Job Discussion Forums

[writpetition]

Here's a new word - passportism - meaning: a way of behaving or thinking that treats people coming from certain countries or holding passports of such countries unfairly; and its adjective - passportist - meaning: someone who does not like or respect people who hold passports from certain countries or who thinks people with certain passports as lacking in some quality or attribute; thinks of them as inferior to some others.

Think I've sealed my place in the English lexicon!

[writpetition]

There's enough discrimination going in China and some other Asian, and assuredly other countries, too to justify the word.

I did an online search and the only entry for the word was on a slang site which described the word to mean, 'The tendency for everyone's passport photo to look like that of a drug runner.'

[limits601]

Which passport can go the furthest in China

I hear the Canadian ones isnt a bad one to hold. Any other ones out there ?

[echo2004sierra]

A Swiss passport (ruishi) can be respected.

When the Chinese ask you where you come from they are thinking about your country's government's activities in WWII and Switzerland was neutral, so Swiss nationals can be respected because their government didn't behave like murdering barbarians who tried to carve up China and reduce her people to economic slaves.

In addition, the Swiss can speak four languages and are rich.

[Roger]

An interesting neologism though I have yet to meet it in a coherent context...

Meanwhile, why link "passportism" to the ugly "discrimination"? What's discrimination to do with government policies that favour certain nationals over others? That is NOT necesarily "discrimination".

Suppose the Chinese asked for reciprocity in visa issuance internationally - this would mean most western countries would within days be flooded with Chinese proles.

To me, it is not right to say western countries "discriminate" against CHinese by making visa applications so strict and cumbersome. And the CHinese are not treating me specially favourably.
The difference is: I meet the relevant criteria to be here, and China would never assume responsibility fo me if I fell on hard times and became destitute in their country.

[writpetition]

Uncle Tom was an accomplished mountaineer and learnt the art as a young man. He practiced his climbing skills along any steep and flat surface he could find, other than on hills and mountains which he was adept at scaling, anyway. He once applied for a job for rescuing trapped or injured mountaineers when he was in Timbuctoo but his application was turned down by passportists who believed he couldn't climb mountains let alone rescue trapped mountaineers as he was from Greece, a country not particularly famous for its mountains.

How's that for a coherent context?

"What's discrimination to do with government policies that favour certain nationals over others? That is NOT necesarily "discrimination"."

It's not a government policy in China to deny jobs to English teachers from countries other than USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. Please do not create excuses.

Passportism is an ugly form of discrimination, as ugly, unfair and unreasonable as racism. Just because you do not suffer this prejudice you may never be able to appreciate the horrors of this practice, just as it was extremely difficult for non-Jews to appreciate the amazing pains that Jews went through until the Holocaust and the sudden realization. I am sure the realization dawned on the rest of the world after it went through a long period of suffering on account of the world wars. Until then, it did not matter if one spat at a Jew or kicked one in his shins.

"Suppose the Chinese asked for reciprocity in visa issuance internationally - this would mean most western countries would within days be flooded with Chinese proles."

Interesting thought! In fact, the people have long asked for it but have been denied it. Again, since China was a poor country all Chinese were considered less than human. So, what's new? Once China prospers and achieves a status comparable to most western countries, they (the west) will have no problem with any visa 'reciprocity'.

It's time thinking people started questioning passportism and took corrective action against perpretrators of this equally heinous foprm of discrimination.

[Roger]

Good pooint, writpetition, the one about the mountaineer who was refused a visa to help someone in dire straits in a foreign place - but a bit stretching your argument.

And, the plight of the Jews in Nazi Europe is just not the right basis to further your cause. I am fully - I believe - aware of the war horrors that led to the creation of Israel; I even worked in Israel for over one year and a half. How you can view yourself as a victim of discrimination on the scale of what Europe's Jewry experienced is beyond me.

Let me tell you I know certain passports are preferred over certain others, often the passports alone decide your fate, not your creds. I see eye to eye with you over this: unfair. But it is not a crime per se; it is human nature and subjective judgementalism in an area that's not covered by the law. To compare this to the heinous crime of mass murder is, well, it is indecent.

[writpetition]

Indecency lies in not acknowledging one's own role in perpetuating discrimination and then polishing it over with accusations against those very ones that are wronged.

As usual, Roger, you didn't read the full post, at least not carefully enough. I said the plight of the Jews was not noticed until the Holocaust , the wars etc (here, lemme repeat it ', ..just as it was extremely difficult for non-Jews to appreciate the amazing pains that Jews went through until the Holocaust'). Please note the use of the word 'until'.
Nazi exploits happened in the 20th Century. Does that mean Jews suffered nothing until then? Or do you believe their suffering at the hands of bigoted until the mass murders were an act of kindness?

