The spirit catches you and you fall down - Essay Example

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Group 1Question 2 Hmong American is a group of Asians Americans who migrated from Thailand in 1975. When they arrived in the US only 3,466 were granted asylum in the US leaving a large number of them in Thailand. Their admission in the US has been barred with so much controversy. In 1976, 11,000 of the immigrants were allowed to live in US but later ejected. However, a consensus was reached to allow the immigrants to the US. These immigrants are different from the rest of the refugees living in the US since their admission to the country has been controversial.

The first group of people to be granted asylum was a group of men directly associated with General Van Pao’s secret army. Van Pao was allied to the US government and assisted US during the Vietnam War. In 1980, Refugee Act was passed and this granted the rest of the family members the permission to join their male counterparts in the US. Just like many other immigrants who arrive in US for refuge, the Hmong suffered from human rights violation leading to them to seek for refuge. In their hometown Laos, Hmong’s suffered from judicial killings, imprisonment and other forms of mistreatment.

Their case is also different from the rest of the remaining Hmong in Thailand needed refuge but could not access help until later when the Refugee Act was passed. Other immigrants in the US were allowed to join the country without gender sensitivity. Hmong immigrants to the US were males during their first encounter with US. Group 2 Question 1 This book raises issues related to culture and religion (Fadiman). The author highlights the battle between culture and religion. There is a story of a young girl Lai Lee who was epileptic and almost died since her parents could not offer her medication based on cultural and religious differences.

The issues that Anne Fadiman raises in this book can affect my life in college and at home as a citizen. Amongst them is the issue of observing human rights. The Us government should not dictate which gender requires help. Both of the males and females Hmong were suffering in Thailand and therefore everyone that sought refuge had the right to receive according to human rights laws. I also believe that regardless of our culture and traditions we should not allow suffering to be enveloped around our culture and religion.

It is also with great shame that the US was involved in the war back in Laos where the immigrants were coming from. As an American citizen, it should be my responsibility to take care of human life. The religious, culture, and scientific issues raised by this book affects my perception of my country. Lai Lee’s suffering and the rest of Hmong’s suffering reflects pain that many countries undergo. It is with great despair to realize that the U.S medical community has no better ways of communicating with people with different culture that is not mainstream of their American culture.

This affects me as a citizen since it’s a violation of human rights and it is demeaning. Works CitedFadiman, Anne. Foua and Nao Kao." The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Farrar: Straus and Giroux, 1997.