What does the world look like as reported on the pages of California's growing ethnic newspapers? PNS monitors the Chinese-, Spanish-, Vietnamese-, Japanese-, Korean-, Arabic-language news media as well as English-language newcomer and native-born ethnic press published and/or distributed widely in California. "Gleanings from the Ethnic Media" is a regular weekly column compiled by Emil Guillermo, host of "NCM: New California Media TV" (seen on PBS station KCSM-TV60 in the Bay Area); assisted by Pacific News Service and the NCM Network. Just as the alternative news media connected the disaffected populations in the 1960s, so in the 1990s the ethnic media connects the new ethnic majority communities of California -- to one another and to the larger public forum.

VICTORY OVER 187: When backers of California's Prop. 187 called off their appeal that challenged a federal judge's ruling that declared the anti-immigrant measure illegal, ethnic communities throughout the state were more than a bit relieved. Calling it the "The End of a Threat," La Opinion (Los Angeles) called 187's demise "one of those deaths that needs to be celebrated."

The paper says the possibility of enforcement was always "remote." But "while its constitutionality remained undetermined in the courts, the danger (toward immigrants) existed." The paper notes that 187 helped former Governor Pete Wilson win re-election in 1994, and it whipped up anti-immigrant sentiments throughout the nation.

But 187 spurred a move toward naturalization among immigrants from various ethnicities. That, in turn, brought on higher levels of electoral participation among Latinos in particular, resulting in the "political awakening of this community."

La Opinion: "The Latino community is now a more solid one, united after this difficult experience. But the triumph of rights and social justice over ideological extremism that encouraged the measure is a victory for our entire society. Civil rights and justice have prevailed. In this manner, it's confirmed that a state-level electoral majority cannot eliminate the constitutional protection of rights. In the future, voters should avoid voting for measures that, in addition to contravening the Constitution, are harmful and divisive."

ONE DOWN, 209 TO GO?: Governor Davis vetoed a bill by Senator Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) last week which would have allowed government offices to implement outreach programs to minority groups despite Prop. 209, the anti-affirmative action measure approved by voters in 1996. Here's what Polanco had to say, according to La Opinion (Los Angeles): "I'm not going to give up. I'm going to do everything possible to assure that we can recruit those people in geographic areas that ...do not have access to adequate information." Polanco sees his bill as well within 209, which he believes allows for efforts to increase the number of minorities in the pool of job-seekers.

STILL A TWO-WAY STREET: The situation is getting worse in Colombia, if the approval rate of petitions for political asylum to America is any indication. La Opinion (Los Angeles) reported that in one year, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) says the number of approved petitions has doubled, from 19 percent to 40 percent. Regardless, the U.S. has no plans to recommend that Colombians here be granted Temporary Protection Status (TPS). TPS is a temporary amnesty given to immigrants from countries embroiled in war or political violence, allowing them to work and reside in the U.S. for 18 months without fear of being deported. Rep. Lincoln Diaz Balart (R-FL) has asked the White House to revise its immigration policy towards Colombia because of worsening clashes between the government and guerrillas there.

HATE WAVE: Crimes committed against Latinos due to ethnic origin, and perpetrated by private citizens as well as law enforcement personnel, increased during the 1990s, according to a report by the National Council de la Raza (NCLR). The report maintains that in 1993, when the first national statistics on crimes of intolerance were compiled, there were 472 hate crimes against Latinos. Two years later, the number rose to 516. In 1996 the figure jumped to 564 -- a 20 percent increase.

The report, titled "The Growing Hate," also reveals a violent trend toward temples and Latino churches. At least 24 religious institutions frequented by Latinos appear on the list of possible arson cases being investigated by the National Board of Church Fires and the National Coalition of Church Fires.

"What's at stake is simple," said Raul Yzaguirre, president of the NCLR. "Do Hispanic Americans have the right to drive on the streets, attend church, and, in general, live a life free of violence and police abuse? For millions of Latinos in the U.S. this report suggests that these rights are in grave danger," said Yzaguirre.

NOOSE INCIDENT: Black employees at a white-owned construction company in the East Bay were called names, shown a hangman's noose tied to the end of a crane, and a hanging dummy at a worksite, reports the Sun Reporter (San Francisco). The charges are part of a lawsuit filed by Willie Greene, once employed by the Dillingham Construction company. Greene's case is now being heard in the California Superior Court in Alameda.

NO SECTS ALLOWED: Asian observers see the Chinese crackdown of the Fa-lun-gong movement as the biggest threat to the communist government since the Tiananmen protests of 1989, according to an analysis in the Vietnamese paper Thoi Bao (San Jose, Ca.).

"Even if Falun Gong claims not to be a political group, it advocates compassion, forgiveness, and honesty as its three basic precepts -- the same ideas that attract the poorest class in China, the population base that's been the foundation of the Communist Party. Both groups are vying for favor from the same population that is yearning for spiritual meaning in their life."

FAMINE'S TOLL: Johns Hopkins University researchers now say an estimated 250,000 died from the famine in North Korea's Ham Kyung Province, reports the Korea Times (San Francisco). Ten percent of the whole population in Ham Kyung province died due to famine between 1995 and 1997, and greater numbers are estimated for all of North Korea. The study was based on testimonies of 440 North Korean escapees in China, and is considered as the most accurate yet. The figures are seven times larger than the North Korean government's.

KOREANS CONVERT: Approximately 40 percent of Korean legal aliens are naturalized U.S. citizens, reports the Korea Times (San Francisco). According to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, there are 591,000 first-generation Koreans (Korean-born) in United States and 220,0000 (37 percent) have been naturalized. The remaining 372,000 are permanent residents. The passage of Welfare Reform in 1996 and other anti-immigration laws were the reasons given for the increase.

DOGGED PURSUIT: Animal rights activists demonstrated at the Korean Consulate in San Francisco against a proposal to make eating dogs legal in Korea. The proposal was made by lawmaker Hong Shin Kim last month. The demonstrators demanded a ban on dog-eating, and played several recorded messages in Korean. They also demanded the removal of Rep. Kim from the legislature for bringing the shame to Korean government. The demonstration was organized by "In Defense of Animals."