Humanity

Remembering September 11th, Before the Aftermath

The 11th of each month comes the anniversary of my relationship. So today is a happy day, however my joy cannot outdo the aftermath of the World Trade Center. As on this day, September 11th also hoovers over the memories of a nation’s tragedy. I don’t want to add more fire to the turmoil. Instead let’s look back at history before the event and recall more on the positive visions rather than the deaths that surrounded this day.

Teacher’s Day (Argentina)

If you’re a teacher, be proud. Today is your day as well. In honor of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento who was the 7th president of Argentina from 1868 – 1874, he challenged their educational system to think about the women and children. Furthermore, he helped advance the postal and train systems which improved the Argentinian people’s way of life.

Satirical Essay By Benjamin Franklin Published

On 1773, published inThe Public Advertiser, Benjamin Franklin wrote Rules By Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One. This essay is a satire, by which it means to poke at England at the time when they passed the Tea Act of the same year which brought upon the Americans unfair policies. Moreover, this work served as an attack against the British for their devilish intentions to control the Americans at the time.

Henry Hudson Discovers Native Americans in Manhattan

Henry Hudson was chosen by the Dutch East India Company to find a passage to Asia. Due to the ice on the east passage, he decided to go westward and cut into North America. During this voyage, part of the crew was killed by the Native Americans. By September 11, 1609, Henry sailed into the upper bay of New York which is now known as Manhattan Island. Not only that, the Hudson River was also named after him.

‘Oh! Susanna’ First Performed in a Saloon in Pittsburgh

Oh! Susanna was first published on February 25, 1848. However, before it was officially on record, it was sang at a The Eagle Saloon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Stephen Foster, one of the earliest fathers of American music. It was said that Stephen was fascinated with Ethiopian songs at the time. Thus, that explains the kick. The song was also known to be connected to the California Gold Rush and was called ‘Banjo on My Knee’ too.

First Remote Computer Demonstration

On September 11, 1940, George Sibiltz demonstrated at the American Mathematical Society how a teletype could communicate with the Complex Number Calculator over a telephone line. This was the first time any computing machine was able to remotely communicate with another. The project started at Bell Labs where George worked in November of 1937 and completed in January of 1940.

World Wildlife Fund Formed

Working on the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, this organization is the largest in the world with about 60% funded by private organizations and 40% from countries like the US, UK and the Netherlands. Formed as a charitable trust in Switzerland on September 11, 1961 under the name World Wildlife Fund, which is changed to World Wide Fund For Nature in other parts of the world, this mission is to “to halt and reverse the destruction of our environment”.

Pete Rose Breaks Ty Cobb’s Record For Baseball Most Hits

Breaking Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record, Pete Rose made it to 4,192 on September 11, 1985. The Major League Baseball records Cobb’s hits at 4,191 where it was found that two were recorded twice. For that, Rose broke the record and continued on to play more up to 4,256 before he retired on August 17, 1986.

Patriot Day Becomes Effective

In memory of the 2,977 killed in the September 11, 2001 attack at the World Trade Center, a day of prayer and remembrance was designated by the United States President. On October 25, 2001, George W. Bush signed the resolution approved by 407 of the US House of Representatives into law to commemorate Patriot Day in observance of the 9/11 tragedy. The American flag is to be flown half-staff, or halfway up the pole throughout American homes, government buildings and the White House.

How do you remember September 11th? Share your comments below.

Filed Under: Humanity Tagged With: Relationships, September 11, social development

When the Economy Goes Down, the Hate Crimes, How Do You Teach the Kids?

This post is going to lean a bit on the opinion side. I’m trying to determine where I stand on the fence with the economy, the hate crimes which may evolve and finding the education of the kids corrupted. It might spark a little debate but I welcome your thoughts on this. So enlighten me and let me know what you think in the comments below.

