Namahottie’s blog

Should I ever have children, there will be a distinct possibility that by the time they reach 18 there will be countries that have been wiped out by AIDS. What upsets me the most is how in the age of advanced technology, I truly believe there is a means to reduce the numbers but greed, racism, and politics are getting in the way.

It is estimated that 700,000 people are living with HIV in China. Of that 75,000 have full blown AIDS.  While the UNAIDS has a reported the epidemic is low, the high population in the Southern regions can cause spread.  The fact that HIV infections have soared to 45% in the last year should be an indication to the government that corralling people within their province is not enough.

The central government has taken several steps to control the growth of AIDS in China since 2003. Free testing is provided for migrants who can spread HIV as they travel outside of their provinces seeking work in larger cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The government has also begun providing free condoms in karaoke bars and promoting needle exchange programs, according to a 2006 TIME health blog.

Mainstream media has mostly covered the AIDS epidemic from a rural standpoint. In  the 1990s , many rural workers were selling their blood for money. To cut back on using syringes, many blood banks reused them. The HumanAught, links to a translated version of an article about the epidemic caused by plasma selling in Henan, which has upward to 10,000 cases of HIV infections.

In 1996, AIDS became public.  I made contact through a friend with Gao Yaojie, the "top civilian In AIDS prevention" and I listened to her explain the spreading of AIDS in the central plains.

On that day, I saw an AIDS father-and-son pair in Gao Yaojie's home.  The 12-year-old son had a low fever that would not subside.  The father took the son to Zhengzhou to see if it was a flu, but he had AIDS.  This was the first time that I ever met AIDS patients.  I gave them 400 RMB.  On that occasion, Gao Yaojie gave me the names of several AIDS orphans and she wanted me and my friends to send them money at the addresses so that they can continue to study.  Some time later, one of the children did not need our assistance anymore because he passed away.  Thus, a life just vanished like that.  Another little girl in elementary school also lost contact ...

On that day, Gao Yaojie also told me another shocking detail.  She said that when the peasants sold blood back then, they might be working in the field.  When the Blood Heads went to the fields to collect blood, they said that they would take 500 cc but actually they were taking 600 cc or 700 cc for the same money (at most 80 RMB).  The peasants who had the blood drawn were often dizzy afterwards because too much blood had been taken.  At those moments, the Blood Head would pick up the peasants and turn them upside down, shaking their bodies until the blood went back into their heads.

Much of the information about AIDS in China is outdated and old. I’ve given up hope on finding an actual Chinese blogger/activist who would be writing about HIV/AIDS in China since most are arrested.

What is going to be done about AIDS as the world moves further into the 21st century remains to be answered. It would be easy in frustration to blame the G8 countries for their lack of response and denial of medications to countries that can’t afford them, but there’s where I believe there is racism at hand. I also tend to think that for these Big Pharm companies are working with governments in a means to reduce world population which growing at a rapid rate.

But until I have details and facts, all I can do is pray for those who suffer needlessly.

Each place I’ve lived has moved me further outside of the box. By the end of my time in Japan, I learned I was greater than my color, which had been the sum of all parts for a large part of my life. By the end of my life in Taiwan, I had figured out levels of strengthens I had as a human.

I’m always curious of other black women’s experiences aboard. Wondering if they share any of the same views or struggles I have had. On the beautifully written blog, “black girl on mars: notes on a life in Copenhagen” Lesley Ann-Brown, an American writer with ties to Trinidad and Brooklyn, N.Y. reflects on the difference between what one does and who one is.

The payment for financial security in this society is exorbitant. For a writer, it often means that you must put your work on the sacrifice board and ask it to stay there calmly while reality sharpens its blade, ready for the execution. Art is for children, it says. Writing is only for rich people (or kept spouses!) it taunts--not for little brown girls from Brooklyn! It kicks your teeth in.

