The Real Fight at Home and Bin Laden's Death

Osama Bin Laden killed.  Just about everyone in America is celebrating, but I question whether America's strategy was the best, especially since 74% of (surveyed) Americans feel less safe now because of the possible backlash and fury from Bin Laden supporters.  Justice > Safety of innocent lives? I don't think so.  


The real fight is not overseas, but in America and doesn't include ethnic discrimination, unfair treatment, and violation of human rights like it did after 9/11.  I think we can all recall the hate crimes and unfair treatment towards Muslims in America after the tragic incident. In order to stop hate and terrorist acts we can't attack, discriminate, or even ignore foreigners or even "foreign-looking" Americans.  We MUST welcome, communicate, and understand the unfamiliar if we are too move forward. It's the only way to destroy the negative perceptions of Americans: that we think we we're god, and we're better than everybody, that we are the world police, out there to take over your country and force our culture and belief system onto you because we are better, by the way we don't listen or care unless you have oil. 


In my experience, there are times where I have felt un-American, like I didn't have a voice, that people looked at me differently.  And if I were a terrorist intent on attacking a country that ostracized me for being Muslim, what would stop me? Feeling like I didn't belong or inclusion? And the answer is so obvious I'm not even going to spell it out.  If you look at other attacks like Virginia Tech or bullying suicides, the extreme behavior is driven by isolation and non-acceptance. I urge all of you to get to know someone different that you hate or look down upon because you will be surprised and you will be a better person.

Hottentot Human

Note: Hottentot Venus is a novel based on the life of Sarah Baartman. Hottentot was the name of her people given by the Dutch, meaning stutterers. Hottentot Venus (Sarah Baartman) was put on display in the French Circus, treated like an animal, and placed in the Museum of Natural History as the missing link between apes and humans.

Hottenot Human

Hottentot Venus they called her; a woman-like beast born from a clan who spoke in stutters.  Her story dismantled me to tears and brought forth a rage that I have only felt when my mother would tell me stories of genocidal Cambodia.  A beautiful piece of art that should have never been, reminding us of what we truly are, animals. Our predecessors were not civilized beings, they lived in the wild and consumed from the earth.  We, as animals with grand intelligence and a selective conscience began as hunter gatherers designed so through the process of natural selection. We hunted in packs of people and learned to herd and grow green from the earth only to rape its nutrients. We, as animals with intelligent minds learned to take and took, and with the learning curve from our business models were able to do so at a decreasing rate.  When our physical bodies came in contact with those not like us, those who walked erect, had original tongues, ten fingers, and two eyes, they became a threat; one worth killing.  And our instincts, which are not animal-like, but animal in nature storm through our minds, striking our consciences, and infecting our intelligence. Once vast lands became populated of their own, European animals put sticks on water and ventured south, where they raped and they murdered small African businesses.  And because we for so long took and take from the earth without thinking who she is and what she represents, why not take your soil and make it mine, because taking makes cents and greed lives without heart.

Fish Out of Water

In the seventh grade I moved to Savage, Minnesota.  I had moved around quite a bit up to this point in my life, so starting over as the new kid was second nature to me.  The difference was, at this school there was no one that looked or thought like me. I was one of the only ones in my social studies class that thought it shouldn't be illegal for immigrants to come to the US without first learning English.  I remember hating this one student teacher, Ms. Steber (sp?).  I don't remember if she was married or not, but I have no clue why anyone would want to marry her.  She was large and had long curly blonde hair.  She would stand in the hallway and say hi to me with all of the fake-ness she could conjure up.  I saw her once in a late night kick boxing infomercial and that made me smile.  She would always tell me not to do things and what I should and shouldn't wear to school; I wished she would just leave me alone.  Who was she to tell me how to dress and behave? I did nothing wrong and none of the teachers had a problem with me, most were delighted to have me in class.  One day I was called down to the nurses office, I was confused, but delighted to get out of class.  The nurse sat me down and told me that someone (Ms. Steber) requested for her to speak with me about personal hygiene.  Are you SERIOUS!!!?? I took a shower every morning before I left the house and did my laundry weekly, so I know that I don't smell.  The nurse went on to ask me questions...


N:Being that you are Asian, does your mom cook Asian food or American food at home?
M:My mom cooks both, but mostly Asian dishes I guess 
N:Well, Asian food is a lot more greasy than American food and that may have contributed to some bad odor
M:...???? 


My face grew blank, but my mind raged. Imbecile! First of all get your Asians straight.  Japanese, Indian, Filipino, and Cambodian people are not the same and we eat different dishes. I am Khmer and Chinese and our dishes are not all fried. What we eat at home is not the fake commercial garbage that you scarf down when you go to the mall on the weekends. My patience grew thin, but I was was out of my element.  She went on to ask me more bogus questions...  


N:How many pairs of shoes do you own?
M:...Two (Is this a real question?) 
N:You might want to try alternating them daily
N:I nod while trying to avoid eye contact 


I had some red and white Nike Cortez that I wore everyday and a pair of black Sketchers that I never wore. I never knew people owned more than one pair of shoes at a time.  All I could think about is how much I hated Ms. Steber, I knew it was her that made the request.  I wanted her to know how much I hated her and I wanted her to understand that her ignorance was another person's pain and my anger. The nurse ended our meeting and decided to take one last blow to my gut... you're not going to walk out of here and start balling are you?  I gave no reply and walked out of the room.  


Educators should be educated.

Tip of the Day - Jan. 22, 2010

Life, like business (and baseball) is full of curve balls. To be successful you have to know how to read each pitch.

There's a Woman in Cambodia

 
The heart of the tiger lies in the koi pond of social constructs and the artist who bred Nike shoes. Ten-year-old girls named Neang who glue them together in the Southeast of Asia trust, and her hands, rust flavored and contaminate with hope and oppression. She loses. He wins.

Tip of the day - Dec. 18, 2009

Don't let anyone tell you that you're not good enough. Know who your are and who you want to be, then find out how to get there.

Tip of the day - Dec. 17, 2009

Don't take sides, take angles.