How It Began

As I hit the blogosphere more and more and pierce my eyes around random blogs, I began to notice more of the community that surrounds the money making niche. While there are many to begin with, the overwhelming majority of them are from other parts of the world whom also happens to be the main outsourcing countries – India and the Philippines.

Now, let’s talk about our changing economy and it’s effects to the where the world is at the moment. It’ll lean more towards a tragic perspective and then glide back into the positive thoughts of it. With that, come with me and fly back in time so you can see what I’m thinking.

More than a decade ago when companies decided to outsource their work mainly for cheaper costs, it seemed less likely to harm anybody. Minor voices in the community may have saw the effects that would affect us later on but it wasn’t strong enough to create a movement. So most of what we neglected to see could be a result of where the economy is today.

I’m not blaming outsourcing was the problem, I’m saying we didn’t plan for it. So as more and more bodies were being laid off, all the real work are being outsourced overseas. Suddenly, our jobs are diminishing quietly. Then it seems the whole market crashed. Everyone’s scratching their heads wondering if what has happened was an unfair act which lacked to informed us from the beginning.

In fact, where are the reporters who were supposed to alert us of this turmoil? The voice here was few and after awhile, we must have stopped listening. So we’re all affected in some way and with that frustration the helpless feeling of not being able to help ourselves becomes more visible as we begin to point fingers. Thus, the immigrants were one such culprit which were targeted as victims of this disaster.

Moreover, as news from the world surge through the tubes, as media tends to inform us through filtered airwaves, children begin to associate the hate to the race they see. Add that to the the depression of an economy, it is challenging times indeed. Furthermore, this also challenges the education system.

How can children differentiate between what’s happening here and over there?

In times like these, we have to lay down the grounds which won’t create chaos for each other. That’s where faith takes on their role and the churches have a reason to bring God into the picture. Also, I think a part of which we fail to teach is seeing beyond the colors of our own skin.

So instead of stopping the racial jokes before it gets out of hand, we go along with it which we think is the truth but in actuality it’s a mass effect. What does working hard or being lazy have to do with color? Thus, if the world was black and white, many will choose white, but there’s brown, yellow, orange, and various tints of the dark and light.

Are we failing to teach the young about the other colors?

Or maybe our textbooks are marketing the wrong ancestors for us to learn about. OK, maybe it isn’t about education. So the last thing you want to hear about is someone is to blame for this. Politicians may debate on that and find a better way for the economy, but what’s happening here is there are many pillars leaning on each other. We’re stacking dominoes now. It can get so close that we’re about to fall on top of each other.

When it comes to an emergency, what do you do?

Create fear.

It is the thoughts of control or big daddy dominating our actions which instills some kind of peace. Whether it’s through mind control or mystical make believe such as heros and arch villains, the splitting of the mind to emphasize both can put before our eyes reasons so we can be conditioned to believe them. This is true during war when propaganda is prominent.

At times, we don’t recognize our own selves but the one thing that is needed is restoration of hope. After all, it takes a lot of effort to understand what it is we want. Just from the human condition alone, it isn’t easy. History has taught us that nothing is successful without a fight. For one, the changes cannot be ignored. With it, comes the hate crimes and it can get violent.

When you think of it in terms of exploitation, there’s two ways to see it. One, the truth needs to be heard and two, we need to expand our resources. Either/or depending on which fence you’re choosing, there are pros and cons. That’s because with opportunities sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. However, with controversy, it’s always about bringing down the real purpose and that may be further from the truth.

In the flight of these debates, who I worry about are the children. Sometimes, it’s a personal calling to which one is entitled to fight certain battles on. However, in doing so, we’re not alone. It affects everyone around us and surprisingly, we’re the last to know about it. At that point, it can be quite a revelation to see our actions turn around. It then sucks being our own worst enemy.

Now I’m going to go MTV on you and take you back to the ’80 with Martika’s Toy Soldiers and Eminem’s modern remix Like Toy Soldiers. Point is, our actions might end up being something more than us.

