Most Chinese are not blinded to reality and see quite obviously what languages are need to succeed in the modern world. One can be educated in a variety of languages and not compromise one’s identity or political affinity.[/quote]
It certainly does compromise one’s identity when one makes choices that undermine proficiency in one’s mother tongue or national language. That is the case in HK’s education system. A large number, and perhaps a majority of parents want their children educated in English, even if it hinders their cognitive development. Most of them cite a preference for British and or Western education over Chinese education as the reason for wanting English education for their kids.
What mad scramble, AC? There was no such scramble to learn Putonghua before '97. In case you didn’t notice, the most recognizeable mad scramble was the one for citizenship in Britain or other countries. There has been a gradual increase in the number of adults studying Putonghua in schools of continuing education, but there is no evidence whatsoever that their has been a rush. There certainly wasn’t one before 1997. Putonghua skills have improved only a bit, and people are mostly studying it for economic reasons. Secondary school students get 120 minutes a week in Putonghua for 3 years, and nobody is really pushing for more, much less queueing up for a decent Chinese education instead of a place at a so called “English medium school.” No, right or wrong, most HK people worship British or Western education and look down their noses at Chinese education.
Really then why are terms like Gwei-lo and Ah-Sigh used so ubiquitously in HK? There is obviously a distinction and implied social standing between even the Chinese and non-Chinese in HK.[/quote]
Ahem. I suppose you weren’t paying attention when after witnessing you expose your narrow mind, a HKer mistook you for a mainlander and called you an ah-chan.
AC, when a non-Chinese asks a HKer where he’s from, 99% of the time what is that HKer mostly likely to say? China or HK? In my opinion, that answer indicates a degree of ambivalence toward being Chinese.
Then why so many Guangdong immigrants funneling money back to the PRC for retirement or help family.[/quote]
So sending money to one’s family across the border means that one is miserable in HK, eh?
What evidence do you have that this was a trend during British rule? Especially in the 50s, 60s and 70s, being what you call a second class citizen in HK was certainly better than not being treated like a citizen in any sense of the word on the mainland.
If the British weren’t so desperate to sell drugs, buy eating utensils and spices, it would have remained that way. From a urban development point of view that place is a disaster waiting to happen. A tsunami or typhoon can wipe the whole place off the face of the earth. I’m sure the PRC will be blamed for the natural disaster in the future. [/quote]
That’s doubtful, but they certainly can share some of the credit for HK’s growth in the 50s, 60s and 70s. They provided the driving force for migration to HK: a lawless, chaotic system where mere survival was all most could hope for. On the other hand, British rule provided a place of refuge where the law ruled, ableit not as fairly as it would have in the British Isles. You just can’t bring yourself to accept that, can you? You can’t accept that it was so damn bad on the mainland that people were willing to move to a crowded place run by a foreign power.
You’re off on a tangent. My reply to your post was about your stupid assertion that HK people have no affinities for the Brits. You’d have to be blind and def to believe so.
And just like HK under colonial rule, they’re in a land that is not governed by Chinese people. 
Welcome back cmdjing and Zeugmite. It’s a refreshing change to see the pro-unification argument presented in coherent, logically structured paragraphs.
