what would you do for your "homeland"?

[SunWuKong]

notice that i put "homeland" in quotes. i know that for many of you, your homeland is the US (or Canada, the UK, etc. just outside of Asia), so when i say "homeland", i mean the country of your ethnic origin. for convenience sake, i'm going to just write "homeland" instead of "country of your ethnic origin".

so what would you do for your homeland? how much would you do? if there was some sort of political crisis, would you go back and be involved? if there was a widespread disaster, would you go back and help the people? if war broke out, would you go back and fight or help the wounded?

i was thinking that if i had been old enough during the Tianenmen protests, i would like to think that i would have gone to Beijing to participate in it.

[YuheiCarreau]

I'll pay taxes and vote. Not much else for a reasonable person to do, really...

[AngryABCGirl]

I WOULD support Taiwan's independence if I wasn't scared that China would come and take over the island.

[SunWuKong]

I WOULD support Taiwan's independence if I wasn't scared that China would come and take over the island.


believe it or not, this is something that has kept me awake at night before. even though i am pro-reunification (and to be honest, after that rally in Taipei, i'm beginning to have doubts about my stance), i am adamantly against reunification by force, and i don't agree with reunification at the current moment, given the way that the CCP runs things in mainland. i'd only want reunification if it's peaceful, and only after there is enough of a measure of democracy in China - which may take decades or even more.

if China is actually stupid enough to attack Taiwan, i would probably go back and somehow work for advocating peace, or help the wounded. there is absolutely no way that i'd support Chinese killing Chinese in a war like that. and i'm willing to bet that a lot of people feel the same way.

[YuheiCarreau]

believe it or not, this is something that has kept me awake at night before. even though i am pro-reunification (and to be honest, after that rally in Taipei, i'm beginning to have doubts about my stance), i am adamantly against reunification by force, and i don't agree with reunification at the current moment, given the way that the CCP runs things in mainland. i'd only want reunification if it's peaceful, and only after there is enough of a measure of democracy in China - which may take decades or even more.

if China is actually stupid enough to attack Taiwan, i would probably go back and somehow work for advocating peace, or help the wounded. there is absolutely no way that i'd support Chinese killing Chinese in a war like that. and i'm willing to bet that a lot of people feel the same way.

I thought you only spoke Cantonese?

[SunWuKong]

I thought you only spoke Cantonese?


i speak some Mandarin. still trying to learn. :p

and i have 3 years of high school French under my belt. ca va? :D

[Emperor_Mike]

Depends on the cause, I suppose. If China, Russia, Burma, Holland, and the Phillipines (*snicker* *snicker* *snicker* for the last three) were to embark on a course aimed at world conquest I'd naturally work against them. Somehow the prospect of world government without me at the helm is just unsavoury. ;) :D

[AliBabaIncorporated]

What would I do for China? Try to make money off them. Got no sense of patriotism or attachment to the place.

What would I do for Malaysia? I dunno, despite all my bitching about the government racism there, I still feel a desire to preserve and help out the place. But what could I do for Malaysia? It'd be enough of a bitch for me to go back in the first place cuz of "localization" in hiring (which in practice means some ignorant asshole outta S'pore whose BM is limited to "bir" and "sial" gets priority over me).

If there were mass political protests aimed at overturning ISA and throwing UMNO the hell outta office, I'd go join in. If there were an invasion and the country were seriously threatened, I'd at least think about joining the army. Of course, the only two countries I can seriously imagine trying to invade are Indonesia and China. M'sia doesn't need my help to fight the gangster chicken rapists posing as Indonesia's army. But if it were China we'd be in for a serious fight. And strangely enough, I doubt I'd feel much remorse aiming a gun at my mainland cousins in order to defend M'sia, Malays and Indians all.

[seanp]

nothing...i'm selfish :dry:

[thaite]

I wouldn't do shit for Germany.

I've given some thought about what I would do for Thailand, however. As holder of a Thai birth certificate and in some sense, dual citizenship, I think that to go there and claim the rights of that citizenship obligates me to some sort of military service, though I'm not totally positive of that, there is some chance. I'm more likely serve in some kind of civil service role, and I'm willing to do that.

My retirement plan does include me living there, so this is not pure conjecture.

[SunWuKong]

I've given some thought about what I would do for Thailand, however. As holder of a Thai birth certificate and in some sense, dual citizenship, I think that to go there and claim the rights of that citizenship obligates me to some sort of military service, though I'm not totally positive of that, there is some chance. I'm more likely serve in some kind of civil service role, and I'm willing to do that.

if you really want to do something, talk to pip. she's got friends in high places. :)

[deez nuts]

what would i do for my homeland?

i would be a trooper and sleep with every hot chick.

the sacrifices i make for my homeland.

[SunWuKong]

What would I do for Malaysia? I dunno, despite all my bitching about the government racism there, I still feel a desire to preserve and help out the place. But what could I do for Malaysia? It'd be enough of a bitch for me to go back in the first place cuz of "localization" in hiring (which in practice means some ignorant asshole outta S'pore whose BM is limited to "bir" and "sial" gets priority over me).

the real question is, would you involve yourself to do something that fights the sometimes preferential treatment the government gives to Malays, which can translate to unfair government policies against Malaysian Chinese, or just non-Malay Malaysians?

[SunWuKong]

what would i do for my homeland?

i would be a trooper and sleep with every hot chick.

the sacrifices i make for my homeland.


