Jennie M. Xue

Sixteen Years ago in May

[Read directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie M. Xue and MJ Rahardjo

Sixteen years ago in mid-May, we were in Jakarta. We saw firsthand the burning of properties and cars on the streets. Masses of people looted houses and stores. Until this very day, the alleged masterminds and the alleged perpetrators have not been prosecuted.

Despite being an allegedly planned political show of force by certain “unknown” individuals, it felt like a pogrom toward Chinese-Indonesians. 

The “official” causes, approved by the Indonesian government, were: economic problems, including shortages of food, and mass unemployment. 

The riots were widespread nationwide. The cities most affected were Medan, on May 4-8; Jakarta on May 12-15 and Surakarta on May 13-15. An estimated 1,000-plus people died, 168 women were publicly raped and the economic damage cost more than Rp 3.1 trillion (US$269 million). It was indeed a colossal tragedy.

The May 1998 riots were an important milestone for Indonesia, when millions of people’s minds shifted from one level of consciousness to a higher one. 

For those who grew up under the relatively safe and prosperous Soeharto administration, this tragedy was a total wake-up call. 

Easter and the Age of Heroic Leadership

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie M. Xue, Singapore

Easter is approaching, a special day for Christians worldwide. It is the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected three days after his crucifixion at the Calvary. Jesus was the ultimate activist, who defended the poor, the sick and the weak. His exemplary leadership has inspired billions of people worldwide for more than 2,000 years.

Today, Christ’s heroic leadership has been the model of Pope Francis’ leadership. 

His face was on the covers of Time and Rolling Stone magazines. He was Time’s 2013 Person of the Year. It seemed that Pope Francis has won people’s hearts, regardless of their religious affiliations. He has bridged Christianity with the world. 

From the start, this new pope has created splashes with inspiring words about homosexuals, atheists and the others disenfranchised individuals. 

He also chose to maintain a modest lifestyle by refusing to be driven around in the papal limousine. Instead he chose a modest sedan as his daily transportation means. He chose to live in a regular guest room instead of in the grand papal apartment. 

He chose not to have anti-bullet shield for his visiting vehicle, instead an open one. He continued to be close to the people. He was joyful when meeting people, sitting on a chair of the same level with others. He isn’t scared of death threats or stray bullets. 

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was voted the new pope by 115 cardinals at the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. On the night of March 13, 2013, he chose Francis as his papal name. 

Voting for Our President

[Read directly on The Jakarta Post.]

by Jennie M. Xue and MJ Rahardjo, Jakarta

Which candidate should we vote for in the upcoming presidential election? Every voter has his or her own favorite. However, oftentimes the person we see in public has been fabricated and coached in such a way as to make voters fall in love with them.

Such polished images show that a political consultant’s job is well done. But, how can we figure out which among them is a genuine leader?

First things first, remember that everyone has a past. Never forget how they performed years ago. Don’t just believe that someone has changed for the better, if he or she has performed cruel human rights abuses or corruption in the past. We are voting for a president, not for the head of a class.

Remember also that fewer than 2 percent of human beings in the world have ever killed another human being. Thus, we should vote for one among the 98 percent of peace-loving individuals for our leader as opposed to those with a “killing instinct”.

Forget about political power that is born of coercion, violence and killing, as sociologist Max Weber posited. It is time to turn things around and use the non-killing philosophy promoted by Prof. Glenn D. Paige. Power based on peace and love is doable.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of The Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) taught that the best power comes from love, not from fear. So, Niccolo Macchiavelli’s philosophy should be substituted as well. Fear is not the source of power; it is the source of a “false” type of power. The greatest power comes from compassion and respect toward all human beings.

In Search of a Secular President

 

[Read directly on The Jakarta Post and The Malaysian Insider.]

by Jennie M. Xue and Michael J. Rahardjo, Jakarta

Indonesia is in dire need of a secular president because it is a secular country by law. 

