The following comment left by one of our readers leads us to reflect deeply into the influence of Western culture on Cambodian youths. Our respected reader's concern is not alone, we have also posted below an article from the Los Angeles Times depicting anger in India against the celebration of Valentine Day. Even though we are posting this article about India, we are not implying that our reader below belongs to any extremist group, far from it, we believe that his/her comment is legitimate and quite justifiable. We have to admit also that, even among our team members, some of us are quite taken aback by the adoption of Western culture by our youths.
We invite our readers to share your opinion on this issue. Please remain civilized in your choice of words as our comments are unmoderated.
Thank You very much!
KI-Media Team
Dear KI-Media
- I am not an ultra-nationalist, but I am not promoting Valentine Day as part of the Khmer Culture.
- Ki-media must educate Young Cambodian generation about their own culture instead of encouraging them to adopt foreign culture.
- Ki-media must know that many young Cambodians now celebrate more just than Valentine Day: they rented cheap hotels or met in the orchards to enjoy SEX.
- I know a midwife who earns a lot of money by doing abortions for the young girls who had enjoy the Valentine Day.
Members of a non-governmental organization burn Valentine's Day cards in Ahmadabad. "Westerners are trying to break up the Indian family system," said Pramod Muthalik, head of the extremist group Shri Ram Sena. (Ajit Solanki / Associated Press)
A couple walks past a protester from the Students Islamic Organization of India holding a banner against Valentine's Day in Mumbai.Indian extremist group targets Valentine's Day
Police are on alert after Hindu radicals who earlier attacked women at a pub vow to round up any young couples celebrating the holiday, which they say is offensive to Indian culture.
February 14, 2009
By Mark Magnier and Pavitra Ramaswamy
Los Angeles Times (California, USA)
Reporting from New Delhi -- A card, chocolate and roses, an affectionate evening with your sweetheart -- what's not to like about Valentine's Day?
Plenty, if you're one of the extremist groups in India that see in Cupid's pointed arrow a lance aimed at the heart of Indian culture.
Fringe groups, most notably the Hindu extremist Shri Ram Sena, or Lord Ram's Army, have threatened to make their displeasure known by attacking couples who show affection in public and disrupting businesses that sell Valentine's Day gifts and cards.
Their condemnation of heart-shaped balloons, purple prose and fluffy teddy bears as Western pollution has been supported in years past by other hard-line Hindu and Muslim groups.
Shri Ram Sena vowed this year to march any couples found canoodling straight to the temple, forcing them to marry on the spot. When the legality of their heavy-handed idea was questioned, the group shifted, threatening to remand those who offended them to parents or sympathetic police.
It has also vowed to set up a help line on Valentine's Day for girls harassed by boys and warned women against wearing "noodle straps" or tight jeans.
"Westerners are trying to break up the Indian family system," said Pramod Muthalik, the group's head, who was arrested briefly after his group attacked women at a Mangalore pub last month. "Giving flowers on the streets, showing affection in public, showering kisses in full public view is wrong. What is the difference between us and animals?"
Valentine's Day was virtually unknown in India until the 1990s but has become increasingly popular among young, middle-class celebrants with growing income.
Though the campaign against it seems rather absurd and amusing, religious, ethnic and sectarian divisions run deep. And Shri Ram Sena has a following among some members of the Hindu nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. Not willing to take any chances, authorities said Friday that Muthalik was put under "preventative custody" through today's holiday to avoid trouble.
Delhi Police Chief Y.S. Dadwal, federal Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury and other officials have warned extremists not to break laws.
"Muthalik is not married; that's why he doesn't respect women," Chowdhury said.
Delhi police have been advised to position plainclothes officers in shopping centers to prevent Valentine's violence, and members of the Jammu and Kashmir state National Panthers Party said they would throw red chiles at any troublemakers who play at being morality police.
"If my parents don't disapprove of V-Day, why do political parties have a problem?" said Salman Noor, 22, a student drinking coffee at the Mrs. Kaur's Crepes & More eatery in Delhi, near freshly baked heart-shaped cookies. "What culture are they talking about? We lost our Indian culture way back. . . . In ancient times our culture was the Kama Sutra -- why didn't anyone stop it back then?"
Outraged by the right-wing tactics, feature writer Nisha Susan recently launched a campaign on the Facebook social networking site, dubbing it the "Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women." Its plan: to shame the extremists by, in part, getting women to send Muthalik pink underwear. Women can also drop off underwear and the group will express mail it to Sri Ram Sena on Valentine's Day.
Faced with an onslaught of pink panties, Muthalik said his group would send a pink sari to everyone who sends underwear.
