MALAYSIA, BERKELEY, BIGOTS, AND, GENERALLY SPEAKING, AN APPRECIATION

A few years ago I wrote a post that, upon revisiting, I realized was far too mild and bland.
Still, worth considering again, and rereading it might give you a nice warm feeling.
You deserve that.
I'm all about nice warm feelings.

http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/04/trolls-with-keyboards.html

Referenced directly or otherwise were Dick Becker, tightly clenched Lily Haskell, Yaman Salahi, Barbara Lubin, Finkelstein, Mahathir Mohamad, and Joe Stalin.

Nothing but love, babies, nothing but love.

Both Malaysia and Berkeley are pretty ghastly places, and while Berkeley does have less rape, incest, and casual abuse of small animals than Malaysia, the food is far worse and the natives are much more likely to be tattooed savages.
On the plus side, however, it's easier to get to, and Mahathir Mohamad doesn't live there.
Both places are also unbearably precious and full of themselves.

Whether either place is better than Pakistan is debatable.

Again, feel the love.
Nice and warm.
Chihuahuas.



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NOTE: Readers may contact me directly:
LETTER BOX.
All correspondence will be kept in confidence.
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TROLLS WITH KEYBOARDS

One of the current readers of this blog is mighty upset that I do not jump at his demand for information. Particularly, that I do not wish to cater to his curiosity about the support for Hamas and similar organizations by several of the anti-Semitic-fringe groups so well represented in Berkeley.


See this post:

BAY AREA PEACE-ACTIVISTS SUPPORT 'RESISTANCE'
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/04/bay-area-peace-activists-support-hamas.html

Quote:
"As is made clear by their websites, their literature and signs in several protests, and their rhetoric, such Bay Area groups as International ANSWER, the ISM, Students for Justice in Palestine, Bay Area Women in Black, Jewish Voice for Peace, and even members of Code Pink support Hamas."

[Forty comments as of this writing.]


I have urged him to google, and even suggested several search criteria. But no. He is adamant that I do it for him. Livid, and having a big ole hissy. Despite the support for Hamas and similar organizations being both extremely well-known, and entirely beside the point of that post.

In that, he is rather like my customers a quarter of a century ago, when I still wrote term-papers for fellow "students". They too seemed incapable of reading on their own, or grasping what they read.


Perhaps he fails to understand that bloggers thrive on controversy, and are delighted when someone returns again and again to their blog. And perhaps he also wishes to put words in my mouth, and trick me into betraying sources or stating something that might be useful to him and his ilk.


No matter - all I really care about is that he keep coming back to be frustrated.
To enhance that experience for him, I present a list of posts on this blog that have irritated the living daylights out of other trolls.



VIOLENT ANTI-SEMITES RALLY FOR PEACE
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/03/violent-anti-semites-rally-for-peace.html

Quote:
"Peace rally in San Francisco's civic center turns into angry confrontation. Activists scream hatred at Jews. Angry Lakota Sioux radical spouts racist rant, finishes by bad drumming and unintelligible chanting. Dick Becker has a fit. Speaker at microphone calls the police mothe***88ers and accuses them of wanting to kill people. Arab bites cop. Palestinians attack Jews in metro."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"The same Lily Haskell who led the chant at the AIPAC rally back in late 2008: "Israel Supporters Watch your Backs, or we'll push you down a shaft!" The same Lily Haskell who referred to Jews as "racist Zionists" upon complaining to SFAC back in Sept 2007 regarding the remodification of a mural. "

[21 comments as of this writing.]



WHERE ARE THE PROTESTS?
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/where-are-protests.html

Quote:
"Surely Tamils deserve the same consideration if not more than the civilians of Gaza?
No? Are you sure? You're not just being racist, are you?
You really think it's all peachy over there, and you are not at all concerned?
Oh, I forgot - Tamils are the Jews of Sri-Lanka, and therefore not worthy of the intellectual pretentiousness of the good people of Berkeley. You guys ARE racists."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"Thats why the talk in Oakland was so egregious- solidarity should be built working side by side on issues of mutual aid, not by creating distrust through lies, demonization and hate. The way to elevate the Palestinian people is not by attacking the Israeli people- it is by convincing the Palestinians that their future lies on the path of peace."

[30 comments as of this writing.]



