Hate and the Christchurch Shooting

Last night in Christchurch, New Zealand, a lone gunman stormed two mosques, killing 49 and wounding dozens more. The attacks, which were deemed to be meticulously planned, occurred during afternoon prayer at locations 5 miles kilometers apart, and the victims hailed from Muslim communities the world over. Muslims in Christchurch speak of a tight-knit community—there are only 40,000 Muslims in the entire nation of New Zealand—with a diaspora of worshippers and community members whose origins range from Malaysia to Syria to Palestine.

This attack is abominable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. What is not, however, is isolated, anomalous, or in any way a break from alarming trends that have manifested themselves all over the world. The virulent Islamophobia that inspired this vile attack is unfortunately on the rise, egged on and empowered by the xenophobic right-wing populists who have used the most powerful positions in countries from Brazil to Turkey to our own United States to preach messages of hate.

I remember just months ago, when the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh was mourning a similar tragedy. To some degree, I know the fear, the anger, the sadness that my Muslims brothers and sisters are feeling right now. I felt it, too. And unfortunately, the two despicable acts of terror that caused these two tragedies are inextricably linked.

Global Perspectives: Last Week's AFS Panel Discussion

Last Sunday, myself and some of my fellow Global Scholar met at the Liu residence for a panel discussion featuring our very own Luca Contino and three other AFS students from Italy, Jordan, and Tunisia living across the Los Angeles area. Over the course of the afternoon, AFS students spoke on everything from their favorite cultural experiences in America to their countries' opinions on the Trump Administration and their nightlife back home. I was amazed to hear that in both Tunisia and Jordan, student take 11 subjects, including three languages (Arabic, French, and English). At the luncheon after the panel, which featured cuisine from around the world, I got the chance to meet Naji (the student from Jordan) and Youssef (the student from Tunisia) and we immediately hit it off. Luca has already become a close friend of mine this year, and I'm looking forward to making good on my tentative plans to take Youssef to a concert.

Arn Chorn Pond's Story

Last week, the Poly community had the honor of hearing from Cambodian Genocide survivor, master musician, and founder of Cambodian Living Arts Arn Chorn Pond, who came to Poly to present his book Never Fall Down (which I am planning on reading) to sophomores studying it in English class and to tell his story at a GIP Night. Arn was born into a family of Cambodian musicians in 1966, and he was just nine years old when the Khmer Rouge, a Communist/nationalist military bent on turning Cambodia into the agrarian Republic of Campuchea, violently seized power. Pond speaks fondly of the days before Khmer Rouge, when he would eat ice cream with his younger siblings and listen to the rock and roll that was a central part of Cambodia's thriving music scene.

All of this changed with the coming of the Khmer Rouge, who, led by the despotic Pol Pot, forced all of Cambodia's citizens out of the cities and into the countryside, where they proceeded to massacre anyone who countered their vision of a perfect agrarian Campuchea—whether because they displayed intelligence, had lighter skin, or even wore eyeglasses. Pond was able to survive by playing the flute in a band whose purpose was to distract prisoners from the sounds of killing, but after being transferred into combat as a child soldier, Arn defected and fled halfway across his country on foot to a refugee camp in Thailand.

At the camp, Arn was adopted by American missionary Peter Pond, who brought Arn back to his home in New Hampshire. Though Arn was grateful to have escaped the genocide in his country, he was driven into a deep depression by social isolation, racism, and loneliness in the United States. It was only through the process of beginning to open up to others about his past that he found purpose—and peace.

Arn currently works promoting and supporting traditional musical artists in his home country, and he travels the world sharing his music and his story. I was blown away by the incredibly optimistic and empathetic way that Arn sees the world and the people around him. I believe it is through survival of the horrors of genocide—and not in spite of them—that Arn projects such a radiant joy and remarkable strength of character.

Robert English on the Role of Russia in International Affairs

On February 25th, my fellow Global Scholars and I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Ian Kim interview Professor Robert English who offered an unique perspective on Russia’s extensive engagement in global affairs. Professor English received a PhD in politics from Princeton University and worked for the Department of Defense during the Reagan Administration, and he currently teaches international relations, Slavic languages and literature, and environmental studies at USC. In his discussion with Ian Kim and those in attendance, Professor English answered questions ranging from the future of Russian President  Vladimir Putin’s cult of personality to Russian intervention in the Middle East and interference in European and American elections.

