Domestic / cross cultural issues - Thai / Foreigner concerns

Farang and their seemingly paradoxical ways

By Mr. Surin Province, Created on: 17/10/2008, Last updated on: 17/04/2010

» As a long-historied Farang resident myself, comfortable and understanding, I have to ask the age old question regarding Westerners that find it necessary to stay/live here while finding life so objectionable in many ways. Why is this so? I've experienced this throughout Asia {in particular the LOS}...

• mele.nani commented : Dear still browsing, Obama is a special circumstance. If Bush had not created such a huge mess, the US would have elected another white male. Obama grew up in Hawaii where he was not degraded for being black. He does not have the rage of slavery in his background, though his wife's great grandfather was a slave. Hawaii has its own farang problems from injustices that over a hundred years were perpetrated by farang men who were citizens of the Kingdom of Hawaii. These farang asked for help from a US ship to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy. The navy came in took over, and threw our reigning Queen in prison. It is an acknowledged illegal act but Hawaiians are still largely a landless people. Generations after, the descendants of the farang who took Hawaii away from Hawaiians are still in control of valuable land resources. The word for farang in Hawaii is haole. The literal translation: Ha means breath of life. Ole means without. This term was used for all foreigners but as the races melded and people formed communities it evolved to refer to whites. Hawaii is by no means a perfect world, we are all human animals with potential for compassion and greed. Obama is our home boy. We love him dearly. Finally the US has done the right thing and chosen intelligence, integrity, and quality. If you think the world does not favor white men, look at the US house and Senate. Calculate the percentage of white males. When we have a black woman President, now that would be something! Take home message, look at people as people. Judge them by the quality of their intentions and actions. Have compassion for the poor..

• mele.nani commented : Consider this about the US Banking meltdown. These seeds were sown in the 8 years of Bush administration. This house of cards started to fall apart during the Bush term of office. Structures and laws that govern banking institutions were changed. These decisions were Bush administration decisions just as the war in Iraq and the arrogance that brought him to land on an aircraft carrier to say "Mission Accomplished" was his decision. Obama has inherited probably the largest list of problems and challenges of any previous presidency. George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Don Rumsfeld were a disastrous combination. They have brought down the US economy and our standing in world politics. Their actions have resulted in the loss of many thousands of people in Afghanistan and Iraq. The US soldiers who died have been counted and mourned. What about the families that were bombed and killed? What about the common people that were displaced? The behavior of the Bush administration was self serving, arrogant and shameful. America and the world is going to suffer long term for decisions they have made. The financial crisis is just beginning. It will unfold as an international disaster. You will see more downturn of banks, business, and employment globally because of things that were initiated under the Bush administration. This is my opinion as an American citizen and not the forum which provides us the venue for discussion. In Hawaii we say "malama pono" nurture that which is righteous.

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