This year's threats by extremists are the latest in a series. Groups attacked college students and threatened pubs and hotels last year, and black-veiled women rummaged shops and burned Valentine's Day cards in 2006 in Srinagar, the summer capital of troubled Jammu and Kashmir.
Madhu Kishwar, founder of Manushi Sangathan, a women's rights and pro-democracy group, said some criticism of the holiday is valid. "It's not very pleasant when you go to a beach and see people climbing all over each other," she said. "But affection in public is better than violence in public."
That point of view wasn't universal.
Asiya Andrabi, head of Dukhtaran-e-Millat, or Daughters of the Nation, an extreme Muslim group in Jammu and Kashmir, said she supports Shri Ram Sena's campaign.
"This will act as a deterrent and people will be scared," she said. "Sometimes there is no option but to use the stick out of sheer love."
mark.magnier@latimes.com
70 comments:
ប្រទេសឥណ្ឌា ជាប្រទេសមានប្រពៃណី អោយតំលៃស្ត្រី ស្មើសំរាម។ នៅសតវត្ស ១២ ពុទ្ធសាសនា ចូលមកប្រទេសខ្មែរ តាមរយះ ស្តេចខ្មែរឈ្មោះ តាត្រសក់ផ្អែម ធ្វើអោយសង្គមប្រទេសខ្មែរ សង្គមខ្មែរ ហិនហោចរួមតូច ដូចបច្ចុប្បន្ន ព្រោះពុទ្ធសាសនា ធ្វើអោយមនុស្ស មានអារម្មណ៍រួញរា យកតែសុខ, មិនបំពានគេ ប៉ុន្តែគេបំពាន យកតែសុខទៅ គ្មានតដៃទេ ហ្នឹងហើយធ្វើអោយ ប្រទេសខ្មែរអស់ដី នោះ!
មើលឡើងវិញ៖
សមណគោត្តម ជាតួអង្គព្រះពុទ្ធនេះ ជាមនុស្សអញនិយម គ្មានគិតដល់អ្នកណា ព្រោះអោយប្រពន្ធគាត់ ទៅព្រាហ្ម តាមការសុំរបស់ព្រាហ្ម, អោយជាលី, ក្រឹស្នា ដែលជាកូនទាំងពីរ របស់គាត់ អោយទៅ តាជូជក់ ធ្វើជាកូនបំរើ។ ព្រះពុទ្ធនេះ គ្មានគិតដល់ប្រពន្ធកូន ទោះខំប្រឹងអង្វរករ ព្រះពុទ្ធ យ៉ាងណាក្តី។ គេទាំងនោះ រងទណ្ឌកម្ម យ៉ាងវេទនា ពីព្រាហ្មណ៍ និង ពីតាជូជក នៅចំពោះមុខព្រះពុទ្ធ ពេលអូសយកទៅ។
i think it shows the new era in cambodia that youths can freely express themselves unlike in the past in khmer society which was fret upon if people were to express themselves in public. so, i think it alright for khmer youths to embrace this new celebration. and like they mentioned in the phnom penh post article about this celebration, it doesn't infringe on the local culture, it just sort of adding a color to it. plus, it's good for businesses too because people buy flowers for their loved ones. oh, valentine's day in cambodia is not necessarily between youths' courtship, it's also about expressing love to parents, relatives, friends, etc.; and not necessarily involve romantic love between boyfriends/girlfriends, lovers, etc... in cambodia people are starting to like this western celebration as a way to express their love, unconditional loves, that is, for their loved ones, etc... so, it is good, actually. cambodia elderly should understand this. because i think the elderly are just worried that khmer youths will lose their cultural identity, that's all. however, not to worry, this is not like abandoning the old culture and embrace the new one, it just adding color to the already rich khmer identity and culture, that's all. thank you and god bless cambodia.
i think the new generation in cambodia embrace this celebration slightly different than say in the west. here, in cambodia, we try to express our unconditional loves for everyone, especially our loved ones like parents, relatives, friends, the elderly, and of course husband and wife as well. so, it is sort of different here, almost like adopting this celebration but more in a khmer way, that is. god bless all.
It is true that Valentines day is nothing more than an artificial and commercial exploitation of our emotions.
It is not bad at all,if Cambodia can created a non day off holiday like valentine day or call different name and give a nice definition of this day but not for sex day only.I support 2:33am.Love is everywhere,not for just western only.Business is boom on this day.A lot roses sale on the street for $1 a piece in Phnom Penh. Make sure don't buy a flowers from Viet Nam.
This is nothing more Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy's ambition to wipe out Khmer culture and replace it with George Washington's culture. However, unfortunately for them, we are not going to let them succeed. We'll defend our culture and heritage at all cost.
