Danielle Hahnemann

                Anil Singh-Molares considers himself a "professional immigrant."  In his presentation, he spent a lot of time talking about his multi-cultural background, which included learning to speak several languages.  He also talked about all the different things he tried to be - a chemist, a journalist, a monk - before he found a job with Microsoft.  Because of his abilities to translate, he eventually ended up in charge of outsourcing programs and helped develop the Encarta Encyclopedia software.  Anil later started his own international services company and worked with different compassion foundations. 

                Anil said that one of the keys to success in any profession is to study a foreign language, travel abroad, and learn about different cultures.  In a more globalized economy and a seemingly shrinking world, cultural knowledge has more value than ever in many professions.  Anil also made a point about discovering one's special individual talents and finding a way to use them in one's chosen career path.

                This fits in with the rest of our unit on Hmong immigration because of Anil's emphasis on being eager to learn and having an optimistic, accepting attitude towards other cultures.  This is the attitude that I had going into this course, even though I haven't really thought about it until now.  I hope that all of the other honors students can say the same thing.  All of the stories, all of the art, all of the culture that we've learned about is simply knowledge, and our attitudes and how we plan to use what we've learned affect the value we place on that knowledge.  I personally find all of this information extremely valuable, not because of the experience I have with the Hmong culture, but because of all the aspects that I never bothered to experience.  Anil said that each person should try to learn as much as they can, as well as they can, and I haven't done that for my Hmong friends until now.

                Tou, Mai See, Yee, Pa Houa, Nou Kou...this goes out to all of you...even though you'll probably never read it.  You are all so awesome, and I'm so glad that I've had this opportunity to learn more about where you came from and how your culture exists in the U.S.  I feel like I understand you better now that I understand your families, your social structure, even your artwork, and understanding is a vital part of friendship.

                I loved the way that Seexang Lee talked about art.  He described it as a journey, and the end product captures that journey.  Hmong artists consist of silver-smiths, weavers, singers, musicians, storytellers, and embroiderers, who are the most important due to the amount of essential embroidery in the Hmong culture.  It was interesting to hear Seexang talk about the functional aspect of Hmong art.  I've seen a lot of pieces of beautiful Hmong art, and I just assumed it was a means of expression of the culture; I never dreamed that all of those artifacts had actual purposes.  The beautiful designs are meant for keeping good spirits interested and fooling the evil spirits, and the clothing patterns help distinguish between different groups of Hmong (Green, White, Striped, Chinese, etc.).

                This presentation opened up a whole new realm of the Hmong culture to me.  We've heard so many stories about the immigration of the Hmong people, and we've heard about some of the traditions and customs that hold the people together.  But I think that one of the best ways to learn about a group of people is to study their art, and so I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the Hmong culture after listening to Seexang and seeing all of the examples that he exposed us to.

                I'm starting to understand why so many of the Hmong people in Appleton (and probably other immigrant groups in other areas) keep to themselves.  When the new culture you are struggling to live in doesn't know anything about the culture you were born into, it's hard to bridge the gap and form bonds with people outside the culture you are used to.  I've always thought that the Hmong presentation during Global Week at my high school every year was a good way to try to bring everyone together, but now I don't think that is enough.  There is so much to learn about every culture, and I think that that learning process is the first step to understanding and coexisting peacefully and comfortably.

                Tonight's presentation was really powerful.  We talked about torture once or twice in my Spanish class last semester, but never to the extent that we covered it this evening.  It was interesting to hear that the standard definition of "torture" and the UN definition differ substantially.  But I liked the UN definition.  The Center for Victims of Torture sounds like a well-established, growing organization, and the center is accomplishing many good things.  The people who work there are aiding with the healing process that must follow harsh physical and psychological torture.  The student presenter from Bethel seemed very knowledgeable about different types of torture, and he was very quick to condemn all forms of it for any and all purposes.  He said that the information obtained from torturing suspects is usually unreliable, as people will say anything to stop the agony.  He also said that victims of torture will often give out unrelated names of other people who are then also tortured for no real reason.  Torture leads to more torture.

