Riots in France
In the last few years, a lot of Europeans talk about how America is so violent, so filled with inequalities, so intolerant, etc, etc.
The Europeans need to look at the mirror before pointing fingers in America.
The riots that have been going on in France is proof that the Europe isn't so peaceful, tolerant nor a society of equality.
These riots started after a police chase which resulted in two North African immigrants getting electrocuted.
But this wasn't just over 2 kids getting electrocuted. This is was the result of many North Africans in France (some immigrants, some descendants of immigrants) feeling left out of mainstream society and wanting to destroy things. And off course, the usual group of thugs take advantage of an emotional event to vandalize just for the sake of vandalizing.
This isn't the first time these sort of things happen in Europe.
At the end of last year, after a Morrocan immigrant killed a Dutch film-maker, there were riots in Amsterdam, with fights between neo-Nazis and North African immigrants.In this past summer's bombing in London, a few Pakistanis (and one Jamaican) who grew up in Britain) were involved.
There are many factors contributing to all this.One is that whites in Europe don't really accept non-white immigrants. So those immigrants clutter together for protection. Their children grow not fitting into mainstream European society. But those children wouldn't fit into their parent's homeland either. Their neighborhoods are all they got.
Add to the fact, that many of the immigrants in Europe are Muslim. Being that those immigrant teens are being rejected by mainstream European society, even more they'll defensively cling on the Islamic culture, even more so than their parent's generation. And with Islamic fanaticism gaining steam, this is a deadly combination.
Some say that those riots are the result of liberal multi-culturalism.
Here is Naomi Klein's reply to that (though the article was on London's bombing, it still fits the current situation in France
http://www.thenation.com/article/terrors-greatest-recruitment-tool
This last statistic shows that the brand of multiculturalism practiced in Britain (and France, Germany, Canada...) has little to do with genuine equality. It is instead a Faustian bargain, struck between vote-seeking politicians and self-appointed community leaders, one that keeps ethnic minorities tucked away in state-funded peripheral ghettos while the centers of public life remain largely unaffected by the seismic shifts in the national ethnic makeup. Nothing exposes the shallowness of this alleged tolerance more than the speed with which Muslim communities are now being told to "get out" (to quote Tory MP Gerald Howarth) in the name of core national values.
The real problem is not too much multiculturalism but too little. If the diversity now ghettoized on the margins of Western societies--geographically and psychologically--were truly allowed to migrate to the centers, it might infuse public life in the West with a powerful new humanism. If we had deeply multi-ethnic societies, rather than shallow multicultural ones, it would be much more difficult for politicians to sign deportation orders sending Algerian asylum-seekers to torture, or to wage wars in which only the invaders' dead are counted. A society that truly lived its values of equality and human rights, at home and abroad, would have another benefit too. It would rob terrorists of what has always been their greatest recruitment tool: our racism.
Talking about multi-culturalism, it is a challenge. I have mentioned on this blog that in Honolulu, immigrant teens from the Phillipines, Samoa, Vietnam and Micronesia dont always get along, causing some fights at schools. But not everyone Filipino hate every Samoan, not every Samoan hate every Vietnamese, etc, etc. In fact, some learn to get along. That's how many people do it worldwide.
Even with those troubles, Honolulu has yet to see riots on the scale of what's happening in France. Even with it's troubles, Hawaii has been very good in integrating many cultures.
But then again, there isn't a community of Islamic fanatics here, like there is in Paris.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Locals Lacking Local Knowledge
You would think that a 23 year old person who lived in Hawaii his whole life would have basic knowledge about Hawaii.
But a former friend (profiled in my 9/29/05 post) was so ignorant about some basic things, it can be great comedy to those who know Hawaii well
Here's a sample of his ignorance (by the way - all this was said when he was already in his 20's)
1) He thought Waimanalo and Waianae were right next to each other (in reality, there on opposite sides of Oahu)
2) When me and a then-roommate mention about Mililani, the former friend asked "is that past Aiea". (when commuting from Honolulu) HELLO, it's WAY PAST AIEA!
3) He was shocked when I mentioned that McKinley High School (our alma mater) was one of the least local schools on the island. He then "McKinley has some local people" HELLO, other schools have WAY MORE LOCAL PEOPLE than McKinley. What, does he actually think other schools on Oahu is 50% immigrant like McKinley? And don't get me started on the Neighbor Island schools, their students are even more "local" than the average Oahu school!!
