Will the Hero Please Stand Up? Than Just 1+1 by Jessica Li
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FREE Politics beyond Bilingual and intercultural Version française au verso the ballot Page 3 Since 1999 Vol 13 No 21 | May 7–21, 2013 www.thelasource.com Two is more Will the hero please stand up? than just 1+1 by JEssica Li t my high school, curious A teachers and classmates sometimes ask me, “What lan- guage do you speak at home? English or Mandarin?” I tell them I speak both. speaking in ‘Chinglish’ with- Occasionally, I find myself outand Chinese.realizing Andit. Thisit slips is, outof course, the mixture of English Once I told someone to more often than I’d like. “closethough the the music”words areinstead English, of “turnthe grammar off the music.”is Chinese. So Witheven no place in the outside world, and barely any in the home, ‘Chinglish’like me. is the domain of culturallyTo me, the confused more widespread teenagers Photo by Andrew Magill, Flickr Andrew by Photo by sonJa gRgaR tude, but it’s hard not to wonder there is a personal risk, done with- use of ‘Chinglish’ reflects the - increasinglyago, at the same diverse time mysociety par- - couver based videographer who weents now were live beginning in. Fifteen to yearslearn E rorist attack like the one at where they come from. - outLocal expectation views on of heroes reward.” agrees with Zimbardo’s defini English, my Chinese-Canadian the veryBoston major Marathon disaster this or apast ter It seems fitting to start with the- tion of heroism. - words of Philip Zimbardo, Profes Kamylli Mendive, an American by her mother to speak Can- sor Emeritus of Psychology at Stan “In the pure sense of the word, a university student visiting Van mathtonese. teacher was forbidden month brings about stories of I come from Rwanda, a place where so few have survived… heroism – people who selflessly run into the face of danger to I can not afford to have anyone other than me as my hero. her“If motheryou do warned.that, you won’t be weresave aseen, fellow here human at home, being. when In Louise Uwacu, author able to improve your English,” October 2011, acts of heroism “ Talking to my classmates, I What true hero should be doing some- Today things are different.- severalburning people plane thatrisked crashed their ownon a Makes a Hero. He says “simply put... who makes a decision or acts in Richmondlives to pull highway. passengers These out actsof a ford University, in his article is the right thing to do, but he is couver sees a hero as “somebody findcultural that roots. most of them are bi notthing necessarily for no other gaining reason anything than it - lingual and are proud of their - the key to heroism is a concern for - a way that is Seeselfless,” “Heroism” while page her2 of altruism are certainly worthy other people in need – a concern fellow student and American vis a “It’sGreek-Canadian not a matter classmate.of either/ of profound praise and grati to defend a moral cause, knowing from it,” says Gus Senna, a Van or for us anymore,” says Mia,- Also in this issue itage.” “We can embrace all of our her But it hasn’t always been That’s the way I feel too. - wordthis easy “banana” for me. isn’t In onlyelementa used Around the world in ryto school,describe I discovered a mushy thatyellow the New Westminster Page 10 fruit; it was also a pejorative term used for Asians that act A community “too white.” Most often, it was of dodgeball said as a joke – but not always. DependingSee “Verbatim”on the tone page of3 Page 8 voice, and who was saying 2 The Source Vol 13 No 21 | May 7–21, 2013 Spencie's View My Turn of skeptics convinced that the Conservativein the nation’s Party’scapital withleader a seis- sergE coRbEiL hiding in some cave somewhere- phen Harper’s path, there is little Mid-mandate, Stephen Harper’s cret agenda, if we observe Ste agenda is about to take a different turn crossroads.room for doubt. It has two years be- hindThe it government,and two years then, ahead. is Typiat a- - cally,news. duringWe should that surmise period, that govern any ments try to keep away from bad policies likely to be controversial have already been implemented orsay will policies be very that soon.will consolidate A surgical approach should follow, that is to- the party’s base and offer oppo- ernmentsition parties will be some doing very all itdifficult can to choices. To put it plainly, the gov In the background, there win another majority. is Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau. His arrival as a leader is hard to ignore. Pollsters didn’t waste any time to announce – numbers in hand – that he could- become the next Prime Minister. Photo courtesy of the British High Commission in Canada, Flickr courtesy Photo Let’s take a moment for a big col Prime Minister Stephen Harper. OK… lectiveTwo breath,years isnow. an eternity in L ast week, the government of- government situation. Just look politics. Also, even though the- date.Stephen