I am not a pro-western culture at all, but I also cannot say that all Cambodian culture are all good too. Without interaction of culture, Cambodian people would still live in grasses shelters. In the past 28 years of living in Overseas, I found that western culture is more open, more honest and more straigh forward. Cambodian culture is hidding by secret agenda. People are greeting with good smile and then kill each other in cold blood. Look at corruption, westerners do not like corrutptions. They fight each other in legal means to wipe out corruption from their society.Westerners are cared about family and human being. They love each other honestly. Valentine is one of the occasions they use to show their love to each other and care to each other. Please do not use example of criminal activities in USA made by black american as western culture. The young western children are working hard in all fields such as education, sports, sciences, technology etc.. Cambodian culture is far away back from them. Look at many children who are lasy and waste all their opportunities for their future. In western countries, all parents do not need to save moneys for their children to get rich. They can build up their own lives by themselves. In Cambodia, many children need their parents to inherate to them. That is why many parents who are working in public office need to corrupt such as Hun Sen., Sok An, and hundred others. In western culture, all young children will not accepte moneys earned by their parents through corruption at all. Areak Prey
Morality unknown to me; however, I have heard that today’s morality in Cambodia makes no difference than it was a century ago. Cambodian can be easily influence by other culture since the 16th century when Siam and Vietnam both struggle to control Cambodia.
Cambodian celebrities, leaders, politicians, professor, parents and siblings corrupt over money in all aspects of Cambodian morality or culture. These people married two or three wives; divorce likes changing diaper; chose money over unconditional love; cheats family members and friends like cat and mice; and finally lies like there is no tomorrow. All these people set bad example for Cambodian youth. What is it about Cambodian’s culture that is admirable and authentic nowadays? Beside go to the temple on certain days for blessing, longevity, and mercy; yet most continue everyday to commit adultery, corruption, and killing of fellow Cambodians indiscriminately. So is this it about Cambodian’s culture that younger generation needs to learn, absorb, and express in their daily lives?
Cambodian for hundreds of century has failed to adapt sociologically and strategically and has been out maneuver by our bigger neighbors due to their ability adapted sociologically, strategically, hemi- spherically, militarily, and politically. We govern with internal strife, go to war without allies, and uses knives and stick in modern warfare; while Siam and Vietnamese fights with ship, cannon, mercenary, shrewdness, tactic, and inoperability. And they learned the Western thinking.
They rented cheap hotel for sex because they have learned their role model like the Khmer celebrities, leaders, politicians, monk, professor, parents, and strangers.
Cambodian television network play nothing but Chinese and Thais movies. They copy Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Singapore lifestyle or vibe.
Valentine Day is Western value that love is unconditional. A lot of Cambodian youth needs to understand that love is not about money, family social status, rich, famous, and material; but that love is free.
This is nothing more Pouk Ah psychopath Kvak Hun Sen's ambition (CPP : Communist Pro youn Party) to wipe out Khmer culture and replace it with youn illegal immigrants. However, unfortunately for them, we are not going to let them succeed. We'll defend our culture and heritage at all cost.
we need to learn new thing to improve our life.
Those who live under communist didn't know what valentine is all about. People in the US place flowers on the grave of their parents, friend or their love one. Student hand over candy and card too their teacher. Adult make up etc. But cambodian is way out off reach from Western World. Instead of Celebrate Valentine in the proper way, they have unprotect sex. Who're you should blame. I think your school and government system.
KHMER US.
Be a lover and not a hater...
Anything else, live and let live.
Happy Valentine to KI-Media team!
អក
Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy must faces a tribunal for destroying Khmer and Asian culture, among other things.
Those motherfuckers have only been here for a couple decades, and the Khmer culture have nearly disappears from the planet. It's just unbelievable how much destructive they are.
Eat shit and die you Viet leech 5:26 AM. Go see how your masters Viet celebrate Valentine day even at a place not far from where you live there, you leech...
(How can one remains civilized with Viet leech such as 5:26AM???)
Dear Friends,
I am not too conservative, but the thing is Valentine Day in Cambodia is much much different from the Valentine Day in the West or America. The youths in Cambodia adopt only negative practice(over 90%). If you ask students especially girls, how many of them lost their virginity on this day? or if you are an owner of the guest-house, you would know very well about it.
Have you ever seen/watched the real stories about Khmer young girls fighting for boys?? they fight everywhere, on the street of PP, BTB, SR, K.Th, K.C,,,, why??
I think we are losing too much, the real beauty of culture is ignored especially by the government. They are too busy for power, money, and young girls!!! In fact, they (old money/power addicted heads) like this sexual culture.
Who dare to speak out if my Hun Sen says nothing about it.