The de jure fact that Indonesia is a secular country is often blurred by the de facto reality that too many Indonesian leaders indulge themselves in religious symbols. Such lifestyles have reached an alarming level, for they do not seem to put an end to the various laws and policies that perpetuate discrimination. 

It is as if Indonesians live in a theocracy, not a democratic, secular country. 

Indonesia’s ID cards still bear the “choice of religion” column. The central government is also too lenient on hard-core extremists and local governments that have been using force to close down churches and other minority places of worship. The requirement for halal certification for food, cosmetics and hotel accommodation is also a violation of the secular country concept. 

What the Year of the Horse Means

 

 

Read directly on The Jakarta Post.

by Jennie M. Xue and Michael J. Rahardjo, Singapore and Jakarta

According to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, the year 2565 is the Year of the Wooden Horse. With the horse as the strongest “fire” animal in the 12 zodiacs, it is believed this year will bring fiery passion in life. Wood will keep the fire burning long and bright. 

With such a positive outlook, I was amazed when reading a long banner in front of a historical mosque in Singapore, located on Mosque Street in Chinatown. Masjid Jamae on South Bridge Road was built in 1830 by the Chulia Muslims from the Coromandel Coast in India. 

The banner said “Wishing All Chinese Friends Happy Lunar Year.” It also cited a verse from the Koran and hadith (a saying from Prophet Mohammad). The Koranic verse said “Is there any reward for kindness except kindness itself?” The hadith said “Behave to others as you would like them to behave toward you.” 

What great news to start the year.

Regardless of the historical origins of such citations, we applaud Singaporean Muslims’ spirit of pluralism and respect toward those who are different. It may have been an example of “pick and choose” verses and hadith that would support a cause. Nonetheless, it was a great job. Good people should pick and choose verses and hadith promoting pluralism, multiculturalism, and diversity, for we all live with people who are different to ourselves. 

No Pain, No Gain. No Work, No Pay

 

by Jennie S. Bev, Jakarta

As a writer, I measure my productivity based on words per hour. In a good day, I would be able to complete at least 6,000 words or 7 short articles like this one or one long-form journalism ebook popularized by Amazon as a “Kindle single”. I haven’t reached my utmost productivity level yet, but so far so good.

As a worker in the US and (now) an entrepreneur, I measure someone’s productivity based on units produced per hour. It is time for Indonesia to measure a worker’s productivity on hourly basis, so it would be easier for businesses to measure their performance and the workers’ productivity level. 

While in the US it is the most common measurement of productivity, “per hour output” in Indonesia is a foreign concept.

In Indonesia, wages at all levels aren’t based on per-hour actual work done but based on monthly attendance. This forms bad habits among workers (both blue and white collar workers) because regardless of the quality and the quantity of output, they feel they are entitled to the same amount of monthly salary.

The Rise of Mayors in the World

 

Republished by The Malaysian Insider

by Jennie S. Bev, Singapore

Top world-class mayors are New York City’s Michael Bloomberg, Newark’s Cory Booker, and now Jakarta’s dynamic duo of Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama. City-level rulers are not actually “ruling”, they are managing, solving problems, making cities better without any ideological labels. 

Cities are habitats, not seats of ideologies, according to Benjamin Barber. Thus, mayors are problem solvers, not ideologues like presidents or legislators.

I am using “mayor” and “mayoral” as an example for simplicity purposes in this short article. It can be any local government official, not necessarily mayoral.

The role of a mayor is ensuring a good habitat for people, institutions and animals to live in. The role of a president is ensuring citizens are safe with fair and just laws and their enforcement, so that the people are empowered to work hard and unite under the fundamentals of a country. In Indonesia, the ultimate role of a president is to make sure that the government, the government officials and the people adhere to the state ideology of Pancasila and to the constitution.

NYC’s Bloomberg was a Democrat, then a Republican, and now is an independent. He said that parties have been restricting him in making decisions. Jokowi and Ahok both belong to political parties, for in Indonesia it is inconceivable to go into politics without strong political affiliations. Yet, parties are actually limiting.