4) He mentioned that having difficulty understanding the pidgin spoken in Honolulu public schools. HELLO - pidgin spoken in rural Hawaii schools is WAY STRONGER PIDGIN than pidgin spoken in Honolulu. Pidgin spoken by those in Palama or Palolo is nowhere nearly as heavy pidgin as the pidgin spoken in Waianae or Puna.
5) Even in his 20's, he still seem to think that the Central Middle School district (Palama, Mayor Wrights', Kukui Gardens, Chinatown, downtown) is typical of Hawaii. NO IT AINT. The Central Middle School is the MOST urbanized district, one of the most ghetto districts, and definitely the MOST immigrant district in Hawaii!
Most Polynesians in Hawaii don't act like the Bloods from Mayor Wright's. Most Asians in the Central Middle School district are Chinese/Vietnamese/Filipino immigrants! Most Asians in the rest of Hawaii are descendants of Japanese and Filipinos who came to the plantation 100 years ago.
This ought to be common sense.
That guy needs to go around all over Oahu, not just Honolulu!
You would think that a 23 year old person who lived in Hawaii his whole life would have basic knowledge about Hawaii.
But a former friend (profiled in my 9/29/05 post) was so ignorant about some basic things, it can be great comedy to those who know Hawaii well
Here's a sample of his ignorance (by the way - all this was said when he was already in his 20's)
1) He thought Waimanalo and Waianae were right next to each other (in reality, there on opposite sides of Oahu)
2) When me and a then-roommate mention about Mililani, the former friend asked "is that past Aiea". (when commuting from Honolulu) HELLO, it's WAY PAST AIEA!
3) He was shocked when I mentioned that McKinley High School (our alma mater) was one of the least local schools on the island. He then "McKinley has some local people" HELLO, other schools have WAY MORE LOCAL PEOPLE than McKinley. What, does he actually think other schools on Oahu is 50% immigrant like McKinley? And don't get me started on the Neighbor Island schools, their students are even more "local" than the average Oahu school!!
4) He mentioned that having difficulty understanding the pidgin spoken in Honolulu public schools. HELLO - pidgin spoken in rural Hawaii schools is WAY STRONGER PIDGIN than pidgin spoken in Honolulu. Pidgin spoken by those in Palama or Palolo is nowhere nearly as heavy pidgin as the pidgin spoken in Waianae or Puna.
5) Even in his 20's, he still seem to think that the Central Middle School district (Palama, Mayor Wrights', Kukui Gardens, Chinatown, downtown) is typical of Hawaii. NO IT AINT. The Central Middle School is the MOST urbanized district, one of the most ghetto districts, and definitely the MOST immigrant district in Hawaii!
Most Polynesians in Hawaii don't act like the Bloods from Mayor Wright's. Most Asians in the Central Middle School district are Chinese/Vietnamese/Filipino immigrants! Most Asians in the rest of Hawaii are descendants of Japanese and Filipinos who came to the plantation 100 years ago.
This ought to be common sense.
That guy needs to go around all over Oahu, not just Honolulu!
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Gun control fanatics defeated in Brazil
Gun control fanatics look at the USA for being the evil boogey-man for having the nerve to not ban guns.
Don't worry, USA has Brazil on it's side.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1023BrazilGuns23-ON.html
Associated Press
Oct. 23, 2005 03:00 PM
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazilians soundly rejected a proposal to ban guns in a national referendum Sunday, striking down the bid to stem one of the world's highest firearm murder rates following a campaign that drew parallels to the U.S. gun control debate.
Thank you Brazilians. At least I know that citizens in other nations have some sense.
Here's what one Brazilian said.
"I'm don't like people walking around armed on the street. But since all the bandits have guns, you need to have a gun at home," said taxi driver Mohammed Osei, who voted against the ban.
AMEN!
The reason Americans and Brazilians are against a gun ban is because guns can be useful in self defense.
Criminals prey on the weak.
Not everyone is strong enough nor fast enough to fight off an extremely violent attacker! This is where handguns come in.
Someone try to rob you - you shoot them.
