YJA Convention 2000 07 LA Fourth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 52

should come and see his picture album." The acquaintance walked away shaking his head at this strange comment. In real life, we all work so hard to project an image, a perfect picture of our views, intelligence, wealth, education, status, power and very comfortably wear different mask to fit that image. We switch back and forth so easily that it becomes part of our nature. It's not that others do not understand us but we do not understand ourselves. Image mask becomes such a vital part of us that we start to play games with ourselves.
Jain philosophy teaches that all negativity is generated through not being able to accept reality as it is, whereas positive energy is generated through acceptability. When we accept others and ourselves as they are, the need to wear a mask vanishes away.
PARENTS JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND presented by Neel Shetti
Abstract. Trying to find one's identity amidst the milieu of parental, peer, and academic and/or work pressures is a true challenge. Growing up as part of the second generation in America, we face a completely different culture than did our parents. With hundreds of thousands of people of different racial backgrounds forming the fabric of this country, one of the many questions for the future arises: "America, the melting pot or mosaic country of the world?" With all the ethnic diversity surrounding us, what are we as young Jains to make of it all? Do we stand tall and independent, or shall we fold in with the dough of this rising national power?
Discussion Outline:
"I'm Indian."
It's a phrase I find myself saying quite often when people ask what nationality I am. This reply despite the fact that I have a NJ driver's license, a United States Army Reserves registration card, US Passport, and a birth certificate from Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood, NJ.
Identity is a puzzling notion that comes into question in the country whose doors are open to "your tired, your poor, your hungry masses". Melting pot or mosaic? This question is a core notion that must be kept in mind during our discussion of young Jains growing up in America.
Guidelines for discussion:
6. Listen, not just "hear". 7.
8. Do not interrupt.
9. Be as brief as possible.
10. Avoid back and forth comments.
Respect opinions of others.
U.S. population (projection) 1997
Hispanic 11%
Black
12%
Asian 4%
Hispanic 25%
Black
14%
Asian 8%
White
73%
2050
White 53%
"Asian" category includes Pacific Islanders Other races, including American Indians, make up less than 1 percent.
SOURCE US Census Bureau
THE WASHINGTON POST
Background Information:
1.
2.
Number of Jains in America: -30,000 Population of America: -274,832,858
3.
% Jain:
4.
Number of Jains in India: 5. Population of India:
6.
% Jain:
7.
Quotes:
What is 'identity'?
a.
(World 6,071,255,752) [2] -0.01%
-10 million [1]
-1 billion [3]
-0.4% (as of 1991) [3]
1 a: sameness of essential or generic character in different instances b: sameness in all that constitutes the objective reality of a thing: ONENESS.
b. 2 a: the distinguishing character or personality of an individual: INDIVIDUALITY b: the relation established by psychological identification.
C.
3: the condition of being the same with something described or asserted (e.g., 'establish the identity of stolen goods'). d. 4: an equation that is satisfied for all values of the symbols.[4]
For Persona Private Use Only
1. "Some sociologists argue that the melting pot often means little more than 'Anglo conformity' and that assimilation is not always a positive experience - for either society or the immigrants themselves. And with today's emphasis on diversity and ethnicity, it has become easier than ever for immigrants to avoid the melting pot entirely."[5]
2. "At work, not only in Omaha but in immigrant
communities across the country, is a process often referred to as 'segmented' assimilation, in which immigrants follow different paths to incorporation in U.S. society. These range from the classic American ideal of blending into the vast middle class, to a 'downward assimilation' into an adversarial underclass, to a buffered integration into 'immigrant enclaves.' Sometimes, members of the same family end up taking sharply divergent paths, especially children and their parents."[5]
3. "There was a movement earlier this century to have *all* Jains adopt Jain as their last name. Under the proposal, each family kept track of its 'gotra' or clan privately but 'publicly' went by the community identifier of Jain. Thus one would for social purposes write Howard Jain but for legal purposes (passport/property/marriage) the proper form would be Howard Lyman. A commonly used compromise would be to write Howard Jain (Lyman). This is about all I know. I think this effort may date to the 20s or 30s but I'm not sure about its origins and ultimate disposition."[7]
4. "Yes, religion is a personal thing, but I'm not sure that it should be private. Jains should not hesitate in acknowledging publicly that they are Jain. In a free country, Jains should proudly declare that they are Jain, although I personally think it is not necessary to have Jain as the last name."[8]