Activism - The Forgotten Facet of Being American

The article made me nostalgic; we used to drive down to Devon Avenue just about every other weekend. I love Chicago even more than SFO

How bad is the housing problem for South Asians over there?

Ms A,

I'm sure you know that U of Chicago has one of the best known centers of South Asian Studies...perhaps someone there might have some research funds available for this kind of project? (Although the center is populated mainly by historians...)

Anona..

As Indian immigration has grown and NRI population in Chicago, it has mushroomed thousands of grass-root organizations whose primary focus has remained social and cultural needs of NRI. Indians are doing exceedingly well in economic sphere and education on their own and have never felt the need to rely on politics or government to advance their economic status. And these mushrooming community organizations once euphemized by Bush Sr as 'thousand points of light' are filling in the void felt by Indian Immigrants. So why do they need politicians, political process or government? It is a story of resilience and accomplishment that NRIs have done well without needing them. And that explains why organizations like FIA are reduced to a ceremonial status. Indians do not need FIA. They do just fine without it.

I was once active in FIA, but soon realized how useless it is. It has no power over Indian community or political community at large and yet it was mired in power politics as to who get to control it - much of it instigated by Indian consulate and few locals vying to win patronage from local and state government by posing as leaders of Indian 'minority' community. They could peddle cushy jobs in government to their relatives, win government 'minority' contracts, sell more insurance, network with like-minded self-seekers - and that was all FIA attracted. Majority of community organizations kept away from FIA - whoever could register more number of fake community organization and collect proxy forms from legit community organizations could win elections - at one time, I owned 5 fake organizations and I did not even know about it, just so a friend of mine could become a president and defeat rival camp, and not to be outdone, rival camp did the same tricks. Its sole legitimacy rests with Indian consulate and visiting politicians from India - they invite FIA to organize thinly attended public or private meetings whenever some Indian politician is in town, and so they get to pose with power-brokers of India. I have attended many of such meetings when my friend was a president, and FIA had so much trouble attracting Indians to attend them that we were asked bring full strength of our own families and friends so that halls do not look empty. Even to get their Parade event to be sucessfull, they have to do it on Devon as there are already thousands of Indians on that street an any given weekend, and they still have to rely on Bollywood star power to create a buzz and attendance, often falsely advertising the participation of Bollywood stars so that people can come to the parade to see them. That is the sad story of FIA in Chicago. It has still remained split in rival camps. I have stopped going to FIA for last 5 years. Most Indians never have. So you are not losing out on much for not being able to participate in FIA.

Kerty:

".........this, that, how we indians are the greatest, how great we indians are...how we need not help..."

Great self-mythology or the mythology of the so-called "model minority." Kerty Sahab obviously believes that all desis in the US are either thriving or if they are not, they should be left to their own devices. And that is all there is to it. Help? It breeds dependence, sloth and laziness...except when it comes to tax-cuts for the major corporations, the uber-rich and lucrative, inflated contracts for the defense industry.

Ms A. you may want to check out Vijay Prashad's _The Karma of Brown Folk_ University of Minnesota Press, if and when you have the time and inclination. He does a great job of puncturing the model minority narrative. Of course, the state would love to wash its hands off from all communities...

Deepti,

This housing problem is a just a small part of a regional and national urban problem that has been getting a bit of attention lately. It has been somewhat overshadowed by the sub-prime lending foreclosures, which is also a big problem Surely, there are communities that are experiencing the housing pinch more than West Ridge. or Devon. But, just to give you one example, my husband lived in a bachelor's pad before we were married that was part of a big complex that maybe contained over 100 units. It has been sitting vacant for almost a year now because there is really nothing beautiful about the place and no one wants to buy the condos. Everywhere you look there is new, or signs indicating the start of construction in the area. Sounds great exteriorly, but where did all those desis guys go, or are they just overcrowding the leftover units?

