Okay, so I checked out the cache of Kimveer Gill's page at vampirefreaks.com. Here's how he filled out one survey on that site:
Apart from the one place in this survey where Kimveer listed his heritage as "Indian" (not choosing to identify himself as "Sikh"), he affiliated himself almost completely on the rest of the site with (typically white) Goth-ness. Why? What made him choose that particular identity as he was growing up?
Which brings me to another question that I've asked before on the Fire Escape: If you're a guy in North America with Asian roots, and you can't or don't want to wear the model-minority label, how do you define yourself? Do you pick Goth or Skater Boy or Hip Hop depending on who your buddies are? What other possibilities are there for teen immigrants when it comes to style, music, ethics, values?
This post may seem like an odd reaction to the murders in Montreal, but along with the victims and their families who are suffering intensely tonight, I can't help thinking of the parents who raised this hate-filled brown boy. What can we learn from their tragedy in this strange place between cultures?
| TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey | |
| Name: | Kimveer |
| Birthday: | July 9, 1981 |
| Birthplace: | Montreal |
| Current Location: | Canada |
| Eye Color: | Brown |
| Hair Color: | Black |
| Height: | 6 foot 1 |
| Right Handed or Left Handed: | Right |
| Your Heritage: | Indian |
| The Shoes You Wore Today: | Combat boots |
| Your Weakness: | Lazyness |
| Your Fears: | Have none |
| Your Perfect Pizza: | All Dressed |
| Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year: | Stay Alive |
| Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger: | Heavy Metal Rulz |
| Thoughts First Waking Up: | Tired |
| Your Best Physical Feature: | My hair |
| Your Bedtime: | Whenever I'm tired |
| Your Most Missed Memory: | Being young |
| Pepsi or Coke: | coke |
| MacDonalds or Burger King: | Burger King |
| Single or Group Dates: | Group |
| Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: | WTF |
| Chocolate or Vanilla: | Chocolate |
| Cappuccino or Coffee: | Don't care for coffee |
| Do you Smoke: | No |
| Do you Swear: | Yes |
| Do you Sing: | Hell no |
| Do you Shower Daily: | Yes |
| Have you Been in Love: | Yes |
| Do you want to go to College: | No |
| Do you want to get Married: | No |
| Do you belive in yourself: | Yes |
| Do you get Motion Sickness: | Ummmm, ya. I think so |
| Do you think you are Attractive: | So-So |
| Are you a Health Freak: | No |
| Do you get along with your Parents: | No |
| Do you like Thunderstorms: | Yes |
| Do you play an Instrument: | No |
| In the past month have you Drank Alcohol: | LOL. Yes |
| In the past month have you Smoked: | No |
| In the past month have you been on Drugs: | Yes |
| In the past month have you gone on a Date: | No |
| In the past month have you gone to a Mall: | No |
| In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos: | No |
| In the past month have you eaten Sushi: | No |
| In the past month have you been on Stage: | No |
| In the past month have you been Dumped: | No |
| In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping: | No |
| In the past month have you Stolen Anything: | No |
| Ever been Drunk: | Yes |
| Ever been called a Tease: | No |
| Ever been Beaten up: | No |
| Ever Shoplifted: | Yes |
| How do you want to Die: | Like Romeo and Juliet -or- In a hail of gunfire |
| What do you want to be when you Grow Up: | Havn't thought about it |
| What country would you most like to Visit: | None |
| In a Boy/Girl.. | |
| Favourite Eye Color: | Doesn't matter |
| Favourite Hair Color: | Doesn't matter |
| Short or Long Hair: | Doesn't matter |
| Height: | Doesn't matter |
| Weight: | Doesn't matter |
| Best Clothing Style: | Covered in Black clothing |
| Number of Drugs I have taken: | Not alot |
| Number of CDs I own: | 300 |
| Number of Piercings: | 0 |
| Number of Tattoos: | 0 |
| Number of things in my Past I Regret: | I regret nothing |
Apart from the one place in this survey where Kimveer listed his heritage as "Indian" (not choosing to identify himself as "Sikh"), he affiliated himself almost completely on the rest of the site with (typically white) Goth-ness. Why? What made him choose that particular identity as he was growing up?
Which brings me to another question that I've asked before on the Fire Escape: If you're a guy in North America with Asian roots, and you can't or don't want to wear the model-minority label, how do you define yourself? Do you pick Goth or Skater Boy or Hip Hop depending on who your buddies are? What other possibilities are there for teen immigrants when it comes to style, music, ethics, values?
This post may seem like an odd reaction to the murders in Montreal, but along with the victims and their families who are suffering intensely tonight, I can't help thinking of the parents who raised this hate-filled brown boy. What can we learn from their tragedy in this strange place between cultures?