                This information takes us in a different direction with our studies of the marginalized through immigration.  But the information is necessary to understand the true immigration experience.  In many cases, people come here under refugee status or seeking asylum, and the situations they are escaping in their home countries revolve around issues that we as Americans have a difficult time understanding.  Torture is one of those issues.  Some people come to this country to get away from the horrors and torment that they have experienced back home, and it is important to comprehend this idea when learning about immigration, refugees, and asylees.

It shocks me a little inside every time I hear about the torture operations of the US.  Part of me is aware of it and believes willingly, but another part of me struggles.  I don't want to accept that my country, this beautiful land that values freedom and human rights, is involved with secret prisons that torture suspects for information.  I always have known that there were other countries that used torture as a way to obtain information, but until a few years ago, I never would have guessed that the US was engaged in these operations as well.  Seeing torture from a new perspective gives me a better understanding and even higher levels of respect and empathy for those who left their countries for a reason such as torture.

                It was so awesome for the three Hmong students to come and share their stories with us.   I especially appreciated their presentation because it was fascinating for me to compare their stories to the stories of my Hmong friends back in Appleton.  It was exciting to hear what they remembered from their lives before coming to America and how their culture has affected the way that they and their families live in American culture.  I found it interesting that the two girls complained about how they were so sheltered by their families and hated having to stay home, and yet they want to raise their children in that culture so that they experience that same life.  On the other hand, the only male in the group, who in the Hmong culture would have more "power," was the one who claimed he would be most open to a change in the culture.  He was definitely the most charismatic of the group, and it seemed like he had to keep defending himself because he was outnumbered by the girls.

                We've now heard from several different generations in the Hmong culture, from the old to the young and the generations in between.  It's been so cool to hear all of the different perspectives and stories straight from the mouths of the people who experienced them.  The Latehomcomer and the Hmong pieces in the immigrant art convocation have helped to solidify all of the things we've learned so far.

                Hearing from the Hmong students made me homesick.  I began to miss my close Hmong friends in Appleton, who used to tell me some of their stories and would complain about how hard it is to be Hmong in the American culture.  All of the things we've talked about this semester have helped me understand what they go through a little better.  The next time I go home, I am going to have a different perspective of who they are because now I really know where they came from and how their culture has shaped them.

                I almost skipped the art convocation today to work on my New Testament paper that was due this afternoon.  But I told myself it would be a rewarding experience, and when I got to the Buetow, I was glad that I had worked hard to finish my paper early.  All of the art was so beautiful and so emotional.  It was cool to walk around and try to interpret each piece, but I loved when the artists explained to us what they meant for the artwork to convey.  I thought that it was really cool when Hend al-Mansour told us about her photographs.  To hear her talk of the blending of cultures in such a positive way was somewhat refreshing.

                I loved the painting called "Mekong Tears."  It made me think immediately of Kalia Yang and the story she told in The Latehomecomer about her family crossing the Mekong River.  The painting portrayed the sort of fear and anxiety that Kalia wrote about.  The painting helped me solidify the images in my mind and fit those ideas with the narrative.  Another piece that really stood out to me as it relates to our Hmong unit was "Passport to Freedom."  It was a photograph edited with some graphic design that depicted a Hmong man in the different stages of his life and the immigration process.  This piece caught and held my attention because of the eyes of the subject as a young man.  They were sad and strong, and they seemed to stare straight at you.  It made me think again about how someone like Professor Lee Pao Xiong felt when he was trying to balance two different cultures in their young adulthood.

                I think that this art exhibition opened my eyes to something new, but I haven't quite figured out what it is yet.  I mean, it was cool to see art from different immigrant cultures, but I think what I'm feeling is deeper than that.  I'll try and untangle this mess of new information over the next few days, and then maybe I'll have something more intelligent to say about it.  Maybe it's just that I'm "knowing" through aesthetics and just not recognizing it.  In any case, it's something more complicated than I'm used to dealing with, so please bear with me while I muddle through.

