Every year my mother says that it's an obligation for all the kids to be there with the parents because it's a once in a life time thing to be together with family... well no not really, we've got Xmas, bdays, etc., but I digress. For Chinese new year you MUST be with your family.
SO here I am in a warehouse with Steven, younger sister and her boyfriend, and my niece. just wandering around the place trying to find something to do, while my parents enjoy performances by Vietnamese singers and youth groups.
This year, unlike most years, was so empty! There was no PlayStation truck. No separate youth stage for dance offs, singers (last year J Reyez showed up), or fashion shows. There was less food compared to last year, less sponsors... less stands to look at... this year.. compared to most years.. was SO BORING!
But anyway, that's not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about what I saw there. Was so horrible, I just can't be quiet about it.
Gambling
There was this table that was used for gambling. They made children play for money, they made girls play, wives... they tried to get my niece to play! First of all let me tell you something.I HATE GAMBLING.
Gambling is what got my family back in Vietnam into trouble. My grandmother gambled away our house and the deed to the house (that MY MOTHER bought), my uncle gambled away the pedestal and trinkets that were used to light incense to "call back ancestors," he gambled away my clothes that I gave to my cousin because she didn't have any. And now because of their actions my family is on the street and paying rent to people when they could've had a house that was fully paid off, clothes on their back, and money to spend on food and education.
Because of this gambling, I found out that my mother (when she was younger) could've had the chance to become a singer and could've attended a music school, but my grandmother didn't want to dish out the money for her education. she used that money to gamble instead!
Second of all, these older folk that set up this table is teaching these children to blow off money. Why are you teaching them bad habits? Gambling is an addiction! You're not supposed to be even teaching them how to gamble!! If they lose, you take their money that their parents worked for! You people are the scum of the earth and deserve to rot in hell.
And do you know what was worse about this place?
They were gambling, using a GUINEA PIG.
Animal Abuse
Imagine being trapped inside a cage, with people jeering at you and telling you to run, and there is thundering noises, and you haven't been fed. Imagine people betting on which hole you're gonna run into out of fear. Imagine the crowd, loud, boisterous, banging on the table and you're just a tiny thing just trying to avoid the loud sounds, the host using a microphone to sing stupidness, and yell numbers.That's what these people were doing.
It's already pretty loud in there, with a marching band playing, dragon dancing, people yelling and children screaming, singers singing, drums pounding... guinea pigs and other rodents can't stand loud sounds. This poor thing was in one corner of it's cage, trying to hide from it all.
And it's illegal to be gambling in a place outside of a casino. You're not authorized. But gambling using an animal for your own entertainment is .... ugh. I'm disgusted. How is this allowed?? This is animal abuse! You bank on the animal's fear. That is entertainment for you? Look!! there's a marching band playing! There is music, there is trivia games! Why must you gamble? Why must you use an animal for gambling? You're not in Nam anymore where they don't give a hoot, you're in Canada! Be a little more humane!
Luckily, my niece (who the guy tried to convince to drop her money onto the table) was able to understand that it was cruel to be banking on the guinea pig's fear, and that she shouldn't give money away when her grandpa gave it to her.
"Grandpa worked hard for his money. Gambling is bad."
Instead she used that money for a tiny jade charm that she could wear around to show off.
Stephen Harper
I stated in a previous blog post:Every year Harper always sends us red lucky pocket money (tradition for Chinese/Vietnamese people) and there is always a two dollar chocolate coin and a laminated card wishing u a happy new year in my parents native language, coloured and with an image of his family, and the Vietnamese flag behind him. Well, gee, Harper that's nice and all but how is this gonna help Canada and the environment and the economy? I sigh. Use my tax money for something useful please?
At this point I already made up my mind that I will never set foot inside this place in the future. So I walk off to blow off some steam when my parents say "Oh the prime minister will be here!"
Really, for what? PR? Sure enough I was right.
The new, first Vietnamese-Canadian senator convinced him to come.
Now as most of you can probably guess... I don't like Harper. For plenty of reasons. Harper is ruining Canadian wildlife. We had thousands of protected lakes and rivers, and now because of Bill C-45 only 62 rivers and 93 lakes are protected. And now because of the business deal in China, if we try to protect whats left of Canada's wildlife, China has legal rights to sue us.
He's getting rid of our rights as Canadian citizens, destroying the environment.
Did i mention he let an old Native American woman starve?
WHAT HAPPENED TO "OUR TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE, OH CANADA WE STAND ON GUARD FOR THEE" ? He just FLUSHED IT DOWN THE DAMN TOILET.
And now he's trying to curry favour with the Asian community?
No.
I refuse.
I will never support Harper. I will never support the conservatives. Harper, you can try to get as many photo ops as you can, you can try to buy votes within the Vietnamese community, but you will NEVER, EVER get my vote.
~~~
Anyway we went home early, and my mother and father stayed back. Steven, sister, and her boyfriend, and my niece went home and we just happened to smack-talk about Harper in the car. This conversation about got so heated on the way home (Steven was defending Harper for his business deals, but I am so against Harper that I reject what anybody else says). It got so heated that when we got home my niece pointed out that I said the "F word".
Oops. I didn't notice... ;__; I'M A HORRIBLE AUNTIE.
Oh well. At least she knows it's a bad habit and doesn't copy me .__.
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