Mayors earn special places in people’s hearts. Presidents are a bit further away from the people, for they must work on national-level public policies, which may or may not result in people’s prosperity. Yet, policies are under his influence, thus a slight mistake would prevent the people from achieving the safety and security of a prosperous nation.

Urgency of Next Form of Democracy in Indonesia

 

 by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

In Indonesia, political parties have started campaigning for next year’s presidential election. Both direct and indirect, tangible and intangible, money-based and non-money based efforts have been made to ensure that as many citizens as possible vote for their party. 

A presidential election has been hailed as the so-called “democracy fiesta”. The ultimate party of civic involvement.

Truth is, oftentimes, an election is no more than a showoff of power and paternalism. It is common knowledge in Indonesia that parties give as little as US$10 to poor people for one vote. Talking about prostituting a vote.

Of course no one would admit that they are doing it, but unnamed researchers have acknowledged such occurrences. 

Compared with “money politics” in other countries, such as the US, special interests “buy” presidential candidates with campaign contributions, while the latter in return would “try” to live up to their donators’ expectations and also “buy” people’s votes with, often unfulfilled, sugar-coated promises. 

Are citizens represented by their representatives and the president? Looking at Indonesia’s current potential presidential candidates, we can only see glimpses of such qualities. 

Development Education and Global Citizenship

 

[Read directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

We are small dots on the Earth and even smaller dots in the universe. Yet, each and every dot has a significant role to play, both globally and locally. 

Forty years ago, international education scholars started a movement called “development education,” which later morphed into “global citizenship”.  

In 1975, the UK-based World Studies Project (WSP) was founded by the One World Trust, which defined “development education” as “education concerning issues of human rights, dignity, self-reliance and social justice in both developed and developing countries.” 

The promotion of understanding the causes of under-development, optimal development and achievement of an international economic and social order is emphasized.

It might take awhile for Indonesia’s curricula to adhere to this vision. The basic requirements of honest integrity and good management of the learning environment, which were reflected in problems encountered in the recent national examination, still require strong corrective measures. 

However, we need to be aware of the challenges of modern societies in order to participate fully in a globalized world. 

It doesn’t require learners to go overseas to study like two decades ago, for various learning materials are available for free or with very little cost through online exchanges and collaborations. The digitalization of learning and global influences should be tapped for optimized results. Of course, experiencing a different culture in person would develop better understanding and more empathy, which is highly recommended. 

Indonesia, with its overpopulation and strong consumer economy, requires more than education on morality and ethics. It is interesting to note that the latest national curriculum focuses on the study of religion and the religiosity of school subjects. 

The Locus Effect: To End Poverty, End Violence

 

[Read directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

Another public shooting in the US, in Santa Monica. The US is a declining nation colored by high unemployment and underemployment, a shaky economy and deteriorating public services. I know so because I live in California, the state where Santa Monica is located. 

Despite the well-to-do external image of California as the home of Hollywood in the south and Silicon Valley in the north, it is a state that has been the worst run for the last two years in a row in terms of financial health, standards of living and government services. Compared with the other 49 states, North Dakota is by far the best-run state. 

The income inequality in California is also astonishing. While such inequality affects both rich and poor states, the poor states are affected the most. Among the richest states, inequality is the highest in California, Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

The US national median household income has declined considerably. The 2011 median income was US$50,502, which was 8 percent below that of pre-recession 2007. Below are recent statistics collated from various sources, including the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, state bureaus of statistics and various think tanks.

Fifteen Years after the May Tragedy

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

This year, we are commemorating 15 years since the May 1998 tragedy in Indonesia and 12 years since the 9/11 tragedy in New York. These two incidents marked important milestones in many people’s lives. The former woke me up from innocence and the latter shifted my view that no place was a utopia, not even the US, the land of second chances. 

 Both tragedies reminded us of how fragile human beings are. As individuals, as groups, and as members of imagined communities, human beings are never completely disconnected from each other. A singular act of kindness or evil can create ripple effects that travel through time and space. 