Brown’s posts were full of substance. She makes wistful observations of life, intermingling them with other writer’s points of views. Shares her thought/wishes for her son while being firmly rooted in reality.

There were two things I missed the most while living abroad: Mexican food (particularly horchata) and Gospel music. It’s amazing what you see about yourself when you have a taste of home.  Sirmelja, a Jamaican-American living in Cork, Ireland reconnects to her inner emotions through a U2 song on her way to a Harlem Gospel Choir concert.

I didn’t realize just how constrained and small I’ve been feeling lately. It’s only partly being what feels like the only non-African black person in Cork. I’m used to being the odd one out…But, listening to that song on my way in made me feel like I was standing tall again, like I was doing something I love and that felt so familiar.

Sometimes, just capturing the simple side of life can be good enough. I looked for a in-dept blog about being black and living in France, but came upon "My So-Called Life in France", and couldn’t’ stop reading. The author just simply shares her life with her French husband and all the cute stuff in life.  One particular post, about customer service, had me laughing aloud.

Stop #1

I walk into Castorama and begin looking for my roll of plastic. Of course I can’t find it. I immediately notice that whenever I look to find a sales person they see my eyes trying to meet theirs and then they immediately scurry off like frightened rats. I think I actually heard them make squeaking noises as they kicked up dust to get away. This of course is not uncommon in Castorama culture. I think part of their training manual includes a hefty chapter on how to escape actually having contact with the customers. So everytime I’m in Castorama I like to wander around just looking at the other shoppers. It’s like Night of the Living Dead in there! A hundred dazed and lost people walking around, stone-faced, mouths agape like zombies, hopelessly trying to find…..staple guns and what-not. Meanwhile the sales staff runs and screams in horror. Next time I will bring a video camera. P.S. I never found my damn plastic sheeting either.

Something I never understood in my time aboard, was how one's presence can cause such a problems with getting serviced.  Nevertheless, It was perfect reading for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

There are worlds unknown to many Americans and the glimpses we capture on the 6 o’clock news in 45 to 1 minutes sound bites do not do those worlds justices.
 
On occasion I tend to believe cases of abuse toward women we read or hear about in countries such as India or Pakistan often serve of no value, other than some feeding egoistical thought that would prove WE are better than THEM.

In the 80s I can recall reading in-depth reporting in magazines such as TIME about why humans suffered under cruel conditions in their countries, which gave historical context, political reference and possible solutions. Now, I feel as if no matter if I read TIME, Newsweek, or a blog, I will have read something, which is more tantalizing and everything else, is a footnote.

For the sake of my honor, shoot my wife, describes a case of a women who was possibly killed for being kidnapped. Tribal elders believe the woman ran off with a young man have decided death for both of them in order to maintain the honor of their families. The gravity of such a life and death situation is undermined by the author’s remark “the entire story reminded me of the scene in The Usual Suspects” had me ponder whether reality has just become pointless in dealing with, hence why honor killings are capable of existing today. 

This can all change through visibility. The more visible a woman in power is, the more cultural mentalities can be altered, at least in my opinion. Ishrat Saleem writes in “Pakistan: Women in Parliament”

Although there is a section of opinion which argues that women who are not elected directly from constituencies by the people have only a cosmetic presence and are incapable of playing any significant role in the legislative process or for the rights of women…but the counter-argument is that in a highly conservative society where social dictates tend to confine women’s role in the house only, it is through measures like this that they will be encouraged to participate in political decision-making.

While many of women in the Pakistan parliament can owe their success to their linage, many have run on their own volition therefore, indicating a profound impact these women are making.

India, Women & Politics questions if Hillary Clinton’s electoral win of the U.S. presidency could alter the world’s sentiments toward women? 

The Indian government is increasing the reservation for women in the Parliament. Is that reason enough for the receptiveness of women in politics? The ordinary woman still finds it difficult to make her voice heard. The Indian male ego finds it hard to be subordinate to a woman easily. It appears that women have had to find a new route to the top… by setting up independent parties. On the other hand, once the woman has proved her mettle beyond doubt, male subordination to female leadership does not seem to matter much. It is the path between the beginning and reaching the top that tests the woman’s grit.

