Geography Lesson
I remember a while back, some this one Chinese guy said that he didn't consider Filipinos to be Asians, because Filipinos are brown-skinned!
That's a stupid thing to say!
Does that guy consider Indonesians, Malaysians, and Cambodians to be Asians too? Because that what Filipinos look like!
That moron think that only yellow skinned Asians are "true Asians". That would include Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese.
That moron said that Filipinos belong to same category as Hawaiians and Samoans.
That's stupid! GET A MAP!
The Phillipines is NOT near Samoa or Hawaii. It is NEAR Indonesia and Malaysia!
Filipinos, Indonesians and other Southeast Asians are darker than other Asians, because they got more exposure to sunlight (DUH!)
Just like how a Native Guatemalan is DARKER than a Native Canadian. Same race, but different exposure to sunlight!
Samoans and Hawaiians dont consider Filipinos to be of the same race. In fact, many Samoans and Hawaiians make fun of the way Filipinos talk and what they eat!
Plus, Filipinos tend to be shorter, have slanted eyes, and have thin hair, whereas Polynesians to be larger, dont have slanted eyes and have thick hair.
So why do Filipinos live in Kalihi, Waipahu and Ewa, along with the Polynesians?
It's not cultural, it's economic.
Same reason you'll find Laotians and Vietnamese living in Palolo Valley along with Samoans, Tongans and Micronesians.
Most immigrants from Samoa, Tonga, Phillipines, Micronesia, Vietnam and Laos can only afford to live in Kalihi, Palolo, Waipahu or Ewa.
I can understand if an 8 year old is confused on this. An adult (like that Chinese man who didn't think of Filipinos as Asians) should know better!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Phony War on Christmas
All the Extreme Right-Wing Christian fanatics are crying about the so-called "War on Christmas".
Why?
All because some store employees say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"
All because some people believe that the traditions of non-Christian religions ought to be celebrated too!
Those Right-Wing Christian fanatics complain about being persecuted because someone said "Happy Holidays", some woman's titties got exposed during Super Bowl half-time, because someone wanted a Pledge of Allegiance without forcing atheist to say "under God", because some want the traditions of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, etc to be honored!
THAT'S NOT PERSECUTION!
In some nations around the world, people get imprisoned and even executed for being Christians. In some nations, Christians get raped, physically tortured and shot at! In some nations, terrorist bomb Christian churches. All just for being Christian.
This is what happens in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and other nations.
Yes, a lot of these occur in mostly Muslim nations. Christians who are escaping such conditions try to move to America. Yet, some so-called Christians wants to ban all immigrant from Mostly Muslim nations? Even those who are trying to escape them?
PS: I prefer saying "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays", but that has nothing to with the Right Wing Christian fascists!
All the Extreme Right-Wing Christian fanatics are crying about the so-called "War on Christmas".
Why?
All because some store employees say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"
All because some people believe that the traditions of non-Christian religions ought to be celebrated too!
Those Right-Wing Christian fanatics complain about being persecuted because someone said "Happy Holidays", some woman's titties got exposed during Super Bowl half-time, because someone wanted a Pledge of Allegiance without forcing atheist to say "under God", because some want the traditions of Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, etc to be honored!
THAT'S NOT PERSECUTION!
In some nations around the world, people get imprisoned and even executed for being Christians. In some nations, Christians get raped, physically tortured and shot at! In some nations, terrorist bomb Christian churches. All just for being Christian.
This is what happens in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and other nations.
Yes, a lot of these occur in mostly Muslim nations. Christians who are escaping such conditions try to move to America. Yet, some so-called Christians wants to ban all immigrant from Mostly Muslim nations? Even those who are trying to escape them?
PS: I prefer saying "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays", but that has nothing to with the Right Wing Christian fascists!
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Racial Conflicts
1) Starting this past weekend, there were racial riots in Sydney, Australia.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/australia.racial.unrest.ap/index.html
It started when 2 Lebanese men attacked a white lifeguard at a Sydney beach. The Euro-Australians retaliated by attacking those who look Middle Eastern. Then the Middle Eastern youth fought back.
I remember reading in a newspaper that one of the white Australians said that all Middle Eastern people in Australia should go back to the Middle East. Nevermind that his ancestors from Europe stole Aborigine land in Australia.
It was only a few years ago, when the Aborigines rioted in Sydney in retaliation for a cop killing an Aborigine male.
