Photo: Alex Leung I was inspired by the story of Jasmine Cochran, a young African-American woman who has been teaching teaching English literature and language since 2016 to students aged 14 to 16 in China, where she lives with her husband and two children. It was serendipity that I came across a BBC profile of … Continue reading Racism in China (& Viet Nam) the Result of “Naivety & Ignorance”
george floyd
Meanwhile in America…
I couldn't help but crack a wry smile (think gallows humor) when this pop-up appeared on my screen. I had been reading with great sorrow and anger about the cold-blooded murder by blue of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and riots in Minneapolis and across the US. Meanwhile in America, as all hell breaks … Continue reading Meanwhile in America…
Dear Vietnamese Community…
As seen on Facebook. Thank you, Meagan Tran, and thanks to those who have shared this message far and wide. Needless to say, racism is not limited to Vietnamese-Americans and other overseas Vietnamese (Việt kiều). I recently saw a racist rant written by a US-educated Vietnamese, a Fubrighter, no less. He subsequently deleted his post … Continue reading Dear Vietnamese Community…
Let America Be America Again
Minneapolis, Associated Press The shocking on camera murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, riots, and looting reminded me of this poem written in 1935 by the poet, novelist, fiction writer, and playwright, Langston Hughes (1902-1967), and published in the July 1936 issue of Esquire. Racism is one of those "isms" whose seeds were … Continue reading Let America Be America Again
“This is an awful man, waving a book he hasn’t read…”
President Donald Trump holds a Bible outside St. John's Church, across Lafayette Park from the White House on Monday night, June 1, 2020, after riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear away protesters. Part of the church was set on fire during protests on Sunday night.(Patrick Semansky, The Dallas Morning News) I'll … Continue reading “This is an awful man, waving a book he hasn’t read…”
“The core sadism & power madness totally on display…”
In an image from 25 May 2020 video provided by Darnella Frazier, then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneels on the neck of George Floyd who was pleading that he could not breathe. (Darnella Frazier via AP) What's Past Is Prologue I detect a smug look of self-satisfaction on Derek Chauvin's cop face as George Floyd's … Continue reading “The core sadism & power madness totally on display…”
An International Educator in Viet Nam 
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