Sunday, December 16, 2007

Immigration- World Wide Edition

I wish i could upload these photos right now, but alas, sitting at Macao tourism sponsored computer in HK airport does have its drawbacks.

One thing that struck me about HK when i first arrived was how it was so non-diverse. Everyone on the trains and the streets all looked chinese, and my Asian-american radar was thrown into disarray. (You know, teh radar that automatically spots nearby asians within 20 yds of you, the one that allows us asian-americans to spot our comrades and plot the destruction of the White-Controlled World... maybe i have said too much.)

However, after spending a few days here, i can say my radar has found new settings and I realized that many of the asian faces were not chinese, or at least not cantonese at all. Hong Kong is an absolute bear of a rich city. *insert picture of a ferrarri* And it is fair to say that the discrepancies between the rich and poor are all over the place. HK employs a large number of migrant workers from Nepal, malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of china. (Chinese citizens need prior permission to come to HK, while US citizens don't even need a visa).

What to do with these immigrants, and i am sure many aer "undocumented" is a problem that is just as difficult here as it is back in the states.
In Victoria Park on sundays, all the indonesia and malaysian women gather in large crowds. Many get together in smaller groups, some are at religious studies, others just gather and spend time with each other. The park is filled, and there is nary a man in sight. Other parts of HK have similar crowds with other enthicities, such as filipino. It is an amazing sight.

I witnessed a demonstration rally for nepalese, (picture here!) and it is quite simply amazing.

The Immigration Issue is not unique to the States, and as the disparity in the world grows between those who can drive ferrarris in a city that barely has enough roads, to those who must call a strange city in a strange land home; tensions will rise. I think it is fair to say, that people will follow Security, Money and Family, and in pursuit of those things, national boundaries mean nothing.

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