Yet, Prime Minister John Howard is downplaying racial tensions in Australia?
I know that not all Australians are prejudiced, but those riots are proof that there is a racial conflict going on there.
2) In a recent post, I mentioned that Compton was once mostly-white, then mostly-black, and now a mostly Latino community.
Here is an article about the conflict between African Americans and Latinos in South Central LA. Very scary stuff
http://www.amconmag.com/2005/2005_12_19/cover.html
3) This past October, there was a riot in Birmingham, England.
This was started when a bunch of Pakistani males raped a Jamaican girl. This then lead to massive fights between Pakistanis and the African-Carribeans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,11374,1599126,00.html
4) So why I mentioning all this on the blog?
To let people be aware of what's happening, and how diversity has it's challenges. In a globalized world, a lot of people are migrating to different places. And when different groups meet in a certain places, some shallow knuckle-heads in each group will start some drama. Calming it down will take a lot of effort and dialogue
1) Starting this past weekend, there were racial riots in Sydney, Australia.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/australia.racial.unrest.ap/index.html
It started when 2 Lebanese men attacked a white lifeguard at a Sydney beach. The Euro-Australians retaliated by attacking those who look Middle Eastern. Then the Middle Eastern youth fought back.
I remember reading in a newspaper that one of the white Australians said that all Middle Eastern people in Australia should go back to the Middle East. Nevermind that his ancestors from Europe stole Aborigine land in Australia.
It was only a few years ago, when the Aborigines rioted in Sydney in retaliation for a cop killing an Aborigine male.
Yet, Prime Minister John Howard is downplaying racial tensions in Australia?
I know that not all Australians are prejudiced, but those riots are proof that there is a racial conflict going on there.
2) In a recent post, I mentioned that Compton was once mostly-white, then mostly-black, and now a mostly Latino community.
Here is an article about the conflict between African Americans and Latinos in South Central LA. Very scary stuff
http://www.amconmag.com/2005/2005_12_19/cover.html
3) This past October, there was a riot in Birmingham, England.
This was started when a bunch of Pakistani males raped a Jamaican girl. This then lead to massive fights between Pakistanis and the African-Carribeans
http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,11374,1599126,00.html
4) So why I mentioning all this on the blog?
To let people be aware of what's happening, and how diversity has it's challenges. In a globalized world, a lot of people are migrating to different places. And when different groups meet in a certain places, some shallow knuckle-heads in each group will start some drama. Calming it down will take a lot of effort and dialogue
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Old Hawaii
It is natural for people to reminisce about the old days. I'm only 25 years old, and already feel nostalgia about the good times of the past.
That's totally OK when you're sitting alone at your home or when talking story to old-time friends.
However, some people use that as an excuse to oppose any developments, whether it's a new condo building, a new neighborhood or a new Wal-Mart being built.
Many of those opponents were those who grew up in Hawaii in the 1950's and 1960's and want Hawaii to stay that way.
How ironic, since back when they were children, the grownups (who grew up in the 1920's) already wished things were the way they were when they were young.
People just assume that the way things were when they grew up was how it was before they were born.
If those people were living in caveman times, they would oppose the idea of building homes outside of caves, not to mention basic sanitation, electric systems and other things we take for granted today.
Things change, and it happens everywhere.
In the infamous community of Compton (in the LA metro area), it was once an all-white town. We might find it hard to believe since it's the home of gangsta rap.But when African Americans moved in, all the European Americans moved out. And nowadays, all the Mexicans and Central Americans are moving in, and the African Americans are moving out.
The same happens in Hawaii.
McKinley High School in Honolulu was nicknamed "Tokyo High" 40 years ago. Yet, today, that's not even the case.
I was at that school's graduation ceremony last June, and I hardly seen any Japanese people.
Most of the Asians I saw were Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese and Filipinos. I also saw more Samoans and Micronesians than Japanese.
One friend who went to Washington Middle School (in Honolulu) 10 years ago said that school was mostly Japanese. NOT ANYMORE!
I worked at Washington Middle as a substitute teacher, and I can tell you that Japanese are a minority there. They're outnumbered by Koreans, Samoans and Micronesians.
The point is, things change! People move out of neighborhoods, other people move in.
Communities change. Times change.
I'm not saying it's good or bad, it just is!
It is natural for people to reminisce about the old days. I'm only 25 years old, and already feel nostalgia about the good times of the past.
