Chinese voice

Roamer · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 8 Location: Somewhere in London

Westernisation is inevitable as you learn english and think western. Assimiliate yes, earn money yes but did I say ignore your rights and uniqueness. As you are in the UK everyone has a unique identity.

True, the west values individuality and people who speak their minds but then how many politicians, lawyers, MPs, VPs of Universities of chinese origin. It's a balance of assimiliation and confrontation. If you're talking about the politicization of BBCs that boils down to power, which comes from money. Look at the Bush dynasty, the american election machine which is powered primarily by money. If the west so values individuality, freedom of rights etc why are there so many blacks in Macdonalds or in prison, asians in retail and chinese in takeaways, even BBCs. I'm positive that some like working in a takeaway but there are others who detest it.

If you head to various british associations, seminars you will see that the majority of the 'captains' of industry are english. Investment banking, law and education the majority again are western. I'm not saying head down, be a pleb and assimilate. The main thing is to maintain your unique hybrid identity, try your very best and work hard.

eye_candy1870 · Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 86

Chiense in UK make up less than 0.5% of the population. There is no 'chinese community'(if you want to view a chinese community go to san fransisco bay area). A few shops and food outlets grouped on a road isnt classed as a 'community'. So i dont know what youre going on about raising chinese awareness concerning 'chinese issues'.

I know chinese have highest % of GCSE results over any other race (70%) and they were the highest gross earners in 1997. Read yesterdays Times article about chinese in education and the only 'chiense issue' would be why havent 100% of BBC age 18+ dont get into university. There is no issue, we are not muslims, we are not blacks living in the ghetto. Just be quiet and carry on making your money.

Judge Mental · Joined: 07 May 2003 Posts: 3

Hello!!! What planet do you come from???

Some of us ARE muslims, and we are black. Wake up and smell the reality.

sp · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 218

I think he's talking about Chinese people.

In any case, there is a Chinese community in this country, it just isn't as organised as in America, where they are several generations ahead of us in terms of community relations and integration. To say there is no Chinese communty in the UK is a bit ignorant.

Guest · Posted: Sat May 10, 2003 12:27 pm Post subject:

Did I just read what I just thought I read?

Some of you really don't think that we Chinese people in Britain have no issues and if they do they should keep their mouths shut!

We are not Blacks or Asians, we have different needs to the other BME communities in Britain and not a lot of people recognise this. Some statotury bodies use a one size fits all when it comes to providing services for us and I think that that is outragous.

I think everybody would agree that English is a big problem for the Chinese community here. I need to look no further than my own parents. But when people are penalised because there English is poor then I think that it is a sad, sad situation.

Only 0.5% of the population, I read somebody saying. Probably true, but that is still around 300,000, and that's probably not taking into account the asylum seekers/refugees/illegal immigrants in this country.

In the area of mental health, if you look at the stats then you would see that the take up of services by the Chinese community is disproportionate when compared with all other communities. It's not because Chinese people don't have any mental health or emotional issues, but the services do not accomodate for them, some nurses and consultants don't have a very good cultural understanding of our community.

And why is that?

Probably because we don't tell them, probably because they don't want to listen.

I am a BBC and I work with the Chinese community in my area, and I think that it's a shame that BBC's decide to choose a career in law, accounting, computing etc.

We, who have had a decent education mostly decide to integrate into Britain. But integration is a two way process, you become more westernised, but do the westerners know more about you and where you come from?

I hope that more BBCs can work in the community. helping fellow Chinese people and give something back to the community that made you and I who we are today.

eye_candy1870 · Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 86

sp,

how do you define a 'community'? Form my understanding a 'commune' denotes a form of living arrangement/environment, point out if i am talking crap. Point out one area in the UK that a group of chinese live. Just one. Blacks have numerous (Brixton, Handsworth etc) indians have plenty (hounslow, sparkhill etc) pakistanis/ bangladeshis (hackney, tower hamlets, small heath etc) jews have north london. These are RESIDENTIAL districts may I add. How the hell can you raise chinese issues when chinese live within fragmented pockets of UK society? This website can highlight various 'issues' for those that are lucky to have web access but no more.