Sometimes, I feel like an alarmist on this issue because even my husband doesn't seem to blink an eye. it is just part of capitalism, right? But, just 40 years ago this area was almost completely Jewish. What will it look like in another 40?

Yes, Devon is a nostalgic place! and such a rarity in the West to see all the amenities that the Southeast Asian community has to offer all in one place without interference. Of course, immigrant communities have benefited because of Chicago's inherent racial and segregated neighborhoods, but I would hate to see this place just turn into another Queens.

cs,

I've never really seen myself as a U or C type gal, but maybe I am limiting myself. Possibly I'm just not as full of myself as I need to be. Though even you are taking a reprieve from that life, I wonder why really.

Good luck on your mission to be a know-it-all professor.

Rutgers???

Anona..

The housing problem is something that has potential to blow up into a major recession. Look at the housing prices aided by screwed up monetary policy. How can average person afford to own any real estate in such market?

When IT-led boom got busted, the economy had a soft-landing due to real-estate boom, cheap outsourcing and boost experienced by energy sector and war sector. Does anybody really believe they can go on for ever and keep the recession at bay? Does anybody really believe inflation is in single digits? Look at the escalating cost of rent, real estate, energy, cars, insurance, property tax, and yes, Milk too. How do we expect average working joe or jane making $8/hr to be able to make it? And we are not even into recession as yet.

And what does US Government do? It came up with walmart vouchers to boost spending as if spending has been a bottleneck of the economy. Last time Bush gave a tax rebate, his oil cronies pounced on it to take it away from people by increasing the energy costs. The recent tax rebate will meet the same fate. Whatever tax rebate I will get, Cook county has taken it away from me by increasing the property tax. So there goes Bush's rescue plan for the economy. Any time federal government tries to give any tax relief to americans, various sharks pounce upon people so that they can chew up all that additional disposable income injected into hands of people. These sharks usually adjust their pricing to overall projected disposable income pie
of the american people. So tax cuts or rebates do not really add any additional savings or additional purchasing power for people. Does increasing salaries and minimum wages increase spending? Sadly, no. They increase the cost structure of economy, making it harder for people whose growth in income(which can never be evenly spread) do not keep pace with rising cost structure of the economy. Costs go up for everybody while incomes do not go up evenly among people. So politicians keep increasing minimum wage rate, while removing all subsidies and welfare aimed at people in need - so it has created a big mess. And no political party has any new ideas how to tackle this mess as they are well set in their own ideological dogmas. And that is very scary for the economy. It means it has reached the end of rope and there is nothing to prevent a major economic correction.

Last week, I received an offer to buy 20 condo unit, no down payment on my part, and seller pays all mortgage installments for next 3 years out of his own pocket. Any other times, I would have jumped on this offer. It is too good to be true. But it is also a sign of desperate times for housing industry. I would not touch it even with a mile long pole. On one hand, people can't sell what they have and on the other hand, people with solid jobs can't afford to buy anything available in the housing market. Go figure.

Ms A:

""Though even you are taking a reprieve from that life, I wonder why really.""

On a sabbatical really. Tired of science. Amused by some DC posters who dabble in quantum physics. Wanting to re-connect with humanities and social sciences. DC is feast since there are so many interesting perspectives. As someone who has ADD, it's great for me to switch from topic to topic every day! NO, not really writing a book or anything of that sort! Don't have the patience for that...enjoy sniping at others...but not in too mean a manner...

Ms. A:

"Good luck on your mission to be a know-it-all professor."

Hey, I didn't say that!!! Was being sarcastic! My sport is puncturing know-it-all types with commonsense. A seriously modest project...