That's totally OK when you're sitting alone at your home or when talking story to old-time friends.
However, some people use that as an excuse to oppose any developments, whether it's a new condo building, a new neighborhood or a new Wal-Mart being built.
Many of those opponents were those who grew up in Hawaii in the 1950's and 1960's and want Hawaii to stay that way.
How ironic, since back when they were children, the grownups (who grew up in the 1920's) already wished things were the way they were when they were young.
People just assume that the way things were when they grew up was how it was before they were born.
If those people were living in caveman times, they would oppose the idea of building homes outside of caves, not to mention basic sanitation, electric systems and other things we take for granted today.
Things change, and it happens everywhere.
In the infamous community of Compton (in the LA metro area), it was once an all-white town. We might find it hard to believe since it's the home of gangsta rap.But when African Americans moved in, all the European Americans moved out. And nowadays, all the Mexicans and Central Americans are moving in, and the African Americans are moving out.
The same happens in Hawaii.
McKinley High School in Honolulu was nicknamed "Tokyo High" 40 years ago. Yet, today, that's not even the case.
I was at that school's graduation ceremony last June, and I hardly seen any Japanese people.
Most of the Asians I saw were Chinese, Koreans, Vietnamese and Filipinos. I also saw more Samoans and Micronesians than Japanese.
One friend who went to Washington Middle School (in Honolulu) 10 years ago said that school was mostly Japanese. NOT ANYMORE!
I worked at Washington Middle as a substitute teacher, and I can tell you that Japanese are a minority there. They're outnumbered by Koreans, Samoans and Micronesians.
The point is, things change! People move out of neighborhoods, other people move in.
Communities change. Times change.
I'm not saying it's good or bad, it just is!
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Rape of 11 year old girl
On November 22, 2005, an 11 year old girl was raped by 5 boys in Beretania Community Park near Kukui Gardens.
http://starbulletin.com/2005/11/27/news/story02.html
I have been following this story because the victim and 3 of the agressors have been reported to attend Central Middle School, where I occassionally work as a substitute teacher.
I dont know the names and even if I did, I'm not allowed to say them publicly. Plus, names aren't important for you to know. What is important to know is how it happened, and how it can be prevented.
As the rape was occuring, NO ONE called the police, even this happened in the MOST densely populated area of Honolulu.
Possible reasons:
1) Assuming that because there's many people living nearby, there must've been someone who called the police already, so why bother?
Why bother? Because everyone else is thinking "why bother", so just call the police anyways. Plus, if the police are getting 100 calls about it, THAT'S GOOD. That puts neccessary pressure on the cops to get to the scene immediately.
2) That area has a large number of immigrants, many of whom aren't confident enough in their English speaking skills to speak to an emergency dispatcher.
That could be YOUR situation if YOU are in a place where you dont understand the language.
--------------------------------------------
A letter to the Star Bulletin
http://starbulletin.com/2005/12/03/editorial/letters.html
Parents responsible for alleged rapistsThe recent rape of the 11-year-old child, allegedly by five juveniles (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 1), is a prime example of what we can expect from the youth of today if parents continue to raise their kids in an immoral environment. I blame the parents of the alleged rapists for their actions.
I strongly feel that these kids should be held as adults. If that cannot be done because of the laws pertaining to youthful offenders, then their parents should be held responsible. Immorality begets immorality.
Kimo Holland
Honolulu
-------------------------------
MY RESPONSE (hopefully to be published on the Star Bulletin soon)
I have been paying special attention the case of the 11 year old girl raped near Kukui Gardens, because I occassionally work at Central Middle School as a substitute teacher. It was reported that the girl and her attackers go to that school.
On the 12/3/05 edition of the Star Bulletin, Kimo Holland blamed the parents of the rapist for the rape.
Does Holland know who the parents are?
The reason I ask is because many kids dont even bother listening to their parents or their teachers, regardless of how strict they are!
Remember, kids have a mind of their own. Their minds are not blank slates, though we sometimes wish they were.
Maybe those rapists were brought up in an immoral, abusive, drug-filled environment. But then again, not even kids who grow up in a conservative household are immune from the urges of committing rape and other viscious crimes.
Until I know about their home environment, I won't hold the parents responsible for their children's crimes.
Pablo Wegesend
Honolulu, HI
------------------------------------------
Too many boys think raping girls is a fun game. Why else would they do it? That's why they ought to be punished.