*salute*

[applehead]

politically, nothing.
i'm not really into korean
politics. they all seem corrupt.

but whenever i hear
on the news about the monsoon floods.
i have this urge to fly over there and
help the poor farmers.
that's about it.

i would also like to aid in culture
preservation and education.

[YuheiCarreau]

Funny how no one has said anything about the US so far (or Canada, don't you Canadians start buggin' out)... Or at least, nothing explicitly related to the US. My comment was about both the US and Japan.

[deez nuts]

Funny how no one has said anything about the US so far (or Canada, don't you Canadians start buggin' out)... Or at least, nothing explicitly related to the US. My comment was about both the US and Japan.


mine too

**salute**

[SunWuKong]

Funny how no one has said anything about the US so far (or Canada, don't you Canadians start buggin' out)... Or at least, nothing explicitly related to the US. My comment was about both the US and Japan.


well really the point of the thread is to discuss how much you'd do for your "homeland", given that you don't actually live there, and probably hadn't lived there your entire lives. it's really to explore how much allegiance/loyalty/etc you feel for a land of origin that you've been displaced from.

[yoMAMA]

I would definitely donate some money to my old elementary school in beijing.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Nothing. I don't think my 'homeland' has given me anything except for a pair of good parents.

[tapestrybabe]

i know this white woman... who had adopted this korean child. the kid is a teenager now and is off to college. anyways, this same white woman... is really involved in the korean american community. in fact, its this same woman that created the korean heritage camp for korean adoptees that i recently attended... it kinda took me off guard at first when i first met her... cuz i guess i assumed that before meeting her that she was just gonna be another korean...


it is possible for ppl like her to empathize to the asian american adoptee community... can be supportive to asian american causes... and can also be a catalyt in building such a community for other asian, asian americans to receive support from one another... like even tho this white woman was the backbone and the creator of this camp... it was the other korean adoptee campers that i received the most benefit from while i was there...

but anyways, what i find most interesting about this white mother... and what i find her different than any other white couple that ends up adopting... is that, not only is she really involved in the korean american community itself-- but this white mother... also has strong interests in the country of korea itself, the politics and so forth and really cares about the korean community in korea--

and this white mother who isnt even korean herself... has this desire to one day start an organization in korea... when it comes to helping out the korean mothers over there... giving them more options and opportunity for them and so forth...

something that kinda interests me... even tho i havent been over to korea... since i was 3...

[tvbdude]

alot of overseas wah kiu's send money back to their village and build buildings

[angel nympho]

I don't think I'd do a whole heck of a lot for Korea unless it involved my relatives overseas. I mean, to me, that place is still a fuckin' foreign country. I have enough trouble feeling motivated to even rock the vote here in the states.

[angel nympho]

Funny how no one has said anything about the US so far (or Canada, don't you Canadians start buggin' out)... Or at least, nothing explicitly related to the US. My comment was about both the US and Japan.


I don't think a lot of people here on this forum have the United States or Canada as the country of their ETHNIC origin. I mean, even white people aren't generally ethnically from the United States.....?

[YuheiCarreau]

I don't think a lot of people here on this forum have the United States or Canada as the country of their ETHNIC origin. I mean, even white people aren't generally ethnically from the United States.....?

I know plenty of White people who would say that they're 'ethnically' from the US. They wouldn't say that they've been here as long as the American Indians, or anything ridiculous like that, but for quite a few people the US is the only cultural influence they recognize.

[angel nympho]

I know plenty of White people who would say that they're 'ethnically' from the US. They wouldn't say that they've been here as long as the American Indians, or anything ridiculous like that, but for quite a few people the US is the only cultural influence they recognize.

Well, for me, the US is the only cultural influence I recognize... (more or less), but I know for damn sure that I'm not ethnically from the United States. *Shrug* I guess I just don't know very many white people who say "I'm American" when referring to their backgrounds that go way back. But my boyfriend claims that he's had family in America since way back before they were an independent nation, so I guess those are the kind of people who might answer that they're ethnically from the US? I think he still says English, though. Not sure, never asked... but I wanna know now :D

[mr. x]

well, no offense to you mainlanders but if china invades taiwan, i wouldnt mind fighting them off

VIVA TAIWAN!

[Fireblade]

I really dunno what I'd do for china.... maybe expose more of their artistic talents to the world? painters and such, along with poets and maybe the rock scene there also.

[SunWuKong]

I really dunno what I'd do for china.... maybe expose more of their artistic talents to the world? painters and such, along with poets and maybe the rock scene there also.


actually many Chinese artists are very prominent and recognised around the world. but the rock scene in Beijing definitely needs more exposure. it's really raw right now.

http://www.artscenechina.com/asc2002/1.htm

[AngryABCGirl]

actually many Chinese artists are very prominent and recognised around the world. but the rock scene in Beijing definitely needs more exposure. it's really raw right now.

http://www.artscenechina.com/asc2002/1.htm

Hey you ever see that movie Beijing Rocks with Daniel Wu and Shu qi and a Chinese actor Geng Le? It's about the underground rock scene, it's pretty cool.

[SunWuKong]

Hey you ever see that movie Beijing Rocks with Daniel Wu and Shu qi and a Chinese actor Geng Le? It's about the underground rock scene, it's pretty cool.


yeah i've watched that film. it's pretty good. Shu Qi was hot as usual. Daniel Wu actually is personally interested in the underground rock scene in Beijing. maybe it was because of this film.