Global Warming Threatens Louisiana’s Cambodian Culture?

The Washington Times is deeply concerned about an endangered culture along Louisiana’s coast that is threatened by rising seas. If you have in mind the State’s historic Cajun culture and its deep ties to the region then you might want to think again. Sara Sneath writes:

What brought many Cambodian fishers to south Louisiana was the climate. Fleeing war, Phan Plork’s parents, for example, moved to Buras because it reminded them of their homeland.

“The weather of the South, especially the humidity, is almost like Cambodia,” Plork said. “Whatever they could grow in Cambodia, they can grow here.”

Sneath goes on to explain that Hurricane Katrina forced about 40 Cambodian immigrant families to leave the Buras area, but they returned and have (unfortunately for the native Southerners they are helping to displace) “built something that they insist cannot be washed away.”

The Times article goes on to applaud the “rich heritage” of these Cambodians, failing to mention the historic and rich heritage of the native people of Louisiana. It notes how they are essentially replicating Cambodia in Dixie, celebrating Cambodian holidays, cooking traditional Cambodian foods, participating in Cambodian rituals, playing Cambodian games and working together to form a close-knit alien community.

The writer continues, pointing out that a warming planet and rising seas threatens this new and growing non-Southern community. I guess the moral of the story is that we should carefully watch our carbon footprint so as to leave a healthy and sustainable environment for the Third World people who will replace us. What an inspiring message!

NOTE: Despite its natural resources Cambodia is an impoverished country. Its people have an average IQ about 10 points lower than ours. But even if Cambodians were more intelligent and prosperous on average than native Southerners, would we really want to allow them to colonize our land?