Gaps that go beyond language (Related to WI Hunters)

San Fransicso Chronicle ^ | Friday, December 3, 2004 | Pha Lo

[PjhCPA]

As a child born in America to Hmong immigrants, the role of mediator between my elders and what they discovered here fell heavily upon me. Lately, as I read of a Hmong man accused of shooting and killing six hunters in Wisconsin, I feel the bridges I have built over a lifetime to connect a past world to this one crumbling under national scrutiny.

When I was a child, I would have to remind my grandmothers to pick up the telephone receiver before dialing. It was my generation, born into the world of telephones, raised by those who lived in a world without, who mustered the patience to teach these things one day at a time.

When I learned that Chai Soua Vang, a Hmong refugee from Laos, had been arrested in Wisconsin for a shooting that left six white men dead and two wounded, my immediate reaction was to disassociate myself. "One drop in the basket can taint the batch," Hmong say -- in the old country, rodents often crawled into wicker baskets and left droppings that, no matter how small, spread unwanted odors to soil entire batches of clean rice.

I denounce unconditionally the acts of violence with which Vang stands accused. But in light of his alleged motives, I have come to claim a collective responsibility. If he wandered illegally onto private property and in fact was met with racial taunts, as he claims, then this tragedy is a metaphor for gaps in communication I still do not know how to bridge. With our reasons for being in America not always understood, being Hmong here meant that I was always wandering into private spaces, uninvited.

[PjhCPA]

I would bet that this editorial reflects the feelings of most of the Hmong community about the Wisconsin Hunters Slayings.

[PjhCPA]

ping

[dirtboy]

I denounce unconditionally the acts of violence with which Vang stands accused. But in light of his alleged motives, I have come to claim a collective responsibility. If he wandered illegally onto private property and in fact was met with racial taunts, as he claims, then this tragedy is a metaphor for gaps in communication I still do not know how to bridge.

Tough noogies - apparently Vang was a serial illegal hunter and trespasser. His former culture does not give him carte blanche to abuse our laws.

However, I can to a very limited extent see why he might have felt that way - after all, we don't enforce so many of our immigration and work laws, so why should he feel bound to obey our property and hunting laws?

[OldFriend]

You always know an excuse is on the way when you see the 'but'...........

[Ladysmith]

Ping to the article.

Thanks, PjhCPA.

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[crz]

Make that 5 white men and one young lady..

A father and his son..

I dont care what they said to this SOB. He shot some of the in the back and some twice. Word up here has it that after he shot one, the guy was still standing and he went up to him and said "You still standing?" and shot him again. One of the victims must have been playing dead.

[Al Gator]

The Hmong, as a group, truly are victims of circumstance. And as pointed out in the original article, they did in fact fight hard on our side, and suffered greatly because of that alliance. America does owe them gratitude.

As a group, they are immigrants most deserving to be here even though most of the older Hmong would sincerely rather be in their traditional homeland.

Vang is 36, so it can be assumed that he spent more of his life here than in Laos. He is honorably discharged from the army. To argue that he has a problem understanding the culture in Wisconsin is nonsense.

Vang is probably just insane. Insanity, like cancer or any other illness, does not care about your ethnicity. He should be evaluated, and if found insane, he should be put away for life. If he is found sane, then he is nothing more than a common, brutal criminal who should be terminated.

In either case, Vang is an individual who is solely responsible for his actions.

The Hmong as a whole are not culpable for any of this.

[dirtboy]

You always know an excuse is on the way when you see the 'but'...........

It wasn't meant as an excuse, but instead as a comment on how not enforcing immigration laws can have a ripple effect. Note how he played the race card - just like La Raza plays it continually against those who want our immigration laws enforced.

[OldFriend]

Personally, I do not believe in collective guilt. If an individual commits a crime then he is solely repsonsible.

However, if a crime is committed in the name of a religion or group, then that religion or group has an obligation to publicly denouce or support that criminal act.

[EagleMamaMT]

Read later.

[Deaf Smith]

If the Hmong can learn to flush a toliet, then they are doing better than some of those from south of the border.

Some don't understand that it is bad manners to put their used toliet paper in a trashcan.

[Al Gator]

Quite right. Of course I do not know the "whole" story, but in this case, what we have here is an individual act of criminality. The perp, coming to his senses, was quick thinking enough to blame "cultural issues".

To their credit, the Hmong community was equally quick to disavow him and discredit his excuse, and distance themselves from his actions.

Time will tell.

[PLK]

Well said. I agree totally. Why is this so difficult to accept? (reference to post #7)

[marktwain]

In either case, Vang is an individual who is solely responsible for his actions.

You are absolutely correct. The more I read of the Hmong, the more I suspect that they have become better citizens (on average) than many groups in this country.

When you consider the enormous gulf of culture and technology that they have bridged, it is quite remarkable.

[Al Gator]

I don't know if acceptance is the right word here.

Emotionalism is easy and "feels good" at the time. Especially in times of high stress.

On the other hand, thinking things through requires self-control and patience, both of which are not high on the NEA's list of things to teach.

[johnny7]

I saw an article(dated 12/2/2004) in the Detroit Free Press that said blacks have suffered racial confrontations while hunting... in effect, taking sides with the Hmong dude.

Sounds like a reeeal stretch to me.

[El Gran Salseron]

"However, if a crime is committed in the name of a religion or group, then that religion or group has an obligation to publicly denouce or support that criminal act."

OH! I get it! You mean like Muslims have denounced Islamist terrorists, huh?

[phasma proeliator]

I don't give a crap where he's from or what his heritage is, what color he is or anything like that. I'm sick and tired of it being about White and Hmong. This guy killed 5 unarmed PEOPLE.

Period

the question for the court is whether or not that was justified.

[OldFriend]

You got my drift!

[ought-six]

"Vang is an individual who is solely responsible for his actions. The Hmong as a whole are not culpable for any of this."

I wholeheartedly agree.