My father used to advise, “If you speak from the heart, you

My father used to advise, “If you speak from the heart, you can’t help but be eloquent.”

It is in that vein, that I write this column.

The new proposed San Diego City Council District boundaries need tweaking. No doubt the efforts of the seven commissioners charged with the task of redrawing lines to fit the category_idelines of geography, “protected classes,” population density, census blocks, “communities of interest,” and various state, federal and constitutional category_idelines, etc., have completed a yeoman’s job.

However, something intangible and imperative is missing. That something is the “soul” of the City of San Diego—an essence of this city that is often hidden but rarely overwhelmed. An essence that is remarkably fair. Such is the danger with the new districts currently being proposed. They are needlessly unfair.

Simply put, the district boundaries do not reflect the “spirit of San Diego.” They are admirable computer print-outs, wonderful mathematic projections, and attempts to justify what should not be justified, i.e., the obvious neglect of consideration for the oldest of San Diego’s neighborhoods as well as our sizable Asian-American community.

To be more specific, some older neighborhoods have been needlessly shifted from their historical roots, communal interests, long-lived memories, and a glue-like affinity for their once sacrosanct streets, in favor of a computer generated precision that ignores the “humanness” of us all.

Simply put, Mission Hills does not belong in District 3. It has been in District 2 for over 50 years—and shares more in common with Point Loma than not and should remain in District 2.

Kensington does not belong in the new District 9. It has been in District 3 for generations and should also remain so. Leaving Mission Hills and Kensington in their rightful, “historical” home bases requires little effort (as one can see from the map)—and retains a “belongingness” essential for any neighborhood’s survival.

More difficult than adjusting these simple boundary changes is the much more important task of addressing the exclusion of the Asian-American community from the possibility of enjoying a district of their own—something many assumed with the addition of a new ninth council seat.

Here is where the “soul” of San Diego enters the argument. Asian-American families have lived in this city since before the 1900s. They are highly educated, hard working and prominent members of the larger community. They have contributed far more than any census tract can enumerate, and should not be divided in order to be conquered.

Nonetheless, they have been carved up, separated, and rendered un-represented in the newly proposed district maps. While some argue that they speak for the “poor” without speaking to them; or represent “the people” while not talking to them; I make no such claims in regards to the Asian-American community.

Rather, I speak from the heart—as a native San Diegan who has witnessed the disintegration of the old neighborhoods (Little Italy for example), as well as the incursion of “downtown developers” with their “in-filling” and high-rise condos that debase what once was unique and historically precious. I also speak for the need to preserve and encourage the traditions and sanctity of all cultures among us.

As a historian, I believe that heritage is more than just a word. It is the legacy of any great city and its peoples—and must be cherished and preserved. We have done so with districts for our African-American and Hispanic communities. We must do so, again, for our Asian-American residents. And, in so doing, preserve the best of San Diego’s history.

I only ask that the Redistricting Commission consider the “soul” of the City of San Diego and let Mission Hills and Kensington stay where they have been for generations as well as draw a district more inclusive and representative of the city’s Asian-American community.

That this enlightened approach might also avoid costly lawsuits and needless special elections is only of secondary importance.