Think of ourselves as tiny moving dots. One move can create a small movement of other tiny dots. And those dots number 7 billion in total. How powerful. Any bump among these dots can create an explosion. More bumps, more explosions. 

I witnessed the May 1998 riots in Jakarta, where houses and buildings were burned to the ground, belongings were looted, and women were gang-raped. 

There were too many casualties to mention, for one raped woman, one death, or one robbery was already one too many. And I must deal with the trauma and “survivor’s guilt” for as long as I live.

There are several “theories” on what triggered that tragedy, who masterminded it, and why it occurred. Too many questions have gone unanswered. Too many tears were shed. Too many families have lost their loved ones and hard-earned wealth. No closure has been reached because the alleged perpetrators have not been justly punished.

The Aging World and Indonesia's Population Boom

Download THE JAKARTA POST 30 Years (PDF)

[Read the article below directly at TheJakartaPost.com]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara, Northern California

While many populations in the world are aging, Indonesia’s population is exploding. In terms of consumption, it means Indonesia is still a very attractive market. However, such a condition is accompanied by classic problems derived from overcrowding including, but not limited to, a high crime rate, unemployment, diminishing living space, mounting trash, water scarcity and risks of flooding. 

In terms of the oversupply of manpower, Indonesia enjoys a high number of blue-collar workers. With the right mind-set, attitude, skills, and knowledge base, Indonesia’s population explosion can be turned into a winning formula. 

According to a UN report titled World Population Ageing 1950-2050, there are four main characteristics of this aging world population: unprecedented, pervasive, enduring and has profound implications. In this century, aging in the world’s population is unprecedented, due to significantly lower birth and mortality rates. This is the case not only in developed Western countries, such as those in Europe, Canada and the United States, but also in Asian countries like Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan and Singapore. 

Indonesia, however, is an exception. According to 2012 data, there are 17.7 births annually per 1,000 people. Every year, approximately 3.5 million to 4.5 million births occur, which is almost the entire population of Singapore. In Singapore, approximately only 7.72 births occur annually per 1,000 people, while in Korea and Japan, the ratio is 8.4:1,000 and in Taiwan, is 8.7:1,000 

Religion is Sweet Poison, Heaven is a State of Mind

[Read on TheJakartaPost.com]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

I’m a believer. I have written about this many times. I don’t deny that I still believe that Christ is the ultimate Savior and Saint Mary is the mother of all creatures, big and small. 

Yet, I also acknowledge that religion is a sweet poison. A poison we sometimes need to swallow deliberately to release us from worry and stress, to find solace in something we believe will be able to heal our broken hearts, and to give hope when things go awry in this uncertain and chaotic world. Yet, religion is so sweet a poison that if we take too big a dose, our sanity would collapse and vanish.

A person, after all, must be realistic enough to understand that salvation doesn’t come for free externally, but most importantly it comes through internal enlightenment. If you think that by joining a religion, then salvation comes as a complimentary bonus, well, that’s a part of the persuasive power of a poison. 

We need to save ourselves, first and foremost, by opening our hearts and minds. 

Serenity, Cleanliness and Lining Up

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com]

by Jennie S. Bev

I was born in the middle of Central Jakarta at RSIA YPK and raised in the surrounding area. By birth, I was a big city kid. By choice, I am a small town woman. 

A good friend who is a scholar at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, said a similar thing recently that she, too, is actually a small town woman.

She said, “Maybe you and I are the village kind of souls. We function best in serenity and calmness, and we value life over money and earthly possession. We are the odd ones out, according to the people of Jakarta.”

Jakarta is hectic, chaotic and never sleeps. Above all, living there is expensive despite the low quality of life. A high quality of life in a city comes with clean air, green with lush trees and public parks, minimal noise, closed sewage system, drinkable water, appreciation for beauty and art, sidewalks accessible to people with disabilities, clear roads with no visible pot holes nor large open holes, good waste management, clean roads, no visible trash and minimal people loitering on sidewalks, parking lots or in front of houses idling doing nothing. 

An Unlikely Asian Century

  

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com]
[Republished by Asia News Network.] 

