FREEDOM WRITERS - THE MOVIE
I watched this movie last night on HBO and it was a deeply moving true story on racial intergration in the US of A.
It was about a school that was all white until 1992 and in 1994 was overrun with black kids from the getto projects, Latino kids from the ganglands, Cambodian kids and other "colored" kids. How one dedicated teacher decided to educate them and conduct actual racial intergration to the best of her ability was what this movie was about.
Getting these student to see that most problems they had were similar in nature. Getting them to see what racism and hate can do in terms of the holocaust. Getting them to unite for the betterment of all.
Her dedication has led to a foundation that today brings the idea all across America.
We Malaysians, on the other hand, have been racially intergrated for much much longer!!! My dad was in a racially intergrated school. so was I and so were all my friends!!
Yes!! Indians, Malays and Chinese kids all playing together, learning together and even eating together!!
Where are we now? 2008??
Similar to Blacks, Asians and Hispanics in America...we are EXTREMELY segregated in our schools right here in Malaysia!!! (Only difference is that our kids don't have guns to blow each others brains out!!) We are segregated at work and even in sports.
What makes our scene worst is that while the US is moving forward with racial intergration, we had it going well in the past and are heading in the wrong direction today!!
How do we stop the decline???
Well....I have my view but let's hear from you guys first!!!
But do try to catch the movie on HBO...worth your time!!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
TOLERANCE DURING THE FASTING MONTH
Here we are at the fasting month again.
It is a month where Muslims are to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. It is the month where they have to be at their best behaviour.
It is a month of tolerence and restrain.
Working in a government link company, I've begun to see the entire fasting month in a new light. The greater tolerance and restrain seems to be coming from the non-Muslims!!
What do I mean?? Well, let me explain in my usual point form:
1. Tolerance to terrible driving and jams.
- Muslims rushing home for "buka puasa" seem to disregard yellow boxes, traffic lights, signals, right of way, speed limits, etc but the non-Muslims seem to patiently let it be.
2. Tolerance to lower work rate and output.
- The non-Muslims again show tolerance and actually take on additional work.
3. Tolerance to eating habits.
- The non-muslims refrain from eating in front of their friends, refrain from a cup of coffee during meetings, drink coffee in their cubicles, etc. Even our office "tea lady" stops making tea and coffee and this is tolerated by the non-Muslims too.
4. Tolerance to change in meetings and schedules.
- The non-muslims are suddenly in meetings that go on through lunch hour.
- Urgent meetings and decisions cannot be made after 4 pm.....why? The muslims have been given an hour off early to avoid jams. (Refer to 1)
5. Tolerance to all social and fun activity involving Muslims being cancelled.
- Meetings that get suddenly cancelled, sports activities get cancelled, etc.
I just found it amazing that the tolerance levels of non-muslims here in Malaysia was so high!!
Keep it up guys and gals.....at least the fasting month has lent itself to being beneficial in making us non-Muslims better individuals in terms of tolerance, patience and caring about others.
Here we are at the fasting month again.
It is a month where Muslims are to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. It is the month where they have to be at their best behaviour.
It is a month of tolerence and restrain.
Working in a government link company, I've begun to see the entire fasting month in a new light. The greater tolerance and restrain seems to be coming from the non-Muslims!!
What do I mean?? Well, let me explain in my usual point form:
1. Tolerance to terrible driving and jams.
- Muslims rushing home for "buka puasa" seem to disregard yellow boxes, traffic lights, signals, right of way, speed limits, etc but the non-Muslims seem to patiently let it be.
2. Tolerance to lower work rate and output.
- The non-Muslims again show tolerance and actually take on additional work.
3. Tolerance to eating habits.
- The non-muslims refrain from eating in front of their friends, refrain from a cup of coffee during meetings, drink coffee in their cubicles, etc. Even our office "tea lady" stops making tea and coffee and this is tolerated by the non-Muslims too.
4. Tolerance to change in meetings and schedules.
- The non-muslims are suddenly in meetings that go on through lunch hour.
- Urgent meetings and decisions cannot be made after 4 pm.....why? The muslims have been given an hour off early to avoid jams. (Refer to 1)
5. Tolerance to all social and fun activity involving Muslims being cancelled.
- Meetings that get suddenly cancelled, sports activities get cancelled, etc.
I just found it amazing that the tolerance levels of non-muslims here in Malaysia was so high!!
Keep it up guys and gals.....at least the fasting month has lent itself to being beneficial in making us non-Muslims better individuals in terms of tolerance, patience and caring about others.
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