                I thought it was really wonderful of Mr. Long Yang and Ms. Choua Thao to come and talk to us about their immigration experiences.  They were both very articulate, and they seemed happy to share as much information with us as possible.  Mr. Yang gave us a good history lesson about the CIA war.  I was fascinated by his stories about the French paratroopers and his insight regarding the end of the war.  When he said that he was told that he could only bring his wife and children to America, I couldn't (and still can't) even imagine how terrible he must have felt.  Ms. Thao gave us a very vivid perspective of what life in America was like for her when she first came here.  I loved that she explained the meaning behind her name; I think that it is awesome that the Hmong people take so much pride in what their names mean.  I also liked that she stressed the ideas about having dreams and fighting for what you want.

                I thought that this was a good time to have these guest speakers.  Like Dr. Schuler said at the beginning of class, this was the generation that we had yet to hear from.  We had heard from the younger immigrants who had struggles growing up and making their parents proud in a new country, but it was nice to hear from the generation that already had families that they were responsible for.  It was probably even more difficult to watch their children grow up in a strange place and shed some aspects of the Hmong culture.

                Over the course of this Hmong-centered interdisciplinary study, I've come to be very thankful for the fact that I have never had to immerse myself in a completely different culture.  Sure, I've switched states or cities a few times, but I've never had to live outside the United States because my home was no longer safe for me.  I know that I am strong (like Choua!) and I would adapt, but I'm glad that right now I don't have to deal with that.  This unit has also really opened my eyes to some of the cultural difficulties that I might face if I ever end up doing mission work overseas, and that is a really good new perspective to have.

                I was so excited when Dr. Schuler sent us the email informing us that we would be meeting in the Center for Hmong studies on Monday night.  I'd never been in that particular building on campus, and I'd heard that it was filled with lots of cool stuff.   In addition, I knew that Professor Lee Pao Xiong would have many insightful things to say if he was anything like Kao Kalia Yang.  He didn't let me down.  I was captivated through his entire presentation.  I loved that he had so many personal experiences to share, and he was very excited to show us his birthplace in the village in Laos where the secret CIA base was located.  He was a passionate speaker, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to him.  What is it about the Hmong people that makes them so easy to listen to?

                I think that so far, all of our materials on the Hmong people have complemented each other very nicely.  The Latehomecomer and our discussion with Yang gave us a poetic look at a tragic and difficult history.  Dr. Hillmer provided the political context of that history, and Professor Xiong helped to fill in all the gaps in between.  Gran Torino gave us a very vivid visual representation of the struggles that the Hmong people faced in the United States as well as the struggles of the racist Americans to learn to accept the newcomers.  I'm so thrilled that I am finally learning all of these things about the culture that surrounded me while I was growing up.  It's all starting to come together for me, and I think that the next time I go home to Appleton, I'll have a better understanding and appreciation of the Hmong families in my community.  I will probably even see some of my friends in a different life; I'll have more respect for them and for the culture that their parents have worked so hard to protect in this new country.

                I didn't realize that Gran Torino was about the Hmong culture until about two days before I went to see it.  I thought it was about Mexican immigrants...

                The movie itself was really good, and it was VERY emotionally moving.  We were in a small theatre, and it was kind of cool to be so close to all the other members of the audience and get a feel for their reactions to the events in the movie.  In my opinion, Clint Eastwood gave a great performance.  At first, I didn't know whether or not to be offended by all of his racist comments.  But everyone in the theatre was laughing, and then I had to figure out if THAT offended me.  But eventually, I managed to just relax and appreciate the situation.  I understood that there are people who really have the views that Walt expressed about other cultures.  And there are also people who, like Walt, are finally able to see past the differences between groups and recognize that people are just PEOPLE.  Learning from the audience's reactions was almost as valuable as learning from the movie itself.  It helped me relax and enjoy the humor and irony of the movie as well as be fully focused on the intense moments.

