Re: Hmong legislators say cultural marriage bill is unnecessary
- From: "zhen" <zhenzeno@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 21 Mar 2006 09:45:44 -0800
B2BH,
Senator Skoglund is doing the right thing but for the wrong reason; Rep
Cy Thao is doing the wrong thing but for the right reason; Sen Mee Moua
is doing the wrong thing for no (real good) reason.
I wonder who Sen Skoglund's political advisors are? The bill was
brilliant and as a Hmong I would have been honored to have my
cultural/ethnic marriage practice aligned with the American legal
system, HOWEVER, why did he have to pollute it with the "underage
issue"? I have doubt that this bill of his was primarily to resolve
underage marriage in Hmong culture, as I believe he would be informed
sufficiently that this problem is not peculiar to Hmong people alone?
Reading the article, I think his statements were possibly
misrepresented, and the Senator probably meant that the Mej Koob's role
would require him to report illegal civil unions AS AN EXAMPLE OF HIS
NEWFOUND RESPONSIBILITY AND ROLE.
If the Mej Koob is integrated into the American legal system, then
Hmong American marriages will be on the same legal level as the other
ethnic groups. We did not sacrifice life and limb in Laos only to come
to America to have our way of life be precluded from the legal system.
Rep Cy Thao has a convincing argument about the role of the Mej Koob in
the context of Hmong culture. But I think he and Hmong people should
reconsider this role and be willing or open-minded about allowing for
slight revisions to the Mej Koob responsibility. We have lived in this
country for 30 years, and I am sure we have made plenty of revisions to
things more serious than the Mej Koob, such as animal sacrifice during
a Shaman activity (which is supposed to strictly take place at our
place of residence, but now we bring the animal back to the slaughter
house). It WILL NOT HURT Hmong people if the Mej Koob receives the
solemnizer responsibility, and it has much potential to help the
changing Hmong culture in America.
Rep Cy Thao must realize that the "wrong party" would not be punished
if the Mej Koob refused to perform something illegal in the first
place. No Hmong can admit that underage marriage has no problem;
underage marriage, in Hmong culture or any other culture, is a social
liability in America. I will challenge anyone on this matter, in fact,
if they think otherwise. IF the Mej Koob is a legal solemnizer, then he
should refuse to accept any invitation to help marry 2 people in
violation of the law (i.e. gays?, underage?).
Sen Mee Moua's concern is a non-issue, really. Compared to all the
BURDENS that a Mej Koob already has, I think a few paper work here and
there would be nothing in comparison. Can a solemnizer's job be really
that difficult? I think Christains and Jews would not be marrying if
such concerns were NOT far-fetched but a reality (since the
priest/rabbi would be engulfed by redtape?).
The Mej Koob is the leverage point by which marriage practices among
Hmong people can be successfully and legally intergrated into the
American fabric and way of life. Can a culturally legitimate Hmong
wedding occur without a Mej Koob? This is unheard of. With the possible
new legal responsibilities, we Hmong must realize our fate to change
and adapt to our new home. I am sure there were many cultural upheavals
in Laos when we left ThuamChoj.
.
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