If you’ve read this far, I appreciate you following this rant. I apologize for the jumping around but in throwing out these thoughts, I was able to convey for you what I was thinking. Now I’m interested in knowing what you’re thinking.

Share your thoughts below.

IMAGES: Mappamondo Moderno and TV Su PRATO by Francesco Marino

Filed Under: Humanity Tagged With: economic crisis, education, information, social development

How Elian Gonzalez, the Child Who Survived Yet Became a Poster Child in the News

It struck me by surprise as I review the The Portable Patriot: Documents, Sermons and Speeches That Compose the American Soul, that the news of Elian appears. Right before independence day was celebrated, news like this puts into question the political ideals which overshadows an individual’s life.

I don’t know if I want to participate with how a child’s life should be situated. Especially, when you’re young, you don’t really have a choice. The choices you’re given are forged by the beliefs of the adults who feverishly fights for something they believe in. It isn’t something which I necessarily believe in but it’s a common cycle.

It’s now over ten years and the boy has grown. Happily reunited with his father, the wonder of his life still provokes the American people. But here’s the thing, why?

Why are we so curious about this kid who was found on the waters towards America yet he cannot step onto the soils which he has no documents on? While his relatives argue with the American public and the government starts to step in, the situation is ballooned to strengths which even good may not be something of an outcome.

In fact, I’m scared for the child being in the public eye. His father who was a waiter became an elected official and recently Elian is enlisted in the Communist Army. The horror of knowing that there is a lot of rage in this child through some form of political or militant exercise scares me.

As Elian’s life was rallied on both sides, the American and the Cubans, where he truly belonged to wasn’t even the point. It became a political facade which brought into the public the pride of being someone.

Thus, don’t mess with someone whether that’s Asian, African, European, etc. You do that and you’re messing with the whole team. From this angle, you’re talking about a child here. If the laws which underlies our country says this and that but reality deems different. Don’t you think there should be some modification here?

Instead of blaming the immigrants or the outsider, I think as an American, our sense of duty to a country, to a people can sometimes be overshadowed by the defensive protection of our being. But overall, I think America was right to send the child back home.

With such a ruckus from Cuba broadcasting across the airwaves, not doing so could have led us to another war. I don’t think we’re ready for that. While decisions like these aren’t pleasant to began with, you want to see it from a broad spectrum where the future of a country may be in danger.

So rather than a message in a bottle came through, it became a message of destruction. The beautiful child had no idea what he was in for. He only played around in the toys his relatives endowed on him as they made him ignorant to life.

Do you think we destroyed the kid’s future?

His mother tried to escape the tyranny of the government only for her son to come back full round in a circle to salute to them. That there is an irony of life. It just goes to show that as a people, the young will no doubt be the future of something greater than ourselves.

Our independence from thereon will be a matter of choosing life and for 10 years, life still prevails. However as I said, what’s lurking beneath Cuba’s waters might come back with Elian.

We just have to watch out now.

What are your thoughts on Elian?

More Readings

10 years on, Elian not angry at relatives
Thanks to … Elian is now a full slave of the Castro brothers

Filed Under: Humanity Tagged With: Elian Gonzalez, Relationships, Self-Development

Market Vietnam – A Personal Observation of a People (Part 3)

We’ve reached the final segment of the 3 part series for Market Vietnam – A Personal Observation of a People.

If you have missed the others make sure you check out Part 1 and Part 2 before starting this post.

…

The memory of the island left many thoughts for me. It showed me the spirit of living without needing. My desires and values were within reach of my own hands and all I had to do was produce the wants for others.

I saw the people live by serving each other small pieces of value found in a bowl of soup, a steamed plate of hot cakes or a fish raked in from the ocean. They showed me how to live in the moment and live with what I can. But the struggle was evident. Life could not move beyond who they were.

