Terror strikes upscale Kenyan mall.

Imagine you are an upperclass Kenyan or a tourist looking for something to do during the day, why not go to the upscale Westgate mall Nairobi? You are leisurely strolling down the hallways  of the mall when you hear panicked screams coming from up ahead, you duck into a store and crouch down when you here gun shots! Minutes later masked gunmen enter the store and begin firing blindly, they see you and take you hostage little do you know that you won't be leaving the mall for four days as the gunmen lay siege to it. Last saturday that nightmarish scene unfolded, the gunmen belonged to a terrorist group called Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab is a Somalian based cell of Al-Qaeda. The group claimed responsibility for the attack over twitter, not only claiming that the attack was in retaliation for Kenyan troops entering Somalia but also that they shot over 100 people in the mall with the Kenyan Red Cross confirming 62 fatalities and over 120 injuries. This is one of the most chilling terrorist attacks since Al-Qaeda blew up two American embassies in 1998. In what can only be described as horrific, parents threw themselves over their children, people jumped into ventilation shafts, while others hid behind plastic mannequins as two squads of armed gunmen walked threw the mall shooting shoppers in the head at random. Hours later when the police arrived the floors were dripping with the blood of those shot. Fred Ngoga Gatereste an official of the African Union who was having coffee at a cafe in the mall around noon was startled when he heard two deafening blasts, he cowered on the floor watched eight gunmen shoot at Kenyan police as well as shoppers he said, "Believe me, these guys were good shooters, you could tell these guys were trained. Several witnesses say they heard the men shout for Muslims to run. As an American who likes to travel it makes me fear for my safety when I travel. I also wonder as to what else would have happened if the Police had not intervened. Secretary of state John Kerry who called the attack "A heartbreaking reminder that there exists an unspeakable evil in our world." More details and information are being released by the Kenyan government.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/world/africa/nairobi-mall-shooting.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Wing Luke

Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

719 South King Street

The Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience is dedicated to immersing people in uniquely-American stories of survival, success, struggle, conflict, compassion and hope. The Museum is in the heart of Seattle’s vibrant Chinatown-International District, and includes the very hotel where countless immigrants first found a home, a meal and refuge. As our nation’s only museum devoted to the Asian Pacific American experience, it’s one of the few places that can truly give you a new perspective on what it means to be American. 

There are two easy bus options:
ST 545 Express at Stewart and 9th, get off at 5th and Jackson.
MT 255 from Stewart and Yale, get off at the Intl district in the bus tunnel.

You are required to visit the museum, but you can go at any time.  On Thursday, it is free and open from 10am to 8pm.  I will be at the museum during our scheduled class time.  At 7:20, I’m going to eat dinner somewhere nearby.  It will be inexpensive and good, if you‘d like to join me.

While you're at the museum, I want you to choose one particular item from the collection (photo, object, map).  It can be a small piece or large installation, whatever draws your attention.  In one page - you can hand write it on the spot - describe the item in detail and suggest how it fits into the context of the larger museum.  What does it "say" about the Asian Pacific American Experience?