Enjoy Hun Sen!!! Sex Sex Sex!!!
My Good Fellow Cambodians,
It is good to hear so much debate about culture and tradition! Whether your position is to speak out against adopting Valentine’s Day in Cambodia or to accept it whole-heartedly, it shows that you value to importance and role of culture in our society. This is much better than having no interest in culture at all!
I don’t mind to hear people oppose the observation of Valentine’s Day in Cambodia as I am HIGHLY in FAVOUR of FREEDOM of SPEECH and THOUGHT. I am, however, against people imposing their assessment on others, especially in a violent or forceful manner such as is happening in India. The custom of Valentine’s Day is positive, innocent and caring. I don’t know why that would present a threat to anyone, unless of course they insecure about their own traditions. Furthermore, Valentine’s Day does not have to be commercial. Sediments of love can be expressed verbally or simply through kind gestures. Neither is Valentine’s Day an excuse for inappropriate teenage sex, as has been suggested. Give the youth of Cambodia some credit. They will make the decision whether or not to engage in sex based on their morals and values, not on the existence of a day of celebration.
For my final note, I would like to say that it pains me to see the words of Areak Prey. First of all, please do not pretend that CORRUPTION does not exist in the West. How do you think they got in their present Big Mess and Deep Hole? YES, by GREED & CORRUPTION! Just because corruption hides behind business suits does not mean that it does not exist or cause harm. Secondly, I could not believe my eyes when seeing your words, “Please do not use example of criminal activities in USA made by black American as western culture.” It’s hard to believe that people like you still exist in modern society, blatantly expounding bigotry and racial profiling. If people want an issue to speak out against, surely it would be better to vigorously oppose this type of thinking, than to target something as innocent and positive as Valentine’s Day.
Sincerely,
“I am Prahla among the demons” and “I am the Light in the darkness.” Bhagavad Geeta
Sri Krsna
Sadly for Cambodia, the only way to preserve what we have left is to give the entire country to Vietnam, or at least join the Indochina Federation, although this might not be enough to do the trick.
Happy pimping, fucking and sucking to everyone!
You go ahead 6:03 AM and be the Viet slave all you want...but do the rest of us Khmer a BIG favor - don't drag us all to be one, okay?
Because all of us Khmer wants to be free. Live free or die!
Enjoy your life as a Viet slave 6:03 AM!
Dear All,
I am not against Valentine Day or worrying about the influence of western culture. However, I am worrying that Khmer Culture is dying very soon. Because the inability of the government to protect its own culture.
In the world historically, there was no purred single culture, but a combination. So, if the government spends just a few minute to think about this day, then, the government could change it easily into a day of love for the country and culture!! There is no such day in Cambodia yet, but yes, the day of hatred (7 January) ((( very very very big.....))).
If anyone closes to Hun Sen or ministry of religion and cult, please share this idea with them, they might awake!!!
Thanks
I agree with poster 5.36AM that most Cambodian people are only copied bad culture from overseas criminals to Cambodia so that they can exploit from their own citizen such as communism in which Pol Pot have copied from Gang of four of China instead of wellfare state like Danemak, Sweeden and Finland, Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand was one of the best communist state from 1930-1980 in which has put NZ as the best country of world with good healthcare, employment, public transport, unemployment benefit, retirement, education and so on. In every suburb of New Zealand, people can enjoy with their own community library, swimming pool, community hall for all community meeting, community parks and local plunket nurse to look after new born baby. But Cambodian leaders have only copy the killings in China, from Russia, and North Korea to build up their own dynasty. I also cannot accepte people who blamed for Buddhism for the lost of Cambodian land and to make Cambodian lazy. It all come from people and the leaders. New Zealand has at present 187 nationalities and has two indians, two Chinese, one korean,5-7 samaon and 7-9 Maorie members of Parliament. New Zealand is the best place to live with clean air, clean water and the best environment. Our Leaders can travel anywhere without needing bodyguards nor police to excort them. We all can seat on the same table to eat. Look at here www.mengly.org. Areak Prey
Free my arse, with so many brainwashed potato diggers like you constantly trying to wipe us out everyday. Our culture is nearly finished with you idiots around for just two short decade. On the other hand, there in hardly any noticeable change, with Viet around for centuries.
If Valentine day is that great, let's have everyday!
I can't take it anymore. Please round up pouk Ah Scam Rainxy and send them to a mass grave now.
You Viet slave @6:14 AM is hopeless! Again, enjoy your life ALONE as Viet slave and leave all of us Khmer alone!
As Cambodia is going through with recession, therefore Valentine is good to encourage young people to spend moneys so that local economy is working at least.
