A Little Bird wrote to me, explaining the real definition of a "2nd class citizen". Excerpt:
Malaysians who complain about being treated as 2nd class citizens should honestly learn to be more appreciative of what they have. At least, one can whine and whinge about perceived faults of the government / society / country / world from the comfort of air-conditioned offices or a home that actually has four walls and a roof in Subang / Damansara / PJ, while sipping one’s favourite beverage and snacking on whatever takes one’s fancy.
From: Little Bird
To: SK <skthew@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 17:58:22 +0800
Subject: 2nd Class CitizensFellers,We hear Malaysians speak of being treated like 2nd class citizens every now and then. In my personal opinion, such Malaysians are merely whingeing and have no idea of what being a 2nd class citizen really is. I would have no hesitation to berate such people, but at the same time I remind myself that not everyone has seen with their own eyes how actual 2nd class citizens are treated.There are places in this world where people are treated as less than human; sometimes for the simple reason of belonging to the "wrong" clan. Me telling what I have seen would not have much of an impact in changing certain Malaysian mindsets, as some things need to be seen with one’s own eyes to be believed.In any case, I think the plight of the people of the Chagos Islands may make a good illustration of what it really means to be treated as 2nd class citizens. Evicted from their homes by the British Government in the 70s; the Chagossians were granted British citizenship only in 2002, and only because the British Foreign Secretary "felt bad" about what had been done to them. The Chagossians are still not allowed to return to their place of birth, and it is only now that a visit is being allowed for the first time since eviction. The fate of their birthplace? It was utilised to locate the Diego Garcia military base, used by the US to wage war in Central Asia / Middle East.Malaysians who complain about being treated as 2nd class citizens should honestly learn to be more appreciative of what they have. At least, one can whine and whinge about perceived faults of the government / society / country / world from the comfort of air-conditioned offices or a home that actually has four walls and a roof in Subang / Damansara / PJ, while sipping one’s favourite beverage and snacking on whatever takes one’s fancy. I would tell you more tales from the field one of these days if you can spare the time – it is one of the reasons why I think stereotypical Malaysians (regardless of colour) are a pampered bunch of whiners.
Related posts:
(rolls eyes)
If we took that kind of attitude things would never change, ever.
I suppose women should have been happy that their husbands provided food on the table and a roof over their heads and not bothered to protest when they couldn’t vote, faced massive discrimination in the workplace and were expected to stay at home, cook and rear the kids. I suppose the African Americans should have been damn grateful the Whites let them stay in the US at all, so they should have put up with massive prejudice and discrimination, after all, they’re better off than the rest back in Africa, right?
Why bother to stand up against state-sponsored racism and social and religious discrimination so long as we’re better off than some people from Chagos Island (wherever that is) eh? Personally, I do care very much about the fact that I am, in effect, a second-class citizen (all non-bumis are, check out the description of the term in Wikipedia) and so will my kids, and their kids, and their kids. And I pledge to do all I can to change things, OR if I can’t, migrate so that at least my kids won’t have to suffer discrimination and growing religious extremism their whole life.
If that makes me amongst the " pampered bunch of whiners", so be it. Better a pampered whiner than a doormat.
The little bird’s point is moot. The benchmark for equality should be set HIGHER than our current situation. Not lower.