Christians of Iraq
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Christians of Iraq
Contact Links Historical articles Historical pictures Photos of Bombed Churches Home Only this link has access to all News articles
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Should We Constantly Be Victims? By Nels M. N. Frye
Assyrian Star MagazineIn this corner of the world, I am having to explain constantly my ethnic background, as many Assyrians have to do in the Diaspora. Here I say I am an Ya shu, wich usually elicits a blank look since most Chinese are not familiar with the bible or with Middle East events. Oddly enough, the other way in which I might identify myself is Jing jiao (Bright religion = Christianity as understood in China through the Nestorian Church). After several courses on the classical period at the University of Chicago, I know that the Church into which I was baptized, the Assyrian church of the East, historically moved ever eastward in part due to the persecutions of Byzantium -- which to general Chinese history is the same as Rome (Rum).
Anyhow, I feel Assyrian, am half Swedish-American and find myself on the start-up rung in a business located in Beijing where my Chinese language skills must be in use daily. Unless I return to school, I cannot call myself a "youth" much longer and maybe this will be my first and only contribution to the Youth Corner of the Assyrian Star.
What concerns me about being Assyrian? I worry about how Assyrians will survive in the Middle East. Should we all leave Middle East? Or should we all move to our home towns and villages, or those of our parents and grandparents? If we leave, how will preserve ourselves in the West? If we don't leave, what is needed for our survival in a region of the world that is bound to go through lots of future crises, where we will be scapegoated as we have been so many times?
Should we constantly be victims?
On my recent too short vacation back to the East Coast (Boston-New York) I had a chance to connect with some college friends and Assyrians in the New York and Massachusetts communities. The concern for our people in the Middle East seems to be on everyone's mind. I hat not experienced before such heightened concern, backed by knowledge. Even here in my Beijing apartment, I can stay informed through the internet -- which -- given our scattered community, is probably how mow Assyrians are staying informed now.
The fact that we can stay informed, protest and take some actions electronically shows that the situation now is different from what it has been. In Diaspora or in the homeland, we have means to stay connected. Since a lot of this connection is in English, we have power to pool the energy of our youth as never before. I for one, would like to know if there is a youth directed website -- say people under 25 -- where we can chat. Even a listserve by some by some enterprising person would be a boost I cannot promise I would constantly contribute -- but I certainly would want to participate.
Nels M. N. Frye has been working and living in China since graduating from the U of C. in 2003. As a business consultant, he keeps a busy schedule but still would make time for visiting Assyrians in Beijing, especially youth who don't mind camping at a somewhat scruffy apartment near the heart of the city.