Your comment is a living, breathing, and cancer at the heart of any/ALL Hmong turmoil; past, present, and sadly the future too though hopefully that will not and no longer be the case in the near future. Let us hope anyway. There are some positive optimitism forthcoming from what I have been able to observe on a global scale, but it is still very much in its infancy. Pray it is truly moving in that direction -- towards synergistic harmony -- and just not superficial offerings.
Proof of your assertion? Look at the leaders that are available to us now, which one would you want to run a country? Not a single one IMO, they will take us back in progress (socially mostly) from what we're accustomed to in this country. How is me stating the obvious a "cancer"? I did say I have hope for the future but do I want to live in a country where people with backwards and harsh philosophies run the country? No.
Are the Hmong leaders of today actually doing much to help Hmong people advance in the USA? Nope, mostly they worry about themselves, their orgs and their income/future prospects and KEEPING THE STATUS QUO in which they are in charge.
You hold onto tradition and value it but it's the elders fault we all lost it. I have seen it everywhere, our fathers didn't take the time to impart the importance of this onto their children so we don't see it as important. Is that our fault? No.
The elders already take all these shortcuts when it comes to ceremonies and tradition, you think their parents would be cool with them watering down our traditions for convenience? Nope.
See, you're just like the old foggies. You rag on us younger ones because we don't hold Hmong culture and tradition as highly as you think we should but it's your own faults for watering down our traditions and making our community celebration gatherings nothing more than glorified market places. Let's not forget not taking the time to teach us when we're young, now that we're older and have other interests that are more applicable to our lives now you criticize us. Where were you wanting to teach us when we were young? Not at home and didn't care to take the time.
You're like thsoe people who's kids become gangbangers and then lay all the blame on the kid but don't realize what shit parents they are and see their part in how their kid behaves. No accountability or responsibility taken by old Hmong ppl. If kids turn out good it's the parents, if they turn out bad it's the kids. I have had many struggles growing up and though I was not a gang banger I saw many friends who were. It was their parents' lack of understanding their kid's own struggles with identity and growing up in the USA that pushed them to react with bad parenting techniques further pushing their kids away.
Hmong New Years and Soccer tourneys going on everywhere all the time in the USA but what's the point? Hmong cultural awareness and celebration? Nope, the point more often and the primary focus is to make money, not bring the community together. Every year the booths sections get bigger and the section for cultural displays/events gets smaller.
Do I want those leaders who are currently running Hmong people, traditions and culture into the ground running a country? No.
I don't want a Hmong land, what makes you guys think we deserve our own country? That's a little entitled isn't it?
Most ethnic groups do not have their own countries and I don't think we should. The Hmong identity was fractured long ago when we all decided to move from our homeland to our respective Western nations. Now our identity is complex and not nationalistic, which is why we have so many political factions and disagreements. Couple that with half of all Hmong currently going to chruch and half not, this serves as another wedge in our community.
None of our elder leaders I've heard of understand the difficulties and nuances of leadership in the 21st Century. Many of them still run on rumor and hearsay, not facts.
What will happen if we have our own country is shit loads of government corruption, cronyism and women will return to second class citizen status. How do I know this? Because it's already happening in orgs across the country with our most recognized leaders.
So I'm the cancer for not believing in these old fools but they get a pass despite failing to be good stewards of our culture and traditions.