I still remember Harper celebrated his comment the at his agenda in matters of justice conservatives very rapidly aired second year of its majority man and crime fighting or omnibus- adsbarely aimed the beginning.to cast doubt Depending over Jus Harper is losing traction, yet he budgets that go far beyond the- tin Trudeau in voters’ minds, it’s as he greeted his partisans after country’ses he has made.basic Oh,financial and there’s man tactics, the best or the worst is have to state his position on a wouldthe Conservative be “strong, victory stable, in 2011.nation - agement to see the major chang- yeton howto come. you view these kinds of we’llgreat seenumber then, howof issues. the new It leadwill- seems to always have an ace up He said his new government mental protection changes, too. be the start of in-depth debates – his sleeve. the fisheries’ laws, and environ be in about a year’s time, when Next year will give a taste of al and majority.” - The real test for Trudeau will- er really fares. what’scome with in store it. for the following His majority has allowed him terialized,But the andawaited this doesn’trevolution sur- One thing’s for sure – he won’t year – and the election that will ableto make to implement major changes in a minority that he aroundprise me. social Despite issues a large never number ma he’ll be called to offer the elec have an easy time against a Translation Monique Kroeger probably wouldn’t have been torate the outline of a political toughened Prime Minister. It’s program. From then on, he will been said, lately, that Stephen “Heroism” from page 1 - see as heroic is determined by zuki to be a big H Canadian hero one’s political and ideological - tions that he considers David Su leanings. most like a tool for exploitation,” isthe worth problem anything…I at hand. think “People it’s im- oneitor elseJulia hope.” Powanda asserts that “a - heathletes says, sayingto hero that status nations, in order for don’tportant believe to emphasize that doing thatsmall large acts hero is someone who gives some- because of his environmental call American soldiers who are example,to boost theoften country’s elevate internafamous- scale things aren’t the most im- work, but equally admires small “For example, I will never Fauzia Rafique, a Surrey au er h heroes such as his Vancouver but this system will call them this mechanism not only distorts can do,” she acknowledges. thor, views those fighting for- acquaintance that adopted and bombing Afghanistan heroes, tional status. Senna believes that portant kind of selfless thing you- socialing at justicethe grassroots…working as heroes: “I really Natureraised 18 vs. foster nurture children. their work…they are pumping - withrespect people activists who arewho at arean underwork- Like many other issues, heroism heroes,money backbecause into it theis being war fedindus by- heroismthe very withconcept, celebrity. but also leads One of the most glaring char - try in Europe and America,” says to the inaccurate association of acteristics of hero centered dia - Celebrating heroism logue is the question of whether privileged level of society,” says doesn’tthe capacity escape to actthe heroicallynature ver is - heroes“I don’t are think needed it’s necessary as unifying that Rafique. In particular, she ad sus nurture debate of whether Rafique,on that same emphasizing issue. that many emblems of any national identity. mires the Vancouver immigrant- - others hold a very different view Mendivesomeone whothinks is a celebrity,that relegat or is - mentrights that activist champions Harsha Aboriginal Walia, as innate, or teachable. Founded ing the capacity for heroism to- we all have one common hero- wellrights. as the Idle No More move heroismby Zimbardo, can be the learned. Heroic Its Imagi mis- heroismSenna alsois problematic, believes that but a one is - that we celebrate…there are dif In a piece published on the nation Project (HIP) claims that size fits all approach to teaching ousperceived because to ithave can a promotespecial aptithe ferent pillars of different com Psychology Today website, psy- way in which we sometimes idol- tude for courage, can be danger munities, I think it’s just nice to sion is to provide “insights and evenize our more heroes. concerned “When withyou turn the celebrate everybody,” says Ross. a distinction between what he tools that individuals can use in a real person into an icon, things bystander effect, the tendency to CanadiansOn the othershouldn’t hand, inaugurate Rafique callschologist “big H”Frank heroism, Farley and makes“small their everyday lives to transform - absolve personal responsibility andfeels celebratethat there isnational no reason heroes why structurednegative situations workshops and that create are while those we believe to be more heroism as something that “in- designedpositive change,”to awaken and the includes inner get out of control…it becomes al capable than us are left to handle - h” heroism.