In an unequal society, women have a long winding path to scale before they can command the same respect that a male politician does.

I almost laughed out loud. While unfamiliar with the “Indian male ego” I would have to say the disempowerment is not due to completely to the male ego, Indian or wherever, rather to ego itself, which resides in both genders, that believes having certain a status allows them to impede upon free will.

What it boils down to for me at least, is attempting to solve problems through a gendered-less view. Finding a language to use that would enable both parties to see cruelity as a human condition which both can relate to. However, until humans can strip themselves of the idea of control, we will be subjects to such behavior.

    Westerners who have lived in Asia, particularly China, often joke about Chinese culture: It’s 1 year done 5000 times.  The joke’s implication that a country with over a billion people hasn’t grown much over time is surely an understatement. Rather, China’s rapid economic growth gives it plenty of opportunity to go in new directions culturally.

    Of course, it’s through technology the biggest shifts are being made. A post on You Mei Ti, shows how Chinese youth, in this case a Japanese male, is using the Internet to find love. The young Romeo, fell instantly in love with a young woman on the train, and captured her on his phone camera. In his video, he makes a passionate plea, asking viewers to help him find her. But, alas, love does not heal all wounds.

日本猪都是杂交的东东，劣等岛国习气！变态！杀光日本猪，把日本猪从中国土地上赶出去
Japanese pigs are all the products of inbreeding and incest. They are an evil island nation! What a freak! Kill all Japanese pigs! Drive them out from Chinese soil!

日本狗，她不会跟你这个日本狗的，等我老了，快死了的时候我到日本放“炮竹
Japanese dog, she is not going to come with you. When I am old some day and about to die, I will come to Japan to set off fire crackers.

就这样还要找中国女人。..难道日本慰安妇死光了?
Look at you, and you want a Chinese woman? Have all the comfort women died in Japan?

    It is strange how the author of You Mei Ti and the original blog, Shanghaiist, call posters responses “encouraging”. While I hardly think past historical impact of Japan on China should be ignored, calling such comments “encouraging” just seem to fan the flames.

    And it doesn’t stop there. Shanghaiist posts about a a 16 year-old girl using the Internet to auction off her large breasts. Well, actually to have them removed. Now that’s a first. I’m in a country where most women would have an auction video to get them, she wants them off, and claming it’s for charity.

"I hope they can offer 200,000 yuan (US$26,316) each for the auction," Xu said in an article in her blog entitled "The No. 1 breasts want an auction for love donation" on June 30 at Sohu.com, a popular Web portal on the Chinese mainland.

    So much for one’s cup running over.

    On the serious side of things, after March 22nd Taiwan elections, bloggers in China had much to say about the new rule in Taiwan. Global Village translates a blogpost that garnered 5 pages of comments. The author discusses the mentality in China toward democracy after being able to watch the election.

台湾的民主，就像一个蹒跚学步的孩子，时常会跌倒，但是毕竟是在努力学着像个人一样站立着行走，而且越来越成熟，越来越稳健，但是对岸的某些人，死死抓住选举中某些负面的情况，说：看，这就是所谓的民主，不就是闹剧吗？他们所忽略的是，我们连起码的站立的权利都没有，就像一个高位截瘫的病人，却还摊倒在地上嘲笑刚学会走路的孩子。

The democracy in Taiwan is like a toddling child who tumbled at times. But at least, he is learning hard how to walk on feet and going more mature and steady. Some people here, however, stick to a few negative aspects of the vote, saying that the so-called democracy is nothing but a farce. Nevertheless, what they ignore is that we don’t even have the right to stand straight. It’s like a paraplegic laughing at a kid just learning how to walk.

