Here's a true story that may help you live happier.
I naturalized 35 years ago. During the ceremony, the presiding judge gave a speech that helped me live happier till this day. He said to hundreds of us new citizens that day,
"You may have mixed emotions today. You may be happy because you applied to be an Am. citizen, and you got your wish. You may also be sad, because you think you are saying good bye to the country and people you once identified with."
"That is NOT what becoming US citizens means. In becoming a citizen, it simply means that you now owe your primary allegiance to the USA. You don't need to cut your tie with your old country. You can still care about it and want to help its people."
"The US is a decent nation. It doesn't expect its new citizens to cut off their emotional ties with another people and culture upon naturalizing. If a person can do that during this ceremony, then the same person can probably cut the US off completely through another ceremony. America will NOT want people with such an easy value system to be its new citizens."
How well said!
The topic of "a value system" that Americans generally expect from their fellow citizens then get me to the subject of "plowing back to enrich one's own community."
There are many rich individuals and a few powerful political leaders in the Asian Am. community. How many rich Asian Ams have given tens of millions to an Asian Am. cause??? Which of our powerful political leaders have spoken out on the discrimination against us in workplaces or the lack of Asian Am. Federal judges???
There may be a few, but far too few. In contrast, I know quite a few rich &/or powerful Asian Ams who have consistently turned their backs to the need of our community, once they thought "they've made it."
You know what? They may actually have limited themselves. Here is a case I know:
A very powerful political leader once told me that he/she tends to trust those minorities who have a record of serving their own community. If they don't, he/she can't help but wonder, if those individuals might not turn their backs to her/him when she/he needs help.
America values those who volunteer to help their own people in need, NOT those who are "success robots."
If you agree with what is said here, pass it around. Practice "enlightened self interest" and plow back to enrich your own community.
Post your comments at http://80-20ny.net/cgi/dm/8/
Respectfully yours,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
http://www.80-
