Multiculturalism--outside of the US: Framing the Discussion

The biggest issue with this above discussion is how it is now framed in the media, and even among your average person in standard discussion. And the problem is this: people don't know how to discuss it because they are frankly, ignorant. And I will say this, most are WILLFULLY so because you don't have to read the paper everyday to understand a few basic facts, and you don't have to be a historian to take into the account the factors that have led to the polarization of this issue, in particular, on the European continent, but let's not forget China (shall we say Tibet? shall we say Africa?) and of course, the U.S..There has been now, for in the range of hundreds of years, an accumulation of the planet's wealth and natural resources by what is now a small majority of people who happen to be of lighter skin tone and pigmentation. That is the sad cold truth, and it's time to own up to the facts.

All Empires and peoples have their day of power and omnipotence and this has been going on now for quite some time. Helloooo colonialism. Hellllooo slavery. Hellloooo genocide! It's been the era of this particular group's ascendancy and dominance for awhile. But it wasn't always that way. EVERY group has had its day in the sun and all groups have risen and fallen accordingly. It's called history. It's called society. It's called, well...LIFE. And this above description, is just what is going on now. So don't get all hotheaded if you are from this above group. Just accept and deal. Every culture or ethnicity or Empire, or a good many, have been in this position of power, at least regionally. The Japanese Empire, the Incas Empire, the Egyptian Empire etc... you know...this is not really anything to feel defensive about. These are just the facts. (I say this knowing that I may have some readers of European extraction who might feel hotheaded about this...chill...)

The reason I find this multicultural issue so frustrating and why I have found it INCREASINGLY frustrating to even HEAR a single PERSON talk to me about this, particularly in Hong Kong, is that I am living in a former colony (and let's face it, now current 'colony' of China) and the vast majority of the people, don't seem to get how colonialism works. Oh, I should add, this is not simply those of Euro extraction, because frankly, the issue is one of hegemony and consolidation of power and the Han Chinese are pretty good at it...

There is a failure, a miserable failure on the part of a vast majority of people, to examine the historical realities that have led to immigration (such as recent and current wars), the failure to understand the widespread exploitation by the part of wealthier Western countries in the plunder and exploitation of natural resources and labor of poorer nations (this includes the collusion of both the governments of such poor countries and multinational companies such as...well, shall we say name your favorite oil company?), and the failure for people to think out of their ethnocentric boxes.

Many things are bringing me to this post, but what really has led me to this is the following fact below:

Right now, as a result of a racist Christian fundamentalist who massacred his own country people, people are screaming that this is the fault of multiculturalism!

Oh my god.

How simplistic and dumb can you be?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? REFRAME the discussion, folks. Get a life. This is about capitalism, hegemonic structures, the uncontrolled rapacity of multinational corporations, white supremacy, racism for NO justifiable reason, and serious mental health issues!

The next thing you'll hear is the guy was UNDER STRESS and gee, if he was a RACIST, it was because, golly, it is just STRESSFUL to have BLACK HAIRED people AROUND in his country.

Oh for crying out loud.

THIS IS THE FAULT OF NARROW MINDED THINKERS TO LOOK AT HISTORY AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for their FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. And this is the fault of people who do not take a GOOD HARD LOOK at their outrageous lifestyles. Look at the planet. Look at the imbalance of wealth. Stop blaming immigrants for everything and do not blame immigrants for one's own racism and discriminatory thinking.

You want to drive your gas guzzling car? You want your huge homes and swimming pools? You want your caviar flown in from Russia and you want acres of land when an average person in the world is fighting to get a roof over his or her head? You want your cheap goods manufactured by 12 year old girls? You want your floor cleaned? You want your washing machine with digital parts and your natural products mined from a province that is now an environmental disaster? You want your gourmet dog food?

You want all of this and you want the black haired people to stop "invading your country"?

Get a brain. Get a calculator. Read a few books. (Sorry to say this, but can this please include MARX--can anyone recommend an ABRIDGED EDITION of the Marx-Engels reader? And no, I'm not a cadre from over the border--sigh) Meet a person from a different economic, social, or racial group. Get a damn life.

And please, do not talk to me about your strong feelings about how immigration is not working out in your particular country. What is not working out is this: dominance by a single group of people. Capitalism. The failure of the education system to teach ideas of humanity, brotherhood/sisterhood. What is missing: Compassion. Solidarity. What is not working out is this: The embrace of ideas of unity that stretch beyond the confines of national boundaries (nationhood is a new thing--okay? Only several hundred years tops---but maybe this is a failure of the education system to teach this basic historical FACT!). The ruthlessness of religious structures failing to understand the needs of their people, particularly women and children. That is not what is working out in this life.

Immigration, is not the problem, sorry.

Humanity is...and I am reminded for those who think they are above the fray, those, who posit, well, I can see how it is a drag for everyone (immigrants etc...) but my life is okay. How can your life be okay when society is not okay if you are a sentient human being? How can you think you are okay when people around you are hating, exploiting, and making others miserable? No, sorry, you are not okay, if you say that.
Because we are all in this together, this grand sorry experiment in life, and you're not okay because a lot of other people aren't. Who wants to live in a society of hatred and vitriol and misunderstanding?

That's not living...it's not what we should accept.