How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"But the Hmong cannot be assimilated [...] After two thousand years, we can still say we are Hmong." (12.13)
The Hmong are proud of their cultural legacy, and rightfully so. No matter how badly they were persecuted, no matter how much they were demeaned, no matter how much they were mocked, they never lost hold of their traditions.
Quote #8
Foua and Nao Kao use American appliances, but they still speak only Hmong, celebrate only Hmong holidays, practice only the Hmong religion. (14.3)
Though Nao Kao and Foua have adapted to certain aspects of American life, they still have little interest in abandoning their traditions. Can you blame them, though? Do they really have anything to gain from wearing Crocs and watching The Bachelor? Well, aside from the window into high fashion and the intellectual core of society, we mean.
Quote #9
What the Hmong wanted here was to be [...] clustered in all-Hmong enclaves, protected from government interference, self-sufficient, and agrarian. (14.6)
And to have a unicorn and a vacation home on Mars. We jest, because it doesn't really sound like all that much. These folks don't want fancy cars or diamond necklaces or even an early version of the iPhone—they just want a bit of land that they can call their own, where they're free to practice their culture however they see fit. Unfortunately, that's a dream that simply won't come true as long as they're in America.