To Those Who Say : It's Not My Business

**Mid** · 13-11-2010, 02:49 PM

World getting smaller daily
James Hallmark is provost/vice president for academic affairs at West Texas A&M University.
November 12, 2010

James Hallmark

I am sending this article from Malaysia having just finished spending a few days in Thailand. Yes, I'm bragging, but I'm also making a point. The world is smaller than it was last week, and last week it was smaller than the week before.

In my parents' generation, what happened in some distant country was relevant only if it was at war. In my grandparents' generation, the goings-on in a distant land were only relevant if that war was against us.

In my great-grandparents' generation, the activities of a foreign country only mattered if that country was adjacent to their own. And that's pretty much the way it had been since the beginning of time. If the country, principality, city-state or tribe was not adjacent to your own, it did not matter what was happening there. The Aztecs had little to fear from the Incas, and neither feared the Europeans until they showed up on their doorsteps.

Those days are gone, and barring some apocalyptic event, those days are gone forever.

Malaysia matters. Thailand matters. These countries buy our products and manufacture items for our marketplace. These countries support (or not) our diplomatic initiatives and populate our educational and business institutions. Even on the small island of Penang (Malaysia) where I write this, factories stretch for miles along its southern coast, manufacturing high-tech components for European and American multinational corporations. If you think Malaysia's political, religious and ethnic situation is not relevant to you, you are wrong.

This isn't your momma's world.

Still, I would argue these countries matter for a far more basic reason than commerce or war. An American's understanding of countries like Thailand and Malaysia (and Ecuador and Turkmenistan and Chad and China) is essential for a mature understanding of the world.

I am an American, a proud American, but I do not understand my own country any better than when I learn firsthand from another country.

Invariably, I leave blessed to have been born and live in a country I love, but also with a better understanding of how we can make our country better.

I am a Christian, a proud Christian, but I do not understand my own faith any better than when it is challenged firsthand in another country.

Invariably, I leave that country more certain of my faith, but also with greater insight into how I can serve my God and my fellow beings better.

I do not fear the differences I see in other countries, whether those countries are primarily Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim. Rather, I ponder how I can learn more of my faith through my experiences in those lands.

I have never been more "Christian" than when asked by Muslims in Turkey to explain my faith. And I have never been more "American" than when asked by those same Muslims why Americans wish to kill all Muslims.

So I sit in my hotel room in Malaysia, in view from my window is both a mosque and a church, and I pray that more of you will have the faith to step out from your comfort and challenge your faith, challenge yourself.

amarillo.com

the section in italics is not what I wish to debate .

**Stinky** · 13-11-2010, 04:34 PM

So I sit in my hotel room in Malaysia, in view from my window is both a mosque and a church, and I pray that more of you will have the faith to step out from your comfort and challenge your faith, challenge yourself.

And I'm hoping people will stop believing in fairy tales.

Religion is nothing more than a crutch for the insecure and the needy.

**sabang** · 13-11-2010, 04:36 PM

I think he's saying Americans should travel more.

**Mid** · 13-11-2010, 04:41 PM

I was frightened that that ( the authors self confessed religious beliefs ) would become the focal point of the argument .

Wonder if it's possible to ignore the latter part of the article and focus on the earlier where the meat of the debate is ?

**Mid** · 13-11-2010, 04:43 PM

Originally Posted by sabang

I think he's saying Americans should travel more.

Is it really race based ?

**Stinky** · 13-11-2010, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by Mid

I was frightened that that ( the authors self confessed religious beliefs ) would become the focal point of the argument .

Wonder if it's possible to ignore the latter part of the article and focus on the earlier where the meat of the debate is ?

I am a Christian, a proud Christian

Malaysia's political, religious and ethnic situation is not relevant to you, you are wrong.

Invariably, I leave that country more certain of my faith,

I do not fear the differences I see in other countries, whether those countries are primarily Buddhist or Hindu or Muslim. Rather, I ponder how I can learn more of my faith through my experiences in those lands.

have never been more "Christian" than when asked by Muslims in Turkey to explain my faith. And I have never been more "American" than when asked by those same Muslims why Americans wish to kill all Muslims.

To be fair Mid you can see where I went wrong

**Mid** · 13-11-2010, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Sdigit

To be fair Mid you can see where I went wrong

to be fair you didn't go wrong however hopefully my subsequent classifiers will negate any repeat .

**Rural Surin** · 14-11-2010, 10:16 AM

Is the world really becoming smaller? This expressive has been planted by those whom would rather force such "unnatural" homogeny where it doesn't belong. Sure, the world is a smaller place if you envision the world to be as you are. It just isn't that way, nor should you ever expect it to be.