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

The 19th century was the European century, the 20th century was the American century and the 21st century is believed to be an Asian century. While this century has 86 more years to go, Asia is unlikely to be the sole dominant political and cultural power. 

Out of the big Asian players, none has risen, nor is likely to rise, as the dominant power and the sum of all Asian countries isn’t likely to have the capacity to dominate the world.

First things first, the big Asian players, like China, India, Japan and Korea are busy with their own domestic issues. 

The populations of China and India come with their own social issues requiring tight control to prevent social chaos. Japan and Korea are busy with their economic agendas, ensuring that they get through the global crisis with flying colors. Korea with its unification plan needs all the political strength to focus on its success.

Gender Shock, Sexism, Misogyny and Prostitution

  

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com]

by Jennie S. Bev

During the past three weeks that I have been in Jakarta, I have been experiencing “gender shock”. In this city that never sleeps, I feel old, disrespected and disposable as a childless woman in my early 40s. In addition to my “Caucasian” body frame of 172.5 centimeters in height or 181.5 cm in heels, it is hard for me to “blend in” among Indonesians whose average height is 150- to around 160 cm. 

In the US, I felt so alive. Yes, “life begins at 40” and 40-something women in my home state of California are no less physically or intellectually attractive when compared to their 20 to 30-year-old sisters. Also, though your experiences do matter, age is not a hindrance when applying for a job as the law protects you.

Drop-dead gorgeous women in their 40s in Hollywood include actresses Lucy Liu, Jennifer Aniston, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry and Salma Hayek. Drop-dead intelligent women over 40 include top-notch authors and intellectuals Amy Chua, Lisa See, Naomi Wolf, Arianna Huffington, Naomi Klein and the late Iris Chang.

Indonesia: The Land of Liars, Criminals and Frauds?

  

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Who should I respect in Indonesia? The longer I stay in this beautiful tropical country, the harder it is for me to respect anyone. Also, why don’t I feel safe? 

Oh, there are no registries or available public records disclosing people’s backgrounds. We don’t know exactly who we are dealing with as there is no way to check up on their past records. 

Sure, a new acquaintance might introduce himself any way he wants, because he doesn’t need to take any responsibility for what he tells others. Polite and not-so-polite lies are of little consequence because there are no records against which people can check and recheck.

Too much power is in the hands of liars, crooks and criminals. 

Socioeconomic Classes in Our Classes

  

[Read the article directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Karl Marx might have called them “the bourgeois” and “the proletariat”. Adam Smith might have called them “the capitalist” and “the laborer." Seth Godin might have called them “the linchpin” and “the cog." Well, not exactly like that, but sort of. 

Observing the education system and schools in Indonesia, it is interesting to note that classes of students and graduates are so obvious. By “classes” here, I refer to social and economic classes — and sometimes, intellectual. 

While national plus schools are proud to offer bilingual and, even, trilingual curricula, elementary public schools are currently being reformed to teach the Indonesian language only. Among national plus and private schools, a varying degree of non-academic reputation is obvious, as some schools are more “elite” than others, mostly due to the social, economic and sometimes political status of the parents of the students. 

Human beings are rank-conscious creatures, just like other mammals. And some institutions reinforce ranks more actively than others, like schools.

National Productivity and Post-Industrialism in 2013

  

[Read the article directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev

For the first time after 15 years abroad, I am spending New Year’s Eve in Jakarta, my hometown. I recall how different things were during my childhood. Born and raised in the Menteng district around Cikini, Gondangdia, Sabang and Jl. Gereja Theresia, I would have been called an “inner city kid” in the US. Here, skyscrapers, businesses, embassies and government offices were everywhere. It was a convenient place to do business, but not to have a “normal” childhood.

Despite the child-unfriendly environment, it allowed me to ponder upon the meanings of many unanswered things, which helped me develop the mindset and skills required to survive in the diaspora. 

