Problem with Paki parents moving abroad...

[Marmalade]

Re: Problem with Paki parents moving abroad…

@Omer259

If by just saying that I want to keep my Islamic values and my Pakistani culture the most important thing in my life, makes me narrow and rigid, then so be it. The fact that you are posting on a Pakistani forum regularly, gives me hope that you still value Pakistani culture and contacts, despite the wish of some of your friends here who “came to America to become Americans”.

I think Sara means that the way you look down on foreign-born Pakistanis makes you narrow-minded.

Having Western citizenship doesn’t mean you can’t be fond of other cultures. It doesn’t mean I cannot enjoy Pakistani music, Pakistani dramas, Pakistani food, and Pakistani fashion. Likewise, I enjoy Japanese and Korean entertainment, German music, Chinese food, Belgian comics and Russian novels.

My parents are from Pakistan. My ancestors are from the subcontinent. I’ve been to Pakistan and have had exposure to Pakistani culture due to which I am quite fond of it. That doesn’t mean I must give up my Canadian identity.

It also doesn’t mean I must stictly adhere to the values propagated by Western media.

Not all Westerners have the exact same set of values. Like I said, being a Canadian (in this case) and being a Muslim is not mutually exclusive.

The society is not homogeneous.

You can be a Canadian and a Christian.
You can be a Canadian and an atheist.
You can be a Canadian and a Jew.
You can be a Canadian and a Buddhist.
You can be Canadian and a Hindu.
You can be Canadian and a Wiccan.
You can be Canadian and a Teetotaler.
You can be Canadian and a vegan.
You can be Canadian and straight-edge.
You can be Canadian and be able to speak Swahili.

Each of these groups of people will possess different beliefs.

I didn’t realize you had to have white skin in order to be Canadian.

@Omer259

you are correct that western born Pakistanis might think of themselves as Americans/British etc, but the question is do the average British/American citizens consider them to be their own or will they always be the dark skinned alien?.

From my experience, provided that Western born Pakistanis make an attempt to integrate within society, the ‘goras’ have no problem with calling them Canadians. (with the exception of extreme conservatives, and White supremecists.)

By ‘integrated’ I mean the ones who immigrate legally, learn English, work hard, pay their taxes, don’t leech off benefits and are happy to live there. I haven’t come across people who’ve considered me a ‘dark-skinned alien’. I’ve never felt like a second-class citizen here. Like Reha said, it isn’t 1950 anymore.

I have one question for you-why must you resort to ad-hominem abuse to justify your viewpoint?