I once thought that joining a community would give me a wider audience and get more people to reading my site, but I also knew that joining a community, especially an ethnic one and with my bicultural background, would mean excluding one of my cultures. This is why I don't join communities.
In short, some guy (non-Asian expat in Hong Kong) is hosting an Asia Weblog Award and it's causing a rife. The two camps are:
A) individuals who actually have Asian blood (whether or not they live in Asia)
B) individuals who have no-Asian ancestry but are living in Asia
Even though the debate has been resolved, it's probably opened up some questions in the Asian blogging community as to what qualifies as an Asian blog. Ethnic communities, in the end, do not encompass, but exclude.
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Monday, December 15, 2003
Love-Hate
Saddam has been captured. Most of the Iraqi people are happy, but some are angry because they liken their position to an occupied country, oppressed by American forces. Now that the hard part has been done-- capturing their hated dictator--they want American soldiers out of their country.
First of all, any new blooming country that's just been rid of a tyrannical ruler shouldn't be left alone. A country that has only the experience of a dictatorship does not evolve so smoothly and quickly into a democracy. If America leaves now, Saddam supporters can still take power. That's like California's governor recall election: what [crazy] person will try to claim power?
As much as I hate to see the US Military stay longer and more soldiers being sacrificed in an effort to maintain peace and order, they should stay until a stable foundation of a new Iraqi government is in place. If that doesn't happen, Iraq will turn out just like the Philippines. They'll call and beg for Americans to help when they hate their ruler, and then they'll spit back when they want the Americans to leave them alone. I hate the love-hate relationship; it's a vicious cycle that drains American finances.
The American soldiers and other advisors should stay until the job is complete. Get it done right the first time. Then they can govern independently for the rest of their lives without our help, without the love-hate we need you please help us--get the fuck out of our country--we need help again--damn you oppressors--can you help us out again? Teach them independence now, not a lifetime of dependency.
Saddam has been captured. Most of the Iraqi people are happy, but some are angry because they liken their position to an occupied country, oppressed by American forces. Now that the hard part has been done-- capturing their hated dictator--they want American soldiers out of their country.
First of all, any new blooming country that's just been rid of a tyrannical ruler shouldn't be left alone. A country that has only the experience of a dictatorship does not evolve so smoothly and quickly into a democracy. If America leaves now, Saddam supporters can still take power. That's like California's governor recall election: what [crazy] person will try to claim power?
As much as I hate to see the US Military stay longer and more soldiers being sacrificed in an effort to maintain peace and order, they should stay until a stable foundation of a new Iraqi government is in place. If that doesn't happen, Iraq will turn out just like the Philippines. They'll call and beg for Americans to help when they hate their ruler, and then they'll spit back when they want the Americans to leave them alone. I hate the love-hate relationship; it's a vicious cycle that drains American finances.
The American soldiers and other advisors should stay until the job is complete. Get it done right the first time. Then they can govern independently for the rest of their lives without our help, without the love-hate we need you please help us--get the fuck out of our country--we need help again--damn you oppressors--can you help us out again? Teach them independence now, not a lifetime of dependency.
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