Throughout the event, English attempted to expand the discourse surrounding Russian geopolitics beyond what can be easily ascertained in the news media by presenting something closer to the Russian perspective on many of the most pressing issues. The discussion began with a closer look at Vladimir Putin, which English deemed appropriate due to Russia’s historic tendency toward powerful autocracies headed by strong, charismatic leaders. English was quick to point out that one of Putin’s greatest influences—even beyond his experiences in the KGB—was the horrific the decade-long depression Russia experienced in the 1990s. According to English, Putin and many of his supporters blamed the policies of Western bodies like the International Monetary Fund and the Clinton Administration for Russia’s economic collapse and the rise of the oligarchy that controls much of Russian industry today. This balanced perspective, supported by a rare willingness to empathize with Russia and hold America and Europe accountable for their mistakes, made for an eye-opening discussion as Professor English took questions about Russia’s role in the Syrian Civil War, its support of radical right-wing populists around the world, and its worrisome nuclear proliferation.

Professor English ended the night with a story from the time he spent in Russia writing his master’s thesis during the Perestroika era. Over the course of his nine-month stay at a hotel in Moscow, he became increasingly friendly with the doorman, a grizzled Stalinist and WWII veteran who wore his combat medals from the Eastern Front every day as a symbol of pride. One day, the doorman approached Professor English to tell him to tell him a story about his time in WWII. English was expecting a diatribe on Russia’s military dominance or pivotal role in winning in the war; what he got was a full-throated appreciation of America for creating SPAM (yes, the canned meat), as the battle-hardened vet remembered it being one of the greatest things he had ever tasted while he sat stranded on the battlefield. Throughout his presentation, English emphasized the human lens through which geopolitics must be seen, and in the end, he suggested that interacting with Russia as a country full of people, rather than an offshoot of Vladimir Putin’s hostile posturing, might be the way toward achieving effective diplomacy.

Thoughts on the Role of the Individual in Affecting Change

Listening to filmmaker and humanitarian Sama Wareh tell her story at last week's GIP event, it was abundantly clear that she is an extraordinary individual. Her talk was nothing short of remarkable, and her work has clearly changed the lives of countless Syrian refugees. Yet listening to her speak, I couldn't help but consider the dilemma I've struggled with for the past few as I've watched countless extraordinary individuals give advice on mass media platforms telling me how I can be extraordinary, too. In Anand Giridharadas' book Winners Take All, which examines how private sector organizations have been able to maintain a favorable status quo over the last half-century by co-opting the role of "changing the world," he draws a stark difference between critics and "thought leaders:" critics—the Gore Vidals and William F. Buckleys of old—point out what is wrong with the system as a whole and call for collective action to achieve reform, while "thought leaders"—the Noah Yuval Hararis and Amy Cuddys of today—put the burden on the individual to make change. If you're a business leader or a profiter from today's society, the thought leader is a far more favorable type of intellectual. Rather than implicating you in the massive inequalities of our current global order and calling for a profound paradigm shift, thought leaders merely posit that if only there were more empowered individuals, they could use their innovation to make the world a better place (without taking anything away from the super-rich).

So this brings me back to Sama Wareh. While she is herself an undeniably inspirational force for change and empowerment in the world, her emphasis on the individual as the agent of change fits perfectly into the thought leader paradigm. Rather than focusing on the powerful global entities and persistent geopolitical factors perpetrating the Syrian Civil War, one of which is American private sector commitments in the Middle East, she focuses on what we as individuals can do to contribute. In this context, her TED Talk at UC Irvine can be read through a different lens. TED is sponsored by the global elites who profit from thought leaders and thought leadership culture, and their funding gives thought leaders a broad and powerful platform.

None of this is meant as a critique of Ms. Wareh. Her work is incredible and I have the utmost respect for her because of it. However, as we listen to the voices of the thought leader generation, it's important to consider who is promoting them and what system their ideas might unwittingly be promoting.