Unlike most of my friends who resided in the suburbs or other outer parts of Jakarta, I could not ride a bicycle. My parents said it was not safe for a fair-skinned little girl like me to ride a bike in the midst of heavy traffic. Other than this, I was also shielded from “inner city” crimes, so I stayed at home a lot. 

Books were my only friends, as I did not have any sibling to play with. I stayed in my room reading, studying and writing. Early on, I learned to be critical of things around me. I would search for meanings and debate. I would develop my own opinions and philosophize. 

When I was in sixth grade, I would type on my orange Brother typewriter pages of “what I think”. And as a member of the Cathay Pacific frequent flyer club for children, I handwrote letters to pen pals around the world. I had been a bilingual writer for as long as I could remember, which taught me to relate to people from faraway lands, some of which were pretty progressive.

They showed me how large the world was, far beyond the suffocating and chaotic atmosphere of inner-city Jakarta. After graduating from the University of Indonesia, I chose to follow my dream: merantau.

Now that I reside in Silicon Valley without an IT-related degree, I rely on critical thinking skills, creativity, entrepreneurship and a very strong urge to innovate. These traits were cultivated when I was in my room reading, studying and writing. Through books on various subjects, I entered a very different realm: A domain of highly intellectual and driven individuals who could make things happen with their bare hands and strong minds. 

Through books, I gained a faith in my own mind and an ability to create something out of nothing. In solitude, skill sets required in a post-industrialist world were developed.

Indonesia, India and Silicon Valley Diaspora

 

[Read Directly at TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev

A bill allowing dual citizenship for Indonesians living abroad is currently being mulled. I strongly support it for it provides ease for transnationalism to occur between nations so we can benefit from each other’s existence. As a Silicon Valley resident, I have come to observe Indonesian, Indian and Silicon Valley diasporas worldwide.

The First Congress of Indonesian Diaspora held in Los Angeles last July aimed to bridge Indonesia and the US with human capital. With 150,000 Indonesians and Americans with ties to Indonesia , both Indonesia and the US have a lot to gain from such a connection.

What is “diaspora” per se? Etymologically speaking, it is derived from the Greek words dia (across) and spreien (to sow or scatter seeds). It was first used in third century BC in a Hebrew scripture for Hellenic Jewish in Alexandria and was popularized in the 16th century with “black African diaspora” with slave trade from West Africa to the New World.

Colonially speaking, it is about dislocation from native homelands through migration, immigration and exile. Post-colonially speaking, it is transnational mobility and a hybrid between and within nations and cities.

Diaspora is often mistaken with “transnationalism”. The former is about the people, the subject of movement, while the latter is the force of the movement, which can be globalization or globalized capitalism. Transnationalism is not limited to the movement of people, but also movement of knowledge, technology and other cultural elements.

Memoir: Diaspora, Love and Equality

 

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara 

I shared with a good friend that I don’t really know where I belong now. And I might always feel this way throughout my lifetime. He said, “You are lucky, Jen, because you have two homes. Many people don’t even have a home.”

How true.

I am blessed for having two diasporas: Indonesian and overseas Chinese in America. I have a home in the United States, a home I made for myself as an adult woman. I also have a childhood home in Indonesia, a home my parents made for me as a child and a young college student. China is another place I consider home, as it is the land of my ancestors where they left their footsteps and eventually left their legacy.

I have choices and I can choose one, two, or all three of them. Or, I can choose none of them. Sometimes it is dizzying, sometimes it is empowering. Most of the time, they are parts of me.

 The on-going foreclosure crisis in the United States, which started in 2007, has caused 13.5 million homes shattered, one of which was mine. I am now starting over with a positive balance sheet, as the negative equity resulting from the on-going economic crisis is now a history. Something bad turns out to be a blessing in disguise.

There is a silver lining in every cloud.  

Obama's Victory, Smart Power and the US Awakening

 

[Read directly on TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Jakarta 

I attended the US election vote-counting at the Kempinski Hotel Grand Ballroom on the morning of Nov. 7 in Jakarta at the invitation of the US Embassy. It was both a party and an affirmation of the US’ position as superpower in the world. It gave me a sense of pride knowing that the Americans in the room were not divided by political parties, but united under the image of “The Road to the White House”. 

