Posted on: 20-06-06 08:46:28
Quote:
Originally posted by shah_hs
I would like suggesstions from everyone...what a person should do if he has become a victim of purely racisim. Any laws that can help me or any other solution...i welcome all.
thanks,
shah
Stand your ground and pay them back in spades. Learn a trick or two from Mr Nadir Mohamed(note origin of name) who is CEO of Rogers Wireless and rise above the petty herd.
Start a business and make money from this country. With a name like Hemal Shah that shouldn't be hard to do(now I am stereotyping).
The Jews were persecuted and made money from those who persecuted them and from others as well. They ran the diamond business in Antwerp. Then came the Gujeratis and they now rule. If you Gujeratis can whup the Jews, you can beat anybody.
Forget the bigotry.Don't let it bog you down. Rise above it. Move on.
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A Cantonese language odyssey
Jun. 20, 2006. 01:00 AM
Mom, Dad: You were right. (How's that for an early wedding anniversary present?) Over the years, you've probably been right about many things, however the point that I am now conceding publicly has been a long time coming.
I've been working in Hong Kong for the past two months. A quick glance to the right clearly reveals my Asian heritage, of Chinese roots to be specific.
My dear, well-meaning parents have always tried to maintain the Chinese side of my Chinese-Canadian identity. Admittedly, it was an uphill battle. One of the major points of contention was the language issue.
My Mom is from Hong Kong and my Dad is from Macau. So, my brother and I grew up in a Cantonese-speaking household. Incidentally, a Cantonese-speaking household in a decidedly non-Cantonese neighbourhood in Toronto. With fondness and nostalgia, my Mom often recalls how I used to enthusiastically sing along to Cantonese pop songs — and unfortunately cassette tapes remain as evidence of my early Canto-pop diva-hood.
Despite Cantonese being my first language, once school started, Cantonese quickly took second place to the more useful English that all my friends spoke. We still spoke Cantonese at home, but my penchant for Canto-pop ceded to the likes of Paula Abdul and Madonna.
My parents correctly assessed that my Cantonese was slipping as English continually invaded our conversations. As a result, my brother and I found ourselves in Chinatown every Saturday morning for Chinese school.
Looking back on those countless Saturdays, I have very faint recollections of practising characters and oral dictation. However, I do vividly recall playing floor hockey during recess and doodling over the faces in my workbook.
As I previously mentioned, learning Chinese was an uphill battle. Although we protested about giving up our precious Saturday mornings, my parents persisted in continuing our Chinese education. It was important to learn how to read, write and speak. We were Chinese. How could we be Chinese without knowing our own language?
In my mind, it was a no-brainer. Why learn Chinese at all? All my friends spoke English and they got to spend their Saturday mornings watching cartoons and Saved By The Bell.
Going the "all my friends ..." route didn't seem to have much of an effect on my parents. Even though they never vocalized their sentiments, it is clear to me now that in the ongoing battle of my Chinese-Canadian identity they could plainly see that my young vested interest was in the latter part of the hyphenation.
I am embarrassed and ashamed when I reflect on how I fervently longed to be more Canadian. Sure, it was quirky to bring egg tarts in margarine containers for lunch, but sometimes you just want to be accepted and have peanut butter and jelly like everyone else.
Eventually, my parents conceded to my increasingly vocal objections and half-hearted efforts at my Chinese studies. They relented and I was free to do as I pleased on Saturday mornings.
I now find it absurd that I wanted to be more Canadian. Countless incidents have bestowed me with the wisdom and knowledge to realize that it is not possible. I don't mean this in a toe-the-multicultural-line, celebratory "We're all Canadians" way; but rather, I've finally learned that for some I'm just not Canadian enough.
There is a fine line between curiosity and ignorance. I'm sure other Canadians who are visible minorities are familiar with the "No, but where are you really from?" episode. Most often it is just curiosity, but unfortunately it may be a large platter of ignoramus with a side order of racism.
Of my hyphenated identity, I have, whether consciously or unconsciously, spent most of my life focusing on the latter part. But "being a Canadian" is apparently an insolvable enigma and the concept of Canadian identity is something I'll leave to the political science majors and sociologists.
A few years ago, during my undergraduate studies, I was drawn toward learning more about where I really come from. It seemed a natural, albeit long overdue, embrace of my heritage.
This continuing interest led to my present, fortunate work opportunity in Hong Kong. I like to think I've polished my spoken Cantonese, although at times it is a definite struggle (which could explain why I'm sporting a mullet).
However, my laughable reading and writing skills have proved to be the ultimate barrier. It is humbling and humiliating having to ask for verbal explanations of anything written, including, much to my gluttonous dismay, menus. Each time I encounter an unknown character (which occurs 95 per cent of the time), I curse my younger self.
And so, Mom and Dad, you were right.
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Sound familiar? Probably more appropriate fodder for a thread on ID crisis.
The link is
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1150753810690&call_pageid=970599119419
Quote:
Originally posted by RedBaron
Forget the bigotry.Don't let it bog you down. Rise above it. Move on.
The type of individuals that come to the forum likely don't want to rise above any (perceived) bigotry. Its usually a good excuse to justify one's failures.
Here is something thats happened to me a few times. I meet a Indian looking guy. We smile and start talking. Then I am asked
"so where are u from?"
me: "India"
" India mein kahan?"
Me : " bombay"
"Aap maharashtrain to nahin dikhte? (depending on the person) Gujarati ho? or Punjabi ho?"
Why isn't me saying I am an Indian or I am from India enough?
If two gora immigrants meet and one says he is from germany. the other gora deoesn't ask " where from in germany?" Why is this restricted to Indians?
Quote:
Originally posted by amitcr
If two gora immigrants meet and one says he is from germany. the other gora deoesn't ask " where from in germany?" Why is this restricted to Indians?
1. How would you know this does not happen with a German???
2. How do you know the other gora is also a German??
In my opinion, any two persons who come from same geographical area will ask this question to each other - it could be India, could be GTA, could be Vaughan, could be Thornhill, and the question will keep growing as you keep finding that the two persons live very near each other. So if I met a person in my office and tells me he lives in the north, I will ask him where in the north. If he says, in Vaughan, I will ask him where in Vaughan since I live there too. If his next answer is Thornhill, I will ask him where in Thornhill, and if he say Dufferin street, I will futher ask him where in Dufferin St - all this is so obvious.
And this other guy need not be Gora!!!
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Chandresh
Advice is free – lessons I charge for!!
The question is not what i get... i have come across many people who are hired by the company because the company urgently needed the persons but lateron the company replaced them by white....If so why this govt calls/gives immigrant status to us..
I strongly believe in doing job of my line and i know many indian satisfy themselves by just doing labour work for years..We have not come here to do labour work...
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Regs,
shah.hemal.s@gmail.com
Quote:
Originally posted by shah_hs
The question is not what i get... i have come across many people who are hired by the company because the company urgently needed the persons but lateron the company replaced them by white....If so why this govt calls/gives immigrant status to us..
I strongly believe in doing job of my line and i know many indian satisfy themselves by just doing labour work for years..We have not come here to do labour work...
Funny how posters like you always "come across other people" who have been victims of racism. How about posting your own experiences for a change?
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Microsoft - Which end of the stick do you want today?
