China has done it AGAIN!

msnbc: 'China jails reporter for U.S. Website for 4 years'

"Critics say journalist has been imprisoned for daring to 'report news freely' "

Tsk tsk.

Media censorship in China has gone ridiculously overboard.

I reckon, boycott the Beijing Olympics.

Uh oh, I think I've just plopped myself into the extremely long blacklist of the Chinese authorities.

Play a Game and Feed the Hungry!

http://www.freerice.com

Insidious Racism

In today's globalised world with increased movements of people, racism is still a daily occurrence for many people, and racial hate crimes are continue to happen. Race still matters, and many people are still racist, yet most people still insist they are not.

What is racism? Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines it as "1 : a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race 2 : racial prejudice or discrimination".

Racism is, in my opinion, making assumptions based on someone's racial appearance even though the basis is often weak, and people who do that are oblivious to their own racism. It is having negative feelings such as fear, hatred, disgust, towards someone or a certain group because of their 'ethnic' look.

This is the most common, but not the most severe, form of racism I've encountered. "Oh you speak such good English!" "Wow you have very good English vocabulary!" "Wow your speech is almost accentless!" (The last one is plain ignorant. Everyone has an accent, even if it is their native and only language. Just because you are too dense to realise your own accent does not mean you are 'accentless'. Similarly, just because you belong to a majority race does not mean you are not 'ethnic'.)

Why do people assume that I have a poor mastery of English or that I've only recently picked up the language because I am "Asian"? Your racial makeup does not determine what language you speak and how well you speak it any more than your gender determines your innate ability and desire to cook. A ethnically Korean, if raised in a French-speaking Indian family in France, would speak French, and would possibly prefer Tikka Masala Chicken to Kimchi. A Caucasian, if raised in a Chinese-speaking family and schooled in China's public education system, will speak impeccable Chinese, read traditional Chinese, and will only know a few English phrases, and lots of vulgar English expletives, picked up from friends and American TV shows.

Not only do I speak, read and write English, I love reading the classics and poetry. I am what they call "artsy". I appreciate Shakespeare, love Tennessee Williams, love Henrik Ibsen (translated into English). Jane Austen is my choice of "chick lit". I read and write poetry. Some of my favourite poets are Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath and Mary Oliver. My verbal SAT scores (taken more than five years ago) were 740/800, compared to 620/800 for my math. My understanding of science subjects like Chemistry and Physics is atrocious, to say the least. So much for the stereotype that ALL Chinese are a genius when it comes to science and math. My spiel is not to show off, but to debunk racial stereotypes regarding language mastery. Just because I am ethnically Chinese does not mean I would struggle to grasp the English language, or that I would be more inclined towards the sciences.

The above racism I've just written against seldom arises from malice. Most of the time, people just assume. Well, my opinion is, assume no more. If you do not know, ask. Admit you are having trouble placing my nationality/accent/ethnicity, and ask. Asking is not offensive. Assuming is.

Then again, there are much worse forms of racism out there than someone praising your grasp of a language. In 1982, Vincent Chin, a Chinese American, was beaten to death after his bachelor party by two men, Ronald Eben and Michael Nitz, who thought he was Japanese. To add to the injustice, the two perpetrators were convicted on a lesser crime and let off with no jail time. The 1930s song 'Strange Fruit', performed by the talented Billie Holiday, is about lynchings of African-Americans that were happening during that time. Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed 4 days after the September 11 attacks because the assailant, in a racist act of 9-11 retaliation, mistook his Sikh appearance to be Middle Eastern. People of Middle Eastern appearance now have to face people's lingering stares, suspicions and rude accusations that they are terrorists, in addition to the racism they already face for being 'ethnic'.

More close to home, a friend was approached by a stranger who thought she was Chinese, and told her harshly to "Go back to China!" Non-white friends, especially the darker-skinned ones, are often eyed suspiciously by salespeople in malls, and treated most appallingly, as if dark-skinned minorities do not deserve respect. I went out to dinner recently with a bunch of Asian girlfriends, and the restaurant manager peered into the face of my Japanese friend, turned to me and asked "Does she speak English?" My most recent outrage was stumbling upon this "Asian" website that claimed there was a thing as "Asianness" that could be measured, and accused Asians who dye their hair, of self-loathing, and dictated that only certain hair colours are permissible for "Asians". It also stupidly made the generalisation that all "Asians" are Orientals, i.e. Chinese/Korean/Japanese. These people are racist against people of their own race. Pathetic, to say the least.

What are the most insidious or blatant forms of racism you've encountered?

God is God

Dr. King and Malcolm X

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), was a legendary leader of the American Civil Rights Movement and a man I greatly admire. He said this about justice.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Malcolm X, a radical contemporary of Dr. King, and equally significant in the Civil Rights Movement, is also a man I admire, though for different reasons. He said this about justice.

"Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it."

These two men, in two very different ways, were significant in fighting for the rights of African-Americans and correcting a long-standing racial injustice in American society. As a result of their passion and courage in fighting for what is right, they have left a legacy that has lasted long after their deaths and will continue to last for future generations.

If you get the chance, find out more about these two men. It would definitely be worth your while.

Amazing Amazon Tribe

This is not related to justice or anything requiring social change, but I'm posting the picture below anyway because I think it is exciting that we have discovered a "lost tribe" deep in the Amazon that has never been in contact with the rest of the world.

