HOÀNG-ÂN: International Citizen Cultural Rebel
"Home is where the heart is," as the saying goes. This universe is my home. The Earth is my home. I have no country because I love without boundaries. Every person is my country-man. I am an international citizen who believes in world peace. I am wary and weary of the human dramas but still trust in the tendency to change and grow through education of humanity. Furthermore, I am spiritual but not religious. I do not believe in kneeling, bowing, nor prostrating in front of man nor of statues. As I applaud those who fight to dismantle statues and banners sanctifying Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam, actually statues of the Buddhas or Catholic God and Saints are of the same concept. Statues are for decorative function. Neither do I believe in sacred texts as holy. I am against having governmental officers such as presidents and judges swearing into offices with the Christian Bible because, especially in this time and age, American citizens ceased to be monotheistic and huge number are not Christians. By putting hands on the Christian Bible when swearing into a United States governmental office, America ceased to be a democracy. I am neither an atheist nor anarchist. At 64, I take the world as it is. Socially speaking, life is a market place where everything and anything can be bought and sold. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Power corrupts. I do not believe in sacred tradition but only in social shared celebration for laughter and mirth. I do not believe in nationalism full of hurt pride and insecurity. I believe in newness and do not hang on to the old ways called tradition. All and all when we step into the spiritual realm, I am disappointed in mankind history. I deem myself just a visitor to the World. Yet, while I am here, I ever advance and never retreat. I have my work cut out to do. And as the saying goes, "I got to do what I got to do."