MALAYSIAN RACISM
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/malaysian-racism.html

Quote:
"Here, we have rejected the ideology of George Wallace, and that type of hate has been marginalized in the United States and most of the Western World.
You, on the other hand, elected his equivalent, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, to leadership of your country, and kept him, and his reprehensible points of view, in power for 22 years. That racialist hate, and that dislike of other peoples, continues to live on in your country, and thrives among your people. In that regard, you are true imitators of many of the modern Arab nations - societies marked by cronyism, repression of unapproved points of view, and support for terrorist organizations. What are the words screamed at your anti-American demonstrations? Hezbollah, Hamas, and Jihad."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"Mahathir is a smuck, and Malays are third rate Pakis. So fifth rate Arabs anyhow. An odious petty people without either culture or civilization, imitative, unoriginal, and in all things deficient. Kind of like the Greeks, in other words."

[35 comments as of this writing.]



DUTCH HAMAS SUPPORTERS
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/dutch-hamas-supporters.html

Quote:
"All of these people have tacitly or actively endorsed continued terrorist attacks against Israel. In that desire, they join the rest of European socialist parties (rebranded successors to the old-style Stalinist parties). A more convincing argument for an expanded no-fly list is hard to imagine."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"The left wingers in the netherlands are not the most educated persons in the world. You can't blame them thinking these things. Most Socialist have had just a few years in school and don't know history very well. Keep that in mind!"

[57 comments as of this writing.]



JEW HATE IN SF: DEMONSTRATION IN FRONT OF THE ISRAELI CONSULATE TUESDAY DECEMBER 30, 2008
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2008/12/jew-hate-in-sf-demonstration-in-front.html

Quote:
"Besides, the angry Middle-Eastern Jew-hater with a bullhorn, and the rabid white chick with an equally loud bullhorn and a grating voice, made plain in great detail what the peace movement's plan for Israel and the Jews entails, as did the numerous threats and insults directed at our side by both Arabs and Anglos."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"Read THE INTERNATIONAL JEW by Henry Ford!!! These Jews are an international band of criminals and BABY KILLERS who have hijacked our foreign policy and and bought our corrupt politicians and control our media but WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE are smarter than they think. I say it is time we stopped financing them and protecting them without us they would not last two weeks. IRAN will NUKE them soon."

[108 comments as of this writing.]



PIE FOR FINKELSTEIN
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2008/10/pie-for-finkelstein.html

Quote:
"A frequent reader and occasional commenter draws my attention to the upcoming visit of Norman Finkelstein, kapo and collaborateur-extraordinaire of the International Phillistinist Enterprise, which will be sponsored by the usual gang of thugs at UC Berkeley - that being an Arab-funded operation going under the name of 'Students For Justice In Palestine'."

Quote from an anonymous comment:
"But Finkelstein sets himself up so beautifully for ad hominems. After all, he admits he is fixated on his mother (oh, gee), and he admits he went into a deep funk when the soviet union fell (3 weeks- no eating and sleeping, poor baby). How can you NOT make fun of this guy?"

[71 comments as of this writing.]



Please feel free to peruse the posts cited above, my dear anonymous commenter. You will without a doubt find soul-mates among the commenters, and probably also revisit some of your own writing.
You will also find some comments and counter-comments in Dutch - that you shall not be able to comprehend them in the slightest saddens me, as I really do wish that more Americans were literate.
There's always Babelfish - no, I shall NOT translate for you, do your own research, you lazy darn Berkeleyite!

THE REPREHENSIBLE DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD

Recent readers of this blog may have noticed that I have strong opinions about Malaysia, the form of apartheid practiced in Malaysia (called 'the Bumiputra Policies' on this blog, aka NEP), and the man who more than anything else enabled that grossly unfair system, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
I waxed much wroth about him in recent posts.


See these posts:
1. http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/malaysia-racism-bigotry-and-boycott.html
2. http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/anti-us-and-anti-israel-round-up.html
3. http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/malaysian-racism.html
Note that by the third post, an ongoing scrimmage seemed to have developed.
I disagree with several of the commenters. Which does not mean that I wish them to cease and desist. There is no conversation when the participants agree. Dispute is necessary - not only to further understanding (your own, not that of the person with whom you disagree), but also to sharpen the mind.


This post is neither an apology, nor an expression of sympathy for Dr. Mahathir Mohamad's points of view. By no means!
I shall continue to find his ideas odious (except, of course, for the ones with which I happen to agree - please see comment above about 'conversation').


It is, however, an acknowledgement that the man writes very well.

As can be seen from his former blog:
http://test.chedet.com/che_det/archives.html
And his current blog:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/


On his blog, Dr. Mahathir discusses a wide variety of subjects. Not all of which are political.

Without giving credence or weight to his loathsome views on the western world and Israel, to which I would not wish to draw further attention either, let me just mention that I did not know that Malaysia made Mozzarella cheese till I read it here:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2009/01/mozzarella-cheese-ii.html
And further regarding Mozzarella cheese, see this:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/12/mozzarella-cheese.html
Mozzarella Cheese? Malaysia? Oyvavoy!

