Simon S. Tam's Blog, page 3

On Cruelty

Cruelty…

is never necessary

is not justice

is something we’re all capable of

is always a choice

says more about those who inflict it than those who are victims of it

is upheld by the status quo.

…

Just a reminder that our country is still locking up and separating families – two thirds of whom have no criminal records (according to ICE). That practice has had nearly 20,000 grievances filed by detainees and at least 29 fatalities, including seven suicides, since President Donald Trump took...

So You Want a Resolution

As we move into 2020 and people begin making their list of New Year’s resolutions, I’d like to challenge you to take a moment and think about what it really means.

Most common of course, people think of a resolution as a decision to do (or not do something). But in addition, we can seek for resolution – the resolve of a dispute or argument. In music, a resolve is moving from discordant notes into concord over the course of changing harmony. There’s no question that our countryfeels divided –...

Help Me Clear My Bookshelf

At the age of 13, one of my mentors gave me a book, “Developing the Leader Within You” by Dr. John C. Maxwell. It sparked something in me: I committed to reading at least two books on leadership and communication per month, every month, for the rest of my life.

The “Leadership Library” covers many topic including entrepreneurship, philanthropy, marketing, and becoming a CEO. There are skills and ideas for everyone, no matter the occupation.

Now, I’d like to do what my friend Allen did for me...

Free to State

Yesterday, I was honored to join several wonderful people at the Washington Post for a live event and discuss the importance of artistic expression highlighted by freedom of expression. Wes Lowery moderated the questions for me, Michael Render (A.K.A Killer Mike), and John P. Elwood.

[image error] Later in the afternoon, the event continued with other panels on social media (a discussion with Senator Ted Cruz).

For several weeks leading up to the event, I honestly didn’t really want to go. I was a huge fa...

Relationships and Music

Saw this wonderful quote from Skye Linh today that said “Being single is so much better than being cheated on, lied to and disrespected.”

It parallels this other axiom about success which states “In life, you don’t get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate for.”

We’re often bound by our own fears and insecurities: fear of being alone, embarrassed to ask for things, fear of being rejected, or the unknown. Fear of making the wrong move instead of being confident and courageous.

But thes...

Slanted Recap: Larry King, Washington Post, and more…

I can’t believe that it’s only been three weeks since my memoir, Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court, was released. Since then, I’ve spoken for many groups about the story, including the Untitledtown Book & Author Festival, the University of Wisconsin, Otafest (Calgary, Canada), and numerous law and policy organizations across North America. What a ride!

Last week, I had a live interview on PoliticKing with Larry King and I had an incredible review in

NBC News: The Slants founder Simon Tam details Supreme Court case in new memoir

Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court, releasing April 30, details his musical life and the journey to the high court. See the full article here.

 

Slanted: How an Asian American Troublemaker Took on the Supreme Court

My memoir is finally available for pre-ordering!

This deeply personal story is about the adventure of starting the world’s first and only all-Asian American dance rock band and the many adventures along the way, especially fighting my way through the U.S legal system for my First Amendment rights.

You can pre-order it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million, and fine independent bookshops around the world.

You can also read excerpts from the book and see some additional content from the...

Anthem

Yesterday, my band released a new single in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s called Anthem.

I hope you’ll take a listen and consider making a donation to an organization fighting for racial justice (we have a few listed at www.theslants.com/anthem)

 

Finding Forgiveness

10 years ago I helped a woman I barely knew escape from a violent relationship. Her boyfriend beat her up badly but never went to prison because the cops didn’t believe her, even though she was quite bruised. She had nowhere else to go so I offered my home as a safe place to take refuge while she figured things out.

Shortly after, things turned sour because she thought I was trying to get between her new relationship. She often lied. She broke many of my things, spread awful rumors about me t...