Thursday, September 10, 2009

View on my nation

     The thing that got me thinking bout our country more in depth is actually triggered by an event that happened over in Korea regarding a Korean idol which hailed from another country (Yes, SX, I’m writing this after your comment).. Anyways, that poor guy went to Korea to fulfil his dreams a few years ago, all alone, without any friends, family members to support him and a whole list of things he is forced to adapt to almost immediately.. e.g. Their language, food, customs, cultures, etc etc… After being deprived of much love and cafe, he made a mistake by writing about his frustrations to his friend through the net… (Hence it should have been private and personal ppl!! Sheesh…) Anyway, the Koreans are fuming right now over the things he said FOUR years ago and are isolating him NOW.. (Boycotting, banning, or whatever  else that sounds nice to your ears…) I think it’s immature of them to do so and plain unfair.. It’s not like you never did or said anything that you’ll regret ever before and yet he was judged.. Just like that… Even after a public apology, he is not let off the hook… Give him a break ppl… And from what I know, what he wrote is not even that bad… Just some boyish longings for his home…

      That being said, it’s easy to point fingers huh?? And yet look at the state of our country right now.. We were known as the friendliest Asian country once and just glance through the headlines of any national  papers today.. Racial disunity, political unrest, crisis, crimes rate going up etc etc etc..  And how about the simple thing of sugar shortage?? I dunno how you feel but I for one just think it shouldn’t happen.. True, it’s a good time for us to learn not to consume so much of sugar and yet somehow I feel like it’s cause of everyone getting so scared that they’ll never have sweet taste on their tongues that they rushed out and bought the whole mini-mart near them out of sugar… Or the ever changing forums on whether to teach this or that in this language or that.. The funny thing is, you can almost guess someone’s age by the medium they were taught in.. Like those from the 50s will be  English educated, those from the 60s will be in Malay medium schools… Nowadays, you can guess the year someone graduated from as it just keeps changing over time… Then there’s concerts that kept on getting cancelled.. Or on the alcohol issue… I think it’s a good time to start praying for our nation… To pray that we would be more tolerant to each other, to be more just in our decision making especially for those in that position, to be more transparent and honest in our dealings, to be more far-sighted and think about the future of our nation and not just temporary personal gain…

      I’ve also learnt this from CF yesterday.. You know how we always introduce ourselves as so & so from ________ normally?? I’ve noticed that (We don’t even do it consciously sometimes)  we personally tend to support those from the same states more… Just like how you’ll be more tolerant and forgiving to the same race or religion… And that you’ll be more critical towards those that are not… Until someone said, I’m _______ from Malaysia.. lol… Talk about 1Malaysia!! It’s simple stuffs like this that makes one patriotic… Not how many times you talk about how you will sacrifice your life for the country or how good if _______ or ______ changes or how you dislike _______ or how other places are so much better…. Being patriotic is to defend your country’s good name, and not only so, to uphold its name… It’s easy to defend something as you don’t need to waste any effort or discipline, I mean, how hard is it to just pay lip service?? But to truly love and hope for the best of the nation?? That’s a whole new level.. I’m one who believes that everything happens for a reason and that we’re not accidentally here …. So for now, at this moment, I love my country and will pray for its development, peace and security… What’s your take???

PS If you know who’s the Korean artist I’m talking about, do leave me a comment, I would LOVE to hear what do you think about the whole thing because I so like him a lot!! XD

5 comments:

SXian said...

I didn't even know about the scandal until you wrote bout it. So then I googled the original myspace posts and I kinda chuckled a little after reading them. I think the people against what JB wrote don't really understand the "Asian American rapper lingo". That's just how they write/talk when they're frustrated or what not. Not even then. It's just a way for them to express themselves. I can understand why they're upset, but they have to put themselves in the other person's shoes, which is apparent they didn't. By the way, speaking from personal experience, it is quite difficult to adjust to Asia in general after living in the States for a while. I think the way I act and talk made me look like an alien from Mars. haha

So JB is back in Seattle area, huh? Time to do some celebrity stalking for you. HAHA! Just kidding! o.O

Anyways to everything you wrote after that bout Malaysia, etc. Amen sister! :)

SeReNe Lee said...

Yup, he's back in Seattle for good I think.. Sigh... How I wish I could stalk him too.... Hahahaha... Anyway, exactly!! what he wrote wasn't even anything to be so mad about.. But Koreans and Japanese are so much more patriotic and conservative about their country as a whole... It's such a pity he's forced into that situation... Well, he may go to your uni soon and you could brag about it to me then..=p

Oh, and tell me about it!! My mum keeps asking me to try to be more Asian and act tactful and all... I've got my huge load of share of offending ppl just by being myself...And then I'll be crying my heart out to my mum after stepping on someone's toes... Sometimes I wish I'm in the States too you know... So, let's have a scene from E.T or something.. E.T goes home?? Lol.... (coz of your Mars comment)

Aha!! There's a patriotic spirit in you huh?? Lol, just kidding.. Yeah, since I'm in this country for a while, I'd better pray for the best!!

PS Wonder whether one day four years later, somebody will take this post and use it against me lik how they did JB??? *shivers* lol
PPS Love your pic so much!!!

SXian said...

I don't know bout JB's uni plans but I'll let you know as soon as I find out from my "sources" haha!

by the way you shouldve came to the US when you had the chance. you know when you were deciding which uni and path to go through? yeahh so BOO at you for not coming :( :( LOL! you have to come visit when you have the chance tho. :D

hey.. i care for my fellow malaysian citizens.. no pain for people is my motto. yeah! haha

& bout my blog we'd have to coordinate a time to talk on msn or somthing. it's a LONG LONG story. and well not so much bout friends but more bout some dude i met..and the whole friends deal you're dealing with, i know what you're talking about. i have a similar experience. we can swap stories then & i can let you know how i dealt with that one ;)

ok let me know when you're free like over the weekend sometime! :)

SeReNe Lee said...

Yup, who knows?? You two may click so well together.. LOL... I won't feel jealous I promise!!

*sticks tongue out at SX* Yeah yeah, u're enjoying it there and I'm not so enjoying it here sometimes but well, u jus learn to live peacefully with everything...
*Peace sign* Haha, it's so 60s... Yeah, I do wanna visit the States.. Plan is it'll be 3 years from now.. Lol... So you have 3 WHOLE YEARS to figure out how to turn me out of your house... Hahahahaha...

Well, ok!! Malaysia boleh!! =p So you'd better spread the love of M'sia to the ppl around you.. Haha... But yeah, how I wish that anyone can live anywhere without discrimination and will be treated fairly.. Wishful thinking huh??

Bout our chatting date, this week's a no-no since I'll be going back to KL and I'll most probably not be online... But next weekend would be an awesome time so will see you when I see you then? XD

SXian said...

wow i like how our chat session never happened...NOT :( it's cuz i was too stupid to realize to check here. nooo!! *sigh* ok so when are you next free? i'll be sure to check for your response here.. lol let me know! :D