I'll expect none and be happy with those that come, and I won't ever seek allieship from local government officials. Like I never asked those two local-government non-Jewish white guys to stand in photos at that carefully-crafted news conference — looking solemn — with that Davis Imam who called for the death of all Jewish persons worldwide. That's the kind of 'allieship' you might get from local government officials, fellow Jews, so be careful what you wish for. And how come that story never got national attention? That flummoxes me to this day.
But there are members of the Davis Jewish Community who aren't looking for allies, because they have already found them. They are Jewish Anti-Zionists, and the allies they found are called pro-Palestinian (some would say, and or be, pro-Hamas) protestors. If you doubt the part in parentheses, you may need to be reminded that someone at the City Council meetings on the 'cease fire' resolutions was wearing a shirt that read something close to 'Bless Our Martyrs'. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that t-shirt implies their support of Hamas. Please correct me in the comments if you have another interpretation.
There are many things we can agree on during this polarizing time.
Such as that there are many things, amongst Jews themselves, that we do not agree on. Polarizingly 😐
But there is no excuse for driving division and it should never be celebrated with a prestigious award, similar to what the Davis City Council is considering.
Wait . . . what? Wait . . . triple-WHAT? . . . 'no excuse for driving division' ? You're just bringing this up now? . . . that a City Council action is driving 'division' ? This is the first mention that division was being considered for driving, and being that it's your last sentence, there's no chance for the author to explain, y'know, what the f*ck they are talking about. I agree that 'division' shouldn't be 'celebrated', by award or otherwise. But how is the City Council driving division?
So I'm going to put a few dots together to speculate . . . possibly incorrectly since neither 'news source' is helping with details in the slightest . . . and only fueling speculation and implication, and just plain guessing. Let me also say that I believe awards are stupid and that government should never give out awards, because they tend to go to cronies and celebrate corruption. Having said that . . . I'm guessing that both news sources are describing the same person (by not describing them). Let's call them 'The Alleged Divider' or TAD. I'm guessing TAD is perceived to be either on Team Pro-Palestinian or Team Anti-Zionism or both, and that TAD is up for nomination for this Human Relations Commission award. I'm further guessing TAD took a stand or did something that a group of Jewish persons in Davis took issue with.
And now the straightforward questions:
- WHO is TAD? What is their NAME?
- WHAT actions did TAD do that one person described as "BAD"?
- WHY would TAD's receiving of an award be divisive to the Davis community?
- WHY would the nomination of Leah Hibel be 'less divisive'?
- WHY would the 'Jewish Community' feel 'safer' if Leah Hibel got the award?
- WHY won't anyone publicly report the WHO or the DETAILS? And if you just wanted to IMPLY, why not just say NOTHING instead? That would have kept me and others from ASKING QUESTIONS.
This isn't meant to be an article about the ISSUE so much as an article about an ISSUE WEIRDLY BEING NOT REPORTED like any other issue would.
My GOAL is to learn about the issue by having you, dear readers, fill in the details, so that I and we may better understand what I and we want to know: WHY IS EVERYONE DANCING AROUND THIS?
Hopefully, there will be a VERY LIVELY COMMENT SECTION! :-|
But as for expectations, I'll expect MORE DANCING AROUND, and be happy with anyone who dares stray from the dance floor.
So swing your partner 'round and 'round,
Dosey the doe,
Put one foot in and one foot out,
Hokey the poke 😐
See you "BELOW"
Davisite 
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