    Even with the constant restrictions of the ever-present watching eye in China, it will be hard to suppress the enviable revolution that will sprout from the Internet in China.

 

Brazilians are known worldwide for many things: Carnival, a certain girl from Ipanema, models, and a certain type of wax. But they are also becoming leaders in the 21st century for the time they spend on the internet. In fact, they have out paced Americans at it.
On In Brazil: Blog is Beautiful, I talked with Brazilian bloggers and surfed their spaces to discover what is going on in country where it's often said that one who does not look ahead remains behind.

When I think about blogging this week on the Middle East, it calls to mind of a story I recently read about an Illinois state treasurer and her damaged furniture.

When the current State Treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias, took office, it was widely reported that the office furniture was so damaged from smoking and his predecessor’s dog, all of it had to be replaced.

It’s a strange analogy to compare the Middle East to damaged furniture, but when I think of the continuous fighting among the nationalities in the area, efforts to make inroads to peace and the continuous build up of negative energy there, it may just have to come down to a form of replacing something, perhaps territorial lines or geographical direction, if this will serve for a higher good.

But saying Israel is apart of the EU sounds as strange as thinking California is on the East Coast. With that said, I searched for bloggers who blog on the region  using humor, comics, and art to ‘replace’ the damage extending from the region.

On MideastYouth.com, a semi-blog of sorts, Sarah Glidden discuss how comics have become a fast growing form of storytelling, allowing readers to have a more immediate understanding other cultures.

So I thought about it, and decided that if I could draw the stories of other people from all over the world, I could learn more about how our lives are similar, as well as the interesting ways we are different, and then share these stories with other people from all over as well. This is where you MEY readers come in…I’d love it if you helped me share your lives with others.  

From this, Giddon has collaborated with two artists,Tala and Esra’a, from the Middle East.

On Rambles of a Lebanese Hopeful, a unknown journalist pokes fun at the politics and political players in the region.

Now ain't this just a good old outing for the whole family! The Shurat HaDin Israel Law Center sports an ad on the Jerusalem Post website that reads: "Experience a Dynamic and Intensive Eight Day Exploration of Israel's Struggle for Survival and Security." Mission highlights include:

    * Briefings by Mossad officials and commanders of the Shin Bet.
    * Briefing by officers in the IDF Intelligence and Operations branches.
    * Inside tour of the IAF unit who carries out targeted killings.
    * Live exhabition of penetration raids in Arab territory.
      Observe a trial of Hamas terrorists in an IDF military court.

I couldn’t help but read this with a good hearty laugh. As sad as it may seem that some people take warfare seriously, yet that’s what made me laugh. The fact some people see it as a form of entertainment. But I guess, I can’t poke too much fun at the idea, as many Americans see Civil War re-enactments as a hobby.  * sigh *

Israel Satire Laboratory aggregates some of the "best satire published on the web," focusing on Middle Eastern satire. Here's a  link to a video and transcript produced by a Syrian comedian, Yasser Al-‘Azemh who pokes fun at a Muslim couple who use certain products from “correct” countries.

Tamara: Good morning. What are you looking for, my dear?

'Arwa: For the razor blades I bought yesterday.

Tamara: There are razor blades in the bathroom.

'Arwa: There were razor blades in the bathroom, but I broke them and threw them into the garbage.

Tamara: Why did you throw them out? Don't they shave well?

'Arwa: Quite the opposite, these were three razor blades in one. They give you the smoothest shave and a lingering sense of freshness. But I chucked them out because they were made in America.

Tamara: And what did you bring instead?

'Arwa: I brought Belgian razor blades, because you should know, Tamara, that Belgium's positions on the Arab cause were very honorable. The least we can do is to shave with Belgian razor blades. The land speaks Arabic, the land, the land... Found them! I will shave my beard with these Belgian razor-blades.

It's been shown that laughter actually produces physical chemicals that can help foster healing in an ailing person. I would be interested in known what sort of transformation would come if the powers that be would be subjected to a series comedy hours before they created policies.

