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From Magic City Morning Star R.P. BenDedek
The 'Red' Face of Political, Social and Cultural Correctness.
In due course, I will, for your amusement, compile a photographic article about that weekend's events. Today however, I want to focus on just one particular aspect; lunch on Sunday with the man with the 'Red Face'. Remembering that I live in China, a 'red face' is not such a common sight to see. Of course, from a political perspective, it might be said that there are many 'Red' faces in China. F.Y.I. Chinese can blush, but what I saw on Sunday was not a blushing face, and the 'red', went beyond a simple blush. It was alcohol induced. Prior to living in China, it was never a common thing to see me drink anything alcoholic. I do like a nice wine; I do like the occasional 'Bundaberg Rum' with coke, and I do occasionally enjoy a beer. In China however, those who know me fairly well will tell you that I don't drink alcohol. Those who know me best, do know that I do occasionally drink a glass of beer, but that I refuse to drink with Chinese people (unless they are my very good friends). I admit it! I am a racist! I refuse to have a social drink with Chinese people! OK! We cleared up that for the Politically Correct self important ignorant tyrants who believe that everyone must think, do and say what they preach. Now for the rest of you, let me explain why I don't drink with the Chinese. In China, there is no such thing as, 'just a little drink'. The moment your lips touch the alcohol, you have fallen under the control of those hell bent on manipulating you. A 'finger' of anything in your glass will immediately amount to three quarters full, and the 'just a little' that you tasted, will be replaced by a full glass, and you will be F-O-R-C-E-D to drink. You can on my behalf, tell those politically correct arm chair cultural experts who disagree with what I have just written, to go whistle dixie. Years ago, I met some black African 'born-again' Christians, in a rather unique location, (my friend's grandmother's home), and they told me that on one occasion they actually succumbed to the force of Chinese insistence that they drink, despite their religious abhorrence of drinking alcohol. The husband got drunk, and with that came guilt and all sorts of religious-emotional issues. The Chinese themselves will tell you that they hate this part of their culture; of being forced to drink. They will say that they have no choice in the matter. But in fact they do! I do it frequently, with varying results each time.
The guy began to do a song and dance, and even though the people at my table fully knew I would not drink, they tried to make me drink, just to save their faces. It came to a verbal spar with them (in both Chinese and English), at the end of which I slammed my glass on the table and sat down. No need for an interpreter or any explanation of my meaning there. All hell broke loose! I told my boss, Doctor Cui of E.E.T., that I simply would not drink, and that if she couldn't smooth the waters, then I would walk out of the restaurant, out of her school, and out of Baotou. (That was the first of many battles I had with that Witch.) At the lunch I attended on Sunday - a lunch I would never have gone to, had I been fully informed of the day's events - I once again refused to drink any alcohol with the hosts. The hosts it transpired, were Communist Party Officials in charge of a training program to educate farmers on new techniques and to provide them with start up funds to get businesses going. They described themselves to me as 'Sons of Mao Zedeng'. We had a wonderful lunch (once the tension finally broke regarding my refusal to drink), and we had a lot of fun. But throughout lunch they did the Chinese thing of draining cup after cup of Baijiu (straight white spirits), until they were all quite drunk. The first to fall victim to the alcohol was the man with the red face. Of course he did not have a red face when we sat down to lunch. It was only later that I looked directly at him and realized that his face was red. A little later I realized that it was turning more like purple. This man's face was not just flushed, it was positively and sickeningly 'red', as though someone had applied a pasty dreadful theatrical make-up to it. He looked totally alien and thoroughly 'out of place'.
Make no mistake about it! I am not talking through my ass here. If you want to know what political correctness is about, come to China. If you want to know what kowtowing to leaders is like, come to China. Had that man not drunk baijiu, he would have 'lost face'. Losing face is everything in China, as it is also in the West. And causing someone to be embarrassed (lose face) is suicidal. My refusal to drink, always causes problems, because it embarrasses the hosts. P.C. people - hear me clearly! I DON'T CARE! I don't care if you don't like my culture! I don't care to follow YOUR culture on this issue! I don't care what your manual says I should do in this instance! And I don't care if all the immigrants who come to Australia or America, don't want to follow our customs and beliefs. THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO THEIR OWN CULTURE. I HAVE A RIGHT TO MINE. I refuse to join in with the Chinese on their drinking customs. And guess what? I refuse to join in with Australians in theirs too! But they are welcome to follow their customs! I don't mind! It's their life and their culture, so they can go out and enjoy their culture to their heart's content. But what right do I have to stand up like a 'temperance room granny' to tell you Americans, you Australians or you Chinese, that you have no right to drink or that your culture is bad because of it? I absolutely refuse to join the Chinese in this drinking custom, but I have no objection to eating a meal with them, or helping to carry them to taxis, or holding them in one place while they throw up. Who am I to tell the citizens of China what they can and can not do; or that they must change their cultural practices to suit my own?
The Chinese nation is not going to bow down to American or Australian self interest, and change their social and cultural beliefs and practices. And we the people, taking a lead from our Chinese counterparts, should also not let 'foreigners' dictate to us, what is and is not acceptable within our own cultural practices. In advance of the events, May I Wish all those of you who are Christian, a wonderful Easter (April 4) celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, and Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. I hope you get plenty of Easter Eggs. And Remember why Easter is Important - Because Christ set us free! To those of you who are Jewish, have a solemn yet joyous Passover (March 30 - April 5). Don't drink too much! And Remember why this night is different to all other nights - Because HaShem set us free! F-R-E-E! What a wonderful word! R.P. BenDedek Legal Outcome Feb 2011
BenDedek Social Commentaries at Magic City "The King's Calendar" is a chronological study of the historical books of the Bible (Kings and Chronicles), Josephus, Seder Olam Rabbah, and the (Essene) Damascus Document of The Dead Sea Scrolls. © Copyright 2002-2008 by Magic City Morning Star |