Nazism was a symptom of the disease that had long existed in Europe and assuredly elsewhere, too.

"Let me tell you I know certain passports are preferred over certain others, often the passports alone decide your fate, not your creds. I see eye to eye with you over this: unfair. But it is not a crime per se" - Wow! What then is crime per se? Only mass murder of those holding certain passports?

Roger, are you so defensive about the whole business because passportism has found a safe harbour in the depths of your own 'heart'? Junt wonderin!

[ShapeSphere]

Writpetition - your creativity with words, reminded me of an old article. I did a search on Google and found it:

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners. None of them get through spellcheck.

1. Intaxication:
Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

2. Reintarnation:
Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

3. Bozone (n.):
The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

4. Foreploy:
Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

5. Cashtration (n.):
The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

6. Giraffiti:
Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

7. Sarchasm:
The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

8. Inoculatte:
To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

9. Hipatitis:
Terminal coolness.

10. Osteopornosis:
A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon:
It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.):
The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido:
All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler effect:
The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic fit (n.):
The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.):
Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.):
The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.


http://www.hiphop-directory.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4980

[lagerlout2006]

Is it so outrageous to insist that English teachers hail from English speaking countries? Yes it might be: since a French Canadian will have worse English than many folks from other countries.

But it's not an unreasonable regulation. You post this OVER and OVER. FYI I am caucasion and had a miserable time looking for work recently. (In fact I had to leave China. ) So I'm not buying into your argument. Look at yourself and what you should be doing.

And why (not you writpetition) do non-native speakers feel they have some divine right to teach English. ? That's a question.

I am not really qualified to teach EFL and I am AM a native speaker---and well educated I may add. Degree in History , a TEFL and 4 years experience and I still don't feel qualified. So if you are not a native speaker----and you still may be fine---don't cry about your "rights."

We are all on borrowed time with this. The jig will be up soon when sense dawns on these people!

[writpetition]

Lagerlout,

No, it is not so 'outrageous to insist that that English teachers hail from English speaking countries'. But, it is outrageous to insist or suggest that just a clutch of five countries are 'English speaking countries'.
English is spoken widely and there are countries other than the five (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) where it is an official language, a first language and so on.

Yes, the restrictive regulation in unfair, unjust and discriminatory!

I don't post the same thing over and over again. There are subtle variations on the theme. And, if you do not like reading my posts you are welcome not to. Perhaps, there are some that might actually want to and to think about the issues at hand and perhaps, to make some small change somewhere.

BTW, do my posts hurt, rankle and disturb in some way? Is that why you are trying to smother words of protest? Are you trying to forfeit my freedom of speech in a manipulative way?

If you "are Caucasian, had a miserable time looking for work and had to leave China" you are welcome to explore the reasons, ask questions and post, if you like. Your misery, I can assure you, does not compare to those, whose applications are rubbished without any consideration, simply after employers see the entry for 'Nationality' on their CV's or pictures of their passports.

You don't have to 'buy my argument' but if you like, you can reflect upon it. I have taken a good, hard look at myself and I have enough reasons to believe that I am fairly well-qualified to teach in China and other Asian countries. If you like you can visit the universities I have taught at and meet teachers, students and officials there to make an assessment (of course, this won't interest you but that's your choice). Alternatively, I can supply you with a bunch of testimonials from some of them.

The reason why "non-native speakers feel they have some divine right to teach English" is about the same as the reason why 'native' speakers feel they have the right. As long as the applications of 'nonnative' applicants are genuinely considered and assessed and the speakers interviewed to evaluate their suitability for the job in question, there is no problem. But there is a problem when they are consigned to wastebins without adequate, fair and just evaluation.

If my 'cry' for 'rights' is not palatable to you, please search within you for the reasons for your distaste. But, please don't try to tape my lips.


Shape Spheare,

Thanks! Interesting words but the one that I particularly liked was 'glibido'. I have some variations on the theme :

slibido : loss of libido...perhaps, on account of one's inability to find the right job at the right place

Dharmageddon: a fight in the future for the rights of the oppressed and discrminated-against

Will think of some more when in the throes inspirational mirth.

Spellcheck did you say - works like passport check in hiring esl teachers, sometimes leaving out the best!

[Roger]

[writpetition]

Roger,

That sounds nice...for a change!

Roger and out!

[ShapeSphere]

[writpetition]

Shape Sphere,

Those were wonderful words! Having been there and done that, I know the words fit perfectly. Fortunately, I've never needed to be a 'fliar' but at the school in Dongguan where I taught for a term I've seen a coupla poor teachers filling the very same role. I was probably spared the honour on account of my colour that the school-owner reckoned would not be very good advertisement. Stombies and homeshirk....hahaha

Well done! And do share more...