From: sieh@panix.com (Liquid Tide with Bleach)
Subject: What does IT really mean? (was Re: So this is Christmas?)
Summary: Lui Sieh's reflection of s.c.asian.american in 1992
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 07:10:44 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <1992Dec27.184358.7281@news.columbia.edu> 
gld@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Gary L Dare) writes:
>Just got back from a restful Christmas break of two and a half days ...
>after spending it the way that I did, and looking at the usual flamefest
>maybe I can inject an interesting topic (yes!) for discussion:
>
>	"How do you look at and spend Christmas?"

It's almost 1993.  Just got back into s.c.as.am after a few weeks of starting
a new project and getting into the holiday season.  After looking at the usual
flamefests, I'm going to ask a more relevant question for introspection:

	"How do you look at your life and spend it?"

What has been so irritating and depressing in the past few months are the
narrowminded and short-sighted attitudes exhibited by so many.  Of course,
this charge can very well be applied to myself with regards to how others 
perceive my ideas through my postings over the year.  But this is my
reflection on s.c.as.am in 1992.

A lot of new faces to be sure and more than any other year that I can remember
which made this year one of the most exciting I can remember.  Lots of quality
articles with very insightful perceptions by many people.  Unfortunately, a
lot of postings from various people leave quite a lot to be desired.  I have
noted that a few "old-timers" have changed greatly over the course of many 
months.  Some for the better, some still the same as before and some I think
worse.  Lots of names to remember of course and perhaps during the voyage
onward into the future, names that will be more than just s.c.as.am members.

And that's the point here.  The Future.  Just about every single article that
is posted here in some way or another deals with exactly that question.  What
is the future going to be and its followup, how are we going to get there.  I
have noted especially this year a more strident tone concerning the underlying
question of "Who is going to be a part of that future".  Granted that this is
a soc group with a particular focus, it still does not excuse us for being
inwardly looking and parochial.  The "We" that is being discussed is not
Asian Americans.  Asian America is not under discussion; it's America that is
the topic of discussion.  So long as we limit ourselves in thinking this way,
we will never make progress.  So long as we continue thinking in old paradigms
instead of new ones, the Cycle will never be broken.  No one will learn from
History and people will continue making the same old mistakes that our 
predecessors made while they tried to improve their society.  Remember that
when we say "Discrimination is wrong" and hold that to be a guiding principle
toward a more egalitarian society, we mean exactly that.  Unfortunately, too
many people who say "Discrimination is wrong" actually mean, "Discrimination
is wrong except for "us/we/I" because "we/I" are/am different, exceptional, 
extraordinary or special etc".  This here is what has been going on more 
and more much to my consternation.

There has been increasingly negativity in the latter part of the year. Perhaps 
it's because the general mood has soured thanks to the harsh economic climate 
of the past couple of years.  This is different however from the "shitting"
that was going on just last month with the whole interracial relationships
thread and which a few netters were unhappy with.  That sort of "shitting"
should never stop however.  It's important that disparate opinions and views
be expressed openly no matter how awkward, painful, or distasteful it may be.
That's how good things happen.  That thread epitomizes Progress.  To progress,
there needs to be disagreements, fighting, and battling until something new
comes out of it.  It's dynamic and change (good or bad) will occur because of
it.  My perspective is that it shows the diversity of people.  It's makes 
exciting and interesting lives as well as reading.  In the end, for better
or for worse, this can only be good.  Let the "shitting" continue because I
feel this truly reflects one of the big positives of "Asia America".

As times get worse people always do what they've always done for thousands 
of years before.  They basically entrench.  This unfortunately will not work
anymore in this day and age.  And it definitely can not work in America 
where society is much too diverse -- culturally (not limited to only ethnic
cultures), socially, economically, politically, philosophically etc.  We
should strive to be more cognizant of these differences and to accept them
as well.  To me, most Pan-Asian American advocates fail to do just that and
so my mostly unsympathetic views on it.  I feel that a good majority of my 
articles this year have revolved around this issue because I perceive a 
certain narrowmindedness concerning race relations on s.c.as.am.  Too much of
an Asian America focus and not enough of an America focus.  Too many barrier
erecting and not enough barrier destruction.  Old prejudices and biases are
being replaced by new ones or just being repackaged in a different way.  As
the 1992 year for s.c.as.am draws to an end, a question is still unanswered.
So far, besides Andy Shaw who attempted to address the issue in the summer, 
no one has presented a convincing argument for Pan-Asian America.  No one 
has so far to my knowledge within or without s.c.as.am come forth with why
it can exist and be successful.  To all you political Pan-Asian Americanists, 
I say that you must first come up with a raison d'etre as you feel it should 
be.  You can never convince someone if you can not point to something and say
to them that this is in their interest to follow you.  Remember, there are a
lot of Asian Americans who have different ideas about things and there are 
many factors working against your success.  All the best to you.

I've also found myself reading a lot of West Coaster's posts and thinking to
myself as they do probably with mine, "what the hell is s/he talking about?".  
Recently, I came across in the NYT, a very interesting census map of Asia
America.  There were 3 major pockets in California, the Chicago metro area,
and the New York City metro area with a few pockets spread across various
southern states near major cities (ie. Houston).  Even in NYC, the percentage
of Asian Americans living here is much lower than in California.  So, may I 
gently chastize my West Coast Asian Americans to be more cognizant of the 
fact that your perspective of reality is not really close to what the rest 
of America really is.  While my New York City view isn't the best either, 
I would argue that it's a lot closer than yours.  The political game is much
different and calls for a whole new set of methods and thinking.  What works
with California will most assuredly not work for elsewhere mostly because of
the lack of geographic concentration of Asian Americans.  This also can help
explain my sceptical view toward Pan-Asian Americanists.

Well, I've digressed a bit but it does tie in with my question at the start
of this article.  I've carved out for myself a certain reputation for being
an unabashed individualist (happy holidays Jim) and my "message" to all
for the new year and many years to come (hopefully!), is well put in this
poem:

That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of chilren;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy,
a perfect poem or a rescued soul;
who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it;
who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.
	-- Robert Lewis Stevenson

In the end, you, the individual, will be the one who'll make the most 
difference in your lifetime as well as for the rest of your society.  This
poem to me is one of optimism that what is important in the end is the human
spirit.  There is enough negativity, despair in our daily lives already and
what is needed most these days is people to be more generous toward each
other.  Unfortunately, the trend on s.c.as.am has been rather more the
opposite I think.  From an ex-"Chris Chan type" to all Chris Chans, it'll 
be okay.  Hang tough, be positive, choose carefully, stick to people who
will bring you up and support you, have a good mental attitude and eventually
things *will* get better.  Nothing will be perfect, but we all have a long
life ahead and we live to strive for a better future and make a positive
contribution along the way.

Best of luck and good health to all.  And to those who I've crossed swords 
with over the years, may we do so again at a different time and place.

Best wishes and Happy New Year,

//Lui Sieh
-- 
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american