                Obviously, this movie fit in very well with everything Yang said to us in class and everything we read in her book.  I'm sure that the teens in the movie experienced many of the same cultural struggles in the United States that Yang described.  Just as Yang had a tough time with balancing between what her friends wanted from her and what her parents needed from her, Thou especially seemed to have a difficult time figuring out where he fit in the Hmong community.  And Yang and Thou each had a grandmother that really didn't want to be in America and was sad to see the culture fading in the people's younger generations.

                I knew that this movie would touch me (well, after I found out it was about the Hmong, that is).  The only diversity that exists in my hometown back in Wisconsin is the Hmong community.  My best friend in middle school and my brother's first girlfriend were both Hmong-Americans.  It was weird for me to see the Hmong community from the perspective of someone who didn't grow up surrounded by that particular people.  When he sacrificed himself at the end of the movie, it gave me hope.  I felt a new faith in my generation and in the generations to come.  If a cranky old man can reach out to make peace with a people he doesn't fully understand, then young, moldable minds should be able to learn to accept anyone and everyone, if only the other people in our country will take the time to teach them.

                I'm going to be honest here.  Reading the book The Middle of Everywhere was a really difficult assignment for me.  I actually cried several times while reading stories about the Iraqi sisters and others who faced unbelievable challenges.  There were some sections of the book that I never finished reading because I felt like such a horrible person for being so naïve about all of this pain.

                I think that the discussion on the book was incredibly helpful when it came to sorting out all of my emotions surrounding this topic.  I'm sure that the rest of the class would be surprised to learn that I was incredibly moved by all the things that everyone else had to say.  I loved that we started by discussing questions in a fairly informal setting, getting to hear everyone's thoughts about the different stories and how they applied them to their own lives.  I also appreciated being able to write some of my opinions out on the wall because I process my thoughts better when I can put them into writing.  I liked the fact that every question was a comprehension question with a deeper meaning attached to it.  It gave me a chance to process all of the things that I'd read in a more analytical setting while at the same time it forced me to dig a little deeper and think about how each section of the book could relate to my life.

                I discovered a lot about myself in the past week, both while reading the book and through the in-class discussion.  I learned that I have a pretty good life.  I have a new perspective on American complaining, and I want to make an effort to stop contributing to it.  I have never had to deal with the poverty, violence, and loss of family that the immigrants in Mary Pipher's book experienced.  I have no right to feel sorry for myself.  Ever.

                I also learned a little about the importance of faith.  My faith has never been tested in the way that the faith of these immigrants was tested.  They had nothing: no home, no family, and no food.  But in the midst of all their tragedy, they still managed to find hope, as Jessie said in the discussion.

                I learned one important thing that has nothing to do with immigration.  I realized that I love group discussions.  I NEED them.  Something in me craves to learn what goes on in the heads of everyone else when they read the same words that I've read.  I learn more from discussing a book with a group of very intellectual individuals than I do from the book itself.  And now that I've admitted that this part of me exists, I'm hoping that I can embrace it and never again fear an Honors class discussion.

                Since Charles Darwin first published his now-famous work, The Origin of Species, the delicate balance between religion and science has suffered from a tension that does not need to exist.   Darwin's studies revealed new scientific information, to be sure, but they did not necessarily eliminate God from the equation.  This is the viewpoint of Phil Dowe, an associate professor of philosophy at Queensland University in Australia.  In his book, Galileo, Darwin, and Hawking: The Interplay of Science, Reason, and Religion, he takes the position that harmonious interaction between the areas of science and religion can and does exist.  One of the topics he uses to prove his case is the epic battle between the story of Creation on the side of religion and Darwin's Theory of Evolution that is the heart of modern science.