I have been living outside Cambodia for 30 years, and I never celebrate Valentine, Xmas or Easter days. I enjoy the feeling but I don't go and jump up and down like youths or many Khmer people inside the country do these days.
If anything, living overseas has made me even more Khmer than those inside Cambodia. I hate people Si Chou. Birthday is also a western thing.
Khmer are being so confused-that celebrate these kinds of things makes them look modern, educated and civilised !
Certain things about the West we should adopt like education, technology, system of government, but not these fake superfical things such as these.
The best times for me living outisde Cambiodia is still Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben, listening to Khmer musics, and going to local wats.
Well, we understand your mentality there 6:32AM. But what's the meaning of life to you? If the best times to you is "Khmer New Year, Pchum Ben, listening to Khmer musics, and going to local wats", why can't the best times for others be whatever they want to be? You live your life, others live theirs,right? Well, if I am not mistaken, you're just an old fart....(Just kidding)!
Happy Valentine!
And 6:32 AM, what's your favorite Khmer song - Jiss cyclo meul Srey Srey (Riding Cyclo scanning Women'skirt)? ROFL!
Who are you trying to fool, Ah Pimp (6:46). We all know what you are after.
It is true that Valentines day is nothing more than an artificial and commercial exploitation of our emotions.
2:53 AM
I agree with this comment.
One thing for sure 6:56 AM, not your ugly fat ass sister, no thanks. LOL!
Pouk Ah Pol Pot, Pouk Ah KI, Pouk Ah Scam Sary or Scam Rainxy, ..., and Pouk Ah George Washington's Potato diggers are all of the same clan with the same ambition to wipe tout Khmer and Asian culture from this planet. Please Don't listen to them.
and you can go eat shit and die now 7:06 AM! Go!
5:26am! remembered your mother is a whore in SVY PAK BROTHEL, she fucking in the street..dumbfuck viet-ss!
7:06am! go fuck your whore mother and your whore sister in SVY PAK BROTHEL..Ah thork tiep mok krass som tien, stop using fake marriage to come here ah pleu!
7:06 AM is a smelly worm that just came out of Hun Sen shit.
i think it is ok to adapt western culture, especially the good ones like christmas, valentine's day, haloween, to name a few. those khmer who lucky enough to live overseas during hard time in cambodia can tell you the freedom they enjoy in the western society; not a lot of status problem like in cambodia. yes, most children in the western society don't usually depend on their parents for money. they usually study for themselves at school in science, math, technology and so on so they can get a good job to support themselves and their family members work as well. everyone was so busy at work. there is hardly any free time to do anything, except on the weekend and some holidays, until in cambodia. in cambodia, only one person work to support the entire family, thus a co-dependent culture tend to exist. i hope that will change for cambodia in the future as both man and woman will work to help out the family. plus, in cambodia, they usually don't pay mortgages, insurance and other big expenses, thus they can save a lot of money or they can live on very little money, too. whereas in the western society, if you don't work, you are usually very poor and don't really own home. so, there are a lot differences between life in cambodia and life in western society. until you lived overseas, it may be hard for people in cambodia to understand the way of life in the west. it can be tough, you know.
Of the Valentine day. I try to scan through most of the decent comments posted here. But still at the present I do not give much thoughts of what may be the negative or positive effects attributed from adopting the Valentine day celebration.
And here is my brief view. But first of all I truly wish that KI "does" monitor, quick scanning, and delete all ill comments made perhaps by the same ill minded one or two individual(s).
Adopting or learning thing(s) is a journey of life which sometimes earns a society great lessons in improving life itself.
And thus many aspects of lessons learnt can be changed and smoothened down the road as a society begins to encounter and accumulate negative impacts attributed by the adoption of new "things".
Good or bad we must NOT practice assumption before encountering the reality or actuality. We must dare to learn new thing(s) to see the "true color or aspect" of the new adoptive thing"s).
Again, we MUST NOT assume before a lesson learnt. And this is a task for the government to assign a group of the Khmer intellectuals to vigorously study it for so many years and make full report cards on both the (-) or (+) aspects of the new thing(s) learnt so that adjustment may be made for the full benefit.
To me, adopting the Valentine Day is not a bad thing. It's not just a turn of the mind to the western culture or to that of communist practice but it's a new lesson to adopt and see how it "will" affect and shape the lives of the Khmer new generation(s).
Many local economies reportedly are benefiting from this adoption when goods are selling well and the young, as well as the old folks, are having great feeling in this particular day to renew and express their love to all they love and care about.
But they do not need to buy flowers, or sentimental notes, for monks for the monks like the money and good foods more than artificial or real flowers.
Therefore I say we must dare to adopt and learn new thing(s) and we must NEVER use assumption before lessons learnt.