Someone try to rape you - you shoot them.
You CANNOT reason with a violent attacker.
Once the violence begins, time for negotiation is OVER!
Ideally, guns should be used as a last resort. Unfortunately, too many times, the last resort is all you have left!
But what about the police?
Analysts said the pro-gun lobby benefited from equal time on television in the final weeks of the campaign and that they cannily cashed in on Brazilian skepticism of the police."They ask the question: 'Do you feel protected and do you think the government is protecting you?' and the answer is a violent no," said political scientist David Fleischer of the University of Brasilia.
Violent bullies attack when the police aren't around!
By the time police arrive it's too late. You're either severely injured, killed, robbed or raped!
NRA (National Rifle Association) public affairs director Andrew Arulanandam called the proposal's defeat "a victory for freedom.""It's a stunning defeat for the global gun control movement. They poured millions of dollars and millions more man hours trying to enact this gun ban and they failed. The aim of this gun ban movement was to use Brazil as the rallying point to enact gun bans in the United States. We're happy they were defeated," he said
.Let's hope the NRA can help defeat gun control fanatics in the rest of Latin America, as well as Europe, Asia, Australia, and the rest of the world
Gun control fanatics look at the USA for being the evil boogey-man for having the nerve to not ban guns.
Don't worry, USA has Brazil on it's side.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/1023BrazilGuns23-ON.html
Associated Press
Oct. 23, 2005 03:00 PM
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazilians soundly rejected a proposal to ban guns in a national referendum Sunday, striking down the bid to stem one of the world's highest firearm murder rates following a campaign that drew parallels to the U.S. gun control debate.
Thank you Brazilians. At least I know that citizens in other nations have some sense.
Here's what one Brazilian said.
"I'm don't like people walking around armed on the street. But since all the bandits have guns, you need to have a gun at home," said taxi driver Mohammed Osei, who voted against the ban.
AMEN!
The reason Americans and Brazilians are against a gun ban is because guns can be useful in self defense.
Criminals prey on the weak.
Not everyone is strong enough nor fast enough to fight off an extremely violent attacker! This is where handguns come in.
Someone try to rob you - you shoot them.
Someone try to rape you - you shoot them.
You CANNOT reason with a violent attacker.
Once the violence begins, time for negotiation is OVER!
Ideally, guns should be used as a last resort. Unfortunately, too many times, the last resort is all you have left!
But what about the police?
Analysts said the pro-gun lobby benefited from equal time on television in the final weeks of the campaign and that they cannily cashed in on Brazilian skepticism of the police."They ask the question: 'Do you feel protected and do you think the government is protecting you?' and the answer is a violent no," said political scientist David Fleischer of the University of Brasilia.
Violent bullies attack when the police aren't around!
By the time police arrive it's too late. You're either severely injured, killed, robbed or raped!
NRA (National Rifle Association) public affairs director Andrew Arulanandam called the proposal's defeat "a victory for freedom.""It's a stunning defeat for the global gun control movement. They poured millions of dollars and millions more man hours trying to enact this gun ban and they failed. The aim of this gun ban movement was to use Brazil as the rallying point to enact gun bans in the United States. We're happy they were defeated," he said
.Let's hope the NRA can help defeat gun control fanatics in the rest of Latin America, as well as Europe, Asia, Australia, and the rest of the world
Kamehameha Schools Leaving Native Hawaiians Behind?
With all the controversy surrounding the Kamehameha Schools, one Native Hawaiian has an interesting idea
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Oct/25/ln/FP510250357.html
(Kimo) Kelii said the school, founded by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop in the late 1800s, has "done a pathetic job in the education of all Native Hawaiian kids."
Kamehameha's trustees, he said, should consider shutting down the flagship Kapalama campus and instead funnel its vast resources into public schools where there are large numbers of Native Hawaiians such as Wai'anae, he said. Kelii also criticized OHA for not doing enough to help Native Hawaiian children get a better education.
If Ken Conklin said the same thing, he would be called an insensitive racist. But Kimo Kelii has made a lot of sense!
Too many Native Hawaiian activists waste energy demanding more special privilleges for those born Native Hawaiian, and not enough energy finding a solution to the problems of Native Hawaiians living in poverty on Oahu's Leeward coast.
