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so thinking of ancestral roots when war erupts


shootingstar

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Rather interesting,  some people declaring publicly their  Ukrainian roots as a 2nd or 3rd generation here in  North America when Ukraine is attacked. 2nd generation usually means born outside of Ukraine/any ancestral country. They are not immigrant.  

I get that.   Feelings if any, for ancestral/familial root country can be different for each person/generation.  Sometimes feeling closer/ more  connected is if you can speak some of the mother tongue/ language..depends how close is your own generation to the immigrant generation in your family.

.For instance, whatever atrocities/horrific things done in past to China  prior to Communist rule or what is going on right now in China with erosion of democracy there, is not suddenly, me rediscovering my "roots" if I should feel concerned/outraged or whatever.   Ever since childhood, I am reminded of who I am, because  of how..I look which I can't surgically change. 

I feel deeply for citizens there in  China, who are "trapped" and don't have money/relatives to help them immigrate to another country.  However,  my personal cultural history is primarily here, in CAnada of what happened here re my family history in past 120 yrs. and onward in  Canada.

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There are some people, 3rd generation like me or later, that were instilled from childhood with influences from the old country.  When I was very young, my mother would tell me to say my prayers at night to "Bogie" (Buh-zhie, God), she'd look at my messy room and yell, "Bejundek!" (Order! Straighten Up!) etc.

One day when I was a teacher, we had a new principal, Arlen, at the high school.  A Senior Aide, Molly Siladski, who was one of the top students was walking down the hall without a pass, knowing no teacher would question what she was doing.  Arlen didn't know her so he stopped her and asked her why she didn't have a hall pass.  She got flustered that anyone would doubt her sticking to the rules and started arguing with him.  I walked up them, glared at her, and repeated an admonishment common among East Coast Polish communities, "Molly, don't make shame for the Polish people."

She began to cry, apologized to Arlen, explained why she didn't have her pass - it was with her books - and said it wouldn't happen again.

Later that day, Arlen asked me, "How did you get that girl to do that?"

I told him that some people still feel a strong sense of duty to honor their ethnic group and I knew Molly, a former honors chemistry student of mine, was one.

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14 hours ago, MickinMD said:

There are some people, 3rd generation like me or later, that were instilled from childhood with influences from the old country.  When I was very young, my mother would tell me to say my prayers at night to "Bogie" (Buh-zhie, God), she'd look at my messy room and yell, "Bejundek!" (Order! Straighten Up!) etc.

One day when I was a teacher, we had a new principal, Arlen, at the high school.  A Senior Aide, Molly Siladski, who was one of the top students was walking down the hall without a pass, knowing no teacher would question what she was doing.  Arlen didn't know her so he stopped her and asked her why she didn't have a hall pass.  She got flustered that anyone would doubt her sticking to the rules and started arguing with him.  I walked up them, glared at her, and repeated an admonishment common among East Coast Polish communities, "Molly, don't make shame for the Polish people."

She began to cry, apologized to Arlen, explained why she didn't have her pass - it was with her books - and said it wouldn't happen again.

Later that day, Arlen asked me, "How did you get that girl to do that?"

I told him that some people still feel a strong sense of duty to honor their ethnic group and I knew Molly, a former honors chemistry student of mine, was one.

I don't understand this hall pass. I've never heard of it in my life. What was it for? 

You'll find the rare, higher profile (because they are rare), English-speaking Canadian  or American-born TV stars, DO feel a some sense of honour they are carving the path now, for Asian North Americans in the entertainment world now, because there's so few of them that have made it nationally/globally.  They feel conscious of doing things right and not  f*ckin' up their life/career because now they are in the limelight.  It shouldn't be like this, this type of pressure. But that's just reality, when they know there are others that look like her, looking for good models in entertainment industry.  

A very good example, is  the Canadian actress Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy and several pieces she's done) who is consciously using  her celebrity status to speak out against anti-Asian racism. I'm glad she is unafraid to speak out and be at the rallies.  She also has been all open about her upbringing and what it was like working in the industry in North America when there are so few Asian-North American stars with her status..