Selfishness can be a product of stupidity and ignorance when one thinks only "his/her way" is better and every thing else is all negative. And as we all know that stupidity can lead to a lack of strength, mentally and physically.
Therefore, VD or any other things, custom, traditional, etc. all must be learnt and so positive and beneficial ingredients of life can be accumulated for better future of the new generations.
To learn is to dare to explore and see different aspects of nature of things. Being ignorant is not an option. And that's my view.
Quariam
A word correction:
"... of the new adopted things instead of (adoptive) things..."
Thanks.
Qm
Please don't listen to Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy's Pimp from oversea. Their ambition is to wipe out the Khmer culture and turn all of the women into prostitute just like oversea.
The reality is Khmer in Cambodia try to be Western, wheras Khmer overseas try to be Cambodian. They (some) even get up o stage at birthday parties and speak English to the majoirty of the audiences who can't understand a word.
hey, it's not nice to poke fun at your fellow khmer like this. must you forget that they want to learn english! they are khmer, you know; it's good that they try to speak english. imagine foreigners try to speak khmer, they are worst than khmer speaking english or something else! my point is, please don't make fun of khmer people like this!
I'm an old fashion guy,but I think valentine day is good for a country like Cambodia today.Cambodian youths may change Cambodia to a love,respect,honest to their love one.Not all foreign influence are bad except viet's influence.
some foreigners complained that learning khmer is hard, imagine how khmer people feel when they are learning foreign language as well! you see my point? hello! go figure!
2:25Am you are right,I support your commences 100%.
1:07PM,
What if English produces higher salary for him/her?
Opportunity with foreign employments are much higher than local employments.
i think adopting some new way is good for cambodia as we have done for century, too. this is how we evolved, by learning, adapting, adopting, adjusting, enhancing, improving and so on. nothing wrong with that. it just some elderly people have concern that the youths are abandoning our culture, tradition and so on, i think not. in fact, this is part of civilization. everybody does it. thank you and god bless cambodia.
Some certain points of khmer culture is to be protecting khmer women's dignity and pride. Elderly is not only worrying of losing the cultural identity but more to the disadvantages of purely adoption the foreign cultures. Civilization of culture is fine but the elders perceive the huge costs of the society to embrace it.
People's endurance has no limit. So, it is difficult to rule anything when emotions/feeling involved.
.
St. Valentine's Day came from a priest named Valentine who was imprisoned in 270 AD for marrying women with Roman soldiers, thereby supposedly 'weakening' them, so the Government was against the soldiers getting married. He fell in love with his jailer's daughter and signed his last letter to her "From Your Valentine".
It's good to see that love and the market are stronger than unreasonableness. Since many Islamic clerics condemn it as a non-Muslim Holiday, and say that Muslims may not celebrate a Christian (or Pagan) holiday; and since their 'Religious Police' enforce this, it's pretty safe to say that Sharia Law is against this. Not all Muslims of course, just the Law governing them in Saudi Arabia and other countries.
India's radical Hindus are rabidly against V-Day too. There will be goon squads out looking for cuddly couples, who if caught will be taken to a government office and forcibly married.
How very enlightened and civilized.
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here’s an absurd thought -
your Supreme God says
outlaw Valentine's Day
confiscate ALL red roses
keep men and women apart
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
Valentine's Day is evil
it just reminds the people
about Christianity
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe says
destroy ALL Valentine's cards
remove items colored red
from all the store's shelves
.
absurd thought -
God of the Universe fears
a Christian minority
even though they may not build
or repair their churches
.
USpace
.
All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
.
Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
.
Help STOP Terrorism Today!
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:)
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I don't know if the Valentine is good or bad for Cambodia but I can tell you this.
Last year I went to Cambodia. I did not know I got there on Valentine's Day (Because I have never cared about it.) I could not find a room at any regular hotels ($150 and lower)or guest house in Phnom Penh. Everywhere I went, I was told they all booked by young people. I ended up with $180 hotel, just for that night. In the afternoon on the same day I spent about 2 hours with Tuk Tuk and tried to buy flowers for my parent graves but I could not find any flowers in PP city. Most of flower venders told me that they ran out of flowers since 12:00 noon.
I could not beleive that.
Yeah but the Khmer culture is not for sale. We don't none of our monk to get married and shit ... . I am sure the flower merchants don't mind.
One life to live so enjoy.
Valentie's Day is almost every where in the world, in China, Thailand, you name it.
Good for the business.
Don't worry about losing the culture. If our Khmers losing the culture, Thais will carry it on.
Dear all,
On the following is some of my opinions as well as my advice to all Cambodian youths.