The boys who commited the crimes are currently awaiting trial. Hopefully, they get some time in jail, and more importantly they learn to regret their acts.
On November 22, 2005, an 11 year old girl was raped by 5 boys in Beretania Community Park near Kukui Gardens.
http://starbulletin.com/2005/11/27/news/story02.html
I have been following this story because the victim and 3 of the agressors have been reported to attend Central Middle School, where I occassionally work as a substitute teacher.
I dont know the names and even if I did, I'm not allowed to say them publicly. Plus, names aren't important for you to know. What is important to know is how it happened, and how it can be prevented.
As the rape was occuring, NO ONE called the police, even this happened in the MOST densely populated area of Honolulu.
Possible reasons:
1) Assuming that because there's many people living nearby, there must've been someone who called the police already, so why bother?
Why bother? Because everyone else is thinking "why bother", so just call the police anyways. Plus, if the police are getting 100 calls about it, THAT'S GOOD. That puts neccessary pressure on the cops to get to the scene immediately.
2) That area has a large number of immigrants, many of whom aren't confident enough in their English speaking skills to speak to an emergency dispatcher.
That could be YOUR situation if YOU are in a place where you dont understand the language.
--------------------------------------------
A letter to the Star Bulletin
http://starbulletin.com/2005/12/03/editorial/letters.html
Parents responsible for alleged rapistsThe recent rape of the 11-year-old child, allegedly by five juveniles (Star-Bulletin, Dec. 1), is a prime example of what we can expect from the youth of today if parents continue to raise their kids in an immoral environment. I blame the parents of the alleged rapists for their actions.
I strongly feel that these kids should be held as adults. If that cannot be done because of the laws pertaining to youthful offenders, then their parents should be held responsible. Immorality begets immorality.
Kimo Holland
Honolulu
-------------------------------
MY RESPONSE (hopefully to be published on the Star Bulletin soon)
I have been paying special attention the case of the 11 year old girl raped near Kukui Gardens, because I occassionally work at Central Middle School as a substitute teacher. It was reported that the girl and her attackers go to that school.
On the 12/3/05 edition of the Star Bulletin, Kimo Holland blamed the parents of the rapist for the rape.
Does Holland know who the parents are?
The reason I ask is because many kids dont even bother listening to their parents or their teachers, regardless of how strict they are!
Remember, kids have a mind of their own. Their minds are not blank slates, though we sometimes wish they were.
Maybe those rapists were brought up in an immoral, abusive, drug-filled environment. But then again, not even kids who grow up in a conservative household are immune from the urges of committing rape and other viscious crimes.
Until I know about their home environment, I won't hold the parents responsible for their children's crimes.
Pablo Wegesend
Honolulu, HI
------------------------------------------
Too many boys think raping girls is a fun game. Why else would they do it? That's why they ought to be punished.
The boys who commited the crimes are currently awaiting trial. Hopefully, they get some time in jail, and more importantly they learn to regret their acts.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Being Thankful
Thanksgiving was 2 days ago.
What am I thankful for?
1) I'm thankful that my home has running water, electricity, and flushing toilets. Stuff that so many Americans consider basic is stuff many people worldwide don't even have. Imagine your life without them. That's the life that millions worldwide have to put up with every day. That's the life our ancestors had to put up with.
2) I'm thankful to be able to live alone! I dont have to worry about others nagging, asking me stupid questions, etc when I want to have some privacy! I can actually have some time of peace & quiet. Plus, it helps you think better when others aren't always talking to you.
3) I'm thankful for improved relations with my family! A few years back, I felt alienated from my family due to some bad decisions they made. But at least they have acknowledged it and we have discussed them. And it made us all better people. And I'm NO LONGER alienated from them.
4) I'm thankful for the Internet! I dont have it at home, and I need to use the public library to access the Internet. But at least it's there. Because of the Internet, I have access to information that is hard to find elsewhere. And I even have my websites and email address to communicate my thoughts to the world.
5) I'm thankful to live in America! Most nations dont even have the same freedom or economic opportunity we have. I can post my thoughts on this blog without worrying about being thrown in jail for it. I live in a nation where we have luxury items that others don't have.
6) I'm thankful to live in Hawaii! Having sun and trade winds (most of the time), you can't get any better than that! It's a multi-racial society that is more succesful in cultural integration than most parts of the world. It's a good place to raise kids who can appreciate cultural diversity.