Kamehameha Schools is filled with many rich & upper class students (some of them who don't even look Native Hawaiian). The trustees don't even bother to collaborate with the DOE on helping schools where many low-income Native Hawaiians attend (ie. Nanakuli, Waianae). The trustees don't even bother helping with teaching strategies, they don't bother giving their immense wealth ( $6 Billion worth of assetts) to fund repairs of those schools
Keeping one well-funded private school (Kamehameha) segregated isn't going to help low-income Native Hawaiians be prepped to succeed in the 21st Century globalized economy!
If I had a $6 billion endowment, I'd give assistance to Hawaii schools that are struggling. Some of those schools have a large Native Hawaiian population (ie. Nanakuli, Waianae). However, ALL students who attend those schools will get assistance!
That's right - even the Samoan, Marshallese, Laotian, Filipino, European, and yes, Native Hawaiians and everyone else, will get assistance! Let's not forget that even non-Hawaiians are also struggling too.
I wouldn't shut down Kamehameha. It can still be a great school that can both emphasize Native Hawaiian culture and prep its students for the 21st century globalized economy! I'll just integrate that school, and use it's resources to help ALL Hawaii residents, even those unlucky to have ancestors in Hawaii before Captain Cook's arrival.
To those who graduated or attending, Kamehameha Schools, please dont take it personal. I know some great people who attended that school. I just dont agree with it's racial admissions policy.
With all the controversy surrounding the Kamehameha Schools, one Native Hawaiian has an interesting idea
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Oct/25/ln/FP510250357.html
(Kimo) Kelii said the school, founded by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop in the late 1800s, has "done a pathetic job in the education of all Native Hawaiian kids."
Kamehameha's trustees, he said, should consider shutting down the flagship Kapalama campus and instead funnel its vast resources into public schools where there are large numbers of Native Hawaiians such as Wai'anae, he said. Kelii also criticized OHA for not doing enough to help Native Hawaiian children get a better education.
If Ken Conklin said the same thing, he would be called an insensitive racist. But Kimo Kelii has made a lot of sense!
Too many Native Hawaiian activists waste energy demanding more special privilleges for those born Native Hawaiian, and not enough energy finding a solution to the problems of Native Hawaiians living in poverty on Oahu's Leeward coast.
Kamehameha Schools is filled with many rich & upper class students (some of them who don't even look Native Hawaiian). The trustees don't even bother to collaborate with the DOE on helping schools where many low-income Native Hawaiians attend (ie. Nanakuli, Waianae). The trustees don't even bother helping with teaching strategies, they don't bother giving their immense wealth ( $6 Billion worth of assetts) to fund repairs of those schools
Keeping one well-funded private school (Kamehameha) segregated isn't going to help low-income Native Hawaiians be prepped to succeed in the 21st Century globalized economy!
If I had a $6 billion endowment, I'd give assistance to Hawaii schools that are struggling. Some of those schools have a large Native Hawaiian population (ie. Nanakuli, Waianae). However, ALL students who attend those schools will get assistance!
That's right - even the Samoan, Marshallese, Laotian, Filipino, European, and yes, Native Hawaiians and everyone else, will get assistance! Let's not forget that even non-Hawaiians are also struggling too.
I wouldn't shut down Kamehameha. It can still be a great school that can both emphasize Native Hawaiian culture and prep its students for the 21st century globalized economy! I'll just integrate that school, and use it's resources to help ALL Hawaii residents, even those unlucky to have ancestors in Hawaii before Captain Cook's arrival.
To those who graduated or attending, Kamehameha Schools, please dont take it personal. I know some great people who attended that school. I just dont agree with it's racial admissions policy.
Hawaii versus Fresno State
This Saturday UH football team will play Fresno State at Aloha Stadium.
This is one of the biggest rivalries in the Western Athletic Conference.
Reasons for that include
1) Fresno State fans are notoriously rude to visiting teams - throwing stuff (including screwdrivers) and yelling nasty insults.
2) Hawaii has beat Fresno State when Fresno State thought they were hot shit. You know, Fresno State has some big victories early in the season, then all of a sudden, they play at Hawaii, then they loose
3) However, Fresno State gave a crushing defeat to Hawaii last 70-14. Hawaii wants revenge this weekend.