The cost of ONE flower during 14th Febraury, known as a Western Valentine's Day, is about 5 USD in Phnom Penh City, Cambodia. Many youths spent a lot of money from their pockets, some of those money are taken from their parents or relatives to buy flowers for their special sweet hearts. Actually, the Western Valentine's Day is not just for their sweet hearts but also for everyone who we love and at 14th, Westerner give a gift to their love.
As far as i have known from one source (but not quiteclear) from PhD Ros Chantrabot. He said that there also had The Valentine's Day in khmer culture, BUT we did differently from what Western have done, he said in one of khmer TVs interview last several years.
Actually, the valentine's day in khmer was forgot long time ago and did not know the real source and when khmer people celebrated this day. So, NOW we can say that there is no valentine's day in khmer, because there is not appear in our royal calendar of Royal Palace Calendar Committee and what some of youths have done this celebration is 100 per cent following Western cult which is not unacceptable in Khmer. This is a behavior that brings our culture ruin and destroy khmer identity. Do some youths consider about this?
During the Valentine's Day, one rose flower costs $1 USD. So, at least $ 5, spent per person to buy a bunch of waste-money flower during a non-khmer-cult Valentine's Day, equals to save a life of a begger for 10 days. Please don't say ONE day among 365 days for your special sweet heart, because this is only an unreasonable reason to avoid from the criticise of many khmer people who always care about Khmer Cult, especially your parents. So, how many persons buy flowers during this day? Ít must be a lot. Let's say, for the whole Cambodia, there are only 10,000 youths who buy flowers, so 10,000 × $5 = $50,000 USD. It's a lot of money, and maybe more than 10,000 youths bought flowers during this day.And if some youths think that you all dont want to spent this money to the beggers, you all can use this money to do anything that is useful during this 14th, except waste the money to buy an expensive flower.
I really not agree with what some youths have done for this 14th Feb day and i criticise to any person who celebrate this day. As we clearly see, it destroy khmer culture and waste money. I hope everyone think about our own pitiful khmer country.
(Please give me some comments on what i gave wrong inf.)
Regards,
AUS Khmer-Student.
Dear KI,
It is good question as the matter of fact. It doesn't matter what the history of the Valentine Day inherited to our generation today, but this day is generally about the GIFT from a Gent to a Lady who are involved in loving relationship, either sexually or emotionally, or even both of them. Those gifts can widely seen as flower (mostly just a piece of rose), candy or chocolate, and even jewellery, which commonly man offers to the woman. It is nothing wrong in general.
As the celebration in Cambodia can be seen today is different. What I have seen is that the young couple, mostly from high school students, girlfriend celebrates her virgin to boyfriend. Should one who already lost her virgin, she still have chance to celebrate her partner with sexuality. It is experienced that most hotels, motels, bangalows and other room services are fully booked; and the occupants are mostly teens. Now you can see the main point of difference that the gift exchanged in Cambodia is about sexuality.
That festival is usually known as "Bonh Sang-Sar", meant that the celebration of girl/boyfriend. It is translated. I am not sure that it is translated from English or French, or from other languages. I dont disagree it is completely wrong either. However, that translation misguides Khmer young generation as happening in today. The teen boy would be never convinced that his girl genuinely loves him, unless she had sexual activity with him. That is very bad influence, would you think? Is it from the Western?
Regardless it is from Western or Eastern, heaven or hell, or somewhere. It is entirely down to your own judgment. Presumably, this is created by group of Cambodian celebrities, such as Karaoke star, TV presenter, magazine editor, movie star, and singer. They said that and influence that! And we expected that the government should do something about that. Is there any action taken for correction from the government institutions? The answer is absolutely a mute.
Do they care of that? Are they capable to do that? Are they willing to do that as the matter of social interest? I think that it might be all of that combination. They would never give a dam about that as they love that advantage. Most of those public officials at least have two wives, three mistresses, and countless casual girls for sex. They are absolutely incapable of doing something like that. This is required the qualification and expertise from sociology. We dont have any sociologist. Last by not least, even though we have one, they would never listen to the experts by the way. As we let this continued without correction in appropriate way, ‘Bonh Sang-sar will become eventually as Giving-Out Virgin Day for our next generation.
Among female univesity students now, it is hard to find a virgin. The pressure to enter relationship and have sex is enormous these days. In fact, it is a fashion.
Thanks to thinglike Valentine's Day. Mind you, now more Khmer kiss in the mouth, not cheek anymore. Oral sex is becoming common, too.
