From: zing@wilber.rich.nt.com (Leon Z. Lee)
Subject: Re: American History?
Organization: Northern Telecom, Inc.
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 16:36:33 GMT

In article <1992Dec21.064445.5813@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> mike@clubmezz.Berkeley.EDU (Michael T. Itamura) writes:
>  Well the local PBS station in San Francisco ran the entire 'Civil War'
>series today.  While watching it, actually I only saw a couple of hours of
>the show, I couldn't help but think how distant I feel from that part of
>American history.  While the show was interesting,  I feel no emotional
>attachment to the events during the war due to the fact that my progenitors

Well...Itamura-Kun, I too share your sentiments.  It is not that I am critical
of American history, just that there is no emotional connotation to such events
as the Revolutionary War, Civil War, etc.  Once ..my little sister asked me
where are the "Chinese" when the Pilgrims had their first Thanksgiving...I
jokingly stated that the reason why no "Chinese" were present in all those
Thanksgiving pictures was because they were still in the kitchen 
cooking the Thanksgiving meal. :) 

I must confess that I possess a strong affinity with personalities such
as Kusunoki Masashige of the Kemmu Restoration, Saigo Takamori of the
Meiji Restoration, Lee Sher-Ming of the Tang Dynasty, Ando Teruzo of the
failed 2-26 Revolt, and Adm. Yi of the Yi Dynasty. Rather than with
personalities such as Washington, Sherman, Eisenhower, etc. 

When any American colleague speaks to me about the Benedict Arnold...I can't
help but to reply back that "If you want traitors in Chinese history..just
pick one..we have plenty of them".

When my American colleague speaks to me about the Civil War...I can't
help but to reply back that "If you want Civil Wars in Chinese history...just
pick one...we have plenty of them".

When my Americna colleague speaks to me about the 220 yrs of US history...I
can't help but reply back that the Ching Dynasty already ruled China for
almost 270 years before its overthrown in 1911.

>Pilgrim forefathers' that we learned about in grade school.   The earliest
>American history that I have any emotional attachment to pretty much
>co-incides with the time that my family arrived in the United States/Hawaii.

That is quite true. When I arrived in the US with my family back in 1971...I was
real small todder.  Being of such young age...I was quite impressionable.  I 
distinctly remembered about sitting down at dinner time and watching TV.
Ofcourse...at that time...the Vietname War was vividly shown on public TV every
evening.

I remember eating dinner while ABC, NBC, and CBS would broadcast battle reports
and various enemy casaulties and captured weapons.  Since this was the first
time I was in the US...I truly believed that watching dead bodies and listening
to battle reports was an intrinsic part of American culture.

The one thing that really stuck in my mind was how "straight" the images were.
I mean....after every battle...the US troops would line up all the dead NVA
and VCs in a straight line (to provide a body-count), then line up all
the heavy weapons (mortars, RPGs, etc), then line up all light weapons (AK47,
pistols, gernades, etc).  This was the life presented to all Americans back
in the early 1970s.  

>How do other SCAA readers feel about American History?  Do you 'identify'
>with events that happened in this country that happened before you or your
>progenitors arrived in this country?  Or are those historical events merely
>events that you think of as 'other peoples history?'  

I for one embrase all histories.  For only through an objective analysis of
a culture and history can one truly begin to understand the people
in question.  However...whether I will automatically embrase all histories 
as part of my personal history...that will take great scrutiny before I past
my judgement.

I guess my belief in "Sonno Joi" and "Chung Hwa Ming Kuo Wang Suway" is more
stronger than "Four scores and seven years ago..".

>took place, there was a law on the books called the Cable Act - this law
>stripped the American citizenship away from my grandmother because she had
>married my alien (who was ineligible for citizenship because he was
>Japanese) grandfather.  Knowing that this wedding cost my grandmother
>her citizenship really makes me look at their wedding photograph in a
>different light.  Anyhow, I find it interesting when I can tie an event in

Yes...you hit the sentiment right on the dot.  There is nothing wrong
with Asian-Americans preserving their culture heritage..for assimulation
into Occidental society does not guarentee acceptance. However...if we are
to reside here for the rest of lives...we must assimulate into their
political power structure.  For only in this matter can we gain some degree
of control over presence in this nation.

In actuality...we Asian-Americans are quite fortunate.  We stand at the
threshold of both East and West.  We can see both the vices and virtues 
of both the Occidental and Oriental cultures.  We can draw upon both worlds
to become a better person in all respective.

Balancing the demands from both cultures will not be easy.  It will take
an extra-ordinary personal effort to succeed in this endeavor.  But I am
confident that each one of us can find that proper balance. 
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 Leon Z. Lee                        |  Only able to post to USENET for now.
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