4) Both teams have aggressive reputations.
5) Both have coaches with NFL experience, and have mustaches (though Hawaii's June Jones shaved his off)
The cities of Fresno and Honolulu also have the following in common
1) both are medium sized cities surrounded by land traditionally used for agriculture.
2) both have traditionally blue-collar "working class" populations
3) neither has a major league professional team, so their college football teams are the biggest show in town
And both cities have some differences
1) Fresno is traditionally a conservative area in a mostly liberal California, whereas Hawaii is traditionally liberal
2) Fresno is populated mostly by Caucasians (many of whose ancestors left Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas during the drought of the 1930's and found some good farmland around Fresno) and by Armenian and Mexican immigrants (many also were farm labor or working in the city).Fresno also has it's share of African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders
Hawaii is populated mostly by Pacific Islanders (including Native Hawaiians as well as Samoans, Tongans and Micronesians) and Asians (some whose ancestors worked in rural plantations, others who arrived in the last 2 decades in live mostly in Honolulu). Hawaii also has it's Caucasian and African American population (lot of them 1st came as military folks stationed there, then chose to make Hawaii their home) and a small number of Latinos (including myself).
It will be an exciting Saturday, and I look forward to being at Aloha Stadium. Hopefully, the Hawaii Warriors defeat the Fresno State Bulldogs (I'll call them puppies)
This Saturday UH football team will play Fresno State at Aloha Stadium.
This is one of the biggest rivalries in the Western Athletic Conference.
Reasons for that include
1) Fresno State fans are notoriously rude to visiting teams - throwing stuff (including screwdrivers) and yelling nasty insults.
2) Hawaii has beat Fresno State when Fresno State thought they were hot shit. You know, Fresno State has some big victories early in the season, then all of a sudden, they play at Hawaii, then they loose
3) However, Fresno State gave a crushing defeat to Hawaii last 70-14. Hawaii wants revenge this weekend.
4) Both teams have aggressive reputations.
5) Both have coaches with NFL experience, and have mustaches (though Hawaii's June Jones shaved his off)
The cities of Fresno and Honolulu also have the following in common
1) both are medium sized cities surrounded by land traditionally used for agriculture.
2) both have traditionally blue-collar "working class" populations
3) neither has a major league professional team, so their college football teams are the biggest show in town
And both cities have some differences
1) Fresno is traditionally a conservative area in a mostly liberal California, whereas Hawaii is traditionally liberal
2) Fresno is populated mostly by Caucasians (many of whose ancestors left Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas during the drought of the 1930's and found some good farmland around Fresno) and by Armenian and Mexican immigrants (many also were farm labor or working in the city).Fresno also has it's share of African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders
Hawaii is populated mostly by Pacific Islanders (including Native Hawaiians as well as Samoans, Tongans and Micronesians) and Asians (some whose ancestors worked in rural plantations, others who arrived in the last 2 decades in live mostly in Honolulu). Hawaii also has it's Caucasian and African American population (lot of them 1st came as military folks stationed there, then chose to make Hawaii their home) and a small number of Latinos (including myself).
It will be an exciting Saturday, and I look forward to being at Aloha Stadium. Hopefully, the Hawaii Warriors defeat the Fresno State Bulldogs (I'll call them puppies)
Monday, October 17, 2005
I Lived a Quarter Century
This past Saturday, I became 25 years old.
1) I didn't have time to update this blog that day (I use the public library computers to surf the Internet), but I did have an adventurous day.
In the morning, I had breakfast with my parents and grandmother at Kam Bowl's in Kalihi (they got the best fried rice & scrambled eggs). That is my birthday tradition to eat over there.
Later, in the noon/afternoon time, I did my usual weekend duties of laundry and cleaning.
In the evening time, me and a few friends were at Eastside Grill to watch a UH football game. Though it's always better to watch a game at the stadium, I preferred to save $$$ and watch it a bar. It's a fun social thing, and you don't have to get drunk. I just drank 7up & water.
2) I'm 25 already? Damn I feel old! (though someone said to me that day that I'm still a young guy).
The reason I say I'm getting old is that now I feel like a full-on adult. Though I have been legally an adult for 7 years, I wasn't always feeling that way. I never felt like a full-0n adult when I was in college, but I do now.
