pakistani-american

I am never too far from the issue of identity.
Who am I? What am I? etc.

my biology based personal, family, and ethnic identity:
i am the father of Maha, the man named Asad, the son of Hamid, from the clan of Siddiquis, of North Indian Arabs.

my value based religious and sectarian identity:
i am Asad the anarcho-Sufi wannabe, Traditionally Sunni raised, Reform minded Muslim.

my professional and educational identity:
i am Asad the Associate Architect, Chairman of the Board, and Teacher

political and geographic identity:
Asad the...

this is an important one because our geo-political environment has a big impact on our culture. it goes far beyond just issues of citizenship and civic rights and social responsibilities. it is a very important part of our identity. our environment plays a role on the the language we speak, food we eat, the clothes we wear, the houses we live in.

I think about my parents, my wife, my daughter...

hmmm...
You can be a Pakistani and you can be an American.

and you can be an American-Pakistani like my wife.
She is a Pakistani, but one that happens to reside in America.

and you can be a Pakistani-American like my daughter.
She is an American, who's mother is Pakistani.

but what am I?
my parents were born in India, and became Pakistanis, only later to move to US and become Americans. Did they cease being Pakistani-Americans when they gave up their Pakistani citizenship? No! Being Pakistani meant something other then just citizenship or a place of birth to them. Maybe its about a connection to a place where you spend your formative years.

I wonder they ceased being Indian when they became Pakistanis? In that case they could have also chosen to cease being Pakistani when they became Americans. But they did not do that. They retained a connection to India. eventhough they did not call themselves Indian-Pakistanis. Their immigrant identity was important to them, but their pride in their new country of citizenship was even more important.

Eventually they ended up in America. and while their latest immigrant identity is important to them, I wonder if it is superseded by pride in their latest country of citizenship? They have lived longer here in America then either India or Pakistan. At what point does someone Become just an American like they became just a Pakistani?

Its a strange sort of pride that i still don't fully understand. Its a fondness for an idea that never became fully realized. They are proud of being Pakistani, eventhough they were not born there, and they hate its politics, they hate its corruption. My father chose to give up on Pakistan for the sake of a better job. I don't know if he thought much about these issues of identity in such abstact theoretical ways. He was much more ambivelent to these things, he moved around all his life. He just lived life, he was happy simply Hamid the owner of All State. My mother on the other hand grew up in Karachi and only moved here because her husband lived here, so I can understand her attachment to the country she grew up in.

So what am I?
I was born in and grew up in Hialeah. So a Hialean?
or am I an Indian-Pakistani-American from Hialeah?
or a Pakistani-American?
or a just an American?

I am NONE of the above and ALL of the above.
call me Abu Maha ibn Hamid Siddiqui al Hialeahi

the honorable mr. so and so

For the past couple of days Pakistan's ambassador to the US had been in here South Florida. I was invited to attend a few of the events surrounding his visit. Its interesting how people use these moments of proximity to those in power. Some are there purely for the photo op, for a chance to prove to themselves that they are not completely insignificant.

Others use it as an opportunity to be significant, some will vent frustration about broad issues like corruption or injustice or poverty or human rights or development, as if this guy will go back to his superiors and say:
"mr.president a nice lady in miami who i have never met before has informed me of such and such, and i heard the same complaint in some of the other cities i visited, i think we must take action now."

Wouldn't it be great if it was that easy!

Some will try to get a commitment for action on a particular situation. Like my friend the attorney, defending Pakistanis who the US government is trying to deport. Why is it that the Saudi Embassy will fight very hard to defend its citizens in such cases, yet Pakistan will allow Immigration agents to split up families and deport them with no cause, without any significant involvement from the embassy.

As if the role of Ambassador does not include serving Pakistani citizens, and just be the good yes man "they" want him to be.

It brings up a good question.
Why would he risk his status? Would I if i was in his position?

I was invited to these events yet I chose just to observe, I did not say anything. Would I take advantage of my proximity to take action on a cause, and risk the displeasure of the powerful, and risk not being invited to sit at their table. But those are just assumptions I am making. Assumptions based on either a fear of the unknown or a desire to continue feeling important because I'm one of the few invited to attend the party. Maybe the powerful would not take displeasure at my action, maybe the powerful would still keep me at my rank.

But in the end who cares what the powerful think or what happens to me. Maybe the cause is more important. And to miss an opportunity to take action is proof of my uselessness and the meaninglessness of my rank.

More important then to achieve a high rank or a seat at the table, is to use that rank and that proximity to help others. Its in helping others, in that self sacrifice, that we gain real respect from others. And even if I were removed from my position, I would still retain the real power that comes when people respect you, admire you, and turn to you in times of need.
I pray that the Ambassador realizes his true potential.