The White House has been a symbol of power for over 200 years. And it still is. 

Students of the Jakarta Public University (Universitas Negeri Jakarta) and Borobudur University were among the invitees and they seemed mesmerized by the information presented and, of course, a model White House erected on the stage. Introducing young people to the building where the US president works and his family resides creates a mental image that lingers and, hopefully, will inspire them to visit this historical landmark someday. Thus, the seeds of future democratic leaders were planted. 

The embassy staffers were successful in presenting an image of the US as a “kind, smart and important” country. The fiesta looked like a Hollywood film set or a Bond movie. As an American residing in a vibrant city in California’s Silicon Valley, I did not feel a sense of “normalcy” with so many secret agents in batik and formal suits walking around the room and eyeing people. Back in my hometown, I would be lucky to find one or two men walking around in suits, as California is renowned for its laid-back and “collar-less” working class. 

Searching for Safe Heavens for Transgendered Indonesia

[Previously published in The Jakarta Post.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

Last year, I received an email from a reader of my writings in The Jakarta Post. The person is a he-she. For the sake of respecting the person’s gender preference, using “she” is more appropriate. 

She said that she had been following my writings about human rights and humanitarian concerns on various issues in Indonesia, including minority rights. 

She was based in the US seeking political asylum as she has been experiencing unspeakable harassment and abuse as a transgendered individual in Indonesia. 

She asked me to write a letter as an “expert witness” to what has been happening to minorities, including transgendered individuals, in Indonesia.

Only recently a survey conducted by the Indonesian Survey Circle (LSI) found a growing level of intolerance toward minorities, particularly toward gay and lesbian people.

As a San Francisco Bay Area resident who befriends gays, lesbians, transgendered, and queer individuals, among which include married homosexual couples and a woman who was a man, I deem such an email very touching. I have taken for granted how the liberated society such as the Bay Area has shaped my perspective about the world, its beauty and its equality. 

Nobel Peace Prize for Europe: Good or Bad Decision?

[Read directly at TheJakartaPost.com.]

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

The 2012 Nobel Peace Prize goes to the European Union (EU). Yes, not to an individual, like Malala Yousafzai, the 14-year old Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban for advocating girls’ right to an education. 

Instead, the Nobel Peace Prize committee has chosen an institution undergoing economic turmoil, which is quite a puzzling decision. 

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, of course, was elated with the news. I was not. 

Well, it truly depends on how you view this issue. The true purpose for awarding the prize to the European Union is a big question mark. 

With all due respect to the Nobel Prize committee, not every Nobel Peace Prize awarded was based on a deserving past. Instead, sometimes it can be based upon future hopes and wishes, which may or may not come true.

Obama Time Again, the USA and Indonesia

by Jennie S. Bev, Santa Clara

In my opinion piece “Obama’s campaign promises and us” (The Jakarta Post, Sept. 17, 2008), I predicted that Barack Obama was likely “underestimating” the magnitude of the state of the mess he inherited when he assumed office.

I wrote, “in terms of economy, he would need to fight really hard to make Wall Street and Main Street equal counterparts by not succumbing to special interests. This, of course, would require more than strong tenacity, but economic prowess and sophistication. And, apparently, he is inexperienced in this area. Despite his conviction that experience has nothing to do with future performance, his promise of economic justice is the one that hits home the hardest to US voters.”

It seems like this prediction came true, unfortunately. Of course, it would be heartless to “blame” him only, because it involves the whole system and the people who work for the system to make or break.

Now, he is campaigning for a second term.

Between Curiosity and Mandatory Schooling

by Jennie Siat Bev

Our parents taught us early on that we needed to go to school so we could get a good job and live a decent life. In other words, education is the ticket which enables us to climb the social and economic ladder, despite our current class. 

Yet the “mainstream” school system worldwide favors conformity, intellectual intelligence and competitiveness — the things that are required in typical, profit-making workplaces.