The reason is now, I have to work and support myself. I'm not attending school anymore, though I do work at the schools. And now I gotta be a mature adult.
To good thing about being a full-on adult is that now, there's no real pressure to be a part of a clique! Now, there's no pressure for me to always hang out with friends or else others think I got none. It's always strange that just because I'm not around a friend 24/7, I got accused by some of not having friends. If those folks even paid attention, they would know with whom and where I hung out.
As a full-on adult, there's less flight-or-fight pressure. As a teenager, if you don't lash out in anger, you're considered a wimp or a pussy! So what do you in tough situations? Lash out in anger. Which I have done! And I would be pissed off if my friends dont back me up in a fight!
In one case, a former friend (profiled in the 9/29/05 post) told me that someone said false things behind my back. Of course, I wanted to fight that rumor-spreader. Problem is, that "friend" didn't want to back me up in a fight! I considered that "friend" a coward.
However, I handle things different. When I was working at Palama Settlement this past summer, there were tense situations. In one case, a woman was pissed at me for disciplining her nephew. In another case, a co-worker (who only got hired because someone else quit) was being bossy and rude. In those situations, I told my supervisors about how those folks been acting. It's better to tell the supervisors about it instead of lashing out at that "irate auntie" and bossy co-worker. You can't be a doormat (wimp) but you can't lash out in anger, so you gotta find the middle ground - being calm but stern! That is something I have learned from my supervisors at Palama Settlement, and something I wish I've learned earlier in life!
Going back to that rumor-spreader in high school, I have learned that you shouldn't go telling people "so and so said this about you!" If you hear someone saying negative stuff about me, DONT TELL ME ABOUT IT! And I wont tell you if someone said negative stuff about you! I'm an adult and I dont need to spread bad vibes.
The problem with being an adult is that you have even less time to hang out with friends. Every one my age is busy working and taking care of their own children. They don't have time to call or hang out! Even to invite friends to a party is a pain in the ass nowadays, since everyone is so busy with their own lives. (though in one case, one friend was too sick to attend my birthday party)
Also, being 25 and a full-on adult, that means childhood, adolescence and young adult hood is over. That means all the good memories are just memories, and there's things I've wished I have done, but didn't have time to do them. I remember feeling like 4 years of high school was too short! When I graduated from McKinley High School [Tiger Pride :)] , I wanted another year, so I can do stuff I didn't get a chance to do in the 4 years!
However, now that I work in the schools, I get a chance to enjoy life in school again. I get to enjoy observing kids doing fun stuff and making jokes.
However, my role is changed.
Good news is that I got authority! The kids have to listen to me! I am the star of the classroom!
And I dont have to fit-in a clique nor get involved in some immature nonsense!
However, I am held responsible if the kids get hurt! I have be on full-alert at all times!
And when kids act up, I can't be a wimp, but I can't lash out either. I got to be calm & stern! That's easier said than done. But it must be done!
This past Saturday, I became 25 years old.
1) I didn't have time to update this blog that day (I use the public library computers to surf the Internet), but I did have an adventurous day.
In the morning, I had breakfast with my parents and grandmother at Kam Bowl's in Kalihi (they got the best fried rice & scrambled eggs). That is my birthday tradition to eat over there.
Later, in the noon/afternoon time, I did my usual weekend duties of laundry and cleaning.
In the evening time, me and a few friends were at Eastside Grill to watch a UH football game. Though it's always better to watch a game at the stadium, I preferred to save $$$ and watch it a bar. It's a fun social thing, and you don't have to get drunk. I just drank 7up & water.
2) I'm 25 already? Damn I feel old! (though someone said to me that day that I'm still a young guy).
The reason I say I'm getting old is that now I feel like a full-on adult. Though I have been legally an adult for 7 years, I wasn't always feeling that way. I never felt like a full-0n adult when I was in college, but I do now.
The reason is now, I have to work and support myself. I'm not attending school anymore, though I do work at the schools. And now I gotta be a mature adult.
To good thing about being a full-on adult is that now, there's no real pressure to be a part of a clique! Now, there's no pressure for me to always hang out with friends or else others think I got none. It's always strange that just because I'm not around a friend 24/7, I got accused by some of not having friends. If those folks even paid attention, they would know with whom and where I hung out.