Don't be stupid all the Khmer guys. Valentine's day is only for the men write or give flowers to any women or girls to say the beauty and love them. Not to have an affairs which is the sexual is occurred everywhere in the world by different means. If you don't know how to use Valentine's day, don't use it and tell your kid not to do it with stupid and silly brain. I used to give flowers and kissed my wife and kids and other women and girls who I knew. I am Cambodian, I don't copy the western style on the wrong way as your guys did. Don't blame anyone besides your own act.
Too many comments already and i could not read all of them but i want to express my support to those who DO NOT like Valentiné's day. I am here now in Geneva but i saw nothing special for that day. Maybe we only follow the bad example of western. B
There are many ways to express love and it doesn't have to be on the Valentine's day!
Sometimes I felt that Valentine's Day is a way for both sex to use money to buy love because it involves the act of buying something to please another person whether it is flower, a box of chocolate, sexy underwear...
Now if you ask me a question if money can buy love and you are damn right! So is this a form of prostitution? It depends how you want to look at it!
To all the guys if you are doctor, engineer, and the boss of big company and you are fat, ugly, and bald and if you have a ton of money and the women will see you as sexy and handsome and you can have all the love! Tell me if I'm wrong!
Valentine's Day is an old traditional day carried since AD 269. It was about caring loving for others like Mother Teresa did when she was alive.
We the people on earth started to convert to sex & love, and the business started to create cards and flowers, etc.
There is nothing wrong with Valentine's day. It depends on what one wants to express.
I just sent a card and I expressed my gratitude to my parents for their unconditional love and support and I said I love them for all they did for me.
btw; someone said about the girls in Srok Khmers this day are no longer virgin, I believed 100%. They look so innocence so young like early teens, but I witnessed two sisters were sleeping with some high ranking men, then they acted like nothing happened.
I went to look for our Khmer girl in Cambodia, but I returned without anyone.
Don't be bothered by the Muslim extremists, because these Muslims are jealous of the west. Yes they didn't like something from the west why did they wear pant and shirt with suits like the west?
It is no longer the west it is for the whole world. We are in global civilization, folks.
It is not too late to correct this celebration. Hun Sen can change or stop anything if he wants.
1- they gave the wrong name "Bon Sang Sa", mean "Boyfriend Girlfriend Celebration". It should be "Bon Methreypheap" or It should be stopped completely.
2- they should have some kind of law for motel hotel not to rent rooms to teenagers; check ID. But Cambodia has never obeyed the law anyway.
3- If Hun Sen says STOP, it will be done. But he cares about his power, not Khmer culture.
Khmer government concerns about Reahu website but not Valentine's Day.
I think they have brain but they don't want to think.
Pouk Ah Scam Rainxy's must face a tribunal for contaminating the Khmer culture with evil.
Ironically, we Americans are worrying about what to do with both the crashed housing prices and bloated mortgages that now have far exceeded the values of the homes, and simultaneously, about what we need to buy for our lovers on valentine's day.
I don't agree with 2.25pm. Why do you talk about Buddhism? We have to avoid religious discrimation talk. Your talk about Buddhism and Khmer history is not correct at all. Buddha teach us to have self-control and love. Buddha never asked you to follow him. You can believe other god and do good things. You have to love, tolerance and do good thing whatever your religon is. You don't have to be HIS SON to have his love (nepotism and discrimination).
My own opinion is: i like the meaning of valentine day. love is always better than war. But this ceremony is now exploited for business (gift and other reasons i.e some young girls are cheated by their partners for sex anarchy in western style) better than its real meaning.
Anyway, may peace and love in you and all of us.
Paka
Don't listen to Ah pleu (10:35). He's just in dying need to get laid.
Dear learned KI readers/commenters,
I'm impressed by your insightful comments. My opinion is that we in this era cannot avaoid being affected by globalization including integration, Americanization and westernization.
Important is the matter of protective measure against excessive influence and wrong/opportunistic interpretation. The idea of celebrating the Valentine's Day is not bad. It reminds us that we should try to love and be loved as much as you try to mitigate or even remove hatred from our mind and heart.
At the same time, we must take measures against opportunists and beware. I felt terrible when hearing from a person that all hotels and guest houses were fully booked. This is pitiful and is a wrong interpretation of the day.
Thanks,
Raja
We are not interested in the So-called valintine day which is inteprted by Khmer gansters or hooligans as Day of Love or day of sex intercouse....
Please all Khmer youngsters .. forget it it is not our culture/tradition... it shall cause some bad things to Khmers ....if you want sex please find other days to have sex with your lovers//// you may find other opporunities to present flowers to your lovers any time in year/months or week....
I do not like this day at all..
Excellency Bandit General aCHAR kNOY= pHDS bANDITS FROM Pahok Chamroeurn Avichea Univ. PPenh( Multi-Phds..)
I think it's a lot better to have Bun Ranny's day on this date.
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