The London Olympic this year reminds me of a story I heard in an episode of This American Life. Kaiser Kuo (郭怡广) is a Chinese American and former guitarist and founding member in one of the most influential Chinese rock bands, Tang Dynasty. His parents are Chinese. Although he was born in the US he moved back to China with his parents when he was a kid and lives there ever since. After the US bombing incident (of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia) Kuo was invited to perform in a supposedly peace concert. But it turned out to be a political rally protesting against the bombing, the country that released the bombs, and its people. Kuo was put on the spot and he was questioned by thousands of strangers in the rally and, most important of all, his band mates! Noted the band was formed in 1988 so they've known each other for over ten years then. That is when he realized he is a foreigner after all. By the way he left the band afterward. (The fun fact for me is that he has absolutely nothing to do with the bombing!)
I remembered the incident when it happened. The news media went crazy over it, when it's not covering the event it's reporting the protests from all over China. The US claimed it's a terrible accident and China, at least its people, didn't seem to buy that. When national matters happen I notice the authority suddenly would not be so strict about rallying and protesting, in fact they encourage it. When one doesn't act patriotically in crisis like this one is very likely to be accused of being a traitor! That was when the internet was yet to enter ordinary household. I imagine nowadays any opposite comments dare to show up in any forum one should prepare to be dawned by thousands if not millions of replies (mixed with fair amount of personal attacks).
Back to the Olympic game, the reason I think of the bombing incident is because my fellow citizens feel "bombed" again by the western world for all the unfair ruling to our athletes. On top of everything even the scientists do not side with us! I got couple emails from Chinese Students and Scholar Association in my school informing me, we are ready to launch a protest against Nature!
As in all other national crises I should not take side and I would not! My ONLY point in this article is: man, the comment from Lai Jiang is hell of a perfect GRE argument!! I mean it from the bottom of my heart!!
Until next time, LOVE & PEACE :D
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Long Shots
It has been a long long time since I last updated this blog, partly because I was otherwise engaged, but more importantly is because I have doubt about a lot of things. That is until I heard an episode of This American Life called Long Shots. The general theme for the episode is keep trying even when the odds are against them.
One of the stories is particularly heartfelt for me. It's about a man who was sentenced to life with parole after inadvertently killed another man in an armed robbery in his twenties. He served his time as a model prisoner -- took courses and got associate degree, followed all the rules and not got into fights -- for 20+ years. Then he appealed for parole for 6 times even though he knows his chances is so slim just because he is in California. CA, among MD and OK, are the only three states where the governors can over-rule release decisions made by parole board, mainly out of political reasons. I can see the obvious reason for that. They had committed gruesome crime in the past, releasing them could be like releasing a ticking bomb. No governors want to be responsible for the next crimes they may or may not commit. But on the other hand, we all make mistakes. True, theirs are way more severe and irreversible, but after they have paid the most valuable things one can give, other than life, their youth and all the happiness they could have had, and are truly repent, shouldn't they deserve a second chance? It's hard enough to convince a group of experts in the parole board to believe they have changed, but once they managed to do that, why can some politicians revoke the freedom they fought so hard just to please voters who don't know what they have been through, what have changed over time, what went through their mind? I can't imagine how it feels to long for something so bad, try so hard to secure it, but knowing the probability need to constantly remind oneself to be realistic, yet couldn't help but see signs and be hopeful, but only to have it taken away at the very last minute! If I knew all these would I ever bother trying in the first place?
Okay you know I'm not talking about the case any more. It's dilemma we all face sometime in life. For me, it's about career change which probably isn't such a long shot comparing to the poor man, but knowing myself for all these years and my own track records, I have nothing about doubt. I was never good at writing and probably will never be. A lot of the times my thoughts and feelings are like spinning dryer, tumbling inside but I can't get them out, in words. And yet recently I did fall for writing. Is it worth trying even if I know I am not good at it, or worse, will never be good at it? What can I offer? What makes me or my opinion unique? There are too many questions I don't know. But still I'm putting all these here. Alas I guess if something is beautiful enough, then I wouldn't be at ease if I don't try, against all odds, Nothing Else Matters...
Until next time, love and peace!
One of the stories is particularly heartfelt for me. It's about a man who was sentenced to life with parole after inadvertently killed another man in an armed robbery in his twenties. He served his time as a model prisoner -- took courses and got associate degree, followed all the rules and not got into fights -- for 20+ years. Then he appealed for parole for 6 times even though he knows his chances is so slim just because he is in California. CA, among MD and OK, are the only three states where the governors can over-rule release decisions made by parole board, mainly out of political reasons. I can see the obvious reason for that. They had committed gruesome crime in the past, releasing them could be like releasing a ticking bomb. No governors want to be responsible for the next crimes they may or may not commit. But on the other hand, we all make mistakes. True, theirs are way more severe and irreversible, but after they have paid the most valuable things one can give, other than life, their youth and all the happiness they could have had, and are truly repent, shouldn't they deserve a second chance? It's hard enough to convince a group of experts in the parole board to believe they have changed, but once they managed to do that, why can some politicians revoke the freedom they fought so hard just to please voters who don't know what they have been through, what have changed over time, what went through their mind? I can't imagine how it feels to long for something so bad, try so hard to secure it, but knowing the probability need to constantly remind oneself to be realistic, yet couldn't help but see signs and be hopeful, but only to have it taken away at the very last minute! If I knew all these would I ever bother trying in the first place?
Okay you know I'm not talking about the case any more. It's dilemma we all face sometime in life. For me, it's about career change which probably isn't such a long shot comparing to the poor man, but knowing myself for all these years and my own track records, I have nothing about doubt. I was never good at writing and probably will never be. A lot of the times my thoughts and feelings are like spinning dryer, tumbling inside but I can't get them out, in words. And yet recently I did fall for writing. Is it worth trying even if I know I am not good at it, or worse, will never be good at it? What can I offer? What makes me or my opinion unique? There are too many questions I don't know. But still I'm putting all these here. Alas I guess if something is beautiful enough, then I wouldn't be at ease if I don't try, against all odds, Nothing Else Matters...
Until next time, love and peace!
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