Have been catching up on a huge backlog of blog posts which i should read, but can't find the time.
May '98 has been the prominent theme. Ahmadiyah also. It's like a backlog of pogroms.
That's another thing, why Tragedy '98? A tragedy to me is accidental, random. May '98 seemed to happen like a fucking Swiss clock. This is a good post.
Following on from that there's an anti-multicultural post. I dunno, what all the fussing is for. You break the law you get punished, real simple .
5 comments:
I posted my thought on Indonesiamatters.com about May 98. Raging debate rolled on-albeit few of them were distracted themselves to my postmodernist approach.
But to my surprise, some of them believe that violence in Indonesia can be simply understood as manifestation of amok culture which is innately found in the society. Oh dear...why don't Malay who live overseas run amok? It is a matter of law and order? Partly yes.
Having read the comments as response to my posting, i began to ask what matters most for visitors in Indonesiamatters? It's fuckin crotch that matters. It's bloody annoying to hear expats who spent 2-3 years and act as if they were authoritative sources.
>It's fuckin crotch that matters. It's bloody annoying to hear expats who spent 2-3 years and act as if they were authoritative sources.
I acknowledge your contribution, Spew, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We all need to hear more about May 1998 Tragedy from as many perspectives as possible. Big voices, small voices, tiny voices.
Those expats are simply showing off, they don't really care about Indonesia and Indonesians. And I feel sorry for them.
Thank you for your kind heart, Spew.
Jen
Spew...
Don't get your knickers in a knot on this one. The beauty of the Internet is that everyone becomes an expert and everyone becomes a critic.
I thought your piece was informative. If I recall, I had a minor beef with the idea that it was an opinion piece because I did not think (or feel) that you pulled the trigger and you really could have :D But that is just my opinion and I am sure others may disagree.
I do not think this is a simple case of running amok. Similarly, I do not think the violence that befell Timor Leste in the post-Direct Ballot period was a case of Timorese running amok!
To each their own on the generalization regarding the crotch. I have been here in Jakarta for 15 years and have a few ideas but am I an authorative source? I guess that is a matter of opinion and will depend on who you ask.
However, it is an oversimplification to say that there are not any non-Indonesian commentators who have a valid point of view. Some points of view may be colored by experience and may be less worthwhile than others but that once agains is the nature of all things!
John...
The article I copied and pasted might be anti-multicultural but I am not. Even so, the article was interesting because it raises issues that are becoming more talked about as the veil of political correctness shifts.
I agree with you on the break the law you get punished angle, generally. Sometimes the law is an ass though (I am not referring to the post to which you link but more generally)!
Jennie...
You don't need to feel sorry for the expats! Expats can and have the ability to make their Indonesian experience into whatever they want to. Some might opt for the crotch others get involved in worthwhile causes -- to each their own.
But feeling sorry for the 'crotch people' may be a waste of time because I am not sure that they really care :)
Rob,
Forgive me if my comment on expat was sweep generalisation. But i mentioned in the beginning that it is only some of them. When i said expats in later paragraph, i was referring to some not all.
As for crotch, posting on 'dating Indonesian girls' has and has been receiving more than 600 comments. What does it tell us? I am sure interracial relationship between expats and Indonesians is clouded by stereotypes and prejudices and it needs to be cleared up.
There is no reason for me to be xenophobic as i am now surrounded by anglo saxon most of the day. Although i am an Indonesian, but i dread to call myself authoritative.
All and all, i agree that there is a beauty within the dynamic of debate in the internet. Yet, it would be more beautiful if it is done with great cilivity and respect to each other.
spew, i have still to read the article. it's still on the in tray...
rob, i am glad that u don't see yourself as anti-multicultural.
i'd also love more civility on the net... nowadays i kinda gravitate towards like minded websites anyways...
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