As Astra Taylor in Unschooling wrote, at school she experienced greed, envy, fear and conformity, all of which overpowered the desirable attributes of childhood: compassion, curiosity, imagination and playfulness. 

In Indonesia and the United States, schools have been fashion runways for rich kids, while those who have less must accept that their parents cannot afford to provide them with everything they may want — usually the things they see other kids have. 

We call friendships fostered at school, and experiences with bullies: “learning to interact socially.” It may be true that a school is a “miniature society”, yet it is not realistic. 

The natural state of learning that occurs when an individual uses his or her own independent thoughts and internal focus of control rarely occurs at school. 

The path to harmony: in search of a responsible person

by Jennie S. Bev

Love makes the world go round. So does responsibility.

To survive as an individual, a family, an institution and a country, we rely on responsible individuals and groups of people. Without the responsible parents who raised us, it would be impossible for us to live and breathe today. 

Without responsible spouses, it would be impossible to have harmonious families where love endures and flourishes. Without the responsibility we have for our own selves, it would be impossible to lead a normal life with a good family, a good career and good prospects for the future.

Without responsible leaders, it would be impossible to get anything done properly or manageably. A country led by irresponsible individuals is likely to suffer a great deal in the long-term: Unnecessary conflict, insecurity, and lack of political stability can be expected. These elements will break a strong country into pieces, something we all need to avoid.

Why I'm not an atheist like other humanists

by Jennie S. Bev

Whether or not you are an atheist, it is likely that you were born with a certain proclivity toward faith. Just like being born with a certain color of eyes and hair, or sexual orientation, you may have a predisposition to a heightened level of spiritual consciousness. 

According to neuropsychologist Brick Johnstone of Missouri University’s School of Health Professions, those with an injury to the right parietal lobe are likely to feel closer to God. Due to this correlation, Johnstone describes this portion of the brain as the “God spot."

Thus, being an atheist or a believer may very well have something to do with how active one’s “God spot” is, even though Johnstone also points out that spirituality is a complex matter and cannot be simplistically reduced to the level of activity of certain parts of the brain. And I cannot agree more.

As a person who believe in science and scientific endeavors rather than dogmas, the logical consequence for me is to become an atheist. For a humanist, being an atheist should come as a natural complement of beliefs. Many famous atheists are humanists and vice versa, such as Jeremy Bentham, Noam Chomsky, Karl Marx, Hellen Keller, Ayn Rand, Hannah Arendt, Pablo Neruda, Mark Twain, Virginia Woolf, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and Julian Assange. 

However, for some reason, I have failed as an atheist. Now, I have accepted that I am a believer in God, or an agnostic, if we want to label it with a name. It is possible that my right parietal lobe of the brain is not that active, or there is a list of complex and intertwined reasons on why I still believe in God.

Humanism, an alternative to institutionalized religions

by Jennie S. Bev

Religion is like a coin with two sides. It can make you softer or harder; more compassionate or full of hatred; work efficiently because you believe working is praying or totally don’t work at all but spend your days praying in solitude. Having an institutionalized religion means you believe and adhere to dogmas, whatever they may ask you to do, including those that could cause harm to others.

Humanism as an alternative to having an institutionalized religion is acknowledging and accepting the simple fact that we are humans with humanly qualities and that we are not “special” in anyway because we have the highest intellectual capacity among earthlings. 

We are simply the product of a successful and not-so-successful biological evolution. It is a philosophy, a way of life, and provides guidelines for solving problems. Oftentimes, an individual is already a humanist by default, but doesn’t realize it.

Conditioning behavior through law and policy

by Jennie S. Bev

Laws and policies are tools required in creating a living organism called a “modern society.” Every living being can be trained with conditioning techniques, including groups of people.

If plants can adjust the direction of their leaves based on the direction of sun rays, then we can definitely condition dogs, cats and primates. Of course, human beings are both the easiest and the most complex to condition.

That’s why we need to use both a carrot and a stick, using the so-called “operant conditioning” approaches.