There was no opportunity for the children here. No dreams left in the adults but to sit idle. And the market was stale on the island. There was not enough traffic going through. The young people had to go far up north to find work while all the old stay and peer out from their huts.

When we went out, I was amazed with how well my cousins were able to bargain for the items they wanted. It seems each place we went to we had to fight. There was no set price. The only way you can make sure you won’t be paying a lot is through negotiation.

And the rules of negotiation is as follow.

“What? That’s too expensive. I can get it over there for cheap.”

Then you set a price and if the seller denies you. You walk away but instead of losing a customer, he calls you back.

“OK. OK.”

Then he raises the price a bit. You deny him. Walk away again. The seller calls you back. He accepts your price. You buy.

Everywhere we went the rules of negotiation followed. From a bag of peanuts to a shirt, you had to make sure you weren’t paying a lot. This brought to me the importance of monetary exchange.

We were Americans so it was going to be an opportunity for every seller to get as much as they could from us. The value of 10 American dollars was enough for one family to live well-fed for a week.

Every cent was crucial and despite my understanding at the time. I would have given to charity rather than deal with the charade. But it was through these rules of engagement you are considered a smart consumer. And it was through negotiation that I learned you get what you want.

This was true with the streets as well. The division of classes has made the poor exploit themselves openly in every corner of the city. An elderly woman carries her baby and begs. Children swarm in bunches for chunk change to eat.

The image of the poor littered the roads and flock in front of the restaurant we went to. They watch as we drink, swallow and finish the remains of something they wish to have.

At some point my mother could not take it anymore. She started giving away some money. She kept saying, ‘poor children‘. Our cousins warned her that they are not what they appear. They are only that way because they see a foreigner.

Playing on the psychology of our emotions, they figured out that if they appear vulnerable, our hearts would give in and submit. So using that vehicle as an opportunity to practice, the kids would appear poor. This would prompt us to pity them and shell out our money.

I know nothing about my culture but already I am alarmed by the things I’m seeing. I am finding fault with them especially through the poor living conditions which has forced them to be like this. But I cannot deny that the opportunist mindset is already prevalent in the young.

That’s why my mother called us the ‘Stupid Americans‘. She protected us from the desolate world of not knowing what is strife. In America, where dreams and opportunities are plenty, we’ve taken for granted our rights and instead sit on it like spoiled royalty.

I felt there is so much to learn and already I was tired. The reality I saw was a large market of many players fighting their way to the top.

I was scared. I knew that someday I had to fight too. I had to make opportunity mine just as I saw those children take theirs. I had to act on the very thing that would bring me closer to freedom. But I didn’t know what and I went to school to find out.

…

As the years went by, my grandmother passed away. My mother could not make it home in time to see her mother through. Grandma died in the city’s hospital. My mother cried for a whole week.

It seems, there’s also a struggle here in America. No one is free from the will to live. When you cannot make the opportunity a reality, the failures that occurs become a curse. You dig a hole deep enough for you to sit in and those you love are pushed further away.

That happens a lot in the Vietnamese community here in America. The struggle to make it can some days feel like prison. The lifestyle they choose to leave behind for the opportunity to live better has made them become slaves to the money.

But there is one path to salvation and that is endowing their children with the highest education that they can find. One which they can be seen with the highest regards but the latter who don’t go that route is often unspoken of and is a great disappointment to the rest.

While opportunities are plenty here, finding purpose in the world takes a certain kind of drive. Not everybody makes it and my experiences thus far has shown me that language is the key to seal this barrier. My parents inability to express themselves was a disadvantage but they understood that giving me a language which had more opportunity was better than none.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t want to post this story at first because it was too personal. But then I thought about how great it was as a pillar article series. At the moment, it ties in perfectly with my blog’s direction.

While I haven’t been back for more than 10 years, I am excited to see that there are more opportunities for the young now than then. It seems, Vietnam is quickly becoming an open market which will slowly enter the world.