7) I'm thankful to live in Honolulu! It's the funnest part of Hawaii. It has all the malls, nightclubs, parks. It is Hawaii's center of business and government. It has some great institutions like the University of Hawaii, Ala Moana, Nuuanu YMCA, Palama Settlement, McKinley High School, Ward Center, Kahala Mall, the list can go on. It has a decent bus service (most of the time). And you can have easy access to nature (ie. the beaches, the botanical gardens, the green valleys) while living in an urban environment.
8) I'm thankful for glasses! Otherwise, I have difficult reading this screen.
9) I'm thankful for all the fun memories I have! They remind me that life can be fun :)
10) I'm thankful for all my good decisions! Such as refusing to take drugs, refusal to drink any alcoholic beverages, refusing to smoke, deciding to eat less & walk/bike more (which helped me loose weight), to excell in school, the list goes on and on.
11) I'm thankful for my friends! Some people dont have any.
12) I'm thankful for Detrol LA! Otherwise, I'd be urinating every half-hour.
13) I'm thankful for being employed! Though I'm not making big $$$, I'm thankful I'm getting some.
Also, being a sub teacher, I get to work at different schools and meeting new people. It's an adventurous life.
Conclusion : While most of our conversations goes along the line of "I wish I had this" or "I hate this", we must remember that in certain things, we have it better than others and to be thankful for it!
Or you'll be the guy that when told "others have it worse than you", he said "Really?"
Yes, really!
Thanksgiving was 2 days ago.
What am I thankful for?
1) I'm thankful that my home has running water, electricity, and flushing toilets. Stuff that so many Americans consider basic is stuff many people worldwide don't even have. Imagine your life without them. That's the life that millions worldwide have to put up with every day. That's the life our ancestors had to put up with.
2) I'm thankful to be able to live alone! I dont have to worry about others nagging, asking me stupid questions, etc when I want to have some privacy! I can actually have some time of peace & quiet. Plus, it helps you think better when others aren't always talking to you.
3) I'm thankful for improved relations with my family! A few years back, I felt alienated from my family due to some bad decisions they made. But at least they have acknowledged it and we have discussed them. And it made us all better people. And I'm NO LONGER alienated from them.
4) I'm thankful for the Internet! I dont have it at home, and I need to use the public library to access the Internet. But at least it's there. Because of the Internet, I have access to information that is hard to find elsewhere. And I even have my websites and email address to communicate my thoughts to the world.
5) I'm thankful to live in America! Most nations dont even have the same freedom or economic opportunity we have. I can post my thoughts on this blog without worrying about being thrown in jail for it. I live in a nation where we have luxury items that others don't have.
6) I'm thankful to live in Hawaii! Having sun and trade winds (most of the time), you can't get any better than that! It's a multi-racial society that is more succesful in cultural integration than most parts of the world. It's a good place to raise kids who can appreciate cultural diversity.
7) I'm thankful to live in Honolulu! It's the funnest part of Hawaii. It has all the malls, nightclubs, parks. It is Hawaii's center of business and government. It has some great institutions like the University of Hawaii, Ala Moana, Nuuanu YMCA, Palama Settlement, McKinley High School, Ward Center, Kahala Mall, the list can go on. It has a decent bus service (most of the time). And you can have easy access to nature (ie. the beaches, the botanical gardens, the green valleys) while living in an urban environment.
8) I'm thankful for glasses! Otherwise, I have difficult reading this screen.
9) I'm thankful for all the fun memories I have! They remind me that life can be fun :)
10) I'm thankful for all my good decisions! Such as refusing to take drugs, refusal to drink any alcoholic beverages, refusing to smoke, deciding to eat less & walk/bike more (which helped me loose weight), to excell in school, the list goes on and on.
11) I'm thankful for my friends! Some people dont have any.
12) I'm thankful for Detrol LA! Otherwise, I'd be urinating every half-hour.
13) I'm thankful for being employed! Though I'm not making big $$$, I'm thankful I'm getting some.
Also, being a sub teacher, I get to work at different schools and meeting new people. It's an adventurous life.
Conclusion : While most of our conversations goes along the line of "I wish I had this" or "I hate this", we must remember that in certain things, we have it better than others and to be thankful for it!
Or you'll be the guy that when told "others have it worse than you", he said "Really?"
Yes, really!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
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.
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.
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