As a full-on adult, there's less flight-or-fight pressure. As a teenager, if you don't lash out in anger, you're considered a wimp or a pussy! So what do you in tough situations? Lash out in anger. Which I have done! And I would be pissed off if my friends dont back me up in a fight!
In one case, a former friend (profiled in the 9/29/05 post) told me that someone said false things behind my back. Of course, I wanted to fight that rumor-spreader. Problem is, that "friend" didn't want to back me up in a fight! I considered that "friend" a coward.
However, I handle things different. When I was working at Palama Settlement this past summer, there were tense situations. In one case, a woman was pissed at me for disciplining her nephew. In another case, a co-worker (who only got hired because someone else quit) was being bossy and rude. In those situations, I told my supervisors about how those folks been acting. It's better to tell the supervisors about it instead of lashing out at that "irate auntie" and bossy co-worker. You can't be a doormat (wimp) but you can't lash out in anger, so you gotta find the middle ground - being calm but stern! That is something I have learned from my supervisors at Palama Settlement, and something I wish I've learned earlier in life!
Going back to that rumor-spreader in high school, I have learned that you shouldn't go telling people "so and so said this about you!" If you hear someone saying negative stuff about me, DONT TELL ME ABOUT IT! And I wont tell you if someone said negative stuff about you! I'm an adult and I dont need to spread bad vibes.
The problem with being an adult is that you have even less time to hang out with friends. Every one my age is busy working and taking care of their own children. They don't have time to call or hang out! Even to invite friends to a party is a pain in the ass nowadays, since everyone is so busy with their own lives. (though in one case, one friend was too sick to attend my birthday party)
Also, being 25 and a full-on adult, that means childhood, adolescence and young adult hood is over. That means all the good memories are just memories, and there's things I've wished I have done, but didn't have time to do them. I remember feeling like 4 years of high school was too short! When I graduated from McKinley High School [Tiger Pride :)] , I wanted another year, so I can do stuff I didn't get a chance to do in the 4 years!
However, now that I work in the schools, I get a chance to enjoy life in school again. I get to enjoy observing kids doing fun stuff and making jokes.
However, my role is changed.
Good news is that I got authority! The kids have to listen to me! I am the star of the classroom!
And I dont have to fit-in a clique nor get involved in some immature nonsense!
However, I am held responsible if the kids get hurt! I have be on full-alert at all times!
And when kids act up, I can't be a wimp, but I can't lash out either. I got to be calm & stern! That's easier said than done. But it must be done!
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
School Profiles
1) The Honolulu Advertiser recently had an article about Farrington High School.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Oct/09/ln/FP510090344.html
Here's what I wrote to the editors
I thought the article on Farrington High School was interesting, but the Tiger in me (I'm a McKinley grad) is a little envious.
I think it would be a good idea to do a profile on McKinley High School and put in on the front page of a Sunday edition.Here's my reasons
1) it's the oldest public high school
2) it's in the center of Honolulu, and therefore it's good to inform rural and suburban Oahu residents about the thoughts of urban Honolulu kids. It's a very different culture.
3) it has a really large immigrant population from various nations, including Vietnam, Korea, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, China, Phillipines, Samoa, etc. How do they adjust to new surroundings, do they get along with each other, do they fight each other? How does the administration deal with their struggles?
4) the school district covers various communities like McCully, downtown, Chinatown, Liliha, Mayor Wright's, Palama and Lanakila. How do the students from those communities differ and how do they get along?
5) as you can tell from #4, students from various income levels go to McKinley.
6) going back to #3, NOT MANY students at McKinley have any ancestors who were working in sugar plantations of old Hawaii. So those students may not be able to relate to students in (for example : Pearl City, Campbell, Castle, etc.) It's a very different culture from the rest of Hawaii.
Conclusion : It would be great for the whole state to read about life in a school that is the most urban school in Hawaii, a school with the most immigrants, a school with students from various income levels, school with diverse groups, a school in which students may not relate to the plantation culture.
2) Kamehameha Schools.You want to know why I don't take the "Native Hawaiians only" admission policy very seriously?
Go to http://starbulletin.com/2005/10/10/features/story03.html
then scroll down until you see the photo.