Flabbergasting.

But no more surprising than sambal badjak and sambal oelek being manufactured by Huy Fong Foods in Los Angeles (also manufacturers of Sriracha Hotsauce, affectionately called 'Cock Sauce' by its fans), a popular brand of kroepoek oedang for the Dutch Market coming from Chekiang, or ketjap manis made in Den Haag.
Not to mention Mooncakes from Eastern Bakery on Grant Avenue being sent to kinfolk in Guangzhou......


Dr. Mahathir also discusses the Bumiputra Policies and the race situation in Malaysia here:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/11/racism-and-2008-elections.html
Here:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/09/racialism.html
Also here:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/08/affirmative-action.html
And most particularly here:
http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/06/multiracial-malaysia.html


Please understand, I am absolutely not endorsing his views. But if you wish to understand the Malaysian Bumiputra policies, the posts referenced above are a very good place to start reading.
[You should probably also look up the terms NEP, Bumiputra, Orang Asli, Peranakan and Pribumi (as well as the Indonesian 'Peraturan Pemerintah 10/1959') - these are all explained in Wikipedia and elsewhere.]



Go on, browse over to his blog - it is well worth visiting. Did I mention that he writes well?
Many posts are in English, some are in Bahasa Melayu.
And if you are looking for texts in Malay to sharpen your ability with the language, you could hardly do any better.

MALAYSIAN RACISM

For several days various anonymi have visited two recent posts, and left comments. These anonymi appear to be either two people, or two points-of-view; one of them is more-or-less a calm individual who seems to have an ability to perceive nuances, the other one comes across as a Malay-nationalist with an abiding hatred for America and Israel, though he (she?) does not actually express that in his (her?) comments. He (she?) merely replays the typical tropes that reflect a dislike of the West, a distaste for Jews coupled with a favouritism towards the side that employs Islamic extremists, and a gut-level support for the apartheid which marks the Malaysian state and its treatment of Chinese and Indians as well as the officially-sanctioned hatred towards Jews.


The two posts are:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/malaysia-racism-bigotry-and-boycott.html
And:
http://atthebackofthehill.blogspot.com/2009/01/malaysia-racism-bigotry-and-boycott.html


Now let us join a conversation already in progress........


Nuanced Anonymous writes:
The back of the Hill said :"Changes in attitudes have to come from both sides - without reciprocation, there is no inspiration"

The first to do a good deed will be the better one. What is going to be Mr Back of the Hill?

We've already made numerous overtures - the onus is now on you to reciprocate. And though we've been waiting for what seem like eons, we remain, as always, patient.

And we still wait.



Considerably Less Nuanced Anonymous writes:
Are you trying to say that you only like people which are subservient to you. And you hate Mahathir Mohamad because he dare to speak up issues that you refused to believe.

We like people with whom we are not in conflict and with whom we have open and constructive dialogue. We have no reason whatsoever to like people who scream "death to America" and "death to Israel" at government-approved pep-rallies. Especially not if they nevertheless seek to do business with us, and profit from their association with us.

Yes, we dislike those who dislike us.

It is clear that your grasp of history is one-sided and extremely biased. You support Mahathir Mohamad - a man who is notorious world-wide as a Jew-hater, a racist, and a bigot.

Here, we have rejected the ideology of George Wallace, and that type of hate has been marginalized in the United States and most of the Western World.
You, on the other hand, elected his equivalent, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, to leadership of your country, and kept him, and his reprehensible points of view, in power for 22 years.
That racialist hate, and that dislike of other peoples, continues to live on in your country, and thrives among your people.

In that regard, you are true imitators of many of the modern Arab nations - societies marked by cronyism, repression of unapproved points of view, and support for terrorist organizations. What are the words screamed at your anti-American demonstrations? Hezbollah, Hamas, and Jihad.


I absolutely reject such typical and unquestioning Malay allegiance to pan-Islamist solidarity.

We are a self-critical society with a broad spectrum of political viewpoints; even statements which advocate the destruction of America and support the racist-ideology of Hamas have a public voice in our country.
You are a society that is scared of opinions that oppose your narrow and rigid loyalties to your own tribe and your own creed.

Remember, you are the people who have maintained the last remaining version of apartheid for over a generation. It is almost forty years since the racists riots instigated by UMNO operatives in 1969.
You are not qualified to discuss certain issues until you clean up your act.

First get rid of the Bumiputra policies and NEP, then we can talk.


Oh, and stop treating Chinese, Indians, and non-Muslims as dhimmis while you're at it; that, too, is a particular sore point. And well worthy of anger and dislike.
The day when the Malaysian government rejects the apartheid and institutionalized racism that they have enforced for forty years is the day that Malays will truly deserve our respect.