But I suspect these hopeful ideologies would get laughed out of the room.

Expats live in a bit of a state of flux during their time in a foreign country. A tension between what is actually home. Is it the place you came from, a past you’ve outgrown or the new place, where you never fully fit in?

On elToronteco, the Guatemalan blogger settles for the realization that home isn’t purchased rather a state of mind in the place he is. As a new Canadian citizen, he discusses the mixed feelings between his new status and his roots.  

Must of the people on my blogroll share this conflict with me one way or the other. We have left parts of our heart spread in different parts of the world. We have crossed borders, inside or outside our countries, for different reasons and stay longer than the length of a vacation or a work contract or a study period. We have invested our emotions and thoughts about these multiple cities, provinces, lands and nations and their relationship towards our selves.

Yet, this is a rare reflection of a journey, I sense.  The effort to create sense of home often has an impact on those who already call the destination “home”. On Citizen Orange, provides a link to Latina artist Alisa Valdes-Rodriquez’s blog about the impact migration is having on Latino artists.

In 2007, Mexican-born author Reyna Grande's first novel, "Across a Hundred Mountains," is released to critical acclaim, and wins the American Book Award – yet Grande's San Diego bookstore appearance is canceled after anti-immigrant patrons call the manager to protest their support of a novel by and about "illegals".

However, home can be found in the reuniting with family and not a place. Homo homini lupus [es] blogs how the Guatemalan airport holds the future of the country.

The money is in the United States. This is something that nobody can deny. Alone, visit the airport and watch the seas of people who looked forward to carrying their joy.

They bring money, gifts, bags and more bags. Others, the thrill is moving to see who is potentially "Pedro" and “Maria” are to be the first to embrace.

In my time abroad, I never could reconcile what was home and what could have been a potential home.  As elToronteco refers to the Wizard of Oz in his blog, I also would often think of what Glenda the Good Witch told Dorothy in the Wiz.

Home is place we all have to find child/ It’s not a place where we eat or sleep. But home is knowing/ knowing your mind/ knowing your heart/knowing your courage/when we know ourselves/we are always home,/anywhere”

Japan refers to its ethnic homogeneity as a national pride. Yet, global demands are forcing the country to open it's doors and immigration policies. In the recent years, the birthrate has declined, placing a strain on the economy to care for it's aling and elderly population, while younger people tend to work longer and not have the time or proper resources to care for their parents. Many Japanese are hiring caregivers from Indonesia or the Philippians making the Japanese government have to restructure their immigration policies.

According to Migration Information Source, Japan's immigration laws create in post war 1952 were designed to not encourage settlement but to monitor and control foreigners. This could be said true for today, with the requirement to carry registration cards at all times. In 2004, the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act was amended in an attempt to reduce crime and "unauthorized" immigrants. In 2007, all foreigners over age 16 will be finger printed each time they enter Japan, similar to the United States. Yet, the United States does not require fingerprinting of permanent residents.

Bloggers on Global Village Online, debated the logistics of such a law.

What's most problematic about this time is that, there was no debate between pros and cons. The majority of Japanese don't even know when it was that the bill was passed. I would guess the government's excuse would be “this is a fingerprinting and verification system targeting foreigners and the bill does not concern Japanese people; therefore, the kind of debate we had in the case of the Juki Net (Resident Registry Network) is not necessary” or something along those lines. As I mentioned earlier, however, the principle of reciprocity is common sense in international politics. Japanese people will have to pay for this. How did this kind of bill make it through without us even knowing about it?

Blogs on U.S. immigration, unsurprisingly, attack the U.S. government attempts at reducing immigration from Mexico and what many consider amnesty given by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Honestly, I think most of the blogging by American bloggers on U.S. immigration policies is a ranting cover for racist ideology. And really see little point in discussing their views in contrast to mine.