Do the 2 sudents sitting down even look Native Hawaiians? Do they even look part Polynesian?
The boy looks totally European, the girl looks totally Asian.
Meanwhile, many Polynesians who live in Kalihi Valley Housing or Kuhio Park Terrace (both less than 1 mile from Kamehameha Schools) dont get admitted to Kamehameha Schools because their ancestors landed on the wrong island. ( Many residents of both housing projects are Samoan or Tongan)
Meanwhile, Europeans and Asians can lie about their supposed Native Hawaiian ancestry (even when they don't look Hawaiian, nor practice the culture) just to go to Kamehameha. ( One of my relatives who grad from Kamehameha probably fit that description)
Why cant everyone just live in the 21 st century and learn to be intergrated already?
3) So ironic that people say Kamehameha is needed due to all the negative statitstics on Native Hawaiians.
Yet, a lot of Kamehameha students don't look Hawaiian and probably live in middle class areas.Even some of the ones who do look Native Hawaiian live in middle class areas (ie Kaneohe, Mililani, Pearl City , etc.)
In any public housing complex in Honolulu, you'd find more Samoans and Micronesians than Native Hawaiians. Yet we don't see anyone demanding segregated schools for Samoans and Micronesians.
Cant we all just along and integrate already?
1) The Honolulu Advertiser recently had an article about Farrington High School.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2005/Oct/09/ln/FP510090344.html
Here's what I wrote to the editors
I thought the article on Farrington High School was interesting, but the Tiger in me (I'm a McKinley grad) is a little envious.
I think it would be a good idea to do a profile on McKinley High School and put in on the front page of a Sunday edition.Here's my reasons
1) it's the oldest public high school
2) it's in the center of Honolulu, and therefore it's good to inform rural and suburban Oahu residents about the thoughts of urban Honolulu kids. It's a very different culture.
3) it has a really large immigrant population from various nations, including Vietnam, Korea, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, China, Phillipines, Samoa, etc. How do they adjust to new surroundings, do they get along with each other, do they fight each other? How does the administration deal with their struggles?
4) the school district covers various communities like McCully, downtown, Chinatown, Liliha, Mayor Wright's, Palama and Lanakila. How do the students from those communities differ and how do they get along?
5) as you can tell from #4, students from various income levels go to McKinley.
6) going back to #3, NOT MANY students at McKinley have any ancestors who were working in sugar plantations of old Hawaii. So those students may not be able to relate to students in (for example : Pearl City, Campbell, Castle, etc.) It's a very different culture from the rest of Hawaii.
Conclusion : It would be great for the whole state to read about life in a school that is the most urban school in Hawaii, a school with the most immigrants, a school with students from various income levels, school with diverse groups, a school in which students may not relate to the plantation culture.
2) Kamehameha Schools.You want to know why I don't take the "Native Hawaiians only" admission policy very seriously?
Go to http://starbulletin.com/2005/10/10/features/story03.html
then scroll down until you see the photo.
Do the 2 sudents sitting down even look Native Hawaiians? Do they even look part Polynesian?
The boy looks totally European, the girl looks totally Asian.
Meanwhile, many Polynesians who live in Kalihi Valley Housing or Kuhio Park Terrace (both less than 1 mile from Kamehameha Schools) dont get admitted to Kamehameha Schools because their ancestors landed on the wrong island. ( Many residents of both housing projects are Samoan or Tongan)
Meanwhile, Europeans and Asians can lie about their supposed Native Hawaiian ancestry (even when they don't look Hawaiian, nor practice the culture) just to go to Kamehameha. ( One of my relatives who grad from Kamehameha probably fit that description)
Why cant everyone just live in the 21 st century and learn to be intergrated already?
3) So ironic that people say Kamehameha is needed due to all the negative statitstics on Native Hawaiians.
Yet, a lot of Kamehameha students don't look Hawaiian and probably live in middle class areas.Even some of the ones who do look Native Hawaiian live in middle class areas (ie Kaneohe, Mililani, Pearl City , etc.)
In any public housing complex in Honolulu, you'd find more Samoans and Micronesians than Native Hawaiians. Yet we don't see anyone demanding segregated schools for Samoans and Micronesians.
Cant we all just along and integrate already?
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