How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Conquergood believed that this focus on "dirtiness" and "difficulty" was actually "an expression of Western expatriates' uneasiness when confronted with Difference, the Other." (12.35)
As we've seen, some Westerners simply hate people from the third world, just because they're different. This is especially odd when these expatriates are doctors—highly trained, highly intelligent people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. So, you'd think a little thing like compassion would factor in there somewhere. In the end, it doesn't matter how smart you are though. Even the geniusest geniuses among us can fall victim to run-of-the-mill racism and xenophobia.
Quote #8
It would be hard to imagine anything further from the vaunted American ideal of assimilation. (14.4)
Unlike the European immigrants who arrived a century earlier, the Hmong don't accept American culture. Of course, the Hmong are a naturally insular people, but it takes two to tango.
Quote #9
Once trained, however, Hmong are reported to be better workers than the average American workers. (14.60)
The sound you just heard is the Hmong-haters' bubble bursting. Though they've struggled to adapt, the Hmong have proved themselves to be hard workers and valuable members of society. Sure, there's still some ill-masked condescension in that "once trained" thing (what are they, monkeys?), but hey, better than nothing?