**Mid** · 14-11-2010, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Rural Surin

Is the world really becoming smaller?

very hard to argue against ,

take TD for instance , posters can interact in almost real time from all corners of the globe .

sorry but your on your own and way out there to argue against the premise .

**good2bhappy** · 14-11-2010, 10:43 AM

or is the world becoming more polarised?

**Mid** · 14-11-2010, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

or is the world becoming more polarised?

take out the or ,

would agree that the improvements in mass communications are definately allowing a multitude of opposing views to be put forth .

**TizMe** · 14-11-2010, 05:09 PM

Malaysia matters. Thailand matters.

Do Malaysians say "You not Malaysian, you not understand Malaysia!"?

**Mid** · 14-11-2010, 05:13 PM

indeed they do

google bumiputra

**blue** · 14-11-2010, 05:44 PM

in Malaysia, there are 3 races
native Malays - government jobs
Indians- manual jobs
Chinese - merchants
the 3 don't mix in work , socialy either ,not is restaurants,
nor in the roomates / lonely hearts adds , racial demands are always there .

Perhaps the authour of the OP was too busy glowing about the church and mosque to notice .
also
''In my great-grandparents' generation, the activities of a foreign country only mattered if that country was adjacent to their own. And that's pretty much the way it had been since the beginning of time.''

bull , for example ,theres been empire building decisions ,made in distant countries that have affected alots of non -adjacent countries , since time.

what is the debate mid wants us to have here ?

**Mid** · 14-11-2010, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by blue

what is the debate mid wants us to have here ?

wether or not what happens in another part of the world is something I can comment on and attempt to influence no matter how minute that influence may be , against the stand that it is not my country /culture / business .

**Norton** · 14-11-2010, 06:06 PM

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

is the world becoming more polarised?

It certainly appears to be the case. We are at the very beginnings of the Age of Communication. We as active participants in instantaneous access and dissemination of information have yet to understand how to use it to enlighten rather than polarize us. I suppose being barraged with media, blog and opinion does to some extent make it a smaller world but just because the information is amplified doesn't mean we should ignore some of grandpa's ways. The ability to discern what is important to us as individuals.

Getting caught up in taking sides in what is clearly an amplification of shouting matches we see in blogs, media and forums certainly has a polarizing effect.

Amplify everything and hear nothing as practiced in communications today is hardly an effective start to the Age of Communication. Hopefully, in time, as was the case of the Age of Enlightenment, we will get it right.

**Mid** · 14-11-2010, 06:19 PM

your suggesting the patience of Job there Norton , I maintain that remaining silent is exactly what the enemy wants us too do .

passion for rights surely is not a bad thing ?

rather I content that those who demand our silence are the very people who need to hear .

**Muadib** · 14-11-2010, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by Mid

Originally Posted by sabang

I think he's saying Americans should travel more.

Is it really race based ?

No, not race based, he is saying Americans should be more open & accepting of other peoples & cultures... Last time I checked, American is not a race, but more of a psychological condition...

Most Americans are truly ignorant of anything outside the borders of the US, while forming opinions based on hearsay & media spin... You can usually peg a person's media source of choice by the 'throw away' comments they make when responding to a question...

**billy the kid** · 16-11-2010, 02:29 AM

more compassion is needed in this brutal world.
people are becoming dangerously numb.
saw a picture of a lady holding her 11 year old daughter.
the girl was skin and bone,, and the caption read '
'people reaching dangerously low levels with water and food'.
find it amusing when thai's complain 'thai people are very poor people'
where, where are they ?
and 43,000 million dollars.!!!
greed. an no heart. only the bank account matters.

**bart** · 16-11-2010, 02:43 AM

religion is the opium of the masses .
make the world a safer place , just have one democratic religion .
cast your vote .

**billy the kid** · 16-11-2010, 02:43 AM

don't think a muslim will help out a non-muslim when it's needed.
may be wrong here.
suffering should have been wiped off the face of the planet long ago.
instead we're spending billions on weapons and exploring outer space lookin for a new place to hang-out.
perhaps if the world wasn't all divided up and people all divided,,, but odd as it may seem, it is our reality.
we all created it.
the lunatic asylum with utter shameless and disgusting greed .

**billy the kid** · 16-11-2010, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by bart

religion is the opium of the masses .
make the world a safer place , just have one democratic religion .
cast your vote .

personally i could never ever agree to that.
and i'm not an atheist.
rather let people make up their minds about all that when they are ,say 21 years old instead of 4 , 5 ,or 6 years old.

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