Natural History Wanderings

Sonoma Land Trust stands with our Asian American and Pacific Islander community members and rejects the violent, discriminatory behavior that has been directed toward them throughout the country. While this sadly isn’t new, we remember the words of Charles Stuart, founder of Glen Oaks Ranch, when he was the only delegate at the California Constitutional Convention of 1878−79 to speak out against the Chinese Exclusion Act. “I beg of gentlemen on this floor to pause, to consider well, and not to be carried away through blind prejudice, through political ambition, or through race hatred; but act like civilized, just, and Christian men; not to do an act that would shock all humane men throughout the world, both Christian and Pagan. Sir, this is what I plead for, and will ever plead for; and will sympathize with the weak and downtrodden of the world, and hope to ever remain on the side of humanity and justice as long as life shall last.”

Learn more about Stuart and his passionate speeches at the convention in this story by Jim Shere of Glen Ellen, who gave a talk for Sonoma Land Trust in 2014 about this brave and principled man ahead of his time.