Maybe I am a bit too traditional for BBc's but I am very much in the school of thought of Chinese thinking that the majority or mass of society far outweighs the minority. As far as iam concerned I live in another persons country, i dont expect special rules to suit me nor to I expect to be treated any worse than a white man. This is the very reason why blacks and muslims get the white backlash (BNP gaining council seats).

sp · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 218

'Communtiy' in this case refers to a group of similar people - it doesn't always mean people physically located in the same place. I dont' know if you live here or overseas, but in the UK you will often hear refrences to 'the black community' or 'the gay community' etc. it is just a way of referring to people as a group (doesn't mean they all live in one area). If someone says "the article in the newspaper has upset the black community" they are not referring to a particular place like Brixton, they are talking about the black section of the population.

sp · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 218

"As far as I am concerned I live in another persons country, I dont expect special rules to suit me nor to I expect to be treated any worse than a white man"

I don't feel that this is another person's country. It is partially my country through birth and upbringing. I don't want special rules and I don't want to be treated worse than whites either. Do you feel that we are treated as equals in this country, in all aspects of life (not just schools and universities, I'm talking about the workplace, careers, social situations, society in general)? If there is not equality then, logically, someone is worse off.

I don't think people are calling for a revolution or anything. Small things like some representation in politics and media, and an end to the casual racism often directed against Chinese would be good. The Chinese race is one of the only races you can insult or makes jokes about nowadays and get away with it, precisely because of this "don't rock the boat, keep quiet" attitude.

You don't want a 'backlash'? I would say there is plenty we can do amongst ourselves, to benefit ourselves, without getting anywhere near a 'backlash'. E.g. you rightly point out that we're a scattered community. How about finding ways of improving that? Websites are actually a good way to raise issues and provide a focal point. And what about people who aren't on the internet? How about something like this: http://www.dimsum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=71

You shouldn't shrink from doing something positive for fellow british Chinese people just because of the fear of a 'backlash'.

eye_candy1870 · Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 86

sp,

Do you believe chinese people in the UK are worse off than others? If so, which departments? socially, economically, education, health care, demographics?

I think ive been reading the wrong broadsheets lately...or studying the wrong degree. you will find chinese in the UK are actually the top of most if not all departments. Yes, you are right we are not equal to other races here...

I have been living in the UK since i was 8 (iam 24 now). I dont want to keep repeating my points to you in regards to the 'chinese community'. No doubt there are pockets of poverty amongst some chinese people here but it is by no way a true reflection of the majority living here.

eye_candy1870 · Joined: 08 May 2003 Posts: 86

sp,

Regarding the issue of not feeling Britian is not my country, this is of course a subjective statement. Legally you are right, as you are a subject of the monarch.

I find you are a very pro chinese individual ( which is is exactly what i am) but also pro Britian (which is exactly what i am NOT). Maybe that is the difference between chinese born in UK and those that are born in their 'natural' birth place of Asia. Identity can be distorted.

sp · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 218

I think how 'British' you feel is a personal thing and will vary from person to person, rather than a legal matter.

sp · Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 218

I am not saying we have terrible problems here, but there's nothing wrong with trying to improve things.

I already gave some examples e.g I would say we are worse off in areas of political power and cultural 'respect'. Like I said, people generally don't makes jokes about black or Indian people nowadays becuse it's seen as incorrect, but jokes about 'Orientals' are still acceptable. I think this is because Chinese people have had this "don't rock the boat, we are guests in this country" attitude for so long.

There are also issues about non-English speaking Chinese people having access to proper legal and medical services, services for the elderly etc.. Again, this is improving because some people have the conviction to do something to help their community.

Poverty: I wasn't talking about poverty, I was talking about the Chinese community being scattered and isolated, and that there might be ways to improve this.

By the way, my identity is not distorted in any way.

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