The school year in America is coming to an end, and many classes celebrate with parties or graduation ceremonies. Last week, one of my friends posted this photo from her son's preschool graduation. Having no children of my own, I'm completely removed from the school scene, but was happy to see this presentation on the wall. Complete integration and celebration of the diverse student population, from all over the globe. Some of these flags I don't even know! Then I remembered a recent post by
One of the things I love most about America is the diverse population. People from every corner of the globe living in the same place, for the most part in harmony. Of course, there are intolerant people here as in all other countries, but I think in America they are the minority. Does Russia have public displays like this at schools to celebrate diversity? Or, local gatherings for immigrants to practice and learn Russian? Just curious. I know many people who have immigrated from Russia to America, but have no acquaintances who immigrated from the West to live in Russia.
I mentioned before that I do free legal work for select immigrants seeking asylum and U-Visas in the U.S. I'm a big advocate for this population, even illegals, provided they are working and contributing favorably to American society. So far, I've successfully helped two immigrants become U.S. citizens - a gay man persecuted and tortured in his home country of Cameroon, and a domestic abuse victim from Honduras. My proudest days as a lawyer. Perhaps one day I'll share their stories.
What do you think? Should diversity and cultural heritage be celebrated in public schools?
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Today Russians are more selfish and nationalistic, so it is unpopular. Again, there are sometimes international public events, but this is contrary to a common trend of self-isolation. There are a lot more foreigners in the country, and many more Russians travel abroad.
So those who want to know foreigners also know that people are people everywhere. There are others who don't want to know, and there's little to be done here. School celebrations alone wouldn't help. This has to be a cultural shift.
On the one hand - I believe the foreigners should assimilate, but on the other - I wouldn't be happy if in my kid's class there where children from former republics, they hardly speak Russian, fall behind, usually not supervised by parents as they have to work. I know thats a problem in some new Moscow areas.
Its all so complicated...
Feel the difference. ;)
Here is a short Russia film (but it could have been about me) In the U.S. school with out English. It's called "No Problem"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1L88lxDrJ4
Edited at 2014-06-18 02:56 pm (UTC)
peacetraveler22 was in Russia, she asserts is
people are very sensitive about the word "fascism"
it is for us pain
my family lost 7 people. 1 my family
Diversity, tolerance, democracy, human rights, multiculture are probable the most hateful terms among majority of Russians. Are you really not aware on this?
They are never shy to display their hate toward people of other race and ethnicity.
I want that the U.S. and Russia were friends why not, I do not know (
tired of the battle of American and Russian oligrahov (((
For example, that's what bothering me - in Minneapolis there is a huge community of Somalian refugees. Right next to UoM campus. Some or many of them are working, living normal life, though their women are not dressed by the weather. Just kidding.
But they are Muslims and here is what happened. Their local church (musk...whatever they name it) became a recruitment post for young jihad fighters, locally grown, fresh Minnesotans, and dozens of them are now shooting in Middle East and Africa. FBI was not able to stop it (religious freedom, sure), even they knew it for years and tried.
That's where my tolerance ends. Many, if not most, of them live in subsidized houses, using local and federal taxes. Peacefully breeding to get state help on kids who will be rightfully brainwashed and dedicate their short lives to serve Allah and getting a bunch of virgins later...
I believe that there are simply incompatible cultures, they do not melt, and the biggest mistake is creating this kind of forever lasting multistory refugee camps in the middle of different civilization. And religion is again in the center of the contradiction, as often lately. Even within one religion the conflicts may be fierce. (Iraq now). Democracy just does not belong there and it will not for couple of centuries.
A different issue in school - the flags. They are kind of political attribute, and may be associated with current international happening with poor projections on individual kids. There would be better having some other cultural attribute from the country or part of the world. Any artifacts would work better.
Edited at 2014-06-18 05:57 pm (UTC)
Considering Russian schools-NO,NO and once more NO. It's absolutely impossible here. There are plenty of immigrants from former Asian republics, China and Vietnam in certain districts of the city where i live, so kids go to school without knowing Russian, but the general trend is that nothing is done to specifically integrate them. In their defence, I should say that their parents are not so much concerned about their integration either. Schools without such immigrants are considered to be better ones. Maybe this is sad, but it's just like that here.
But it is enough to talk about common things, it's time to be specific. I'm extremely interested in the personality of certain immigrant. This immigrant came to the U.S. 20 years ago. He could have become a millionaire, start his own religion, marry gay, join the swinger's club or become famous photographer, anyone. But he has not found himself in a new, great and beautiful country. We find him spending time in the russian segment of the Internet, where he spits on Russia and criticizes, criticizes, criticizes, then spits again. Sad picture ... What was the cause of the disaster that turned the man into an evil goblin? Short stature, short penis, thick glasses, a brick fallen from the roof or is it all together?
You should visit and interview general_denikin! (encouraging virtual slap on the ass here:)
I personally don't care about diversity. We are different? Good. We are alike? Good. Doesn't matter.