MALAYSIA - RACISM, BIGOTRY, AND A BOYCOTT

Apparently Muslim Malaysians are now boycotting American products.
This despite the products in question being made locally by Malaysian companies - which, per fiat, have to be minimally 30% bumiputra-owned (as opposed to Malaysian-Chinese), which means that those who will be hit hardest will be Malaysian citizens.


Here is the notorious former prime-minister of Malaysia with a simplistic statement:


"If you stop accepting US currency, the US can't trade and can't make any money, it will become very poor and it will have to stop the production of more and more weapons in order to kill people. People must act... they won't die if they don't drink Coca-Cola"


------Dr Mahathir Mohamad



In one sense, this is an outgrowth of the xenophobia traditional among the kampong-electorate, though this most recent manifestation is because of our foreign policy, especially our support of Israel. Malays have an unhealthy dislike of everyone who is not of their faith, most particularly Chinese, Indian, Jews, and Americans.
Events in Gaza prompted the current boycott.



TRADE

Very well. Let's look at some ideas. The U.S. is Malaysia's largest trading partner, while Malaysia is the tenth largest trading partner of the United States, currently allowed very favourable terms, and bucking for FTA status.

At present, trade amounts to over fifty billion dollars, mostly computers, computer accessories, telecommunication equipment and electronic goods. Nearly half of U.S. exports to Malaysia are semi-conductors.

Companies that use Malaysian manufacturing are General Electric, ConocoPhillips, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Oracle, among others.



MALAYSIAN APARTHEID POLICIES

Malaysia is one of the last countries practicing a form of apartheid, namely the Bumiputra policies, which give ethnic Malays (mostly defined as Moslems and Borneo tribal peoples) preferences over the Chinese and Indians. For purposes of discrimination, Chinese who have been there for several centuries are classed as outsiders, while recent carpet-baggers from Java and Sumatra are considered natives. Anybody who converts to Islam almost automatically becomes a native, though conversion from Islam to other religions is forbidden. The gentleman quoted above, though technically a foreigner (being descended from South Indian Muslim stock), is by the peculiar logic of the Bumiputra policies native because of his religion. Yes, Malaysia is also one of those countries where religion is a basis for discrimination.

The term for conversion to Islam is 'jadi melayu' - becoming Malay. Which indicates that the main targets for Bumiputra-policy discrimination are Chinese and Indian - precisely the people whose enterprise and gumption for the past two centuries have made Malaysia a modern nation.

The main beneficiaries of the discriminatory laws are the coastal settlers from Sumatra, Riau, Borneo, and Java, as well as the descendants of Bugis pirates and Minangkabau adventurers, who only since the clearing of jungle during British times have moved inland in substantial numbers.


The Bumiputras who do not benefit from Malaysia's peculiar form of apartheid are the non-Muslim tribal peoples of Borneo, who are systematically robbed by Melayu (Malay) and Melanau (Islamic convert speaker of Malay) settlers. Nor, oddly, are the Tausug and Samal (who are indigenous to certain areas of the Sabah coast) beneficiaries, as admitting them as natives would be disadvantageous to Melayu and Melanau .... settlers.

Ethnic Malays, of course, consider their discrimination perfectly normal. And regard us as less than human.



CONCLUSION

In short, this pestilential piece-of-drek country has utterly no business telling the rest of the world what to do. And would be well advised to shut up, and not try a boycott. Especially not now. Not if they wish continuing talks on a Free Trade Agreement to go anywhere.

It would be worth your while to bring this up with your elected representatives, and with the American companies listed above, as well as others. And I encourage you to let your voice be heard.

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ADDENDUM

If you wish to tell the Malaysians precisely where to stuff it, contact the nearest Malaysian Trade Commission office.

In California:


Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)
550 South Hope Street, #400Los Angeles, CA 90071
PH: (213) 955-9183
FX: (213) 955-9878

Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA)
226 Airport Parkway, #480San Jose, CA 95110
PH: (408) 392-0617/8
FX: (408) 392-0619


Here are other useful addresses:


Embassy of Malaysia
2401 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008.
PH: (202) 328-2700
FX: (202) 483-7661

Consulate General of Malaysia - Los Angeles
550, South Hope Street, Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90071.
PH: (213) 892-1238
FX: (213) 892-9031

Consulate General of Malaysia - New York
313 East 43rd Street
New York, NY 10017.
PH: (212) 490-2722, 490-2723
FX: (212) 490-2049


I am sure that they will delighted to hear from you - especially as a frank discussion of the ethnic situation in Malaysia will touch a matter near their hearts. Either as the happy beneficiaries of institutionalized racism, or the resigned and resentful victims.