 

 

 

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There has been some interesting  commentary, where it is odd, but not surprising, some Ukranian-North American, who aren't born there..ie. 2 generations removed, suddenly are claiming their "roots", that the reflection of the war ...is really about them and less  about the Ukrainians dying/suffering in their country.

It takes a war to discover your roots?  Ok, well whatever.  

To me, ethnic self-identification: is language, what elements of cultural understanding does one embrace naturally over the years, your personal connection to others with similar background, interest/knowledge in cultural history (either in old country or the immigrant experience/both).  It's should not be because suddenly war makes one fonder to their ethnic roots or suddenly you want to go public about your ethnic affiliation.

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1 minute ago, shootingstar said:

I don't understand this hall pass. I've never heard of it in my life. What was it for? 

You'll find the rare, higher profile (because they are rare), English-speaking Canadian  or American-born TV stars, DO feel a some sense of honour they are carving the path now, for Asian North Americans in the entertainment world now, because there's so few of them that have made it nationally/globally.  They feel conscious of doing things right and not  f*ckin' up their life/career because now they are in the limelight.  It shouldn't be like this, this type of pressure. But that's just reality, when they know there are others that look like her, looking for good models in entertainment industry.  

A very good example, is  the Canadian actress Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy and several pieces she's done) who is consciously using  her celebrity status to speak out against anti-Asian racism. I'm glad she is unafraid to speak out and be at the rallies.  

 

 

 

In a high school of 2900 students, any student walking through the hallways during class time has to have a hall pass.  They can be issued by teachers to go to the lavatory, to the nurse, to the library, etc.

Senior Aides have a permanent hall pass, laminated and with a clip, for the period of the day they serve as a Senior Aide and keep it in their possession.  Molly hadn't bothered to clip hers onto her clothing.

Senior Aide is an official position that Seniors sometimes take when they're way ahead in credits to graduate and they spend a period working for a teacher during his/her planning period.  My senior aides, for example, would help set up labs, run off photocopies of activities, etc.  If they were all caught up, I let them do their homework or visit a friend who was a Senior Aide in another department.

On September 11, 2001, my Senior Aide, Allison, and I heard about a plane flying into the Twin Towers in NYC.  Her father was an Army Colonel, normally assigned to the Pentagon but was flying to NYC that morning.

So we walked into the library where there are TV's.  They had a few large TV's tuned to news channels and we arrived just in time to watch the 2nd plane fly into the 2nd tower.  Allison nearly went into shock.

Allison phoned her mother who was going crazy with worry. Allison regained her composure but worried about her parents. The school was on lockdown, but I decided to let Allison drive her car the short distance home after getting the verbal ok from her mother. We slipped out the back of the school and walked to the Stadium/Senior Parking Lot and there was Paul, an Assistant Principal, guarding it.  I told him I was sending Allison home and why.  He agreed and made a note so he could report her departure from school when he got back to his office.

Allison phoned me later to say her dad was ok and so was her mom.

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42 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

In a high school of 2900 students, any student walking through the hallways during class time has to have a hall pass.  They can be issued by teachers to go to the lavatory, to the nurse, to the library, etc.

Senior Aides have a permanent hall pass, laminated and with a clip, for the period of the day they serve as a Senior Aide and keep it in their possession.  Molly hadn't bothered to clip hers onto her clothing.

Senior Aide is an official position that Seniors sometimes take when they're way ahead in credits to graduate and they spend a period working for a teacher during his/her planning period.  My senior aides, for example, would help set up labs, run off photocopies of activities, etc.  If they were all caught up, I let them do their homework or visit a friend who was a Senior Aide in another department.

I don't think that type of hall pass system exists in the high schools (Ontario)...at least not the high schools my nieces and nephews go to. And these have been academically bright/strong students. Their high school streams weren't for slouches.

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