Soon, I will visit Vietnam again. It is a place that holds in my heart sunset skies and warm beaches. It screams of children and car beeps. But mostly, it’s a culture whose lives have touched mine. I hope it has touched yours too.

This was a creative 3 part series, I hoped you liked it. Share with me your thoughts on them.

Filed Under: Humanity Tagged With: Relationships, Self-Development, Vietnam

Market Vietnam – A Personal Observation of a People (Part 2)

If you missed yesterday’s post, make sure you check it out before starting today’s.

Once again this story is about a people, a market which is told in narrative form.

I hope you like the 1st part and with the second shortly, you’ll enjoy the story more.

Without further ado, we’ll now begin.

…

My cousins grabbed me by the hand and took me to the beach early one morning. We climbed rocks and swam in the ocean then caught little snails. When we were finished we pumped a well where sweet water flowed and rinse the salt from our bodies. We walked back to the hut where they lived and cooked up the snails we found.

Using toothpicks we twisted the slug out of it’s home, tore off it’s end and dipped what’s left of it into the fish sauce. It tasted good.

Then for fun we played cards. A game which is common among the natives called tien len. Each player is dealt 13 cards with the highest being 2 of hearts. The goal is to use up all your cards and trump other players before they can finish.

After awhile, we walked back to grandma who sat and called my name.

‘Viet kieu cua toi.’ My American.

She touches my face and said they were soft. Her hands were rough and her mouth dark from the substance she was chewing on.

I broke away and ran to the back where a small single hut was waiting for my waste. There was no water only a hole dug into the ground. A roll of tissue sat nearby and when I was done, I dug some dirt to cover up the earth below.

Mother was in the kitchen cooking, being a dutiful daughter. I ran up to her and held her close.

‘Are you OK?’

She smiled and kissed me gently on my cheek and went back to cooking.

It got so hot I went back inside and sat on the bench next to grandma. She fanned herself as she watched outside. The hut was opened and anyone walking pass can see exactly what we were doing inside.

When dinner was ready I set out the dishes. We all sat down in a circle and waited for grandma to start. Then we went right into the eating which was steaming hot as we enjoyed the company of each other with good food.

After dinner mother washed the dishes. With water in a bucket and no sink to rinse, she would soap the dishes first and rinse them last. It was too late to run to the well. The night was already dark. You couldn’t see where you were going unless you had a flashlight anyway.

The next day, we awoke to the sound of a woman selling hot cakes. Breakfast was served. The people here got up early and while the sun was already shining we slept in a bit too much.

Mother was already in the front of the island buying groceries. It seems everyday was a new cooked meal. No McDonald’s here. No fast food.

The locals ate a whole lot of fish and since it was one of their source of abundant food, there were many creative ways to make fish. After all, it was on this island that the famous fish sauce of Phu Quoc originated.

Soon, two weeks passed.

I have walked back and forth on the island. From one end you can see the other. Visiting the graves of my elders and seeing relations from afar, I held the hands of cousins whom I called ‘anh‘ and ‘chi‘. Their warmth and joy made me forget I was American.

It was time to go to the city now. Do some sight seeing and bring grandma out to let her enjoy a little bit of life.

We set out on the boat and took the cement road back towards Ho Chi Minh City. In the hotel with air conditioning, grandma put on her light sweater and said it was cold. She stepped out onto the balcony peering below at the street and listened as the young lady below sold ice cold drinks.

It seems the people of the city were different from the people of the country. More street smart and clever with their words, they were able to get their way if they could through passive persuasion.

As I looked at grandma, the emerging new culture and the old were separated by opportunities. Even if she could, her golden age is now behind her. She can only look and wonder as the new generation pursue higher interests and take on greater roles than she ever could.

…

Tomorrow’s post will be the final part of the series. I hope you like the story so far. I had fun working on it.

Let me know what you think. How does the story appeal or repel you for that matter?

Filed Under: Humanity Tagged With: Relationships, Self-Development, Vietnam

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