                Dowe begins by explaining the debate between creation and evolution.  He cautions the reader to place each argument in its historical context and to recognize the difficulties of defending one's own position before beginning to examine the evidence.  He follows with an overview of the two different ways to explain an object.  To look at something teleologically is to define its intrinsic purpose, answering the question "What is it for?"  To explain an object in a mechanical sense is to discuss its mass, position, velocity and force.  Science often tends to look at things in a mechanical sense whereas religion is more partial to teleological thinking.    He moves gracefully into a discussion of William Paley's "design argument."  A watch is complex enough that it could not have just formed in nature; someone had to have designed and created it.  In the same way, certain organs, such as the human eye, are so complex that it is not probable that they formed on their own.  There must have been a Designer, a Creator.  After spending some time with Paley, Dowe moves into the much-awaited conversation regarding Charles Darwin.  He explains Darwin's ideas about the evolution of different species in a simple, easy-to-understand manner and enlightens the reader as to why so many scientists accept this theory.  Dowe criticizes several aspects of both Darwin's theory and the method used to justify it, and he brings in Asa Gray, a man who believed that evolution was most likely initiated by God, as an example of someone with confidence in a relationship of harmony between science and religion.

                This writer strongly agrees with Dowe that science and religion can co-exist peacefully and work together to solve the world's problems.  The topics chosen for discussion in Dowe's book all show great relevance to the overall theme, but this writer saw a particular strength in the conversation about evolution.  For starters, Dowe's style of attacking arguments is strategically brilliant.  He observes the reasoning used in the argument that science and religion are at odds, then counters with more strong, pure logic that provides evidence that this idea is false.  In particular, this writer believes that using the argument of William Paley was genius, especially when placed BEFORE the examination of Darwin's ideas.  The reader still has the notion of complex objects needing a designer in the back of their mind while reading about Darwin's analysis of the complexity of life.  A subconscious connection between evolution and a creator is made in the mind before it is made in the pages of the book. 

Another strength in Dowe's argument is his ability to discredit the reason that scientists accept evolution.  Dowe criticizes the method of "inference to the best explanation" that Darwinists use to justify their belief evolution and the supremacy of science.  This method claims that the hypothesis which is the most probable should be accepted as true.  But Dowe claims that inference to the best explanation is not as firmly supported by evidence as other methods such as enumerative induction (inducing a principle from data) or they hypothetico-deductive method (the basic scientific method).  There is always the chance that the less likely hypothesis is actually the truth.  Scientists cannot honestly claim they know everything about the universe, and it is ridiculous to accept a theory as fact without the proof necessary for its acceptance. 

This writer would also like to point out a few of the weaknesses of Dowe's argument.  The first of these is the fact that this writer believes that more time should have been spent discrediting Darwin's theory.  If readers could see that they had been led astray by science where evolution was concerned, they would be more likely to accept the possibility of a higher power, an Intelligent Designer that put the earth's processes in motion.  In Lee Strobel's bestselling work, The Case for a Creator, Strobel recorded an interview with Jonathan Wells, PhD, PhD, in which he systematically points out the flaws in the four major icons of evolution (1).  This writer would have liked to have seen a similar argument somewhere in Dowe's discussion of evolution.  Another of the weaknesses of Dowe's argument is that it causes the reader to ask: "So what?"  So what if there is a harmonious relationship between science and religion?  What will that change in one's everyday life?  Most people will not be greatly impacted by the idea that much of what they believe about evolution is wrong.  The bigger issue is that there is something more.  This writer did not see quite enough of God in this argument, and nothing specific enough to get people on the right path if they are curious.

For now, science and religion are at war in the mind of the average person.  Strobel asks if there is a "fundamentally different way to view the relationship between the spiritual and the scientific" (Strobel 27).  It is obvious that Dowe's answer would be yes.  And for the record, this writer happens to concur.

Strobel, Lee. The Case for a Creator : A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.