Cultural Conundrums Abound

SOFT, SAFE AND TASTY?

OK, so the black beanie with the skull and crossbones on the front didn't fly. I thought it was cool: a salute to the skater/punk crowd that our new granddaughter is SURE to want to emulate as she gets older. I had the hat in my hand for only a moment, but that was enough: a short lecture about gender identity followed, and we ended up with a cute, white, fuzzy thing that was enough to establish "gender identity as soon as possible." Lest there be any confusion, what with everything else in the world around her being pink! Round one: I lose.
Round two: I win! In our search for a doll with Asian features, we found that stores in Green Bay featured...well...nothing, even though there is a substantial Asian community here. Maybe they don't buy dolls. There were a few darker-skinned imitations of Anglo babies, but nothing even remotely Asian. Mind you, this wasn't really a doll to PLAY with, since newborns probably shove it in their mouths more than anything else. So, it had to be soft, safe and somewhat tasty. Mind you, there are many places on the internet that feature Asian-featured dolls...most of them are for older kids and are Barbie-like...just dressed differently (and no blonde hair).
Thus, the whole idea of cultural identity has come to the forefront. While the development of this little girl is mostly up to her parents and maternal grandmother (who lives with them), I hope we can provide a little influence as well. How special for a person to have two cultures? But how potentially ruinous will it be to her social life in junior high: the gates of hell for many young girls? Hopefully, there will be a nice balance, unlike that for Noor Faleh Almaleki.
This 20-year-old of Iraqi heritage was living in a suburb of Phoenix until recently. Life-threatening injuries may end all of that sometime soon: injuries caused when her father ran her down with his automobile. "What would ever possess a father to do that to his own child?" I hear you ask. Quite simply, the daughter had become "too Westernized," according to her father. She was no longer living "according to traditional family values." To this point, we don't have any idea exactly what that entails, but there are plenty of possibilities. In fact, I've often said that the way to cause the fall of all our "enemies" is to import Western television and movies. They'd crumble just as we have...giving in to the need to have everything! Anyway...To solve his dilemma, Faleh Hassan Almaleki drove his Jeep Cherokee (isn't THAT Westernized, too?) into his daughter and a female friend in a parking lot recently.
I have to admit that such a thing might be acceptable in the Middle East where fathers rule and women do only what they are told...this is not the way things go in Phoenix, however. I'm sure he feels justified. I'm sure he's running from the police right now.
And I'm sure our granddaughter will face some cultural questions as she grows up,too. I know enough about Cambodian customs/beliefs to have some concerns, but I have great faith in her parents.
I hope I can be there to help if she needs me.