In the two pictures above, they are fascinated/scared by the helicopter taking the pictures and are attempting to shoot it down with arrows. Some of the tribesmen are painted bright red.

Their housing.

Inspiration of the Month

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Marianne Williamson

Van Thanh Rudd's painting

Van Thanh Rudd (Kevin Rudd's nephew) has produced a political art piece (above, beside him)that I think is fabulous. It depicts Ronald McDonald happily running with the Olympic Torch beside a burning monk. Unfortunately, it has been banned from the art exhibition which it was created for.

"He said the work reflects his belief that the global economy is a hurdle to dealing with human rights abuses, including those in Tibet."

I think he has conveyed his message powerfully and I agree with him.

You can read the relevant article here.

Should Free Tibet be quiet because of the earthquake?

NEWS.com.au: 'Tibetan Olympics begin in India'

"A MOCK "Olympics" organised by Tibetan exiles kicked off in northern India today despite calls to halt anti-China protests as a mark of respect for earthquake victims."

"The world goes to Beijing for the Olympics Games, but we have nowhere to go - and so we must demonstrate we the Tibetan people are also alive,'' games director Lobsang Wangyal said."

"Catherine Schuetze, an Australian acting as volunteer book-keeper for the "Tibetan Olympics'' said lack of money was threatening the event in Dharamshala, home to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

Mr Wangyal said he did not have enough cash to hand out $US8000 ($A8300) in promised prize money. "I've got just 40,000 rupees ($A1000) and total expenses are expected to be well over two million rupees,'' Mr Wangyal said.

The Dalai Lama's exiled Tibetan administration in Dharamshala has turned its back on the event, which it views as insulting to China and likely to damage the prospects of future talks."

"But the influential Tibetan Youth Congress, which largely ignores the Dalai Lama's appeals for moderation, threw its weight behind the alternative games."

What do you reckon? Should these Tibetans drop their plan for a "Tibetan Olympics" because of the tragic earthquake (and severe aftershocks) that has rocked China? If they do not highlight their cause now, then when? Would people listen then?

I think the Beijing Olympics has created a rare platform for Tibet to air its grievances and actually have the world pay attention. The Chinese earthquake and the high number of casualties are devastating and there is a need to respect the victims. However, Tibetans have gone through devastating injustices for an extended period of time. While I do not wish to equate the two forms of suffering, I support what the advocates of Free Tibet are doing to continue to highlight its cause because it is crucial to do so now. The Chinese victims need to be helped and respected, but the Tibetans deserve to be heard and respected too.

By the way, if you're a little confused by the Dalai Lama's administration's disapproval of the political move and the Tibetan Youth Congress' support, the latter has been vocal about "Free Tibet" and advocates the independence of Tibet, while the Dalai Lama has been significantly less political and more interested in having talks, creating a "Middle Way", and creating a sense of peace in Tibet. (He's more zen, if you will.)

Musings

2 major natural disasters have hit Asia in the past month. Cyclone Nargis has devastated Burma (Myanmar), with at least 134,000 dead or missing, rice fields ruined and the crisis further exacerbated by the ruling military junta's reluctance to let in aid workers. An earthquake in China last week has left properties ruined and hundreds of thousands of people dead, with the death toll continuing to rise.

There is a global food crisis with dramatic food price increases leaving many in poor and undeveloped countries unable to obtain basic food necessities. There have been food riots and social unrest as a result.

Human slavery is still occurring today, despite its relatively low profile. There is widespread trafficking of women and children for sex exploitation, and there are people who are recruited for seemingly legitimate jobs but are later forced into exploitative and restrictive working environments.

More than 20% of people in developing countries live in extreme economic poverty, surviving on less than US$1 per day. Access to information, education, clean water, medical assistance and many other things that most of us take for granted, are limited or non-existent for many people in poor underdeveloped countries. Children die of starvation, or of illnesses that can be easily treated.

Tibetans are persecuted and treated as second class citizens in their homeland by the Chinese government. Burmese are forced to vote on a referendum strengthening the powers of the ruling junta days after a major cyclone killed their loved ones and destroyed their homes. Women in the Middle East are stoned, sidelined, tortured, or jailed for being a rape victim, or even something as small as going out without a male family escort. A woman lies dead in her flat for 35 years, and no one realised or cared about her shocking absence to go check on her.

We live in a world stricken with poverty, injustice, deprivation, and ugly loneliness, and most of us sit around, hang around, demanding, complaining, envying, and striving for luxuries for ourselves. Luxuries that we deem NECESSARY. Heck, I'm the same. DVDs that I just got to have. Clothes that I have to buy because they are on 'special'. Camembert cheese because they're so yummy. Chips in case I get cravings. Desserts because it's only normal to want something sweet after a meal. A gym membership because I have to work out all those desserts. I do not even have to go into Louis Vuitton to realise I surround myself with luxuries.

I realise... I claim a passion for social justice, for advocating for the voiceless, but really, truly, how much of my life, and my resources, do I give to the less fortunate? Similarly, I claim to be a Christian. But how much of my 'Christianity' actually goes beyond appearing at a church well-dressed, sometimes shabbily dressed, every Sunday?

I'm ashamed to admit I'm probably as much a fashionable facade as the hypocrites I abhor. Hmm I wonder, what do YOU do for the things/causes you claim passion for?