Kerty, I really like your response although you didn't really tell me much that I didn't already know. I know that Southeast Asians have accomplished much without government help (although I would say corruptly in many instances.) Your voice just seems to highlight the problem for me quite clearly. Asians tend to see npos, ngos, etc. as government entities maybe because that is how they appear in the nativelands. I understand your views, but I have seen other groups accomplish much without government or private sector, many times contrary to governmental policy. There is some kind of stubborn mindframe that exists there. Maybe commonsense has outlined it, in part, or it is something else entirely.
Listen, I don't know you, but I am assuming you are an aging fellow with children almost my age. Do you feel that you are leaving some kind of permanent legacy for your children or will they go the way that many American children have, abandoning, even ashamed of their heritage? Well, it's not my heritage really, just a question.

cs,

Stanford?

I would be surprised if you were married. The problem with you is not your logic, it is that your 'common sense' has left your other senses devoid of emotion.

Luckily for you, I have one or two spaces open for an emotional affair. Ever wanted to date one of your students? ;)

MIT???

Anona..

I am not an aging fellow but I am definitely not young, though certainly young at heart and I live like a teen-ager, totally carefree and worry-free. My kids are very young, still in school. They are too young to tell how they will eventually turn out. But so far, they seem be well-grounded, very keen in studies, and not at all spoiled by anything I would worry about. What will happen when they grow up is beyond my control. Only thing I know for sure is that they will not face money problems in their life, even if they fail in their studies or careers. All they have to do is to take up some of my business projects and they would do just fine. They will not be starting from zero base-line financially like I did when I immigrated. But they will indeed start from zero-base line when it comes to Indian heritage. A parent can impart only so much to their kids. That is why culture, heritage, values etc are communal projects, parents alone can't do it. I have taught them my mother tongue and they are very fluent(reading, writing and speaking) in them even at their young age - so I am sure it will not go completely wasted on them. I firmly believe that language is a key link to heritage, and as long as one does not loses that, not all will be lost.

Ms. A:

""Luckily for you, I have one or two spaces open for an emotional affair. Ever wanted to date one of your students? ;)

MIT???"'

Thanks, but I'm not on that track...Stanford or MIT? Not quite, but not too far off the mark...now I feel sheepish about my stupid boast!Maybe I made it up!

Do check out Vijay Prashad's _The Karma of Brown Folk_ (univ of minnesota press) if you have the time. It's all about Desi's, written in a very readable style and was selected as the top book of the year by Village Voice in 2000.

Yes, I am mulling it over online. Seems like it has some valid points, but it's stance is a bit too crass for me.

I'm just pulling your leg, cs. Surely, I don't like you for your boastfulness, or wtvr you have divulged.

Groups dealing with immigrants from the Indian Diaspora, however, although highly organized amongst themselves, greatly lack the knowledge and desire to participate on a national, or even regional scale.

check out:http://www.sajaforum.org/


read one or two topics from every month in the archives

they will contradict the above quote

:)

America was built by immigrants---> white Europeans to be precise......

Chandra, huh?? the slaves got there much later, when everything was up and running?

A, you, opening up yourself to this endeavor will certainly open new ground. I am invlved in our school district. For the Bay area with so many professionals, we have very few South Asian teachers in public schools.

Kerty, I see Indian "immigrant" kids who are in trouble with the law and have monetary issues. Some of these kids are born here but are battling with identity issues. I see certain other Indian groups who have monetary and other problems. groups like Aasra help victims of domestic violence, yet another "secret" of the Indian immigration scene. What is shocking is that some of these battered women are highly educated professionals themselves! I am not talking about the kid who goes to private lessons after-school, lives in the "best school district', works towards getting into an ivy league school by the time he is out of middle school etc. They exist too. They are the ones who make the news too.

BB

I agree. Many kids are going to face problems when they grow up. Parents can only do so much individually to raise them right. That is why making sure kids grow up to be decent humans is a communal project, and when that is lacking for whatever circumstances, it is a roll of dice how kids will grow up and which kid will get into what kind of problem when they grow up. We have to leave it up to schools, TV/movies/songs and our surrounding environment hoping that our kids will imbibe the best values that can see them thru become good citizen of our family and society in which we live. I try to do my part as a parent and likewise, if each parent do their part, and schools and media do their part, majority of kids can turn out ok.