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Like many people for their different reasons, I am also a captivated observer of the recent American presidential election.
The Obama effect will be felt variously according to the situation and the environment. For the Chinese community in Britain in particular, there are valuable lessons to learn and apply. As a community, the Chinese are I believe resourceful and successful but there is a now a growing perception that there is a void beyond material attainment.
In some circles, this sometimes intrudes into general conversation as a yearning to be taken more seriously and it betrays a sense of disappointment which is loosely referred to as a lack of respect. More outspoken individuals speak about their experiences of unfair treatment and downright racial prejudice.
The Black Americans individually and collectively have worked hard and patiently and today, the rise in their stature whatever the pundits might say has culminated in the election of Barack Obama as the next president of the United States of America. The process, however, has not been without confrontation and even violence. The Chinese Britons, on the other hand, need to approach any such aspiration rather differently. This is because of their considerably smaller numbers in an outwardly less pluralistic society where the 'old world' values are still largely dominant and intolerant of change.
In practical terms, this translates to a requirement for solidarity and leadership, not necessarily politically but certainly socially. The better the blending in with mainstream society in all its nuances, the more effective the positive transformation in standing becomes. To do that, we must have a unity of purpose and a determined sense of direction.
It may seem a tall order, but there are signs of the nascent desire to achieve a worthwhile goal. And the time is propitious.
Dr Teck Khong
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Viewpoints 
